The Taqwacores [Paperback]

Michael Muhammad Knight (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2009

A Muslim punk house in Buffalo, New York, inhabited by burqa-wearing riot girls, mohawked Sufis, straightedge Sunnis, Shi’a skinheads, Indonesian skaters, Sudanese rude boys, gay Muslims, drunk Muslims, and feminists. Their living room hosts parties and prayers, with a hole smashed in the wall to indicate the direction of Mecca. Their life together mixes sex, dope, and religion in roughly equal amounts, expressed in devotion to an Islamo-punk subculture, “taqwacore,” named for taqwa, an Arabic term for consciousness of the divine.
Originally self-published on photocopiers and spiralbound by hand, The Taqwacores has now come to be read as a manifesto for Muslim punk rockers and a “Catcher in the Rye for young Muslims.”

There are three different cover colors; red, white, and blue.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An absolutely fascinating book . . . Michael Muhammad Knight has bravely written what could well become an essential text."

About the Author

Michael Muhammad Knight converted to Islam at sixteen after reading Malcolm X's biography, and spent two months at Faisal Mosque in Islamabad, Pakistan. He later left orthodox Islam. His writing regularly appears in progressive Islamic venues. He lives in Western New York State. --This text refers to the MP3 CD edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Soft Skull Press; Revised Edition edition (January 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1593762291
• ISBN-13: 978-1593762292
• Product Dimensions: 4.9 x 0.7 x 7.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #565,579 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 37 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Could have been much more... April 30, 2009

By Sithara Batcha

Format:Paperback

I really wanted to like this book, but just couldn't. I guess I had higher expectations - these characters were just typical college students who just wanted to party and behave irresponsibly, just give in to their desires, and didn't want to follow any 'rules' - Islamic or otherwise.

There were plenty of complaints about the Qu'ran, the Prophet (s), hadiths, hell and heaven, ICNA conferences, imam and mosques and MSAs, Islam's treatment of women, etc. While I was sympathetic towards a good number of their complaints, reading the same angry rants over and over got very repetitive and tiresome - especially since I didn't find any of the characters appealing, or the plot interesting.

Now, maybe that's because I don't like punk music.

I was expecting much more of a political slant - how about throwing rotten sandwiches at the gleaming car of that corporate executive? How about spitting in the face of that slimy politician, or harassing that military recruiter? Where were the complaints about the unfairness of the global economy? Where was the concern for human rights? And the anger against lies and hypocrisy we are fed on a daily basis by the media?

Na, these kids were totally focused on themselves, which is why they won't cause any real change - within Islam or without. Most likely, they'll grow out of their 'punk' state and become responsible citizens (horror of horrors!!). If not, they will just waste away in irrelevance.

13 of 17 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars way beyond brilliant!! November 3, 2005

By Sabah Al-Noor

Format:Paperback

WOW. This is one of the most brilliant books i've ever read! Who would have thought that two things like Islam and Punk rock could ever overlap, let alone be combined in such a genius way. From the radical feminist in full burqa(her burqa is covered with band patches!), to the straightedge punk with Qur'an verses tattooed on him, to the mohawked drunk punk who plays the call to prayer on electric guitar from the roof of the house...this book is just genius in every detail! The only problem i can imagine is that he uses A LOT of arabic terms and Islamic references which may be hard to understand if you don't have background knowledge about Islam. But READ IT ANYWAY! Find somebody you can ask if you need the terms defined for you. This book is worth the time! (p.s.the word "fasiq" means "pervert") Not exactly for the conservative thinker...BEWARE, you will need to think outside the box on this one. Though the end result is something that is unexplainably...blasphemously reverent, dogma-smashingly righteous...what can one say?...allahu akbar!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Another world right next door August 28, 2009

By jonbodhi

Format:Paperback

This book wasn't my first exposure to punk (I highly recommend 'Please Kill Me') or my first exposure to Islam, but I had a lot of curiosity about how such seemingly incompatible cultures could blend.

Having read it, I'm still not sure they do. I can't imagine American punks bringing any aspect of Christian practice into their music as many in this book are determined to do, but I'd guess a lot of that has to do with being a minority in a larger culture which sometimes barely tolerates it.

In the end, I'm not any more drawn to punk or Islam than I was at the beginning. Both have elements embedding within them that just don't appeal to me, but I found myself liking most of the Muslim punks I met in these pages, and while I wouldn't join them, I can sympathize a bit more with them, and I think I have a clearer view of Islam. I wish luck to those who want to innovate, no matter what their brothers and sisters think.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Book on the American Muslim Experince July 13, 2011

By Ramadan

Format:Paperback

The most important book detailing the American Muslim experience. I have yet to seen a book that has so eloquently recounted the frustration, loneliness and confusion over a divided identity of many American Muslims youth or second generation immigrants from Muslim countries who have grown up in a post-9/11 America. Whether its critiquing the oppressive conformity experienced by Muslims whether it be "uncles" of suburban mosque or racist high schoolers, or even the mosque mood put on by of many Muslim Americans, observing the boundary breaking etiquette of punk culture or creating an entirely unique subculture, one that can even turn the Israeli Star of David into symbol of incredible offense or the produce imaginary works of pulp/ sci-fi writer Abu Afak; The Taqwacores humors, agitates and force its readers to question faith, culture and reconsider the force that shape our identity. This book is also to powerful and courageous in bringing to the forefront some that do anger many mainstream Muslims, such as a gay Muslims or critiques of the Prophet, and does so in an honest manner that makes it a worthwhile conversation, while advancing an internal dialogue about current American Muslim culture. It should be noted that there should have been glossary for Arabic and punk terms, or a least for the Arabic terms, it might obstacle for some readers to get over. Another issue is that although each of Mr. Knights complaints about Muslim culture means a lot to many Muslims (many who have tried to reconcile those issues), the list does become a strong point of detraction for non-muslim readers, becomes repetitive and tiresome.... Despite the punk/ zinish wrapping, this book is defining for an entire generation of Muslim youth growing up in a post-9/11 world in which ones identity is seen with much fear and ignorance by mainstream society; a burqa is seen as much as blight and much cause for fear as a bright, red Mohawk might have had in 77. The combination or "mismatching of disenfranchised subcultures" works so well to properly convey the American Muslim experience and much better than the selection that is available. Sure the book is satire, many of the characters are self-absorbed and filled with typical angst but isn't that what being young and punk is about? Being true to oneself. That fact, along with working to create an Islam that is open to everyone and as an earlier reviewer stated "need to bring about a truly American manifestation of Islamic culture that owes nothing and offers no submission to any Eastern culture or political power." Read more ›