We Are a Muslim, Please
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Product Description
Book Description
An enchanting and dramatic memoir of growing up in Bradford as a British Muslim in the 70s and 80s.
Product Description
For Zaiba Malik, growing up in Bradford in the '70s and '80s certainly has its moments - staying up all night during Ramadan with her father; watching mad Mr Aziz searching for his goat during Eid; dancing along to Top of the Pops (so long as no-one's watching). And, of course, there's her mother - whether she's writing another ingratiating letter to the Queen or referring to Tom Jones as 'Thumb Jone'.
But Zaiba's story is also one of anxiety and seemingly irreconcilable opposites. Growing up she is constantly torn between two identities: 'British' and 'Muslim'. Alienated at school and confused at home, the racism she encounters as a child mirrors the horrors she experiences at the hands of Bangladeshi interrogators as a journalist years later.
Five years after the 7/7 attacks galvanized debates about Muslim-British identity, We Are A Muslim, Please is a stirring and enchanting memoir. We see, through Zaiba's childhood eyes, the poignancy of growing up in a world whose prejudices, contradictions and ambiguities are at once distressing and utterly captivating.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This was heartfelt, genuine and completely relevant in the political climate. It is one god-fearing muslim's response to a terrorist masquerading as a muslim and her condemnation of his acts. But it is not just that. Funny, witty, warm and simply written, it was also a pleasure to read.
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The author is a journalist born in Leeds in 1969. She was she says,' born with British citizenship, Pakistani values and a Muslim soul'. She was brought up in Bradford, now as she says, Bradistan. But the book opens with her imprisoned in Bangladesh accused of filming illegally, suspected of being a spy for India. She fearfully but bravely protest that she is not a spy but a Muslim woman and that her torturer interrogators are not good Muslims. Being a good Muslim is really the theme of her book for it ends with a letter to one of the dead 7/7 London bombers, also Yorkshire born, who had a similar upbringing to hers. She protests to him that he will be burning in hell for his evil deed. Islam means peace and suicide is a sin.
I found this book such total contrast to Ayaan Hirsi Ali's books. The Somali author portrays a religion not of peace but of inherent violence and abuse of women. Malik has no such views. Ali is an apostate. Malik appears not to be the pious Muslim her parents were. She does not seem to be an observant practicing believer but she has no criticism of Islam, only of the Islamist whose creed is violent. Hers is not critique of Islam per se bit of jihadist Islamism with its disregard for life in the pursuit of a restored caliphate. I believe hers is the majority view of British Muslims but the frightening thing in the book is the way she shows that those closest to a suicide bomber had no idea he was so radicalised.
One thing she shares with Ali is a passionate love for her family. She describes the tension of being a good Muslim girl, obedient to parents while entering secondary education, where she being the only Pakistani, wanted to fit in. She gives an entertaining portrayal of the family she loved but felt the need to explore the majority culture.
I found this book such total contrast to Ayaan Hirsi Ali's books. The Somali author portrays a religion not of peace but of inherent violence and abuse of women. Malik has no such views. Ali is an apostate. Malik appears not to be the pious Muslim her parents were. She does not seem to be an observant practicing believer but she has no criticism of Islam, only of the Islamist whose creed is violent. Hers is not critique of Islam per se bit of jihadist Islamism with its disregard for life in the pursuit of a restored caliphate. I believe hers is the majority view of British Muslims but the frightening thing in the book is the way she shows that those closest to a suicide bomber had no idea he was so radicalised.
One thing she shares with Ali is a passionate love for her family. She describes the tension of being a good Muslim girl, obedient to parents while entering secondary education, where she being the only Pakistani, wanted to fit in. She gives an entertaining portrayal of the family she loved but felt the need to explore the majority culture.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
When I bought this book, I was a bit sceptical about the content to be honest. I thought here was another run-of-the-mill production that portrays that I and my belief are correct and the rest of the world should know why I'm correct. However, Zaiba's potrayal of her life's experience puts in a very different perspective. Her story evolves around her growing up in Bradford in the 70s when on one-side UK was still trying to come to terms with new influx of immigrants from the sub-continent and on the other, the British Muslim identify had sown its seeds in the United Kingdom. What makes this book more interesting than its peer collection is that Zaiba narrated her life as it came, her constant battle between British and Muslim, her growing up in an English country without necessarily being integrated into the English society. She highlights the confusion of the identity of the new generation of British Muslims and their predicament on how to integrate to the mainstream British society. Anyways, the rest is for people to read. But before I end, the section that I liked the most, was Zaiba's depiction of the self-proclaimed judges for preserving the virtues of Islam and how they, so casually pass on judgement on others for not being a true muslim like the .... great work Zaiba
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Just OKAY
Not a very enlightening piece of work. Its patchy and incoherent at times. This book is worth a read, if you have nothing else to read. Read more
Published 1 month ago by nisha
Insightful read
The opening of the book is rather shocking and doesn't appear to get you started directly with what to come, yet as you read on, you realise how deeply relevant the 'capture'... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Inas H.
funny but with a serious side
Really enjoyed this book, and bought it for my mum who lives near the place where it's set. The beginning is a bit shocking and nothing like the rest, which is like a memoir in... Read more
Published 17 months ago by icecreamlover
A great insight.
I heard this book being read on Radio 4 and was really impressed. Reading the whole thing myself was even better. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Earl Grey
Book of the Year
This book demonstrates what most of us already suspected, that the vast majority of Muslims are peaceful loving people who love the same God as Christians and Jews. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Philip Bartey
Excellent
An amazing book, insightful,funny, moving and courageous. It tells the story of Britain's rich heritage. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Ms. Lilian Black
We Are a Muslim, Please
Great read as we share common roots, We Are a Muslim, Please is now been passed around the family my mother loved it.
Published 20 months ago by Serendipity
So funny and so real
I have just had to order this book after hearing it on the radio every day this week. So hilariously funny. All credit to the author for such a frank and realistic memoir.
Published 21 months ago by Sally Wilton
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