CALLING FEMALE MUSLIM ARTISTS

The International Museum of Women, will launch an exhibition that will highlight Muslim Women's Arts & Voices.  This innovative and timely multimedia exhibition will launch in March 2013.

The exhibition will highlight the art, voices and ideas of a new generation of Muslim women, addressing myths and prejudices about Muslim women and fostering understanding between Muslims and non-Muslims in the US and globally.

For the first phase of the project they are looking for Muslim women under 40, located in Sharjah and the surrounding Emirates, U.A.E.; Mindanao (ARMM and Non-ARMM), Philippines; Aarhus, Denmark; and the San Francisco/Bay Area, USA.

Participants will work with IMOW and with local museums to develop content for the project and to curate art, stories and ideas from Muslim women around the world. You can learn more here,

Arabic_Calligraphy_at_Wazir_Khan_Mosque1

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“A Gift For All” – AN AFGHAN FEAST HONORING BROTHERS

By Humaira

This was a post from May but I am reposting it since it fits so beautifully as followup to last week's post, "Are Muslims Barbarians?".

In Aprils I visited a monastery for a retreat. One generally doesn’t find Afghans frequenting monasteries but the Monastery of Christ In The Desert has had several Afghan visitors recently, well, mostly my family. My brother Farid lived here for the last 20 years among the contemplative Benedictine monks as a civilian caretaker of the monastery. He dedicated his life to serving the brothers and searching for the meaning of life.  He passed away on February 25, 2012.

Family reunion June 2010, from left Tamim, me, Zohra, Farid, Nabila and Wahee

His loss was a tragedy for my family since Farid was estranged from us for many years; he re-joined our family in June of 2010. As you can imagine, losing him has been heart breaking for all of us. Even though I went to the monastery shortly after Farid’s death, I decided to return there to mourn his loss.  I am grateful to the brothers at the monastery who accepted my brother 20 years ago despite the fact that he was raised as a Muslim and did not plan to become a monk. The brothers embraced him as part of their community and accepted him with love.

Mother Julianne, Rosy, Abbott Phili

This was my third visit to the monastery.  I have gotten to know the brothers well and I am on joking terms with a few of them.  We discuss life, love, acceptance, monastic life, Afghan culture, politics and of course Afghan food.  I never thought I would have so much to chat about with a monk.  The brothers were intrigued by my blog and asked me to cook an Afghan meal in honor of Farid on this trip.  I was honored but also terrified about cooking the Sunday dinner for 37 people. 

Monastery chapel

I was told that the brothers are very protective of their kitchen and rarely let outsiders cook for the community.  I was anxious but my 10 year old Sofia noted that if the dinner turned out bad they will never know the difference.  This was a very good point.

Four stoves, I was in heaven

The monastery is deep in New Mexico desert, tucked away in a canyon surrounded by gorgeous red cliffs.  To get there one has to drive 13 miles on a narrow dirt road far away from the rest of the world.  It is one of the most beautiful places in the world and I should know, I have been to 35 countries. 

View from my room when I visited in February

I quickly realized that the remoteness of the monastery called for good planning.  I made a meticulous list of ingredients, quadrupling my recipes.  I landed in Santa Fe with my suitcase stuffed with hard to find ingredients like 10 lbs of Afghan rice, various types of Afghan sweets and spices.  In Santa Fe I picked up 12 lbs. of frozen spinach, 4 very large winter squash, 5 lbs. of raisins, 3 lbs. of slivered almonds and various other ingredients, which the brothers didn’t have in their pantry. 

Two hours of chopping and dicing

The brothers cook in a professional kitchen that is fully stocked with huge pots, pans, four stoves, five refrigerators, several freezers and any kind of kitchen appliance one would need for a feast. The brothers take turns cooking for 35-40 people twice a day, but as the Abbott noted some are better at reading recipes than others. I have enjoyed every meal that I have had at the monastery.

My cooking assistants were the Prior, Father Joseph Gabriel, and brother Frances who are both accomplished cooks. We started peeling, chopping, and dicing at 6:45 am.  I also made one of the desserts, firnee, in the morning so it would have time to cool.  Unfortunately the Monastery only has powdered milk. Firnee calls for fresh milk. Thank goodness despite the powdered milk this dessert turned out creamy and delicious.

Brother Francis, me, Father Joseph Gabriel

Around 8:45am we took a break to eat breakfast, attend mass and join in the Sunday light meal. We resumed our cooking session at 12:45 pm.  I was nervous. The brothers eat Sunday dinner at 4:10pm on the dot. Everything had to go like clock work.

Carrots and chicken for the qabili palau

I had imagined that our cooking time would be a fun bonding time where we would chat and share stories. Instead, we rushed around madly to get everything ready on time.  During this rush Brother Frances cut his finger, I splattered hot oil on my eyelid and my hand and Father Joseph Gabriel was not only cooking but also frantically washing dirty pots. He kept repeating, “The brothers in charge of clean up will be horrified if they see this mess”.

Father Joseph Gabriel washing and Father Oscar striking a pose

Fortunately my brother’s sweetheart Rosy (who also lives in the monastery) popped in at the right time and started making dessert plates.  Rosy divvied up the firnee in small bowls, which were set on plates filled with rhot, noqul, khasta e shereen anddried mulberries with walnuts.  I wanted the brothers to try a variety of Afghan delights.

Rosy organizing the dessert platters

Firnee, noqul, khasta e shereen, and walnuts with dried mulberrie

We somehow got the qabilipalau, kadoo, sabzi and the salad ready by 4:10 pm.  I even managed to comb my hair and change my shirt. Sunday dinner is very special at the monastery. When I was seated on the side of the refectory with the brothers I felt honored.  As we ate in silence, I looked to the other side of the room where the guests of the monastery were seated. I felt very proud to be part of this wonderful community that has loved my brother for 20 years and now me and my family.

So, Farid if you can hear me, thank you for sharing this little peace of heaven with me, The Monastery of Christ In The Desert, where I can transcend religion, culture, gender and life style among loving people and love them back unconditionally.

Brother Bernard, me and brother Frances after the meal

Prayer before the meal

Father Joseph Gabriel, Abbot Phillip and brother James

Me and mother Julianne

Monastery of Christ In The Dessert 

Afghan Dinner

Sunday April 15, 2012

Menu

Main Course

Rice with Chicken, Carrots and Raisins, Qabili Palau

Braised Squash, Kadoo

Slow Cooked Spinach, Qorma e Sabzi

Afghan Salad, Salata

Flat Bread or Pita Bread

Dessert 

Afghan Delights Platter:

Sugar covered almonds and chickpeas (noqul)

Afghan sweet bread with nigella seeds (roht Fred’s favorite)

Homemade cardamom almond brittle (khasta e shereen)

Firnee

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ARE MUSLIMS BARBARIANS?

By Humaira

Last week over dinner, my 13 year-old daugther Aria asked me if I had heard about the film on Prophet Muhammad and the resulting riots.  Of course I had.  I was reading every bit of news about it.

Usually I kick-off our dinner discussions about current events, but on this subject I’d been silent mostly because I wasn’t sure where I stood on it.  Don’t get me wrong; the film is extremely insulting to Muslims who believe Prophet Muhammad is the messenger of God and the last Prophet sent to humans by God.  Muslims live their lives following the teachings of Prophet Muhammad.  However, Muslim’s reverence of the Prophet by no means justifies violent protests nor the burning of buildings and killing innocent peoples such as Ambassador Stevens. 

So, are Muslims barbarians?

Unfortunately we only hear about the small number of Muslims making the loudest noise and taking the most destructive paths.  We don’t hear about Muslims demonstrating peacefully or the constructive conversations among Muslims that this video triggered.  Until recently, I had not heard that Egyptian activists are taking legal action against Ahmed Abdullah, who burnt the bible during the riots, and more importantly about Libyan protesters who attacked the militant Islamist group believed to be responsible for U.S Ambassador Stevens’ death and ran them out of town. I was brought up understanding Islam as a peaceful religion and Muslims as tolerant citizens of the world.  That’s still true.  Egypt’s grand mufti, Ali Gomaa, recently reminded Muslims that Prophet Muhammad on many occasions was insulted or run out of town for his ideas but the Prophet always endured all personal insults and attacks without retaliation.  Today Muslims around the world should follow the Prophet’s example. 

What is heartening to me is that many Muslims and Islamic leaders around the world are engaging in open discussions about:

• What is Islam’s role in a globalized
• world? 

• What is the role of religion and
• politics? 

• What is free speech? 

• How should Muslims engage in a dialogue
• with non-Muslims and how should they react to blasphemy against Islam?

IslamicPhotoAbst

Thoughtful Muslims are taking lemons and making lemonade.  Qatar has announced that they are investing $450 million in a three-part epic on the life of Prophet Muhammad so people around the world can learn about Islam.   Similarly, Islamic leaders like Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, nephew of Saudi Arabia’s king, denounced extreme reactions and noted that Islam was too strong to warrant such uproar over such matter.

There are 49 Muslim countries summing up to 2.2 billion Muslims living among us today.  As I started digging I was surprised to find out that in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Turkey, Indonesia, Malaysia, Afghanistan, and many other countries there were only peaceful protests or no public protests at all.

So why do some Muslims start rioting or killing people over a small-minded video?

I found that the biggest and most violent rioting were in countries:

• With autocratic governments where
• freedom of speech is unfathomable and therefore people are convinced that the
• U.S. government endorsed the film.

• Where governments are weak or
• in transition.

• With low literacy rates where uneducated
• people are more easily swayed by militant Muslims.

• Where unemployment is high and
• local populations have a bone to pick with their government without much to
• lose.

• Where a rudimentary understanding
• of true Islam makes subverting its core values easier.

• Where political motive or
• anti-American sentiment fuels reactions against things labeled as “American”.

Pakistan fills this bill very well. The literacy rate in Pakistan is at 46% with a deep anti-American sentiment fueled by extremely conservative Muslims secretly supported by the Pakistani government and secret service ISI.  Although the constitution of Pakistan guarantees freedom of speech and freedom of press, it is well known that journalists who have written about ISI or government corruption turn up dead in a ditch. What is really sad is that violent demonstrations are only hurting the image of Muslims and the highest death tolls are mostly incurred by Muslims. I consider myself a Muslim.  My husband Jim grew up Catholic but nowadays he is agnostic and our two daughters attend a Quaker school. 

You can say we are the modern family showcasing what our world looks like today.  I feel the more we find a common ground and mutual understanding the better our lives will be as we move forward.  After all, don’t all Abrahamic religions fundamentally teach the same thing?

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