Mecca and Main Street: Muslim Life in America After 9/11

Because of the short sighted view of Muslims presented on, say, the evening news, far too many Americans are unaware of the diversity of the ummah in this society. Mecca and Main Street provides a substantive glimpse of the aforementioned, and does so in a compelling fashion.

A previous study of "American Muslims" sketched examples simplified as an American reporter largely ignorant of Islam and Arabic and an outsider was not a bad introduction. Abdo ads knowlege of Arabic, years living in Egypt studying Islamist parties, and in Iran wearing Chador has much better depth and understanding and is better organized to analyse the issues anong Muslims: not just ptofiling and persecution, but also generational conflict, multicultul Islam developing from the universities, dealing with the real social and personal issues wihin the community itself. Better understanding the role of women and differences from integration in the US versus Europe are clarified. We still don't have a thorough study by a Muslim but the knowlege and empathy here achieves much credibility. Should be read and discussesd by interested Americans including student and Mosque reading groups.

It is seldom seen that a non-muslim has to say anything positive about muslims, specially in the Unites States. Lot of credit goes to Ms. Abdo for her fair and balanced view of Muslim life in America. Americans really need to open up their hearts and minds about muslims and stop judging through a tainted glass of hate and right wing brain washing. Don't judge the whole muslim "umma" due to the actions of 0.000001 %fanatics who think they are doing it in the name of religion. The only complaint I have is that she didn't discuss much about muslims in America from the Indo-Pak sub continent, as they make up a substantial number in this country.

I actually heard the author speak at the annual Islamic Society of North America conference's "Meet the Author" session. I was very pleased with her take on the situation of Muslims in America and how candid she was about how people view us. When I returned home I was finally able to read her book and I have to say I really enjoyed it. What I find different about this book compared to others written by non-Muslims about us is: (1) She showed the diversity that exists in the Muslim community (something seldom done), (2)she didn't seem to make assumptions about who we are as she was going into various communities (i.e. the women are all oppressed and voiceless, the men are angry and dominating), (3) she was seemed very respectful of Islam, the Muslim community and of the people she spoke with (4) she was honest about what she saw (good and bad). Those four things alone make for an excellent book. The only issue I had (if any) was the invisibility of immigrants from Africa, the Caribbean (yes we have Muslims too!), and other places where Muslims exist (like Malaysia for instance). So often when people think of Muslims they think of Arabs and people from the Indian sub-continent. When people think of converts it's sometimes African-Americans, possibly White Americans and the new wave of Latino Muslims. The aforementioned categories (and their struggles as Muslims in the U.S.) are often ignored. Then again, maybe that's another book and another subject!

This inspiring, edge of your seat book is both refreshing and welcoming to both Muslim and non-Muslim. This is a review of an American convert who has been spending his Muslim life going from place to place trying to learn traditional Islam from some of the most authoritive figures and opinions that are accessible from the English medium. Also this opinion comes from a patriotic American who cares for the security and concerns of America like any other American has proudly served in the beginnings of the War against Terrorism. That being said I would like to say that this book surprised me at every level. She uses the opinions of some of the best well trained scholars in the US today whose influence to Muslims in America and abroad are increasing day by day. Scholars like Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, Shaykh Zaid Shakir, Shaykh Umar Faruq Abdullah, Shaykh Muhammad Yaqoobi, and Sulyman Nyang (many whom I have had the honor to hear them speak and shake their hands). Their message of peace and tolerance is taking the minds of Muslims and bringing them back to what Islam was for 1400 years. It is totally uprooting the intolerant views that men from Saudi Arabia have been trying to instill into unsuspecting new Muslim immigrants. Geneive does not mention what this means bluntly because her objectivity is trying to be welcoming to all Muslims but basically what this means to Americans is that there is a civil mind war in Islam and the good guys are winning. All the groups that seem anti-American and intolerant are getting kicked out and being replaced with an Islam that tolerates American culture and seeks to live and thrive in harmony with them. I think that this is something American journalists like Geneive Abdo tries to show. To the other majority of journalist, because it lacks the sensationalism of the extremist Islam that they want to create for their audience, does not cover this. But I do my best to inform Americans of this, especially our military. My military friends tell me how their friends in intelligence are being more aware of who the good guys and bad guys in Islam are. They know the names and ideas of these groups in a more sophisticated fashion and not just looking at the old method of stereotypical long bearded man and scarf lady which basically has no foundation. I think Genieve's book somewhat paints this internal struggle at the end of the book. Also a side note: It's important to mention that these groups that are intolerant and distasteful have only been around for 50-100 years. McCarthy-like journalists try to make it seem as if they have been around throughout Islamic history. A good analysis of this topic is "Islam Fundamentalism and the Betrayal of Tradition" by Joseph Lumbard, a book that I have freely given to professors and soldiers alike. Now the other point I love about this book is the hopes, dreams, and fears of the Muslims living in America and how they are fully American and should be shown to