Qais Ghanem's Blog
January 9, 2017
FORBIDDEN LOVE IN THE LAND OF SHEBA
This novel, my third, received a terrific review from "Rose Girl", a Yemeni woman who would clearly know a lot about what the novel describes, especially about how women are treated in Yemen, the "Land of Sheba".You will find it on the Face Book Page: NOVELS ABOUT YEMEN.
I think it would be cool if I could persuade Rise Girl to post it here on Good Reads too. I'll try to do that.
http://www.qaisghanem.ca/book/forbidd...
August 14, 2014
Review of the Arabic section, by poet Essam Adi, Ottawa
From Left to Right من اليمين الى اليسار Qais Ghanem Review of the Arabic section, by poet Essam Adi, Ottawa, Canada:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBbN0...
Review of English section of FROM-LEFT-TO-RIGHT by Robert NELSON
From Left to Right من اليمين الى اليسارQais Ghanem Review of English section of FROM-LEFT-TO-RIGHT by Prof Robert NELSON, Ottawa, Canada 2013-05-06: 4 min video clip:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqmE4...
August 13, 2014
Book Launch: St Elias Church Ottawa
“In My Arab Spring, My Canada, authors Qais Ghanem and Elie M. Nasrallah have given this country, their country, a valuable gift. This book — co-authored by a Muslim and a Christian, both of Arab descent, both proud Canadians — is a pocket guide for those who come from the Middle East as well as a useful reference for those already here. Nasrallah has roots that go all the way back to the Titanic, so these are hardly starry-eyed or discouraged newcomers. They examine immigration from earliest days to today and they look to the future with great optimism.”
Roy MacGregor, author of Canadians: A Portrait of a Country and Its People - See more at: http://dialoguewithdiversity.com/book...
FINAL FLIGHT FROM SANAA - Review by Dr Adel Aulaqi, London, England
A good read spanning may years and experiences. Almost prophetic in regard to the Arab Spring and recent events in Yemen. Intricate stroy telling offering a feast of the hUmerous as well as the very serious. It reminded me very much of a mature poignant Baratha’s “My God Died Young” but in uniquely Qais’ master story telling. It deserves wider readership by translation into Arabic. - See more at: http://dialoguewithdiversity.com/brit...Qais Ghanem
FINAL FLIGHT FROM SANAA - Review by Tamara Tarchichi, Journalist, Ottawa, Canada
Final Flight From Sanaa
Qais Ghanem Author Qais Ghanem challenged the way I read books, chiefly Final Flight from Sanaa. Perhaps with my young age came my youthful thoughts of cultural taboos and rituals that were intact with my Islamic beliefs – almost allowing me cautiously to reject reading an Islamic book that discussed intimate and sexual details experienced by Muslim characters. That was the challenge; how was I able to continue reading explicit details when everything read went against what I believed was noble? Or so I thought.
Little did I know.
Final Flight from Sanaa was the most intriguing story I have ever read. It discussed topics way above sexuality; and once my sciolism was stripped away, I was able to see clear that the accurate and realistic elements challenge the suppressed ideas one holds against Islam.
Rather, I found myself dodging questions about religion, sexuality, and the rituals of the Islamic scripture, almost in defiance, because the true essence of what I was reading was to some effect offensive rather than pleasant. It is almost always the duty of every Muslim, I thought, to debate issues presented in a humiliating manner when Islam is discussed on the table. Luckily, that would be challenged, not by an author covering a topic he was not familiar with, but descriptively by one who originated from the deep roots of Islamic and Arabian culture, bringing with age and years of education wisdom and insight to the most controversial topics of all time- Sexuality and Religion.
It is a compare and contrast, experienced by many Muslims who immigrate to foreign countries, learning to accustom their thoughts and beliefs to the nation’s conduct of behaviour, essentially learning productive liberalism. Tariq, the aged doctor and expert in life, brings the reader through a conventional ride when he experiences culture shock even when returning to his homeland of Yemen. With Tariq you learn to sympathize, when important questions are raised like honour and religion, and the oppression of cultural regimes and lack of political freedoms are examined. Inequality is examined, between men and women and all the right inquiry detailing these liberties- of course by all means outlining the double-standards.
It becomes clear what democracy entails, and what the true definition of this popular word really holds. To Tariq and the friends he made along the way, they are life lessons – each experienced personally in his or her own way. One begins to see the spirit of this individual, and how simple his thoughts and actions really are. How religion is interpreted to satisfy one’s own definitions of right and wrong, and how extremism is indeed corrupting society, allowing people to lash out against their own flesh and blood. Especially during the Arab revolutions of today, where each politically conveyed chapter from the book goes deep into your imagination of the practicality of real life situations. Justice was drawn upon, and I salute Qais Ghanem for not leaving this important topic go unobserved.
Aside from the political and religious features of this book, Qais Ghanem’s own medical education helped in asserting him with the correct knowledge of the character’s (Tariq) profession in this field. Reading along, one is informed of Dr. Ghanem’s own medical wisdom. The brief mention of historic battles and quotes drawn from significant icons such as Mohandas Gandhi, add an informative session surely making it a dialogue with diversity.
Thankfully, the humour inserted from time to time keeps this book light in its nature. Dr. Ghanem`s attentiveness to detail is especially amusing; everything from the clothing to the atmosphere to the destinations are detailed to the depth of element, as if you are there. The language is basic and easy to follow; and the events of the book unfold systematically, allowing you to never lose track or re-read!
Most importantly, Final Flight from Sanaa began long and heated discussions between my friends and me circulating topics about religion and dictatorships. It allowed me to experience a different journey, a liberated one, full of wisdom and perception. With much brag, this book has been requested by many of those who surround me. I hope that you too, go out and experience this alluring, fulfilled, and stimulating challenge.
- See more at: http://dialoguewithdiversity.com/fina...
Qais Ghanem Author Qais Ghanem challenged the way I read books, chiefly Final Flight from Sanaa. Perhaps with my young age came my youthful thoughts of cultural taboos and rituals that were intact with my Islamic beliefs – almost allowing me cautiously to reject reading an Islamic book that discussed intimate and sexual details experienced by Muslim characters. That was the challenge; how was I able to continue reading explicit details when everything read went against what I believed was noble? Or so I thought.
Little did I know.
Final Flight from Sanaa was the most intriguing story I have ever read. It discussed topics way above sexuality; and once my sciolism was stripped away, I was able to see clear that the accurate and realistic elements challenge the suppressed ideas one holds against Islam.
Rather, I found myself dodging questions about religion, sexuality, and the rituals of the Islamic scripture, almost in defiance, because the true essence of what I was reading was to some effect offensive rather than pleasant. It is almost always the duty of every Muslim, I thought, to debate issues presented in a humiliating manner when Islam is discussed on the table. Luckily, that would be challenged, not by an author covering a topic he was not familiar with, but descriptively by one who originated from the deep roots of Islamic and Arabian culture, bringing with age and years of education wisdom and insight to the most controversial topics of all time- Sexuality and Religion.
It is a compare and contrast, experienced by many Muslims who immigrate to foreign countries, learning to accustom their thoughts and beliefs to the nation’s conduct of behaviour, essentially learning productive liberalism. Tariq, the aged doctor and expert in life, brings the reader through a conventional ride when he experiences culture shock even when returning to his homeland of Yemen. With Tariq you learn to sympathize, when important questions are raised like honour and religion, and the oppression of cultural regimes and lack of political freedoms are examined. Inequality is examined, between men and women and all the right inquiry detailing these liberties- of course by all means outlining the double-standards.
It becomes clear what democracy entails, and what the true definition of this popular word really holds. To Tariq and the friends he made along the way, they are life lessons – each experienced personally in his or her own way. One begins to see the spirit of this individual, and how simple his thoughts and actions really are. How religion is interpreted to satisfy one’s own definitions of right and wrong, and how extremism is indeed corrupting society, allowing people to lash out against their own flesh and blood. Especially during the Arab revolutions of today, where each politically conveyed chapter from the book goes deep into your imagination of the practicality of real life situations. Justice was drawn upon, and I salute Qais Ghanem for not leaving this important topic go unobserved.
Aside from the political and religious features of this book, Qais Ghanem’s own medical education helped in asserting him with the correct knowledge of the character’s (Tariq) profession in this field. Reading along, one is informed of Dr. Ghanem’s own medical wisdom. The brief mention of historic battles and quotes drawn from significant icons such as Mohandas Gandhi, add an informative session surely making it a dialogue with diversity.
Thankfully, the humour inserted from time to time keeps this book light in its nature. Dr. Ghanem`s attentiveness to detail is especially amusing; everything from the clothing to the atmosphere to the destinations are detailed to the depth of element, as if you are there. The language is basic and easy to follow; and the events of the book unfold systematically, allowing you to never lose track or re-read!
Most importantly, Final Flight from Sanaa began long and heated discussions between my friends and me circulating topics about religion and dictatorships. It allowed me to experience a different journey, a liberated one, full of wisdom and perception. With much brag, this book has been requested by many of those who surround me. I hope that you too, go out and experience this alluring, fulfilled, and stimulating challenge.
- See more at: http://dialoguewithdiversity.com/fina...
FINAL FLIGHT FROM SANAA - Review by Shahla Khan-Salter, Lawyer, Ottawa, Canada
Qais Ghanem It is by taking note of books like Final Flight From Sanaa and authors like Qais Ghanem who blaze the trail and fearlessly begin the dialogue.During the last few decades I have read many books written by fellow Muslims.
But few of them deal with the issue of sexuality among Muslims and how the sexual attitudes of Muslims affect their human rights and their self-determination both in Muslim communities here in the West and in Muslim countries.
Final Flight From Sanaa scans the issue and I commend its author, Qais Ghanem for having the courage to cover the topic. One hopes that Final Flight from Sanaa, will open up a series of discussions on the issue of sexuality among Muslims.
The book’s main protagonist, Tariq, is a secular Muslim, a divorced physician and poet, in his sixties and he is engaged in the world around him – both in his personal life and his activism.
We learn much about Tariq in the book, particularly from his openly expressed views on politics and women.
From his many generalizations and opinions we learn he is not perfect. He does not have perfectly politically correct egalitarian views and makes many uncomfortable generalizations, particularly about women.
But all fictitious characters have a right to their own view point and in reality there are other Tariq's out there. After all even secular Muslims are not a monolith. How Muslim communities here in the West and in Muslim countries as well, consist of a variety of individuals with diverse thoughts and behaviour, is something this book, hopefully, will leave within the reader some understanding.
Through Tariq’s eyes, in Final Flight From Sanaa the reader envisions a brief intimate sketch of people raised and/or living in closed societies, where sexuality is reserved for marriage so rigidly that the consequence of rape exceeds that of any other brutal assault, forever removing the possibility to live a normal married life as well.
The book proposes the notion that coming from a closed society may in some instances mean it is hard to abandon old sexual practices out of fear but on the other hand, it does not always mean an individual shall be unavailable to a variety of sexual experiences.
The book is sexually explicit in parts and challenged my own puritanism.
My senses were shocked at some of the descriptions of sexual acts, not due to an encapsulated environment (as many of us are bombarded by sexualized media images) but possibly because Final Flight From Sanaa was a candid snapshot of sexuality among Muslims in particular.
I am not accustomed to reading about Muslims enjoying consensual sex, including anal sex, oral sex and threesomes. Unfortunately, the rape scene was the one that did not shock me.
A Final Flight From Sanaa, like its protagonist, is not perfect. It leaves many questions unanswered. In the end – who is saved and why? Who is the rescuer and why? And is there sufficient depth to any female character in this book?
But it is my hope that notwithstanding these issues one can read the book and still see clearly what it proposes to address – intolerance, sexism, lack of information, lack of openness – much of which is proposed to be due to a rigid interpretation of our holy scriptures.
Final Flight From Sanaa begs the question – are people in Muslim communities so consumed with the status that originates from honour and/or shame that they are living secret double lives?
And how much does a radical Islamic ideology that provides that the source of all evil is a woman’s sexuality, make all Muslims vulnerable to what Muslim governments can do to Muslims in Muslim countries?
How much does such an ideology hinder us here at home, in the West, for example in our ability to stop domestic violence and forced marriages – both of which have much to do with honour and shame as it relates to a woman’s obedience and a woman’s purity?
Final Flight From Sanaa is a starting point and in it Qais Ghanem begins a candid discussion about what is happening to Muslims and how our fears about sexuality aid Muslim governments in their oppression of us and aid in the marginalization of people in our own communities here in the West.
In the end it is an examination of the way women’s freedoms and the freedom of their husbands, fathers and brothers and friends are restricted not only in Muslim countries but everywhere honour and shame are an issue.
How do we achieve a more open Muslim community, in which people are respected – particularly women and not defined by their sexual purity? - See more at: http://dialoguewithdiversity.com/fina...
