Wednesday, February 27, 2008

As a Muslim, I run for the hills when I read silly articles like this:

Meeting them at their house in a quiet tree-lined street in Emerson, New Jersey, it soon seems clear that they, and their progressive Islam, are as perfectly adapted to life in modern America as their Christian neighbours.

Shahid is a hands-on dad. While his wife pursued a career as a lawyer he took charge of raising the children. His son Reza, a hospital doctor, is following his example by being the one who cooks dinner and does the dishes as his wife, Amna, also works.

The Aktar daughters are pursuing careers as a lawyer, businesswoman and dentist. Their emancipation has not diluted their sense of being Muslim, but it has changed it.

Sheema wears shorts to play soccer, but sees no conflict with the duty to behave modestly. They feel bound by the duty to pray, for example, but not at five set times each day.

Mino Akhtar says connection with God is what counts.

1 comment:

Yaman said...

Wow, this is fascinating, what a coincidence that the first Muslim family I met in the West happens to contradict every single assumption I had about Muslims. This must be a rare case (I'm so lucky!), and there must be something special about them... maybe they are progressive?