The American Muslim Teenager's Handbook

Life as a Muslim in post 9/11 America - challenging to say the least! It's an uphill battle to counter the stereotypes perpetuated by a xenophobic media whilst simultaneously countering the narrow, intolerant version of Islam perpetuated by some fanatical Muslims and mosques in America!

My family decided to take some positive steps to make sure our voice, the voice of Moderate Muslims, was heard - we decided to write a book - entertaining, educational, and empowering for Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Hence 'The American Muslim Teenager's Handbook' was born - please visit www.theamth.com to read the reviews and feedback. Librarians and educators have welcomed it as a much needed resource to combat ignorance & shatter stereotypes about Muslims in the West.

Here's the press release which describes our book in greater detail...

Accessible and provocative, 'The American Muslim Teenager’s Handbook' by Dilara Hafiz, Imran Hafiz, and Yasmine Hafiz, is a fresh perspective on Islam updated for the 21st century. The essentials of Muslim beliefs are interspersed with lively commentary and quotes from American Muslim teenagers. Each chapter deals with a timely subject in Islam, beginning with excerpts from the Quran and a teen-friendly interpretation of that verse, then offering real-world examples that illustrate the essence of Muslim life. “What a delightful, hilarious, wonderful, beautiful book! I loved it!” says noted Muslim spokesman, Reza Aslan, author of No God but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam.

Muslim teenagers across America contributed their thoughts on living as American Muslims, expressing their heartfelt belief that one can successfully fulfill that role through better education and greater understanding – hence the need for the user-friendly Handbook. There is a dearth of current literature that addresses Muslim teens or discusses Islam in a progressive context. With books such as this one, the media’s constant refrain of “Where are the Moderate Muslims?” is no longer a valid question. Anyone curious about the silent majority of Muslims who do not receive media coverage will find this a refreshing, fascinating read.

Dilara Hafiz and her two children, Yasmine and Imran, all possess a strong background in Islam, but it is their insightful combined experiences as a mother and Sunday School teacher, teenage students, interfaith activists, and public speakers that elevate the Handbook into a ‘must-read book’ for anyone interested in Islam. “What a book! I wish every major faith had just such a book for teens of their faith. We could then share them... and build peace in the world." - Dr. Paul Eppinger, Executive Director - Arizona Interfaith Movement.

Are we nervous about the response from the fanatics from all faiths? Of course...but our hope is that the open-minded, sensible people across cultures and religions will recognize the efforts of a family of sincere, Muslims who are attempting to wrestle their religion back from the extremists (to paraphrase the title of an excellent book by Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl of UCLA). After all - if we don't speak up - how can we blame others for misunderstanding us??