What do you think?
Rate this book
But You Don't Look Like a Muslim
What does it mean to be Muslim in India? What does it mean to look like one's religion? Does one's faith determine how one is perceived? Is there a secular ideal one is supposed to live up to? Can people of different faiths have a shared culture, a shared identity? India has, since time immemorial, been plural, multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and multi-lingual, where various streams have fed into and strengthened each other, and where dissimilarities have always been a cause for rejoicing rather than strife. These writings, on and about being Muslim in India, by Rakhshanda Jalil one of the country s foremost literary historians and cultural commentators excavate memories, interrogate dilemmas, and rediscover and celebrate a nation and its syncretic culture.
240 pages, Hardcover
Published May 25, 2019
29 people are currently reading
297 people want to read
About the author
Rakhshanda Jalil
49 books36 followersRakhshanda Jalil is a writer, critic and literary historian. Her published work comprises edited anthologies, among them a selection of Pakistani women writers entitled, Neither Night Nor Day; and a collection of esssays on Delhi, Invisible City: she is co-author of Partners in Freedom: Jamia Millia Islamia and Journey to a Holy Land: A Pilgrim s Diary. She is also a well-known translator, with eight published translations of Premchand, Asghar Wajahat, Saadat Hasan Manto, Shahryar, Intezar Hussain and Phanishwarnath Renu.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 26 of 27 reviews
August 14, 2019
The book is a collection of 40 essays divided into 4 groups of 10 essays each. Each group has been titled as per the four pillars which affect any community; politics, culture, literature & religion itself. The first essay’s title My Father Did Not Take the Train to Pakistan in itself is a punch to one’s throat, while one can interpret it in many ways but it was enough for me to make sure this book is going to be a hell of a emotional roller coaster. Each essay while includes personal stories of not just the author but of other people, it also contains some detailed historical facts which gives depth to the essays.
Read the full review on Just Another Bookaholic
Read the full review on Just Another Bookaholic
June 19, 2019
"I have always wondered how one is supposed to look like one's religion. Save for outward tokens such as a turban or topi, a beard or a burqa, How can one give instant proof of one's religious beliefs? Yet growing up in Delhi, all through my school, college and university while negotiating an assortment of jobs and offices, not to say myriad social occasions, I have heard this comment delivered in tones ranging from surprise to approval. With time I have understood that the speaker is trying to give me a backhanded compliment. Since I don't look like a Muslim, I am 'okay', I am not quite one of 'them' ―the bomb-throwing, beef-smuggling, Jihad-spouting Muslim of popular imagination. By extension, I might even ―at a stretch ― be considered one of 'us'.
In my mind there is no duality. I am a Muslim and an Indian in no particular order"
🔸
This book "But you don't look like a Muslim" is by Rakshanda Jalil who is India's one of the foremost literary historians & cultural commentators which is clear by the content the book holds inside. The book is a collection of Essays on Identity and Culture and was divided into 4 parts: the politics, the culture, the literature & the religions. Each part have 10 essays exploring more on the subject ranging from Indo-pak partition and the after effects it left to the religious celebrations which diverse people took part in.
🔸
This was one of my first books talking about the above subjects and I enjoyed it thoroughly. Each essay gives you an insight of a personal life and how it all changed and is changing as we move forward into the current century. I personally took all my time to read this book, slowly and peacefully to let everything sink in since so many of the topics simply made me nostalgic and reminded me of the tales my grandma & mother used to tell me of "her times" and had a discussion with my mother over every topic the book covered and got even more stories to hear! All the stories had one thing in common, they were very fascinating yet extremely heart breaking.
🔸
The book deals a lot with old literature and poetry. I guess it all comes from the background of the author. The thing that I loved the most about this book is that it was direct, blunt and unapologetic about their sincere views on the current society, especially the politics that overshadows every aspect of our life. The one thing that took away the 1 star for me was the author drifted away from the main theme of the book several times. Towards the end, the theme is somewhere lost and you are just reading about religions and poetry by great poets on culture and religions & I was slightly disappointed by it.
Overall it was a great read and I'd give it 3.8/5⭐
In my mind there is no duality. I am a Muslim and an Indian in no particular order"
🔸
This book "But you don't look like a Muslim" is by Rakshanda Jalil who is India's one of the foremost literary historians & cultural commentators which is clear by the content the book holds inside. The book is a collection of Essays on Identity and Culture and was divided into 4 parts: the politics, the culture, the literature & the religions. Each part have 10 essays exploring more on the subject ranging from Indo-pak partition and the after effects it left to the religious celebrations which diverse people took part in.
🔸
This was one of my first books talking about the above subjects and I enjoyed it thoroughly. Each essay gives you an insight of a personal life and how it all changed and is changing as we move forward into the current century. I personally took all my time to read this book, slowly and peacefully to let everything sink in since so many of the topics simply made me nostalgic and reminded me of the tales my grandma & mother used to tell me of "her times" and had a discussion with my mother over every topic the book covered and got even more stories to hear! All the stories had one thing in common, they were very fascinating yet extremely heart breaking.
🔸
The book deals a lot with old literature and poetry. I guess it all comes from the background of the author. The thing that I loved the most about this book is that it was direct, blunt and unapologetic about their sincere views on the current society, especially the politics that overshadows every aspect of our life. The one thing that took away the 1 star for me was the author drifted away from the main theme of the book several times. Towards the end, the theme is somewhere lost and you are just reading about religions and poetry by great poets on culture and religions & I was slightly disappointed by it.
Overall it was a great read and I'd give it 3.8/5⭐
May 16, 2019
So, I completed Rakshanda Jalil's But You Don't Look Like A Muslim by Harpercollinsin
🙅
Contemplating. Contemporary. Hot topic with dents.
She is competitive for authors who are still on their first red carpet. But I guess red carpets aren't for me man. I thought highly of this book with all the promotions and the cover which is strikingly beautiful! But the writing reads out as a dissertation rather than a flow which such a book is expected of! I loved her musings, her research ( NOW everyone who reads my reviews knows this that I love A GOOD RESEARCH AND IMPORTANTLY, A GOOD RESEARCHER) and the title is a win-win. But some chapters are on catnip maybe. They are dull. That some sync. The reasoning which one expects from the title is lost on me by the time the book ends. The hyped book is justified but it doesn't have a body. It's scattered. Musings are mostly scattered. 🤦 And I believe that readers are actually looking for Meaning, a story and a hookup! But this book doesn't have any of those. Instead read this when you have already read Jalil and loved her! Or if you a pragmatic person with a penchant for non fiction. This book has some amazing quotes but over all, I was let down. It's like the same ranting is expressed in a hundred different ways and examples which isn't required. I mean go blog. Right? 🤦🤦
#butyoudontlooklikeamuslim 🙋
🙅
Contemplating. Contemporary. Hot topic with dents.
She is competitive for authors who are still on their first red carpet. But I guess red carpets aren't for me man. I thought highly of this book with all the promotions and the cover which is strikingly beautiful! But the writing reads out as a dissertation rather than a flow which such a book is expected of! I loved her musings, her research ( NOW everyone who reads my reviews knows this that I love A GOOD RESEARCH AND IMPORTANTLY, A GOOD RESEARCHER) and the title is a win-win. But some chapters are on catnip maybe. They are dull. That some sync. The reasoning which one expects from the title is lost on me by the time the book ends. The hyped book is justified but it doesn't have a body. It's scattered. Musings are mostly scattered. 🤦 And I believe that readers are actually looking for Meaning, a story and a hookup! But this book doesn't have any of those. Instead read this when you have already read Jalil and loved her! Or if you a pragmatic person with a penchant for non fiction. This book has some amazing quotes but over all, I was let down. It's like the same ranting is expressed in a hundred different ways and examples which isn't required. I mean go blog. Right? 🤦🤦
#butyoudontlooklikeamuslim 🙋
September 20, 2021
'But You Don't Look Like A Muslim' was an interesting title for a book & is indeed full of rich content. I enjoyed reading this book which showcases the pluralism in India & how the Muslim community has been a great part of India's being as a unique country. I loved the way the author has manged to show her take on being part of the Islamic community living in India. I loved the portions about the food, Islamic religious festivals, the language of Urdu & the Islamic literary icons that have shaped India into a vibrant democracy. This book was enjoyable & an eye-opener in several places regarding the contribution of Islamic culture to India's pluralism. The book is tiny & an easy read. It especially puts into perspective a lot of misconceptions the non-Muslim reader has about certain religious customs & traditions. Do grab a copy of this book & read it. It is not a heavy read & the Urdu couplets & poetry in the book can truly make one love the language. I look forward to reading more books by author Rakhshanda Jalil in the near future. Kudos !
November 13, 2020
2.5/5
I had picked this up thinking that it would be the story of my life given how often I have been at the receiving end of this comment peppered with veiled Islamophobia. It however tuned out to be a Wikia on the life of a Sharif North Indian Muslim.
One thing I realised through reading this is that ties shared by me and those following the religion that I was brought up in are markedly less significant than what I do with someone from a different faith but the same language group. The content of this book is only imperceptibly less alien to me as one about someone who grew up Sikh in Punjab.
Nevertheless, it was interesting to read about a different way of life, although my attention did falter once in a while, especially during the deep dive into Urdu literature in the second half where it mostly departed from the expectation that the title of this book would set in your mind.
I had picked this up thinking that it would be the story of my life given how often I have been at the receiving end of this comment peppered with veiled Islamophobia. It however tuned out to be a Wikia on the life of a Sharif North Indian Muslim.
One thing I realised through reading this is that ties shared by me and those following the religion that I was brought up in are markedly less significant than what I do with someone from a different faith but the same language group. The content of this book is only imperceptibly less alien to me as one about someone who grew up Sikh in Punjab.
Nevertheless, it was interesting to read about a different way of life, although my attention did falter once in a while, especially during the deep dive into Urdu literature in the second half where it mostly departed from the expectation that the title of this book would set in your mind.
October 13, 2019
This is the kind of book that you want to mark bits in because of the range of ideas presented in the collected essays — on food, culture, history, habits, literature, and so on. As Jalil writes in the Afterword, "It's akin to opening the doors of my house and saying: Come in, come and see who I am." A pertinent read in today's day and age to clear some of the cobwebs of the mind and embrace our syncretic heritage.
June 22, 2019
This book covers a lot of topics which I could relate to being a Muslim, and having been told that I don't look like a Muslim by almost everyone I have come across. The first 4-5 essays and the last 5-6 essays were very relatable and were to the point but the author somewhere down the line mostly after the first 5 essays lost track of what she was talking about and she just went on and on about culture in different countries and her experiences over there , I know the book is a collection of essays about Islam and culture but I could not relate to them, I could not understand why they were in this book they were mostly the authors experience while visiting different countries and I feel the author could have done more justice to this book by writing more of her personal experiences like on one to one level with the other individuals when they told her that she does not look like a muslim and some more things.
September 15, 2021
Her heart is in the right place, her arguments are frequently not.
Defending Charlie Hebdo massacres by ‘ misguided’ youngsters is an extremely offensive apology. Hebdo indulged in humour / ridicule, the ‘ misguided’ fellows murdered so many!
If misguided leaders of non- Islamic countries indulge in the same unequal reciprocation , Islam would vanish from the planet.
It’s good that she’s an Indian and enjoying the freedoms that our democracy provides her. Try this kind of freedom in Muslim countries ( except for a few, very few) , and you end up in a jail or dead.
That said, as Mahatma Gandhi said of ‘ Mother India’ by Katherine Mayo ( extremely critical - frequently right- and insulting of Indians ) that all Indians should read that and no foreigner should ; all Hindus should read this book. It tells you the story of the ‘ other’ , and you understand Muslims better and more compassionately! :)
Defending Charlie Hebdo massacres by ‘ misguided’ youngsters is an extremely offensive apology. Hebdo indulged in humour / ridicule, the ‘ misguided’ fellows murdered so many!
If misguided leaders of non- Islamic countries indulge in the same unequal reciprocation , Islam would vanish from the planet.
It’s good that she’s an Indian and enjoying the freedoms that our democracy provides her. Try this kind of freedom in Muslim countries ( except for a few, very few) , and you end up in a jail or dead.
That said, as Mahatma Gandhi said of ‘ Mother India’ by Katherine Mayo ( extremely critical - frequently right- and insulting of Indians ) that all Indians should read that and no foreigner should ; all Hindus should read this book. It tells you the story of the ‘ other’ , and you understand Muslims better and more compassionately! :)
August 29, 2021
Though it's well written but the title seemed to be overreaching. The author asks questions like how much is being too much muslim but she fails to reach a conclusion. She discusses the Muslim past by talking about 'Muslim' attire and cuisine which is North Indian to be precise. She discusses Urdu poetry and literature and it's contribution to the Literary developments of the country and the 'othering' of Urdu.
Overall it felt like reading compensatory history to explain the need for communal harmony today.
Overall it felt like reading compensatory history to explain the need for communal harmony today.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 12, 2021
Title should be "My life experience as North Indian muslim"
It was a decent read but I expected much more.. there is no talk on South Indian muslim culture..as you said Indian muslim society is not a monotonous monochromatic entity.. not every muslim in india speaks urdu.. there are Konkani, kannada, tamil, telugu, malyalam, Tulu etc.. speaking muslims they their own take on religion and culture!!
It was a decent read but I expected much more.. there is no talk on South Indian muslim culture..as you said Indian muslim society is not a monotonous monochromatic entity.. not every muslim in india speaks urdu.. there are Konkani, kannada, tamil, telugu, malyalam, Tulu etc.. speaking muslims they their own take on religion and culture!!
February 13, 2020
The author lacks command upon the theological issues which she has mentioned in the book.
The book seems struggling to establish a more liberalize discourse of Islam rather than the real explanation of it.
The book seems struggling to establish a more liberalize discourse of Islam rather than the real explanation of it.
June 5, 2021
The title is misleading.
It is a collection of essays and most of them are not related directly to the subject of the book.
It is a collection of essays and most of them are not related directly to the subject of the book.
February 12, 2022
This is a classic example of ' never judge a book by its cover' or rather the headline. This is just purely deceiving of what it promises. Some things here and there thrown at you. I really thought it might be something of what Muslims face in this world, the author's experience. Something that I would be able to see from a Muslim's perspective. But it disappointed in so many ways. The beginning was good, I wanted to read more, but when it started the literature part, the poetic words, it kind of lost my interest. I wasn't ready to read that much poetic words, it wasn't what I expected. So maybe that's just me, but I really didn't understand the point of that title in this book.
January 28, 2025
The title, You Don’t Look Like a Muslim, sets an expectation for the book—an invitation to deconstruct stereotypes and explore the nuanced realities of Muslim identity. The blurb further reinforces this expectation.
However, this is precisely where the book falters. The title and blurb are misleading. Of the 40 essays, perhaps only 6 or 7 genuinely address the themes suggested by the title and are well written The rest of the essays, feel tangential—covering topics like summer holidays, food, or Urdu poets et al.
I only wish the Book had been honest about the actual contents and not bait the readers into reading it through title and blurb.
However, this is precisely where the book falters. The title and blurb are misleading. Of the 40 essays, perhaps only 6 or 7 genuinely address the themes suggested by the title and are well written The rest of the essays, feel tangential—covering topics like summer holidays, food, or Urdu poets et al.
I only wish the Book had been honest about the actual contents and not bait the readers into reading it through title and blurb.
June 30, 2020
The first attraction of the book is the tittle of the book. It’s so intriguing and meaningful. Writing is smooth and engaging. Thoughts are clear and impactful. A very good research done and scripted. Something which everyone can relate too. The book deals with lot of old literature and poetry. Writing is direct, straight to the point and challenging. I feel a reader who is picking it up knows true identity of his or her no matter colour, cast and crew.
March 1, 2024
Several essays in the book are really wonderful, especially in the first two sections of the book. She is an excellent writer, but like another reviewer mentions, all essays are not equally engaging. This might only be because we are not all interested in the same things.
Anyway, this book has made me curious about Urdu literature and her other books and isn't that a good thing? :)
Anyway, this book has made me curious about Urdu literature and her other books and isn't that a good thing? :)
July 23, 2023
Very timely and informative book on India's syncretic culture. It is a collection of Rakshanda Jalil's essays which have appeared in different publications and giving the date of the original publication would have helped.
Highly recommended
Highly recommended
July 13, 2019
A tribute
A beacon of light shadowing the dark spots hidden behind the pluralism of Indian society. A thinking trove for every Indian.
A beacon of light shadowing the dark spots hidden behind the pluralism of Indian society. A thinking trove for every Indian.
September 17, 2019
What a beautiful story. A true face of the Indian society.
December 31, 2025
not good.
September 23, 2021
In the afterword, Jalil says that this collection of essays is akin to opening the doors of her home and inviting us in to celebrate festivals with her, relive memories, travel with her and share her doubts and dilemmas. And reading it is very much like that.
Written in four parts each of which have essays that deal with politics & identity, literature & plurality and culture and religion.
There are many things I loved from this collection but what really stood out for me was that while she questions the stereotypes and caricatured perception of muslims, she also questions the Muslim community. For example, in the essay titled, 'Burqa: Moving Tombs for Muslim Women' Jalil writes "..... I am struck each time people link deen or faith with externals—be they beard or burqa. If anything, I am struck, yet again, by our propensity to not want a debate on anything that questions this specious link between true faith and the observance of certain practices."
What a solid read. Cannot recommend ENOUGH. (There is a very healthy dose of urdu in here so if you enjoy that READ 👏🏽 IT 👏🏽)
Written in four parts each of which have essays that deal with politics & identity, literature & plurality and culture and religion.
There are many things I loved from this collection but what really stood out for me was that while she questions the stereotypes and caricatured perception of muslims, she also questions the Muslim community. For example, in the essay titled, 'Burqa: Moving Tombs for Muslim Women' Jalil writes "..... I am struck each time people link deen or faith with externals—be they beard or burqa. If anything, I am struck, yet again, by our propensity to not want a debate on anything that questions this specious link between true faith and the observance of certain practices."
What a solid read. Cannot recommend ENOUGH. (There is a very healthy dose of urdu in here so if you enjoy that READ 👏🏽 IT 👏🏽)
March 27, 2020
What they say about not judging a book by its cover, also stands true for not judging a book by its title. This is a lesson learnt after reading Rakhshanda Jalil's 'But You Don't Look Like a Muslim'.
Curious. That's what I was when I decided to let this book win the race against my long to-read list, and I ordered it right away. But the book does not offer what it tries to sell through its colorful cover of a girl smeared in Holi colors, with the religious title in bold white. How secular!
Yes, we do need books like these in our country today, that preach secularism, pluralism and religious tolerance, and I would have given it 5 stars if the author had indeed done the above mentioned. But it seems that the author has used the title and cover to attract readers. The book in itself is nothing but a collection of short essays about Islam and 'being' Muslim. Now I don't have anything against the religion, and it was a good learning experience, to read about the day to day lives, festivals, struggles, history and culture of the Muslims in India. But the author's tone throughout the book has a tinge of superiority complex, as if she is sharing knowledge on a subject that is little heard of. Which is really not the case. For those of us interested in religion and history, we have read enough books to learn about Islam as a religion and the festivals that the Muslims celebrate.
If the author had written more about her experiences as a Muslim living in India in times of communal riots and decreasing religious tolerance, I would have appreciated it much more. But what does the history of Urdu poetry, literature, translations of religious texts into Urdu, details of household chores done during the festival, stories of figures related to Islam - what does all this really have to do with the title 'But you don't look like a Muslim'? Is the author trying to validate that she is indeed a Muslim, even though she doesn't look like one?
If this book had some other suitable title, I would have appreciated it much more. But every time I put the book down, the cover made me think - why do we even consider our religion to be our identity? How does it matter if I don't look like the religion I was born into? Do I really need to get it validated by people? Or am I obliged to follow it if I was born into it?
The book does talk about very interested topics, in a short and crisp manner, which was indeed reader-friendly. I especially enjoyed the quotes and poetry extracts that the author has included throughout the book. Not to forget, the one on the very first page, which sparked an interest and I think that's what made me waaaay too hopeful that this would meet my expectations about the topic that I wanted to read. Here it goes:
To Abbu, my father Dr Abdul Jalil, who was a proud Indian and a practising Muslim and never saw any duality in being both:
Chaman mein ikhtilat-e-rang-o-bu se baat banti hai
Hum hi hum hain toh kya hum hain tum hi tum ho toh kya tum ho
It is the inter-mingling of colors and fragrances that make a garden
If there is only us there can be no us and there can be no you if there's only you
- Sarshar Sailani
It is indeed these words right before the contents page, that made me all excited to read this book and learn something about Indian Muslims and what they feel about their 'dual' identity, about their struggles, their thoughts, their feelings, their experiences. In the 10 short essays in Part I: The Politics of Identity, the authors does address the same. But that just makes up for about 25% of the book. The rest of it is what I mentioned above. Maybe the Part I should have been placed at the end, so one would have felt like the contents did some justice to the title.
Curious. That's what I was when I decided to let this book win the race against my long to-read list, and I ordered it right away. But the book does not offer what it tries to sell through its colorful cover of a girl smeared in Holi colors, with the religious title in bold white. How secular!
Yes, we do need books like these in our country today, that preach secularism, pluralism and religious tolerance, and I would have given it 5 stars if the author had indeed done the above mentioned. But it seems that the author has used the title and cover to attract readers. The book in itself is nothing but a collection of short essays about Islam and 'being' Muslim. Now I don't have anything against the religion, and it was a good learning experience, to read about the day to day lives, festivals, struggles, history and culture of the Muslims in India. But the author's tone throughout the book has a tinge of superiority complex, as if she is sharing knowledge on a subject that is little heard of. Which is really not the case. For those of us interested in religion and history, we have read enough books to learn about Islam as a religion and the festivals that the Muslims celebrate.
If the author had written more about her experiences as a Muslim living in India in times of communal riots and decreasing religious tolerance, I would have appreciated it much more. But what does the history of Urdu poetry, literature, translations of religious texts into Urdu, details of household chores done during the festival, stories of figures related to Islam - what does all this really have to do with the title 'But you don't look like a Muslim'? Is the author trying to validate that she is indeed a Muslim, even though she doesn't look like one?
If this book had some other suitable title, I would have appreciated it much more. But every time I put the book down, the cover made me think - why do we even consider our religion to be our identity? How does it matter if I don't look like the religion I was born into? Do I really need to get it validated by people? Or am I obliged to follow it if I was born into it?
The book does talk about very interested topics, in a short and crisp manner, which was indeed reader-friendly. I especially enjoyed the quotes and poetry extracts that the author has included throughout the book. Not to forget, the one on the very first page, which sparked an interest and I think that's what made me waaaay too hopeful that this would meet my expectations about the topic that I wanted to read. Here it goes:
To Abbu, my father Dr Abdul Jalil, who was a proud Indian and a practising Muslim and never saw any duality in being both:
Chaman mein ikhtilat-e-rang-o-bu se baat banti hai
Hum hi hum hain toh kya hum hain tum hi tum ho toh kya tum ho
It is the inter-mingling of colors and fragrances that make a garden
If there is only us there can be no us and there can be no you if there's only you
- Sarshar Sailani
It is indeed these words right before the contents page, that made me all excited to read this book and learn something about Indian Muslims and what they feel about their 'dual' identity, about their struggles, their thoughts, their feelings, their experiences. In the 10 short essays in Part I: The Politics of Identity, the authors does address the same. But that just makes up for about 25% of the book. The rest of it is what I mentioned above. Maybe the Part I should have been placed at the end, so one would have felt like the contents did some justice to the title.
October 30, 2020
he book is comprised of 40 essays, written with sheer elegance that shows the diversity of Author's understanding to pursue life with an open eye.
In 1947, people have two choices; to stay in India, or migrate to Pakistan. So now, when you are an Indian and also a Muslim, what identity should be your pivotal slogan? Indian Muslim or Muslim Indian?
The Author brings a concern while telling India as a Multi-ethnic, Multi-religious and Multi-cultural country, which in the picture allows autonomy, but the reality of your identity there is judged and questioned, especially when your religion is Islam.
She presents Indian culture diverse and rich, that there seems no better country in the face of the world, but India. One may have many differences, but culture is what joins people in India, leaving religious differences behind. Her insights are acknowledged all around the world, and to win over her savvy wisdom, one has to consume the history of sub-continental culture; its rich art and history, which is a prolonged process.
Leaving the religious differences behind there is another factor which let people forget the biases; is the charm of literature. The book is a rich melody when the verses and couplets of all-time great Urdu and Hindi poets come to meet the reader's eyes.
There is something about this book, which shows how little I know to understand the ecstasy of literature, culture and religious differences. While knowing the fact of little knowledge, but realizing it, is an idiosyncratic experience.
The book Mothering A Muslim was also a rich delight to expand the knowledge of religion in a culture, which this book evolves with expansive insights.
In 1947, people have two choices; to stay in India, or migrate to Pakistan. So now, when you are an Indian and also a Muslim, what identity should be your pivotal slogan? Indian Muslim or Muslim Indian?
The Author brings a concern while telling India as a Multi-ethnic, Multi-religious and Multi-cultural country, which in the picture allows autonomy, but the reality of your identity there is judged and questioned, especially when your religion is Islam.
She presents Indian culture diverse and rich, that there seems no better country in the face of the world, but India. One may have many differences, but culture is what joins people in India, leaving religious differences behind. Her insights are acknowledged all around the world, and to win over her savvy wisdom, one has to consume the history of sub-continental culture; its rich art and history, which is a prolonged process.
Leaving the religious differences behind there is another factor which let people forget the biases; is the charm of literature. The book is a rich melody when the verses and couplets of all-time great Urdu and Hindi poets come to meet the reader's eyes.
There is something about this book, which shows how little I know to understand the ecstasy of literature, culture and religious differences. While knowing the fact of little knowledge, but realizing it, is an idiosyncratic experience.
The book Mothering A Muslim was also a rich delight to expand the knowledge of religion in a culture, which this book evolves with expansive insights.
October 2, 2022
'I have always wondered how one is supposed to look like one's religion. Save for outward tokens such as a turban or topi, a beard or a burqa, How can one give instant proof of one's religious beliefs? Yet growing up in Delhi, all through my school, college and university while negotiating an assortment of jobs and offices, not to say myriad social occasions, I have heard this comment delivered in tones ranging from surprise to approval. With time I have understood that the speaker is trying to give me a backhanded compliment.
Since I don't look like a Muslim, I am 'okay', I am not quite one of 'them' ―the bomb-throwing, beef-smuggling, Jihad-spouting Muslim of popular imagination. By extension, I might even ―at a stretch ― be considered one of 'us'.
In my mind there is no duality. I am a Muslim and an Indian in no particular order.'
Since I don't look like a Muslim, I am 'okay', I am not quite one of 'them' ―the bomb-throwing, beef-smuggling, Jihad-spouting Muslim of popular imagination. By extension, I might even ―at a stretch ― be considered one of 'us'.
In my mind there is no duality. I am a Muslim and an Indian in no particular order.'
May 16, 2024
It's the best kind of non-fiction.
One cannot relate with everyone's nostalgia, or everyone's current day day-to-day struggles as one's own ... but one can certainly learn about another's culture, enjoy the vivid descriptions, empathize with the quagmires.
The author goes into a very contemporary (& non-academic, personal) analysis of the identity of the Indian Muslim.
The point is, one is a human, a feeling being, & a woman, BEFORE being a "Indian Muslim". The author is a person of the arts, soaked in culture & cultural sensitivities.
It's a treat to borrow her POV, even though her tone invariably becomes somewhat bitter in some of the chapters (each is a separate essay, any one can be read at any time), she limits this feeling admirably, what she has to tell is mostly fascinating to read.
Thoroughly enjoyed, & more the nostalgic parts than the cultural analysis parts.
One cannot relate with everyone's nostalgia, or everyone's current day day-to-day struggles as one's own ... but one can certainly learn about another's culture, enjoy the vivid descriptions, empathize with the quagmires.
The author goes into a very contemporary (& non-academic, personal) analysis of the identity of the Indian Muslim.
The point is, one is a human, a feeling being, & a woman, BEFORE being a "Indian Muslim". The author is a person of the arts, soaked in culture & cultural sensitivities.
It's a treat to borrow her POV, even though her tone invariably becomes somewhat bitter in some of the chapters (each is a separate essay, any one can be read at any time), she limits this feeling admirably, what she has to tell is mostly fascinating to read.
Thoroughly enjoyed, & more the nostalgic parts than the cultural analysis parts.
April 17, 2023
"I have always wondered how one is supposed to look like one's religion."
I picked this up looking at the title. It is a collection of short stories and essays comprising of various aspects of the Muslim religion.
There are four parts in the book. The first one talks mainly about politics and the author's parents; the second one talks about the author's childhood in her grandmother's house and a few other stories; the third one is on literature, focusing more on the poems and works in Urdu and the last talks on the various festivals and cultures.
It is written in a simple language, and you can easily finish the book in one to three sittings depending on your reading speed.
I picked this up looking at the title. It is a collection of short stories and essays comprising of various aspects of the Muslim religion.
There are four parts in the book. The first one talks mainly about politics and the author's parents; the second one talks about the author's childhood in her grandmother's house and a few other stories; the third one is on literature, focusing more on the poems and works in Urdu and the last talks on the various festivals and cultures.
It is written in a simple language, and you can easily finish the book in one to three sittings depending on your reading speed.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 27 reviews