Living Islam Out Loud: American Muslim Women Speak (Paperback)

by Saleemah Abdul-Ghafur (Editor)
Key Phrases: United States, American Muslim, Nation of Islam (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Muslim activist Abdul-Ghafur edits this book of essays and poems, all related to the experience of growing up Muslim and female in the United States. Two of the best and most absorbing essays come from African-American women: Khadijah Sharif-Drinkard, who grew up in Harlem and became a successful corporate attorney and public servant, and Precious Rasheeda Muhammad, who describes her childhood in the Nation of Islam as a dynamic, educational experience. But the tone of some of the other contributors can be whiny. Many seem marked by tragedy, varying from things unrelated to Islam (having an autistic child) to tensions arising from ethnic cultures (marrying a non-Muslim, enduring abusive semiarranged marriages). Some of the authors engage in vague spiritual discussions about the omnipresence of God and compare Islam to a forest, with male chauvinism being the weeds in the forest, but their ideas are too abstract to enhance one's understanding of Islamic spirituality. As with many anthologies, there is some repetition of ideas, not only within the book itself but also echoing themes from the authors' previous writings. Although the contributions are uneven, this anthology opens the door for other writers to explore the important and understudied topic of Muslim American women. (Sept.)
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Review
made up of disparate essays dedicated to topics like love, faith, and religion, with contributions from Sarah El-Tantawi, who has appeared on Hardball and Asra Nomani, a former reporter for the Wall Street Journal. Some essays are passionate, while others are more subdued, but all attempt to define female identity in the context of American and Muslim ties. As editor Abdul-Ghafur, a former chief executive of Azizah, a leading magazine for Muslim women, notes, this identity reflects the continuum of Muslim women in the West -evolving, spiritual, and unique. Moving essays and poems cover marriage, religious beliefs, homosexuality, abuse, American cultural expectations, and religious ecstasy in the idiom of Islamic belief. All entail some element of spiritual transformation and provide a wonderfully satisfying read. (Library Journal)

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Product Details

• Paperback: 209 pages
• Publisher: Beacon Press (August 15, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807083836
• ISBN-13: 978-0807083833
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #178,643 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars New Voices in the Muslim World, July 26, 2005

By	Khabira Abdullah - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Living Islam Out Loud is an extraordinary collection of coming of age stories of American Muslim Women. The stories are intense, inspiring and powerful. This book provides an intimate and honest look how out-dated cultural and religious values have an enormous impact on the self image and life choices of young women. The women in this book illustrate the courage it takes to stand out on their own and find a personal relationship with God outside of the limitations of oppression and sexism. This book is an ideal representation of many American born Muslim Women and the obstacles we must overcome to find our place in Islam. Living Islam Out Loud is a remarkable vehicle for individual and international change in the Islamic world.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent - voices are long overdue to be heard, July 31, 2005

By	T. Sciacchetano (Virginia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a groundbreaking compilation of stories by American women. These beautifully written essays break down stereotypes. I particularly enjoyed Y. Fazili's chapter about falling in love.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A timely, powerful voice..., September 2, 2005

By	S. Simmons "shasim" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I thoroughly enjoyed Living Islam Outloud: American Muslim Women Speak. As a non-Muslim, I appreciated the perspectives of the contributors to the book. Too often Americans view Muslims in a negative, one-dimensional manner and categorize Islam as a "foreign" faith. It was gratifying to hear the stories of these women. Their perspectives help to debunk myths about Islam and show the multi-dimensional aspects of their lives. Their testimonies prove that Muslims are part of the fabric of American society.