Prologue: Not a mosque, and not at Ground Zero -- Part One. An arranged marriage in Pakistan -- 1. It's arranged -- 2. I never said, "I do": the marriage contract -- 3. A silver watch: my splendid Pakistani wedding -- 4. Marital advice -- Part Two. A Pakistani Muslim in New York -- 5. A Pakistani bride in New York: "I wouldn't do that if I were you" -- 6. Where are you from? -- 7. A Muslim girl in New York: a holiday Muslim -- 8. Pakistani pregnancy, American delivery: a baptism of sorts, plus a circumcision -- 9. Ramadan without Ramadan: why I stopped fasting -- 10. The Christmas-ization of Eid -- 11. A Muslim among orthodox Jews -- 12. The Americanization of yours truly -- Part Three. Creating a Muslim space -- 13. Where do I begin? -- 14. Building a Muslim community -- 15. A Muslim Sunday School and a mosque -- Part Four. Rediscovering Islam: religion or culture? -- 16. Born-again Muslim -- 17. Lower your gaze -- 18. Pakistani Islam or a hybrid? -- 19. Moon sighting -- 20. Tradition versus women's rights -- 21. My brand of Islam -- 22. Abraham's sacrifice -- 23. Grounded in roots -- Part Five. An American Muslim in New York -- 24. An arranged marriage for my sons? -- 25. The Shia-Sunni schism -- 26. Don't ghetto-ize Islam -- 27. Flashpoints -- 28. And then nothing was the same: September 11, 2001 -- 29. Extremism and Islamophobia: viewed from the eyes of a Muslim -- 30. Upgrading Islam into the twenty-first century -- 31. An American Muslim in Pakistan -- 32. An American Muslim in New York.
Summary:
"This enthralling story of the making of an American is also a timely meditation on religion and culture. Threading My Prayer Rug is a richly textured reflection on what it is to be a Muslim in America today. It is also the luminous story of many journeys: from Pakistan to the United States in an arranged marriage that becomes a love match lasting forty years; from secular Muslim in an Islamic society to devout Muslim in a society ignorant of Islam, and from liberal to conservative to American Muslim; from master's candidate to bride and mother; and from an immigrant intending to stay two years to an American citizen, business executive, grandmother, and tireless advocate for interfaith understanding. Beginning with a sweetly funny, moving account of her arranged marriage, the author undercuts stereotypes and offers the refreshing view of an American life through Muslim eyes. In chapters leavened with humor, hope, and insight, she recounts an immigrant's daily struggles balancing assimilation with preserving heritage, overcoming religious barriers from within and distortions of Islam from without, and confronting issues of raising her children as Muslims--while they lobby for a Christmas tree! Sabeeha Rehman was doing interfaith work for Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, the driving force behind the Muslim community center at Ground Zero, when the backlash began. She discusses what that experience revealed about American society"-- Provided by publisher.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.