The Taqwacores

Synopsis

A Muslim punk house in Buffalo, New York, inhabited by burqa-wearing “riot grrrls,” mohawked Sufis, straightedge Sunnis, Shi’a skinheads, Indonesian skaters, Sudanese rude boys, gay Muslims, drunk Muslims, and feminists. Their living room hosts parties and prayers, with a hole smashed in the wall to indicate the direction of Mecca. Their lives together, which mix sex, dope, and religion in roughly equal amounts, is centered around an Islamo-punk subculture called taqwacore, named for taqwa, an Arabic term meaning consciousness of the divine. Originally published by the author on photocopiers and spiral-bound by hand, The Taqwacores has since been published in foreign translations, become the basis for two films, and is taught in various colleges and universities as a “Catcher in the Rye for young Muslims.” “A manifesto for the Muslim punk movement.” - Newsweek “Infinitely readable.” ― MaximumRocknroll.com “An absolutely fascinating book Michael Muhammad Knight has bravely written what could well become an essential text.” ― The Beat Motel Blog