Latinos and Islam Part LXXXVII
Posted on September 28th, 2006 by Tariq Nelson
There have been soooo many articles about Hispanics/Latinos (particularly Latinas) and their interest in Islam. Nothing else to write about?
Filed under: Convert Issues
My wife is often mistaken for an Arab and I can imagine this happens often. I will say that I believe that Puerto Ricans and Dominicans, who are influenced by the African-American community, are generally more positive towards Islam; while Central Americans and Mexicans tend to be a lot more hostile.
I think the Muslim political establishment in the US is simply jumping on the Latino Marketing bandwagon. First, they’re fetishized by Disney and then by Muslims. I guess this could be taken as a good sign that the US Muslim community (such as it were) is more and more mimicking mainstream trends. Or, it could be simply the same old: “Allahu Akbar! We’re finally reconquering Andalus!”
I think everyone who sees someone with brown skin and hijab think they are Arab. To people who have spent a lot of time in the community the differences are usually pretty obvious.
I dont think I have ever run into a Latina sister and thought she was an Arab.
My wife gets this sometimes, but always from Latinos who think she is Latina. We dont get this from other Arabs. I dont know what it is, but they seem to know each other.
I have seen Arabs I know, and my wife, walk up to people they have never met before, never seen or heard before and just start talking Arabic to them and they are always right. I dont know how they do it. This is non Islamic type settings as well.
I think the only time my wife got it wrong is when we walked into a place that had once been owned by Arabs, the lady behind the counter looked Arabic 100% so she starts talking to her in Arabic. Turns out the lady was Iranian and not happy being talked to in Arabic. Either way, we dont go there anymore anyways. The typical Iranian Americans who do not have ONE reference to God in their whole store, even though it caters to Muslims. NOT ONE verse from the Qur’an, not one Islamic picture.
I think it is now called “The Mirage” and it is up the street from Dar al Hijrah and I suggest others dont go there as well.
Do you think the fact that the woman discussed in the article refers to Muslims as
I think for Mexican converts , the greatest jihad is going to be giving up Pork
I think for Mexican converts , the greatest jihad is going to be giving up Pork
More than beer?
>>The typical Iranian Americans who do not have ONE reference to God in their whole store,
So, people have to wear thier religion on thier sleeve in order for you to see them as “good” Muslims? Maybe garish displays just aren’t a part of thier culture or are just the personal preference of the owners.
“I think she was trying to make the distinction between her old religion and her new one, so I don
I enjoy reading your blog, keep up the good writing!
Thanks
Omar,
Iranian Americans are known for their lack of religion. It might be a stereo-type, but it holds up. Anyway, I wasnt talking about a alrge picture of velvet of the Kabbah. I was talking about just one thing in the store which would identify them as Muslim. There isnt anything in that store that would do that.
In the store, if not for the trays of Baklava and kunafa, you could be in any store in the USA.
The point is, this store and the lady who owns are it typical examples of this community in the USA.
Yeah, I know what you mean about Iranian-Americans. Most of them either were or are descended from the upper classes there that fled around the time of the Revolution. But, still what does putting up verses or other things do for a person? God has no need of trinkets, and the only thing these public displays do is, well, display things. In Arabic, the word riyaa’ means ‘trying to be seen’ for doing something and this is the only other possibility for displaying verses or kaba rugs or other things: they’re meant to signal to people, “Hey, I’m religious, look at us, aren’t we so good!” or as a way of signaling group identity. I see being Muslim as what a person does towards God and how good they are towards others and not necessarily as a nationalistic identity.
Anyway, I remember Tariq writing alot about Muslim owned stores that sell low quality meat and other sundries. In San Diego, I had two stores I went to: one an Arab owned store with all the pretentious “Oh Allah bless this commerce” trinkets that was rather dirty with acceptable meat, but not great or overly clean meat and indifferent service. The other was an Iranian owned near-supermarket with Halal meat and some Middle Eastern items but was otherwise like a regular supermarket, and no religious trinkets on display and the daughters not wearing scarves. However, the meat was of excellent quality, with service with a smile and good prices. I chose the Iranian owned store and I think it benefited me and my family’s health and pocketbook alot more.
Putting up trinkets means nothing. I think you are missing what I am trying to say. They are “more American than the Americans” and have lost any trace of their deen, doesnt matter whether it is saying your prayers or have a simple verse of The Qur’an on the wall.
Yes, most of them come from the elite secularists that fled here before and after the revolution.
I wont go to a place where I know the daughters have married Christians, they all drink, eat pork, and have rejected their religion. We expect those things from non Muslims, but not from people from an Islamic background.
I live in an area where there is a huge Iranian-American community and I have yet to met one that is religious. Insha’Allah, I will. I am sure there are some out there, just very few.
The ones I have known personally, to a person, have rejected their deen, and very often, even rejected American standards of moral decency. It is sad.
Anyone for an “Iranian-American” Gerry Springer show? Except in this case they are often very rich, fleeing Iran with the people’s money.
Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh
The neocon radioshow host Laura Ingraham had the audacity to read the same article you have above and say that she doesnt see why anyone would wanna become a Muslim.
Khalil Al-Puerto Rikani
http://khalilsalgado.blogspot.com/