Islam In America

Ceramic Tile in Architecture

Suzy Shuraym — Sun, 26 May 2013 00:43:46 +0000

"Sumptuous, vibrantly colored ornamentation is a distinguishing characteristic of Islamic architecture. As the human form and figurative representation are strictly forbidden, there is a total absence of sculpture in Islamic edifices. Instead, geometric patterns and rich surface decoration reach...

Read the full post here »

The Rise of Hijab Fashion Bloggers

Suzy Shuraym — Wed, 22 May 2013 18:12:29 +0000

"In the last few years, a growing community of hijab fashion bloggers has changed the idea of what it means to be a modern Muslim woman," writes Vanessa Rosales on The Daily Beast. Learn about hijab high fashion here. It seems that hijab has become something completely...

Read the full post here »

“Traveling While Muslim”

Suzy Shuraym — Mon, 13 May 2013 20:28:22 +0000

There's a long-standing discussion in the United States about DWB arrests (that "driving while black" is reason enough for the police to pull over a motorist). Now, evidently, this has been expanded to "traveling while Muslim". This story is simultaneously astonishing and sad: "Traveler from Saudi Arabia arrested at Detroit Metro with pressure cooker". Comments? ...

Read the full post here »

Prince Rahim Aga Khan Engaged to American Model

Suzy Shuraym — Thu, 02 May 2013 04:07:55 +0000

According to the Aga Khan Development Network, His Highness the Aga Khan, Imam of Shi'a Ismaili Muslims, announced the engagement of his eldest son, Prince Rahim Aga Khan (age 42), to Kendra Spears, (age 24), a model from Seattle,...

Read the full post here »

The Tsarnaev family: A faded portrait of an immigrant’s American dream

Suzy Shuraym — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 03:25:59 +0000

Marc Fisher, writing in The Washington Post, has penned a thoughtful narrative of the Tsarnaev family's life in the United States. Most interesting, perhaps, is the differing experiences of the two brothers, Ruslan and Anzor (the latter being the father of the accused Boston Marathon bombers, Tamerlan and Dzhokhar). Read it here. ...

Read the full post here »

“She Who Tells a Story”

Suzy Shuraym — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 06:30:53 +0000

“She Who Tells a Story” introduces the pioneering work of twelve leading women photographers from Iran and the Arab world: Jananne Al-Ani, Boushra Almutawakel, Gohar Dashti, Rana El Nemr, Lalla Essaydi, Shadi Ghadirian, Tanya...

Read the full post here »

Is the Hijab Worth Fighting Over?

Suzy Shuraym — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 06:44:07 +0000

Check out the discussion going on here. In this writer's opinion, if the purpose of the hijab is "female modesty", it should not be worn in non-Muslim majority countries precisely because it calls extra attention to the wearer -- which is the opposite of modest....

Read the full post here »

Radicals Not Raised in Mosques

Suzy Shuraym — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 14:53:37 +0000

Suhaib Webb and Scott Korb, writing in today's New York Times point out what many of us know: "radicalization does not happen to young people with a strong grounding in the American Muslim mainstream." Bottom line? "The American Muslim community has actively and repeatedly, day in and day out, rejected such radicals on religious grounds: they do not know mercy." Read it here: "No Room for...

Read the full post here »

Guiding Our Boys to a Straight Path

Suzy Shuraym — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 18:26:47 +0000

"I would like our community to take responsibility for how it is that we — yes, we — have allowed an interpretation of Islam to prevail in this world that turns this boy of innocence into a bomber and murderer," writes Asra Q. Nomani. "We need to work with compassion and love to guide these boys to a “straight path,” as mentioned in the Quran’s first chapter, Al-Fatiha, 'the Opening'. And that straight path should be one of nonviolence." Read more of her commentary on Read the full post here »

What Can We Learn from the Boston Bombings?

Suzy Shuraym — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 14:48:24 +0000

The New York Times has a poignant editorial about immigrant children in today's issue. "Taking in what Emma Lazarus called the 'wretched refuse', including asylum seekers like the Tsarnaev brothers, without providing a scaffold of support undermines the promise of America." write Marcelo M. Suárez-Orozco and Carola Suárez-Orozco in "Immigrant Kids, Adrift" (read it all here). "The alleged involvement of...

Read the full post here »