albayanw

inter 2009

Seeing how both sides respond to the conflict in Gaza1,327 VICTIMS

Northwestern UniversityMuslim-cultural Students AssociationFunded by the Student Activities Fee

contents003004005006008012014016017018019

letter from the editors

contributors

meet the designers of sherry couture

devon: a street with spice

cover: speak out

not business as usual

online and in love

welcome home

perception of islam

typecasting muslims

islam in the news || things we like

letter from the editors

contributors

meet the designers of sherry couture

devon: a street with spice

cover: speak out

not business as usual

online and in love

welcome home

perception of islam

typecasting muslims

islam in the news || things we like

On January 26, 2009, Barack Hussein Obama gave Al Arabiya, the second largest Arabic satellite channel in the world, his first televised interview as President. “The United States has a stake in the well-being of the Muslim world…the language we use has to be a language of respect,” he said.

Since Obama took office in late January, he has mentioned Muslims in many speeches, including his Inaugural Address. By doing so, he has reached out to Muslims in America and around the world in a way that no previous American President has. Merely talking about Muslims in the way that Obama does has cast a more favorable light on them globally.

Suddenly, we are recognized for our successes, not only our mistakes. With this issue of Al Bayan, we want to continue this push toward showing Muslims as they really are, not the way the media often portrays them.

The Arabic word bayan literally means “knowledge” or “clarity.” The Qur’an references this word in Surah Ar-Rahman, explaining that God created man for the purpose of learning and communicating the truth.

It is with this goal that we seek to spread our knowledge about the issues that face us every day. A poll we conducted in the Norris Center reveals Northwestern students’ perceptions of Muslims on campus and as a whole. In

“Typecasting Muslims,” Hasan Haq tackles the misrepresentation of Islam in a major Hollywood movie, Traitor. “Speak out,” by Brian Rosenthal, deals with the recent events in the Gaza Strip from the perspective of Palestinians, Israelis and Northwestern students.

As the future of this nation, it is our responsibility to pursue our education beyond the classroom. Please join us in our quest to learn more about Islam and share that knowledge with our peers.

Peace be upon you,

Amina Elahi and Sara Suleiman

editors in chiefamina elahi

sara suleiman

art/photo editorasma ahmad

desiGn editoramina elahi

business directornadine shabeeb

contributorsnoreen nasir

rujman zamancandace wells

sarah darbrian rosenthal

hasan haq

coVer artistkenan mir

contents/bacK coVer photoGrapher

asma ahmad

thanks to our donorsAsian and Middle Eastern

Studies • Buffett Center for International and Comparative Studies • International Studies • Saba Berhie • Riaz and Taj

Elahi • Ramah Kudaimi • Sabrina Siddiqui • Rami

Suleiman

lett

er fr

om th

e ed

itors

Got something to say?Email us at

mcssaalbayan@gmail.com

with questions, comments and feedback.

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contributorsBrian Rosenthal is a sophomore in the Medill School of Journalism. He has six loves: the Chicago Cubs, his two parents and his three brothers (in that order). He might be a strange sight in this magazine—a Jew who is not usually active in these issues, he was inspired by spending three weeks in Israel/Palestine this winter. There, he toured the area, staying with Israelis and Palestinians of all different views, and learned many valuable lessons.

Hasan Haq is a junior economics and political sci-ence double major. He has loved writing all his life, and takes any opportunity to do so. This is the sec-ond article he has written for Al Bayan and his first movie review.

Noreen Nasir is a Medill sophomore from Grayslake, Ill. She loves Pakistan, the color blue and eating chocolate. She will someday fix the problem of the lack of education in third world countries. She also has major sleep deprivation issues and falls asleep at the most inopportune moments.

Candace Wells is a senior in the Medill School of Journalism. Along with her contribution to Al Bayan she is the outgoing Editor in Chief of BlackBoard magazine, a campus publication which caters to the Black community. Her vices include shoes, pasta dishes and musicals.

Rujman Zaman is a free-spirited Weinberg sopho-more from Plainfield, Ill. In his free time, he enjoys writing, photography, movies, video games and a wide range of music. He claims that his favorite hobby is bringing smiles to people’s faces.

Sarah Dar is a senior graduating with a psychology major and global health studies minor. She is involved in McSA and GlobeMed, but this is her first time writing for a Northwestern publication. She is still looking for a public interest job for next year and will gladly take suggestions!

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Meet the designersbehind Sherry CoutureA chat with two Lebanese designers who dressed Miss World Australia last year. By Sara Suleiman

Fifteen years ago, Egyptian-native Talat Sharkas started a small, family-owned, special occasion dress line called Sherry Couture, named after his daughter. Today, his brand has grown into a global fashion phenomenon.

With a base in Los Angeles, two factories in China and upcoming fashion shows in Las Vegas and New York, these Middle East-inspired gowns exude haute couture. Mostly carried in select boutiques around the country, this evening wear is nothing like the typical department store prom dress. Customers can browse through hundreds of Sherry’s intricately beaded, often mermaid-like dresses, ranging from $200 to $2,000, on their website, www.sherrycouture.net.

Here, two of Sherry’s senior Lebanese designers, Charbel Nader and Joseph Dargham, share their personal inspirations and accomplishments.Why were you first interested in fashion?

Why were you first interested in fashion?

Charbel: I started designing six years ago after graduating from the fashion design school in Lebanon and then began to work out of Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and China. I have loved fashion since I was in elementary school when my teacher would catch me drawing dresses on my desk or in my math books. That is why I was always punished at school and even at home. Later I chose to be a fashion designer, and here I am.

JOSePh: My interest in fashion design first began when I was very young. I used to love making little dresses for Barbies. I later started creating dresses for my mother and for others in my family, trying to turn old clothes into newer, trendier ones, and eventually, after a lot of trial-and-error, I succeeded. I couldn’t be happier designing at Sherry Couture for about four years now.

What makes Sherry dresses so special?

Charbel: We like to mix the Oriental and Western influences to create our unique style. I especially like to use colorful fabrics, as well as many intricate beads, crystals and stones.

Who are your favorite Western or European designers?

Charbel: I really like Lebanese designers like Zuhair Murad and Elie Saab but in terms of Western designers, I like Emanuel Ungaro and Valentino.

JOSePh: My favorite designers are basically the same as Charbel’s, only I would add Christian Dior because after all of these years he is still on top.

What famous celebrities have worn your dresses?

JOSePh: In addition to numerous other celebrities, Miss California, Miss Hawaii and Miss World Australia 2008 have all worn our dresses.

What’s the next hottest trend or most stylish color that you predict will be popular in the next few months?

Charbel: I think red is the must have color this year (and is also my favorite color). JOSePh: For our winter and summer collection 2009, I think the most popular colors are gold, silver, red and of course always black.

Katie Richardson, Miss World Australia 2008 in Sherry Couture after her victory. Photo courtesy of wortor.blogspot.com.

saBrI nIharI2502 W Devon AveChicago, IL 60659

tahoora BakErY2345 W Devon AveChicago, IL 60659

ChoPaL kaBaB & stEak2240 W Devon AveChicago, IL 60659

BIBYa haIr dEsIGn6304 N Western AveChicago, IL 60659

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Paan stains on the street, the

pungent scent of spices every time

the doors of a supermarket open,

horns honking, mannequins clothed

in elegant, colorful saris and display

shelves full of ornate, gold jewelry

sets gleaming in the windows…It may

seem that I’m describing a scene

from a random street bazaar in India.

But this particular area is actually

much closer to home.

Devon Avenue—referred to as

simply Devon—located on the North

Side of Chicago, is a hotbed of Indian

and Pakistani culture. The South

Asian section of the street includes

everything from Bollywood movie

stores to hair salons to supermarkets

stocked with Indian spices, and

of course, countless South Asian

restaurants and bakeries.

I recently took a trip down to

Devon. As a Chicagoland native of

Pakistani descent, Devon has been

a major part of my life growing up,

however I’ve only ever gone with

a specific goal in mind—either to

purchase zabihah meat, get my

eyebrows done or to pick up some

South Asian cuisine from one of

Devon’s many famous restaurants.

This time, I took the time to really

enjoy the area surrounding the select

shops and restaurants that I usually

visit, and decided to explore some

places I had never been to before.

My experience getting there was

entirely hassle-free. I hopped on the

93 from the CTA station and enjoyed

my ride through the changing

neighborhoods of suburban Evanston

to the more crowded and diverse

streets of Chicago.

My ultimate destination was a

restaurant on Devon in which I have

never eaten. Sabri Nihari—one of

Devon’s most famous Pakistani

restaurants—is usually where I end

up whenever I’m there. This time,

though, I wanted to try something

new, with a pleasant environment

and of course, delicious food and

excellent service.

After a quick stop at Tahoora

Food terms to know if you’re at Devon

paan: A snack which consists of a Betel leaf

with filled with varied morsels, from nuts to tobacco, and is chewed

Zabihah: Meat from animals slaughtered according to Islamic laws; this

method is known to be very humane

Exploring the North Side neighborhood famous for its South Asian cuisine. By Noreen Nasir

Devon: A street with spice

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Bakery to pick up some samosa chaat

for my roommate, I found the perfect

place to dine for the evening—Chopal

Kabab & Steak.

I was blown away by the decor

immediately upon entering—the

furniture in the small restaurant was

absolutely beautiful. The chairs and

table posts were wooden and hand-

made, elaborately designed with

carvings and painted to perfection

with bright colors and extravagant

ehtnic designs.

After speaking with the owner,

I found out that all of the furniture

in the restaurant was hand-made

from a village in the Punjab Province

of Pakistan. As a Punjabi myself, I

felt right at home in the restaurant

surrounded by decorative clay pots,

ornate lamps, ethnic tapestries and

paintings from scenes of old Pakistani

folktales. The traditional South Asian

instrumental music playing in the

background only added to this rich

cultural experience.

I ordered chicken karahi and a

pita bread. The dish was delicious

and came with a small bowl of soup,

half a plate of rice and a small salad.

I received complimentary kheer

afterward served in a small, authentic

clay bowl—a delicious, simple-yet-

satisfying end to my meal.

The food portion was considerably

large yet still affordable. I left the

restaurant content with everything,

feeling as though I had just enjoyed

a delicious home-cooked meal from a

Pakistani village.

On my way back to the bus stop,

I couldn’t resist stopping by my

favorite salon, Bibya Hair Design, to

get my eyebrows done—a perfect

way to end my trip to Devon.

samosa chaat:A mixture of pastry, chick peas and vegetables, swimming in yogurt and

enhanced by sauces and spices

chicken karahi:Spicy tomato sauce, filled with

onions and peppers, topping bits of boneless chicken

Kheer:Rice pudding dessert, often

featuring saffron, pistachios or almonds for extra flavor

Bus ads usually don’t attempt to answer questions about religion and their deeper meaning. However GainPeace, an Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) outreach project, does exactly this with its bus ads, which say, “ISLAM. Got Questions? Get Answers.”

Dr. Sabeel Ahmed, director of the GainPeace project, explains, “Our goal is not to convert people, but to educate the people, to ensure to them that Islam means peace and that we respect people of other faiths, nationalities and religions.”

In educating curious callers, GainPeace occasionally sparks serious interest in Islam. “People call with an open mind and open heart,” says Dr. Ahmed. Callers who decide to convert are sent a “Shahada Package” that includes a Qur’an (with English translation), a “How to Pray” DVD, books about Islam, a prayer rug and a kufi or hijab. Converts are also assigned a mentor.

Dr. Ahmed now works full-time dedicating himself to

educating non-Muslims about Islam, a religious duty called dawah. He feels that, especially considering the way the media portrays Islam, there should be a reliable source explaining the tenets of Islam.

Neehar Raj, a Weinberg sophomore who has seen the bus ads, says, “It’s good to see that there is something that helps set the record straight. Most people don’t know where to find out about Islam.”

The bus ad campaign, which started its run in late August of 2008 on the North Side of Chicago (and is now finishing its run on the South Side), will continue until February. GainPeace then plans to follow up with 15 billboard postings on the South Side.

Ft. Lauderdale Fla., and Seattle, Wash., along with some other cities, are replicating the ads in hopes of attaining similar goals.

“This has been a big success and the Muslim community has been very supportive,” says Dr. Ahmed.

CTA Islam ads A look at an ad campaign focused on educating people about Islam. By Rujman Zaman

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SpeAk out

A man leads a cry at a pro-Gaza rally in downtown Chicago on Jan. 9, 2009. Photo by Justin Goh.

Chicago-area activists work to raise awareness about the recent events in Gaza. By Brian Rosenthal

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In the enclosed bubble that is Evanston, we oftentimes remain detached from the greater world we live in. But in December 2008 when Israeli forces invaded the Gaza Strip and killed innocent civilians, we noticed. People across different cultures and creeds came together in solidarity to stand up for the sanctity of human life. From Middle Eastern countries to European capitals, protesters

took to the streets to condemn Israel’s clear violation of international humanitarian law. And the students at North-western were no exception.

These pictures and the following story attempt to en-capsulate this struggle to speak out against the horrible events in Gaza. Read on to learn about how Northwestern students responded.

Medill sophomore Noreen Nasir, center, and friends scream in protest at a pro-Gaza rally in downtown Chicago on Jan. 2, 2009. Photo by Tom Callahan.

Students for Justice in Palestine co-President Hugh Roland, far left, and others attend a candelight vigil at Alice Millar Chapel on Jan 15, 2009, hosted by the Muslim-cultural Students Association. Photo by Amina Elahi.

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More than two months after the invasion, the world is still reacting with shock and outrage over an assault that left 1,300 Palestinians dead and more than 5,000 wounded. Thirteen Israelis were also killed.

The war, which began on Dec. 27, 2008, and ended with separate ceasefire orders on Jan. 18, 2009, was aimed at stopping Hamas rocket fire into southern Israel. But the large number of casualties, especially civilian deaths, sparked hundreds of protests across Chicago, the United States and the world.

Many Northwestern students participated, including Hugh Roland, the co-president of Students for Justice in Palestine.

Roland, a lanky senior with boyish brown hair and blue eyes, is an American atheist who has never been to the Middle East but has been interested in the area for years.

“I was kind of surprised and kind of appalled at the level it was at,” he says. “It ruined lives, it ruined infrastructure, it made it so much harder just to live and get by.”

Phenomenal destruction The war was the latest direct confrontation in a bloody conflict that has lasted for more than 60 years. Members of the Palestinian political group Hamas are blamed with spurring this round by firing homemade rockets into Israeli territory. Upset by the Israeli occupation of Gaza, they fired more than 3,000 rockets between 2001 and 2008, according to a Fox News

estimate. The rockets killed 28 Israelis as well. In June of 2008, the two sides settled on a ceasefire. But almost before the ink of the signatures on the pact had dried, each side accused the other of violating the agreement. By November, the truce was essentially shattered when Israeli soldiers raided Gaza and killed six Hamas fighters. “Each of the sides was probably trying to provoke the other one to break the ceasefire,” says political science professor Hendrik Spruyt, who studies Israeli internal politics. “And it was mutual terrorism. They were each trying to get the people on the other side to cower.” Spruyt says he suspected that neither side really expected to honor the pact. The ceasefire officially expired on Dec. 19. More than a week later, the Israeli military started bombing Hamas targets throughout Gaza. With rockets continuing to fall within its borders, Israel expanded its campaign by launching a ground invasion on Jan. 3, 2009. Amid increasing

casualty counts and mounting international pressure, Israel decided to stop the fighting and remove all of its forces from Gaza on Jan. 18. Hamas responded by temporarily halting rocket fire. Both sides claimed victory. As the war technically drew to a close, the cleanup began. Of the 1,314 killed, nearly 900 were civilians, according to the BBC. Those numbers include 412 children and over 100 women. An additional 5,400 were wounded. The surviving residents of Gaza, already suffering from a lack of food, water and electricity, were forced to deal with structural damage that Spruyt calls “quite phenomenal.” The cleanup has been difficult, El-Natour says. “People are just trying to rebuild,

In a rare, quiet lull between the bombs, Mohanned El-Natour’s aunt ventured into her kitchen. Hoping to make bread for dinner, she gathered a small bit of flour and some water she was lucky to find.

But while she was making the dough, the electricity went off. It didn’t come back on until the dough rotted, rendering her efforts useless.

Such is life in the Gaza Strip since Israel’s December invasion, says El-Natour, a Gazan Northwestern student. One of the most densely populated area in the world, Gaza packs 1.5 million people into 140 square miles.

“Even before this happened, people described Gaza as an open air prison because you can’t leave,” said El-Natour, a McCormick senior who has several aunts and uncles living in Gaza. “During the attack, they had to live off of very, very limited (United Nations) rations.”

Mohanned El-Natour proudly identifies with his heritage by wearing a kafiyyeh and posing with a Palestinian flag. Photo by Asma Ahmad.

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but all they have is rubble,” he says. Despite the destruction, Northwestern University Israelis say the assault was necessary to stop Hamas rocket fire. Sociology professor Liora Sion, a former member of the Israeli military who is teaching a winter quarter class on the Palestinian/Israeli conflict, was on vacation in Israel when the invasion began. She said she was surprised to hear about the campaign, but stood by her country. “No sovereign country in the world would agree to be bombed by a neighboring country,” she says, leaning forward in a chair in her office, which is cluttered with books and papers. “America was attacked once—once—on Sept. 11 and look how they responded. They invaded two countries.” Spruyt acknowledged the Israeli government’s desire to retaliate. But he added that the Feb. 10 Israeli national elections were a major motivator for the invasion. “They thought if they could put out a strong policy on Hamas, they could get some support in the public support polls,” Spruyt says. “And don’t forget American influence. There was a feeling of ‘Let’s get this over and done with before [U.S. President George W.] Bush is out of office because we don’t know what will happen next.’” The political scientist says the evidence for the mission effectiveness of these types of military interventions is “quite slim.” “I’m skeptical, to be honest,” Spruyt says. “I’m not sure that this was the way to go.”

“there can be a change” Northwestern students who were sure that the invasion was not the way to go participated in several demonstrations during and after the bloody conflict. Weinberg junior Dana Shabeeb joined thousands of other Chicago-area residents at two different downtown protests in the middle of the assault. “It’s really easy to feel helpless,” says Shabeeb, co-president of the Muslim-cultural Students Association, whose Syrian heritage emotionally ties her to the conflict. “We’re so far away and there’s nothing we can do. But I feel like our government in the United States is not acting and it’s our duty to send a message to them.” Despite her friendly demeanor,

offset by the colorful and sparkly headscarves she wears, Shabeeb speaks with pride and conviction about her efforts to protest. To raise awareness about the invasion that showed a “complete disregard for human life,” she helped plan several events on campus. About 30 students attended a Jan. 15 candlelight vigil. The McSA event commemorated those who died in the attacks and was not meant to be political, according to Shabeeb. The group also hosted a fireside discussion on the topic and urged its members to attend a downtown Chicago pro-Gaza protest. They were not the only student group on campus to hold events focused on the conflict. On Jan. 14, The Tannenbaum Chabad House hosted a viewing and discussion of the documentary To Die in Jerusalem, which chronicles how the mother of an Israeli killed by a suicide bomber seeks out the mother of the bomber. A week later, Peace of Mind, a group of students who care about the Israeli/Palestinian conflict and believe in the power of discussion, hosted an “interfaith service and dialogue” about the crisis. And on Feb. 5, several groups worked together to bring expert Norman Finkelstein to campus to speak about the situation. The main goal of the activities is to increase awareness, says Roland, a Weinberg student. He acknowledges that “there’s not that much [else] that can be accomplished.” Shabeeb echoes a similar theme, adding that even if the events don’t have any real impact on policy, they show the Palestinians that people around the world are keeping them in their thoughts. “People in Gaza and people all over the world saw these protesters, so they see people supporting them,” she says. “It’s better than nothing.” NU Students for Israel decided not to hold any campus events in response to the bombings, says co-president Nathan Enfield. “If other groups are holding events, they can hold those,” says the Weinberg freshman, a non-Israeli

Jew who has been to Israel several times. “We’re going to focus on being an outlet for people of all races to come and discuss it at our meetings.” The group has a lot of members who are “pro-Israel but frustrated by what’s going on right now,” he says. But he adds that many members, including himself, agree with all of Israel’s actions. “It’s very easy to point the finger at Israel, but I think it’s more important to look at Hamas and ask why they don’t value civilians’ lives,” says Enfield, who said he hasn’t attended any pro-Israel demonstrations. “The measures that Israel has taken were to defend itself and its citizens.” Enfield, who says he “identifies very strongly with the state of Israel” agrees with the students on the other side who believe that the civilian deaths incurred by the war in Gaza constituted a tragedy. “It’s devastating when any civilians die, Israeli or Palestinian,” he says.

hope for the future “I hope that my family members can live normal lives again. By normal, I mean where you don’t stay up all night afraid you’re never going to see your kids and parents again,” El-Natour says of his relatives living in the Gaza Strip. “I wish for them to be able to live peacefully, in comfort and ease.” While the war is clearly a setback to the possibility of peace in the region, Spruyt says there is reason for hope. He says the inauguration of President Barack Obama presents a new opportunity. “The vast majority of Israelis believe in a two-state solution. It’s the only viable solution, unless they want to keep fighting forever,” he says. “And there’s an opportunity with the new president. It’s a tough sell, but it’s an opportunity to say, ‘Let’s go back to the drawing board.’”

“PEOPLE ARE JUST TRYING TO REBUILD, BUT ALL ThEY hAvE IS RUBBLE

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Not business as usualThe story of Samir Rayani’s road to success. By Candace Wells

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A computer science major in the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, Samir Rayani looks like a Tech regular. His shoulders have that subtle hunch and his eyes are tired, likely from years of long hours at the computer and endless problem sets. However, the Coral Springs, Fla., native is more than an engineer. He has managed to leave his mark another way—as an entrepreneur.

Taking advantage of an interest in web design he has had since middle school, Rayani is now one of the creators of The Next Big Sound, a Web site that allows unsigned musical artists the opportunity to promote their own music and increase their fan base.

It started as a project in Professor Troy Henikoff’s entrepreneurship class, which he took last winter. From that, Rayani and his partners—seniors David Hoffman, Jason Sosnovsky and then-senior Alex White—came up with a proposal that they pitched to the Illinois Venture’s summer internship program, an initiative for students with an idea for a Web-based company. A week prior to spring quarter finals, the team found out they won and abruptly changed their summer plans.

“We all quit our summer jobs,” Rayani recalls. With an office space in Champaign-Urbana, Ill., and $25,000 in seed money from the internship, Rayani and Hoffman co-coded and co-designed the site. It went live on July 30, 2008, starting with 30 artists (all Northwestern University students) and 40 “moguls,” users who sign artists to their personal label. Now the site boasts 756 artists and 3,056 moguls.

Ultimately, Rayani hopes the site will act as a hub between actual record companies and unsigned artists. That way, every user can function as an A&R representative with his or her own account, instead of the select few people at a record label who officially serve in that position.

“We want to become the ‘Threadless’ for music,” he says, referring to threadless.com, the T-shirt design website. The buzz from the site has already prompted coverage in The New York Times and other prominent

news sources. And with site users like Northwestern alumnus Mo Greene, who recently finished a solo pro-Obama tour, and junior Rotimi Akinosho, who opened for rapper T.I., they do not seem to be far from fame.

As far as his personal taste in music is concerned, Rayani is “all over the place.”

Nestled between computer screens and speakers, Rayani reaches over to his new Apple Macbook. He then opens iTunes and reads some of the names that appear in his ‘Recently Added’ playlist. They include Radiohead, Aaliyah, Jason Mraz, Nas, The Roots, Usher, Donell Jones and Kanye West, to name a few.

“I especially love hip hop and anything with a good beat,” he says. “Lately I’ve been into music that has lots of instrumentals.”

Now, the senior is faced with the question of what the immediate future holds for him. In an ideal world, he would build sites for a living. And he believes that the potential to do so exists, but as far as how quickly it could happen and how much money he could make—that’s another story entirely. Still, he remains optimistic and is willing to pay his dues to get there.

“I don’t mind eating ramen and cereal and supporting myself,” he says. “I love [building websites]. It’s like working in your pajamas. It’s amazing.”

Despite The Next Big Sound’s early success, Rayani sees potential for himself beyond this site alone. He plans to use this particular experience to build online social networks in the future. As an Ismaili Muslim, he hopes to somehow connect these projects to his faith.

“Islam, to me, is all about service and community,” he says. He recognizes the potential good his interest in web design can provide other Muslims.

He goes on to say, “I think you can really use a site to reach [people] and increase the breadth of services.”

In the long run, Rayani would like to be able to benefit both himself (because no one can live off ramen forever), and the larger Muslim community.

“I don’t know how yet,” he admits with a light laugh. “But I’m working on it.”

Photo by Amina Elahi

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In a time when friends need Facebook to keep in touch with one another and peers rely on Google Chat and AIM as their primary means of communication, I think it’s safe to say that people socialize online at least as much as they do in person. However, the Internet has yet to take over the realm of dating. Among the mainstream, matchmaking Web sites still bear the stigma of implied desperation—a last resort second even to a good old-fashioned blind date.

But for some Muslims trying to abide by the Islamic discouragement of pre-marital relationships, a strictly virtual courtship is, in theory, the perfect alternative to conventional dating. I myself know a happily married couple, now with a baby, who found each other through a Muslim social networking site. In her mid-twenties, tired of being set up by relatives concerned about the impending lapse of her biological clock but unwilling to be involved in a casual relationship, Seema* decided to take matters into her own hands by taking up the search for Mr. Right on naseeb.com—and is all the happier for it today. And yet, to most young Muslims looking to get married, sites like Naseeb are nothing more than material for good jokes.

So which is it? Is Seema a rare and lucky case, or is it really possible to find a future husband in an online matrimonial network? There was only one way to find out: going undercover. Using a fake profile, I scoped

out five popular matrimonial Web sites: muslima.com, muslimmatrimonialnetwork.com, naseeb.com, nikah.com and shaadi.com. As “Aaliyah Altaf”, a fictional 22-year-old college senior from Chicago, I spent three weeks scanning profile after profile of bachelors who were members of these sites.

While each of the five websites was slightly different, they all had the same basic features: a profile with demographic information and categorical self-descriptors (e.g. “How would you describe your values? Please select one: Traditional / Moderate / Liberal”) and a match feature that suggests people you might be interested in based on

your stated preferences of a partner’s age, nationality, lifestyle, income, etc. Most of the profiles I looked at consisted of awkward, rambling, grammatically incorrect life stories, while few men had something practical or straightforward to say about themselves. Almost all of

the suitors who requested contact with Aaliyah were from overseas and had a poor command of the English language. This certainly poses a problem for young ladies who don’t wish to relocate to Morocco or India—or who simply value good spelling.

I also found the matching feature to be unreliable. My supposed matches were usually not consistent with the qualifications I entered for a potential spouse. Even with three weeks of undercover investigation, it was a rare occurrence to find a man who was simultaneously under 35, had at least a Bachelor’s degree, and was raised in the United States. However, my results were much better when I searched for people by age and location rather than sifting through the multitude of foreigners that

“expressed interest” in Aaliyah . For the college student and young professional demographic, I found naseeb.com to be the most popular.

The process of communicating with other members varied from site to site. Before making an account on nikah.com, the most conservative of the five, I had to agree that I was Muslim and would not use the Web site for “dating, penpal, friendship, or other purposes than the proposed nikah [contractual marriage].” On shaadi.

online and in loveA Northwestern senior shares her covert investigation of Muslim social networking Web sites. By Sarah Dar

Undercover writer Sarah Dar, alias Aaliyah Altaf, explored five Muslim matrimonial Web sites. Photo by Asma Ahmad.

* Name has been changed to protect the identity of the source.

“[FOREIGN SUITORS] POSE PROBLEmS FOR YOUNG LADIES whO DON’T wANT TO RELOcATE...OR SImPLY vALUE GOOD SPELLING

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com, on the other hand, Aaliyah received almost 10 new requests every day, all of whom were interested in chatting or meeting in person.

All in all, I found that using these websites was not too different from the soulmate search in real life: way too many Mr. Wrongs to filter out before actually getting to

Mr. Right. Sorry ladies, no quick fix here. But that said, I will not entirely rule out the possibility of finding a decent guy on the Internet—it just takes a lot of patience and a good eye for the ones who are only interested in a green card. And this way, you can do everything right from your couch, where rejection is just a click away.

Web sites Use this site if you...

Don’t use this site if you...

Favorite quote

Muslima

Muslim Matrimonial

Network

Naseeb

Nikah

Shaadi

Are on a serious spouse search and not interested in small talk

want detailed member information beyond demographics, such as political views, favorite music, etc.

Only consider six-figure incomes

Strictly oppose casual or flirtatious correspondence

want a good laugh

have to see a picture of somebody before talking to them (pictures cannot be viewed until mutual interest is expressed)

were hoping the matchmaking feature would provide accurate suggestions for compatible members

Are shy about contacting other members who spark your interest

want to be able to chat with other members informally

Feel that it is inappropriate to be asked to include your skin complexion, caste, or hIv status in your profile

N/A*

N/A*

No quote, but lovingraja51’s username says it all

“Somtines when I’m driving I wish my passenger was a giant piece of candy”

“btw.you’ve gotta b’ful sweet sunshine smile plz keep smilin always.”

Sarah says...

Not applicable, as these websites do not make complete profile information visible until two parties have mutually expressed interest in one another

Five years ago, a man, a woman and their daughter lived what seemed to be the perfect life in suburbia. But behind closed doors, this upper class, financially-stable family fell victim to the horrors of domestic violence. It began with the husband gradually inflicting verbal and emotional harm on his wife. The taunting eventually grew into physical abuse, until one afternoon, it escalated into 13 stitches across her head.

Welcome homeA Chicago-based women’s shelter provides care to battered women of South Asian descent. By Sara Suleiman

The Apna Ghar staff enjoys an afternoon in the park. Photo courtesy of Kiran Siddiqui.

Every year, women experience about 4.8 million physical assaults and rapes related to their intimate partner, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. And for almost 20 of those years, Apna Ghar’s domestic violence services in Chicago have served as a safe haven for thousands of women and children.

Five South Asian American women activists came up with the idea in 1989, making Apna Ghar the first transitional shelter and social agency in the U.S. serving South Asian victims of domestic violence. Literally, apna ghar translates into “our home” in Urdu, but the organization is much more than a home. Not only does it provide a free emergency shelter to survivors of domestic abuse, it also offers a 24/7 hotline service, a supervised child visitation center and a legal support system, to name a few of its features. And Apna Ghar remarkably accomplishes all of this with a staff of only 24 people.

Program Director Kiran Siddiqui realized the importance of domestic violence shelters such as these nine years ago when she started working at Apna Ghar. Siddiqui, originally of Pakistani descent, adorns her office with crayon-filled art and photographs of her children. A holiday card written in Islamic calligraphy rests on a shelf below a coffee mug that displays a spiritual quote praising Allah.

“Culturally, some of the women in our shelter feel pressured to stay with their abusers,” she says. “They think that it is what their religion tells them to do, but it is important for them to know that they have rights and options that are compatible with their cultures.”

Because of differences in language, dress, food, family and religion, some South Asian families shy away from seeking help at mainstream shelters, Siddiqui explains. But in this culturally-appropriate setting, immigrant women and children can feel more at home. For example,

volunteers try to serve families zabihah (Islamically slaughtered) meat whenever possible, an aspect not available at most other shelters.

The location of Apna Ghar’s shelter is kept confidential to protect the safety and well-being of its clients. Even volunteers must undergo 40 hours of domestic violence training before allowed into the shelter.

Maya Ragavan, a first-year medical student at Northwestern’s Feinberg School of Medicine, finished the training while still in high school and now volunteers for Apna Ghar’s 24-hour crisis hotline service. She holds this issue very dear to her heart especially because some of her family members have previously been victims of domestic abuse. Every night, when the daytime workers are not available, the hotline’s calls are transferred to a certain volunteer’s phone. “There were definitely a few calls that were a little scary, where I’ve had to talk to the women for a half hour,” Ragavan says.

“This is a really important topic for women everywhere,” she adds. “Especially for immigrant women who don’t have a strong support system here. This is the only way for them to get out of an abusive relationship.”

The woman with the 13 stitches made the right choice when she came to Apna Ghar for help. Here, staff and volunteers arranged for the daughter’s schooling, transferred the mother’s nursing degree from her country of origin into one accepted in America, and eventually helped them find their own apartment. Now, Siddiqui says proudly, the mother has become an extremely successful nurse, and the daughter still comes back every year to deservingly flaunt her report cards.

“I remember some of these clients since the first time they arrived here,” she says. “They just need to know that they are incredibly strong, resilient women who can get through this if they try.”

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PERCEPTIONS OF ISLAMWhat do Northwestern students think about Islam? To find out, we polled 45 of them—anonymously. Participants filled out a 10 item questionnaire in the Norris Center. Look below to find out what they said...the results might surprise you.

82%

do not agree with the portrayal of Muslims in the mass media

view Islam as a violent or dangerous religion

87%27% believe Muslims worship the same

God as Jews and Christians

have a positive opinion of Islam and Muslims

31%

98%

36%think that Muslims want to be distinct from the larger American society instead of assimilating

consider themselves to beknowledgeable about Islam

11% would be afraid to board the same plane as a Muslim seen praying before the flight

71%

13%

know a Muslim student on campus

do not believe it is okay for Muslims to be racially profiled in airports

have attended an McSA event

02%

017

Every so often a movie comes along which shakes up the American public’s viewpoint on a controversial issue. Despite its blatant attempts to shed light on the perception of Muslims and terrorism in the United States, Jeff Nachmanoff’s Traitor (2008) is not one of those films.

Don Cheadle plays a Sudan-born, American-raised Muslim named Samir Horn. We follow Cheadle through associations with various terrorist groups that plan attacks on locations around the world. Jihad is an Arabic word for “struggle” often misconstrued as “holy war.” In the movie, it is used by one of Cheadle’s co-conspirators threateningly, who later snarls: “Once upon a time it was the Americans who were terrorists. They forget the history already.”

Once upon a time, there was a director who indulged in Muslim stereotypes about jihad and taught Americans nothing beyond what they see in the media about Islam or terrorism. Nachmanoff failed in his attempt to show the audience a multidimensional perspective of Muslims, essentially creating another Islamic-exploitative popcorn flick that is a watered-down version of The Siege (1998).

At the end of the movie, an obligatory shot of white-robed Arabs praying salat in unison exemplifies the director’s lack of originality in portraying Muslims.

In the first thirty minutes of the movie, Guy Pearce, playing a terrorist-chasing CIA officer, tells a story of being a Christian and witnessing the KKK in the South. “Seems like every religion has more than one face,” he says. Yet

Nachmanoff never reveals any faces of Islam, except for stereotypical terrorists and a conflicted Cheadle who appears more confused than confident in his actions.

While there are a handful of amusing chase scenes and suspense-building sequences, the weak soundtrack and performances detract audience amusement. In one scene where a bearded Muslim has difficulty getting a bomb to blow up in time, the subdued music and almost comical expression on the

performer’s face will have some viewers laughing at what is supposed to be a very serious dilemma.

But Traitor is

not without its redeeming qualities, namely Pearce’s role as a CIA agent and son of a Christian preacher. A distinct foil to Cheadle’s character, both are devout men of faith but on complete opposite ends of the legal spectrum since one is a terrorist and

the other is a government agent.While Cheadle’s performance

remains mostly the same throughout, we see a wider range of emotions from Pearce. He switches between the cool confidence of a cop and his frustration at being unable to pin down Cheadle.

Ultimately, Nachmanoff fails to say anything new about Muslims in this film. Much like the characters in his Day After Tomorrow, the terrorists in Traitor are all one-dimensional, and the action sequences are not exactly James Bond material. While there are a couple twists along the way to keep the audience captivated, the movie feels clichéd overall.

Today, there is widespread misrepresentation of Islam and Muslims in the media, literature and pop culture. It is bad enough to turn on the evening news and see waves of Muslims chanting “Death to America.” And it certainly doesn’t help when Hollywood exploits the situation for the sake of creating drama. Hopefully there will be a day when a film offers a more holistic view of the Muslim experience that goes beyond the headlines and showcases the ideological diversity of Muslims around the world.

typecasting Muslims

“DIREcTOR NAchmANOFF FAILED IN hIS ATTEmPT TO ShOw ThE AUDIENcE A mULTIDImENSIONAL PERSPEcTIvE OF mUSLImS

A review of the 2008 film Traitor, the story of a Sudanese Muslim entangled with both the federal government and terrorists abroad. By Hasan Haq

018

> the huffinGton

post

“[Bahraini sprinter Ruqaya Al Ghasara] reached the semifinals in the 200-meter sprint—in the process, carrying the flag for countless young women in the Muslim world by defining the often too-elusive middle ground between religious stricture and reaching for a dream.”

OUR FAVORITE THINGS Stuff that makes us smile

islam in the news“The only other crowd of [the size that attended Obama’s inauguration] that has assembled in recent times is the yearly Muslim pilgrimage, or Hajj, to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, which this year topped out at between 2 million and 3 million visitors.”

> cnet neWs

“Michael Jackson has reportedly converted to Islam and changed his name

to Mikaeel after one of Allah’s angels.”>nY daiLY

neWs

“Lawyer and community activist Rashida Tlaib, the daughter of Palestinian immigrants who never attended high school, becomes the

first Muslim woman ever to serve in the Michigan Legislature.”>the chicaGo

tribune

“Is there something wrong with some 7-year-old Muslim-American kid believing that he or she could be president?”

> coLinpoWeLL

019

Asma likes biking along Lake Shore Drive, Matt’s Chocolate

Chip Cookies, Dr. Pepper and Veronica Mars.

Sara likes Turkish coffee,

Snuggies, the color turquoise

and her mom.

Amina likes Antlers and Arnold, getting enough sleep, driving and, recently, arts and crafts.

Spiritually-inspired art in the form of graffiti fills the exterior brick walls at Chicago’s Inner-City Muslim Action Network (IMAN). Established in 1995, IMAN is a non-profit organization that cultivates the arts and works with issues of social justice, targeting not only Muslims but other urban populations as well. For more information, visit www.imancentral.org.