Another Week, Another Blog

Posted by: snowmakesmehappy on: January 31, 2012

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This week we finished watching My Name Is Khan and had a little discussion on whether the movie managed to convey any worthy lessons. We started off by examining the role of stereotypes in the film. Most of us agreed that there was an exaggeration of basic, common stereotypes throughout the movie (the robust black woman, super cruel interrogator, crazy-terrorist-to-be in a mosque, etc). Some of my classmates believed that such characters did little to further understanding of the film and simply provided entertainment. Others saw it as a tool to emphasize the ridiculousness of the newly formed Muslim stereotype.

The assigned reading for this week was a few chapters from The Cambridge Companion to Muhammad. One of the chapters discussed the Prophet’s hijrah: his journey from the city of Mecca to Medina. The chapter described the struggles the Prophet had in taking over Medina and spreading his message. It was interesting for me to read about the politics behind the story. Usually, what they teach us in Sunday school or at home is just about the journey and end result. This chapter taught me about the tribes that lived in Medina and how Muhammad had to work his way into each tribe when they were weakened by conflict, and then slowly gain a foothold through which to take over.

One of the things that these blogs have made me think about is how little many people know about Islam, and the reasons behind that. I remember early on in the year, someone had told me that they find it hard to talk to Muslim brothers and sisters because they tend to keep company among themselves. They would see one Muslim sitting in class, only to find him/her suddenly surrounded by two or three more. Sadly, I can say that I am also guilty of this. Upon arriving at Loyola, I have made more and more Muslim friends. I eat out with them, study with them, and walk to class with them. They are just the people that I see most often during my day, but I know that is a lame excuse. Maybe we Muslims can use this class as a way to break the mold and branch out a bit more.

I would like to respond to the people who are discovering the similarities between Islam and Christianity and Judaism. These similarities have always proved both exciting and confusing for me. It always makes me happy to know that the three religions are not as different as they appear from the outside. Many of the stories and histories are the same. However, growing up in a predominantly Christian society, I was most often exposed to tales of Christian theology. And while the stories are similar, they are not quite identical. I tend to find myself mixing up the Biblical and Qur’anic accounts of many stories about Prophets. Hopefully this class can help me discern the minor distinctions between each.