The American Muslim Teenager's Handbook (Paperback)

by Dilara Hafiz (Author), Imran Hafiz (Author), Yasmine Hafiz (Author) "Islam is the name given to the message revealed to the Prophet Muhammad in 610 AD in a small city in Saudi Arabia..." (more)
Key Phrases: Prophet Muhammad, American Muslim, Saudi Arabia (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist
Are all Muslims terrorists? Does Muslim culture clash with American culture? Can Muslim teens go to the prom? Casual, colloquial, joking, contemporary, and passionate, this interactive handbook by two Arizona teens and their mom talks about their faith, about what it is like to be both proud Americans and proud Muslims, and about misunderstandings and stereotypes. Originally self-published in 2007, this revised paperback edition has a new afterword, updated coverage of social issues, and new chapters on interfaith discussion and Muslim fundamentalism and extremism. The design, which encourages browsing, includes occasional photos and lots of colored screens with questions and answers, as well as survival tips for dealing with stereotypes in a post-9/11 world. There are also step-by-step guides on how to pray, how to read the Qur’an, and how to fast at Ramadan. Muslim and non-Muslim teens alike will be caught by the candor, the humor, and the call for interfaith dialogue and tolerance. Great for group discussion. Grades 7-12. --Hazel Rochman --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Review
Aspires to nothing less than bridging a cultural chasm... Amid its witty aside sand tongue-in-cheek answers to multiple-choice questions, the handbook clearly stakes out a position for a moderate, flexible version of Islam, one that places a higher premium on moral intent than reflexive observance of every rule... --Samuel G. Freedman - New York Times

I believe it is a path-breaking and invaluable window into how some Muslim teens are coping with the challenges of growing up in the West. I found it both eye-opening and encouraging. It gives me hope for the future. As such, it is a must-read for all who care about the future of Islam in the West. --Dr. Jeffrey Lang - author of Struggling to Surrender, Even Angels Ask: A Journey to Islam in America, and Losing My Religion: A Call for Help

This is a terrific, personable, and useful book for young Muslims and for people of all ages and faiths including the secular, who are still trying to figure out the difference between a great majority of actual American Muslims--real people like the rest of us--and the crazed stereotypes generated by war headlines thousands of miles away. Full of candor, contemporary savvy, and wisdom beyond mere years, the Handbook should be in the hands and on the minds of inquiring Americans everywhere. --Michael Wolfe - author of The Hadj and Taking Back Islam

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Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Acacia Publishing, Inc.; 1st edition (August 13, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0979253128
• ISBN-13: 978-0979253126
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #519,541 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The American Muslim Teenager's Handbook is for all of us, September 9, 2007

By	Carol P. Chapelli - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

One of the great things about this book is that, although it targets the American Muslim teenage audience, it is enlightening and informative for anyone. As a teacher, mother and Episcopalian, I found this book informative on so many levels. It educated me on quite a few details of Islamic trditions and history that I'm embarrassed to admit I never understood. It also approaches conformity to the religion with an open, accepting and forgiving tone that is bound to appeal to any Muslim teenager trying to figure out how to harmonize his/her faith with the demands of American teenage culture. This open-eyed, practical and modern analysis is filled with realistic and funny wit, providing an easy way for anyone out there to understand moreabout a religion that, in this post 9/11 world, has been so stereopyped and feared. To borrow a descriptive used by the authors themselves, it is "deliciously different!"

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars must read for non muslim teenager!!!, September 16, 2007

By	Georgine Ahmad (Bethesda, MD) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

In my opinion this handbook is an even a more important read for the non-Muslim teenager as it will finally give some answers, guidance and clarity to the mysteries and misconceptions Christian and Jewish American teenagers often have about this religion. It is a book any teenager will reach for in the bookstore: because it has been written by teenagers, has an attractive paper back cover, carries clear concise and often witty language, with a colorful layout, fun pictures and quizzes, and it is not too long... something teenagers will appreciate in their often to-fit-it-all-in lives!! I hope this book will become available in every library and at every middle and high school in the USA. As a non American but living in USA, I also urge the writers to eventually edit this book in order to make it suitable for a world wide teenage audience... there will certainly be a need for it.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WHAT A BOOK!!!, August 26, 2007

By	A retired Economist - See all my reviews

It was a delight reading this marvelous book. To begin with, the colorful layout is so eye-catching. The message in each Chapter is concise and comes across effectively. The writing style and the intermittent touch of humour are just the things needed to sustain the interest of young readers. The authors have done a superb job in handling the subject-mattert. Given the difficult post-9/11 environment for young Muslims growing up in Western societies, one cannot exaggerate the necessity and usefulness of this Handbook. It can also serve as an eye-opener for their non-Muslim school-mates and College friends and help in promoting mutual understanding and goodwill.