For the People, By the People

By Sabah Hadi

A collection of short memoirs reflecting lives which are different, unique, Muslim. Do you want to know what it is to hear the voices of a people who haven't been heard, to hear their stories as they want it to to be told? This book has many voices that speak of many lives, each life shares a common enthusiasm to tell their real stories, of pain, of joy, of being different. Some are narrative, some are tongue in cheek, some are painful to read, some are just plain experiences, some even rants. Of being a Muslim. One at a time. Without being defensive, without fear, with hope, with belief.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sabah Hadi
• Release date: Jul 1, 2012

Book preview

For The People, By the People

Muslim voices, Human lives

Edited by Sabah Hadi

Smashwords Edition

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Copyright © 2012 Sabah Hadi

Introduction © 2012 Sabah Hadi

Cover Photo © Omar Haque. Flickr User: Omar Haque

Cover image design: Shazia Hadi

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The moral right of Sabah Hadi to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her.

Follow the editor’s blog at writeract

All rights reserved.

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Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

A few words are all you need

To: those to ask

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

Introduction

THE JOURNEY BEGINS

– A free soul

– The quest for more

– The Puzzle

– Many Journeys

– A Perspective

THE SEARCH FOR IDENTITY

– Born Equal

– Land of the Mahatma

– The Good and the Bad

– Love is all there is

– A Mohammedan

– Being Human

LIFE AND ITS TESTS

– Possibilities

– Thanks to Allah (SWT)

– Hope

– Cardio Imam

GO FOR IT

– Only one Idea

– A Flawless life

– The Fear of the Unknown

– Family and Law - A Day’s work

– The Dive

– Kicking Up Dust

– A New Sun

Glossary

Acknowledgements

There are so many blessings in our lives; I don’t think words are enough to acknowledge all of them. But try I will, and do justice to all the blessings that have been bestowed upon me in the course of compiling this anthology.

I will start with giving my thanks and gratitude to the Lord of the Worlds, our creator and Sustainer, the Magnificent, the Merciful. Make me always tread the true path, the path of those whom you have blessed, not those who have transgressed. Without you, and without your infinite grace, I wouldn’t be possible, nothing would have been possible. Not even this book.

I first put forward the idea for this book to my family: my parents, my brother, sister and my husband. Not necessarily in that order. They are my support system, my pillars of strength in a world that can get cruel and lonely. To you all, I know it is not needed that I say thanks but I want to. Even if some of you had serious misgivings about the book, I am glad you voiced them and I hope that some of those have been put to rest.

I would like to thank all the contributors who wrote a slice of their life despite being so hard pressed for time. Without you, this book wouldn’t be.

I have been ten years too late to put my writing out there but better late than never. Pushpa, Fatima you are those precious friends everybody wishes for and so few have. And Tanuja, wherever you might be, you can’t have forgotten the lovely time we shared. To you all, thanks for being my critics- encouraging, cynical, sarcastic and positive. Without you, life would have been such a bore. And to so many others, no less important- you have all been my rocks.

There are so many in my extended family that have lent me their unconditional support but there are two special people on both sides of the family. My aunt Assiya Kazimi who actually inspired me to start writing and offered to give the first installment for my first Writing Course. My cousin Bushra Alvi who is my writing buddy and a great motivator. May the Lord be forever gracious on you.

I have, during the course of my writing journey and this anthology met many who have encouraged me, motivated me and egged me on. A big thank you to all.

Introduction

Muslims have long been in the spotlight. Not that any great good has come of it. Movies, books, talk shows, infamous role models, debates about oppressed women, scary, bearded men, weird weather- inappropriate dress sense, the list is endless. We are content for the media to take up the role of highlighting the Muslim plight. There are stereotypes and caricatures cut out for our ease and consumption- the Hijabi, the bearded, the stone thrower and the terrorist. It is reflective of our fast food culture. We are provided with the washed, processed, ready- to- eaten perspective and all we do is sit back, relax and gobble it down. No thinking, no experimenting, no exploring, no questioning.

Where is our human nature which requires us to be inquisitive and curious, to know more than we are fed? Muslims are thought to be immutably linked as suggested by newspaper articles. The reality is that they are not. They are different in their interpretations of their faith; their practices often influenced by culture and new- age trends as are people of other religious faiths. They also have a strong local identity and not just a religious one. However, often they are slotted into boxes and projected as a collective sea of people. Many of them feel absolutely unrecognizable in these projections. Many have never heard of the customs and traditions alluded to them.

Muslims are either demonized or unrealistically idolized. This book attempts to humanize them. They don’t always have the same story to tell. As Chimamanda Adichie would say, don’t fall for ‘’the danger of a single story’’. And the reason is simple: Muslims are Humans too, like everyone else. They fall, they rise, they make mistakes, and they learn, they have been hurt but they persevere. They may not be perfect. Which only makes them human.

At this point it is important to ask where are the Muslims? Their reaction to their one-dimensional projection is mostly underground, almost invisible. Some fume, some sigh, others growl, most just go on with their lives. Each time there is a terrorist attack, it is Muslims by default who take the blame. Even if it an Anders Behring Breivik who unleashes terror in Norway, most newspapers including the UK’s Sun call it Al-Qaeda Massacre: NORWAY'S 9/11. We see the same reports again, day after day, stark in their dimensionality. Every time someone takes the decision to cover their hair they are different. If someone sports a beard, they instantly line up in the different queue. If your name starts or ends with a Fatima, Ayesha, Muhammad or Khan, you are propelled into a different league.

While individuality, uniqueness and the ability to step out of the crowd and have the courage to not be another member of the cattle is admired in other cases, these traits become ‘alien’ when a Muslim exhibits it somehow becomes ‘alien’ hem. It turns into ‘’this is not acceptable’’ action, something which will ‘’not be tolerated here’’.

Every community has a stereotype, which pigeonholes them and traps them into an image