I would recommend

Submitted by Shömi (United States), Feb 16, 2017 at 15:28

Dear Viraj,

Thank you for your warm reply.

Viraj, we live in strange times. Previous generations could not even imagine such universal access to information and travel. But now that these possibilities opened up to us, only a few know how to benefit from them. Like my friend said... "Internet is a tool, like a hammer. You can either build something with it or hit yourself on a head" :) I'm making this statement first, because I think it's relevant to some issues we discuss on this forum and also those mentioned by you.

"Stepping Into The Shadows" is addressed to a certain audience, and neither do I find it unusual. Our world has made a huge progress and it affected our entire generation, from East to West. Some of us have difficulty following the fast pace of change. Facing potential spiritual crisis some remain attached to their roots in more radical ways, others search for alternative belief systems. Unfortunately the latter is often done only by mocking the foreign ritual and in complete disregard to its core values. SITS seems to be written strictly for these impulsive converts, whom I don't identify with at all. I don't agree with the simplified, exaggerated image of Islam presented in the book, but I understand it might have served its purpose.

Being fair, I don't think my book (Reza Aslan's "No God but God " The Origins, Evolution and Future of Islam) should be recommended on this forum neither. Understanding Islam alone will not help women on here explain actions of their men. Islam has many faces and does not contain a consistent message like e.i. the Catholic Church. It certainly should be researched within its geopolitical, and socioeconomic context. However, should anyone be interested in Reza's books, I have them all in a digital format and will be happy to share.

Last of all, I do have a recommendation to make. Especially for those of you who had encounters with the Moroccan men. There is two very good movies which I believe might help you understand the reality behind them. "Horses of God" (Netflix) is an excellent moroccan movie about Casablanca suicide bombers, it offers an incredibly accurate picture of the lifestyle, living conditions, and interpersonal/family relations in economically disadvantaged moroccan communities. "Hideous Kinky" is a movie based on a semi biographical book by Esther Freud. It's about an affair between a British woman and a young Moroccan man, which happened to be almost EXACTLY my story. It's a pleasant movie to watch (starring Kate Winslet and Saïd Taghmaoui) and as an older production should be available everywhere, maybe even youtube.

Thank you for reading and please share your thoughts if you wish.

Best Regards to Viraj and all Readers,

Shömi

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".