Everyday Struggles: The Stories of Muslim Teens: A Collection of Short Stories Written by Sumaiya Beshir and Other Muslim Teens

By Sumaiya Beshir

Everyday Struggles is a collection of short stories written by Muslim teenage girls for their peers. Life is a series of trials and tribulations. Teenage life sometimes feels like a crash course.... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1590080300
• ISBN13: 9781590080306
• Release Date: September 2004
• Publisher: Amana Publications
• Length: 105 Pages
• Weight: 0.46 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 6.1" x 9.0"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

Truly Inspiring while Inculcating a Sense of Learning

I have to cautious the reader, that as a reviewer, I am biased towards the book. For several reasons, (1) I am an immigrant transplated within the American Diaspora (2) I have two little girls, aged 8 and 5 and (3) not having grown up within the very culture and educational system that nurtures and challenges the self identity of our children, especially girls, I was humbled to take a back seat, sit back, and understand their world, their day to day challenges. It was developing this sense of perspective that was very very valuable to me Importantly, the climate of Islamophobia that is so pervasive in the media (whether that be print or audio), it presents many a challenges to our children, especially girls (all the write ups were from girls). What was also striking about the book, was the book cover. It portrays a sense of inclusiveness that muslims girls come in all different facets of their faith: one who adorns the veil and the other who doesnt - yet they both are caught in the spiral of (a) being with the cool group at school, and all the trappings that come with it (b) having to define themselves through movie characters clothing, and then challenging the very norms that the media poses and imposes on them, nurtured through peer pressure (c) the perspective of a feminist who turns to Islam much later, while understanding the place of and role of men and women in their natural sphere of things in life (d) and of-course prom night The writers will take you through an inner journey of their souls, their fears, their reluctance to come out and declare who they truly are, or their fears in loosing their friendships that they fostered over the years, over rites of initiations etc I recommend this work to any father or mother - particularly working parents. Our children go through a lot, espcecially when they are attending public schools. Just because they dont mention it at home, doesnt mean that matters are fine. They may or may not be. I would like to end this with a quote from one of the girls, who had decided to do a presentation on Islam in her class as a part of an assignment, despite her fears of it being accepted or viewed negatively, that "at least she wasnt able to transform the way the World Views her faith, but she was Comfortable knowing that the 29 Students in the Class came out appreciating and valuing what her faith offers her, stands for, and not what the print media portray it as other-wise" Well done, Abbas

ALL OUR TEENS WANT IS JUST EMPATHY

Sumaiya Beshir needs to be applauded for sharing first hand information about the challenges that face Muslim Teens.It makes for very compelling reading as the reader participates vicariously in the lives of these teens.Indeed the response is one of empathy .The range of issues explored from sibling rivalry,frienships,tragedY,misconception of Islam,peer-pressure, searching for identity in a plural society,parental intervention to fashions leaves one with a profound understanding of the complexities of growing up. As the stories are short and emphatic this anthology will be an excellent prescribed texts for schools.Adults including educators sometimes forget the challenges of the teenage years-as they are too busy ponificating instead of listening.The challenges are far greater because of the media, the diminished role of the home and sadly the schools do not respond to the fears and needs of its learners. The title is appropriate as the struggles are everyday and unrelenting.It is ,therefore,not surprising that teenagers feel a sense of alienation.What I particularly liked about the stories is the authenticity.Yes-real concerns and real issues were raised in a narrative style that is both exciting and at times poignant. Kudos to Sumaiya and her peers for an insightful and indeed didactic anthology. Edris Khamissa Consultant in Education and Human Development Cape Town

Delightful insight into the world of Muslim Teens

Imagine sitting quite calmly on the bus, reading a book, and suddenly finding yourself unable to contain your laughter. Passengers glance at you, perhaps wondering what has got you so tickled. "Everyday Struggles: The Stories of Muslim Teens" is a collection of short stories that illustrate the challenges faced by young Muslim girls in the West - all while bringing a smile to the reader's face. Whether it's fitting in with the 'in' crowd while trying to respect Islamic codes of modesty, or trying to correct a teacher's misconceptions about the faith, talented writers beautifully share the tears and the smiles that marked their teen years. It is a refreshing and rare glimpse at the world of Muslim youth in the West, in their own words.