Critique of Children of Dust by Ali Eteraz - Book Report/Review Example

Children of Dust A Book Review of Children of Dust by Ali Eteraz Introduction Ali Eteraz the author of the book “Children of Dust- a Portrait of a Muslim as a Young Man” is a renowned author with some of the popular magazines such as the guardian. He authored this book as a memoir of his life while growing up as a Muslim. He reflects his journey from childhood to adulthood explaining how his perceptions of religion and faith have been changing over time. He also explores different aspects of his growth and his understanding of different concepts in Islam. Eteraz uses a humorous and funny style that highly impresses his readers, even when he is describing critical aspects of the Muslim faith. Notably, he gives a vivid description of his life experiences which serve to be very compelling to any reader. His work has been rated as an outstanding text read by many people with an interest of gaining insight into aspects of the Islamic faith. Moreover, many readers have acknowledged that the book focuses more on his life experiences while delivering such an aspect of the Muslim religion. The book is divided into five sections with each section having a specific focus on a part of life of the author (Eteraz, 2011). This paper will review the book highlighting the main ideas that the author reveals. Moreover, the paper will consider how the book relates to life and the society. The first section of the book highlights the life of a young in a rural part of Pakistan which is a Muslim society. In this section of the book, the boy is named Abirul Islam, which is a metaphor for the “perfume of Islam.” This name, as the author reveals is a reflection of a covenant that the boy’s parents made with Allah. Evidently, they had promised Allah that the boy would serve him and would participate in the spreading of Islam in his entire life. This covenant made between Allah and his parents introduces an obligation that the boy had from his earlier days. His parents and extended family made concerted efforts to ensure that he was familiar with the Islamic faith (p. 72). Therefore, he attended Madrassa in his rural village as an introduction to the Muslim faith. In section one of the book, the author offers a detailed description of the early days in Pakistan, describing the societal setup the relationship with the extended family as well as the stringency of the Muslim faith. The author peers into the deep aspects that define the Muslim faith. Therefore, the readers of the book become familiar with the defining aspects of a Muslim society, its beliefs and other aspects that bring them together (p. 100). In the second section of the book, the author reveals how the boy’s experiences change when his family moved to America. There is an existing contrast between life in Pakistan and that in Alabama, America where the family settles down. One notable thing is that the boy changes his name in every section of the book. He is only ten years when he moves into America where he joins high school and adopts the name Abir/ Amir. Notably, Muslims in America practice their faith differently from the Pakistan Muslims who adhere to the stringent rules of their religion. One of the reasons why the boy changes his name is in a bid to avoid the fundamentalism exhibited by his parents in matters of faith. Moreover, as he approaches teenage hood, he expresses the multiple tensions that define his life and that compelled him to have a new name. This tension defining adolescence and also the emerging indifference between him and his parents is the focus of the second section of the book (p. 120). In the third section of the book, the author reveals the fundamentalism exhibited by the boy who has grown up to be a man and has joined the college in Manhattan. Like in other sections of the book and his stages of his life, he also changed his name in this phase to Abu Bakr Ramaq after he realized that he was a descendant of Bakr Ramaq Siddiq who was a renowned friend of the prophet. This aspect made him have more passion for the Muslim religion. However, the section reveals his criticism of other contrasting believes in Islam, such as extremism and secularism. Notably, in this phase of his life, he made efforts of closely associating with fundamentalisms that had been practiced by his parents. However, as a young man, he also explores his experiences with the opposite sex as he was growing up (p. 184). According to the Muslim faith, it is wrong for two unmarried young people being sexually active. It is even wrong for Muslim girls to discuss the issue of sex. However, as a young man in college, Abu Bakr Ramaq challenged such Muslim believes. He sought to establish relationships with women, but it was evident that his sexual motives were the priority in such relationships. He was well aware of the consequences of such actions and targeted Muslim girls with the consolation that both of them would face the consequences together. Because of the stringency associated with the Muslim faith, the young man seeks different opportunities of ending his sexual frustrations. He describes his escapades with honesty that compels many readers (p. 220). In the fourth section of the book, his name changes to Amir UL Islam, translated to the prince of Islam. At this phase of his life, he sought to redefine Islam and internalize it. Moreover, he sought to find a Muslim wife for himself a quest that compelled him and his mother to go back to Pakistan. Upon the return to Pakistan, things turned out in contrary to his expectations. Although he hoped for acceptance back home, he was threatened by thugs and forced to leave Pakistan immediately. This experience demonstrates the enmity existing between different sections of the Islamic faith. Being a Muslim in America, he was viewed differently from the Pakistan Muslims. He resented such hostility which was exhibited by the Pakistan Muslims. When he went back to the university, he became an activist of the Muslim society, gaining a position as the president of the Muslim student association. However, his activities related to religion were only an outward demonstration but did not reflect his inner commitment to Allah (p. 254). In the fifth section of the book, Ali Eteraz describes another phase of his life when he adopted a new name which meant noble protest. During this section of his life, many things transpired such as the September 9/11 in the US. A terrorist attack perpetrated by some Muslims. This further disillusioned him about his religion and abandoned everything and left for Las Vegas. After that, he would try to reconcile different sections of the Muslim in a bid to urge them to adopt the kind of Islam that promoted peace and justice. He did this in an effort to fulfill the covenant his parents had made with Allah. This being the last section of the book, he describes his determination to live up to the expectations of the covenant (p. 330). Notably, Eteraz’s book is not only about religion but a memoir reflecting a boy’s journey through life elaborating the growth process that takes place as he moves from one stage and setting of life to the other. The honesty with which the story is described makes it an interesting read. The author’s perception of the world, religion and different societal values offer an insight to the reader concerning Pakistan and Muslims of America. He integrates his adolescent experiences and the tensions defining that period of growth a factor that makes the book a reflection of different phases of life. Notably, the book has great relevance not only to Muslims, but to people of other religions because it explores a young person’s reasoning towards different aspects of life. Conclusion Ali Eteraz’s book is an outstanding work which describes the experiences of growing up vividly. The author adopts a style that hooks the reader to the work as he takes the reader through different stages of life. According to the author, elaborating his journey through life is the main focus of the work. As a Muslim, he highlights the numerous beliefs that define the Muslim religion making the reader more enlightened with the day to day life of Muslims. The story is described in a realistic manner, offering a true perception f the challenges a young Muslim man faces. Reference Eteraz, A. (2011). Children of dust: A portrait of a Muslim as a young man. New York: HarperOne. Read More