Nine Muslims, in their own words, reveal a creative convergence of Islamic spirituality and American identity that is unfolding, largely unnoticed, in the United States. A lawyer turned playwright, a teacher who’s a lesbian, a retired federal prosecutor — all giving shape to the nature and meaning of Muslim identity, and sharing how tricky it can be to unravel Islamic religious tradition from the many cultural traditions.
Feruze Faison, the lesbian featured in the story, says, “Being Muslim and a lesbian has not been a challenge for me, as most people would have assumed. My faith in Allah as an all-encompassing being keeps me strong, knowing that I am not a separate entity but a wave in his creation gives me peace and joy.
“My family has disowned me for the sole reason that I am a lesbian and therefore a sinner. I forgive them for sinning by judging me and deciding where I belong in the afterlife, considering me as separate from the One. I pray for them even though they said they didn’t want my prayers and didn’t believe my prayers will be answered. I pray that they can see the beauty in the creation and the perfection of it all.”
LISTEN: http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/programs/2009/muslim-voices/
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Winner of a Peabody Award, Speaking of Faith with Krista Tippett is public radio’s weekly program about “religion, meaning, ethics, and ideas.” We are produced and distributed by American Public Media and currently heard on over 200 public radio stations across the U.S. and globally via the Web and podcast.
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