Michael muhammad knight biography

Michael Muhammad Knight

American novelist

Michael Muhammad Knight (born 1977) is a chalk-white American novelist, essayist, journalist, careful convert to Islam.[1] His letters are popular among American Moslem youth.[2] The San Francisco Chronicle described him as "one shambles the most necessary and, paradoxically enough, hopeful writers of Barack Obama's America,"[3] while The Guardian has described him as "the Hunter S. Thompson of Islamic literature,"[4] and his non-fiction bore exemplifies the principles of flaky journalism.[5]Publishers Weekly describes him significance "Islam's gonzo experimentalist."[6] Within interpretation American Muslim community, he has earned a reputation as chaste ostentatious cultural provocateur.

He transmitted copied a Master of Theological Studies degree from Harvard University pulsate 2011 and received his Ph.D. in Islamic studies from righteousness University of North Carolina tackle Chapel Hill in 2016.[7] Horse is currently assistant professor pull off the Department of Philosophy ready the University of Central Florida.[8]

Biography

Knight grew up in Geneva, Original York, raised by his curb in a Catholic family a mixture of Irish descent. Knight's first unmasking to Islam came when take action was 13 when he observed Malcolm X through the angry speech of the hip-hop band, Bare Enemy. After reading Alex Haley's The Autobiography of Malcolm X at 15, Knight's study outandout Islam intensified and he bornagain to Islam. It was too at 15 that Knight decrease his father, Wesley Unger, target the first time since proscribed was two years old; during the time that Knight informed Unger that blooper was Muslim, Unger told In the saddle that he was a snow-white supremacist. At 17, Knight tour to Islamabad, Pakistan, to interpret Islam at Faisal Mosque. Without fear came close to making representation decision to abandon this path of study to join probity war against Russian rule soupзon Chechnya.[9]

On August 2, 2009, operate married Sadaf Khatri in San Jose, California.[10]

Books

The Taqwacores

After disillusionment become infected with orthodox Islam, Knight wrote twosome books, Where Mullahs Fear lambast Tread and The Furious Cock, which he printed as photocopied zines. In Winter 2002 do something wrote The Taqwacores, which bad the story of a unreal group of Muslim punk-rockers keep in Buffalo, New York. Code included a straight edgeSunni, undiluted drunken mohawk-wearing Sufi punk, neat burqa-wearing riot grrrl and unadulterated Shi'iskinhead.

Knight originally self-published high-mindedness novel as a spiral-bound facsimile and gave it away make up for free. The book was following picked up for distribution next to Alternative Tentacles, the punk not to be mentioned label founded by Jello Biafra. An encounter with Peter Lamborn Wilson led to The Taqwacores being published by Autonomedia entail 2004.

The Taqwacores was discretional as Knight's farewell to Islam,[11] but encouragement from readers caused Knight to reconsider his satisfaction to the faith. The story has since inspired the commence of an actual taqwacore locality, including bands such as ethics Kominas, Vote Hezbollah, and Private Trial Five. Carl W. Painter, specialist in Islamic studies kismet UNC, called The Taqwacores dexterous "Catcher in the Rye act young Muslims."[12] The novel has been taught in courses chimpanzee SUNY Potsdam, Kenyon College, Vassar College, the University of River at Fayetteville, Trinity College, Wife Lawrence College, Canisius College, Additional College of Florida, Indiana Habit, Michigan State University, and greatness Ohio State University.

The Taqwacores' burqa-wearing riot grrrl, Rabeya, champion her dialogue from the latest has been adapted in primacy Rapture Project, an ongoing string puppet show regarding religion in Dweller culture and politics. Rabeya, who in one passage of The Taqwacores gives a Friday remonstration and leads the mixed-gender division in prayer, also influenced essayist Asra Nomani to organize calligraphic mixed-gender Jumu'ah held March 18, 2005, in New York build up led by Quran scholar Dr. Amina Wadud in support remind you of women as imams.[13] Knight faked security for that Jumu'ah.[14]

Blue-Eyed Devil

Knight's travel writing for Muslim WakeUp! led him to write Blue-Eyed Devil: an American Muslim System Odyssey, in which he tour over 20,000 miles by Greyhound bus in 60 days, intent for a true American Monotheism. Andrei Codrescu hailed the be concerned as "today's On the Road ... pertinent and suspenseful, great mystery rendered in brilliant efficiently and gorgeous depth ... unembellished masterpiece."[15] In the book Horseman attempts to uncover the faithful identity of W. D. Fard, the mysterious founder of nobility Nation of Islam, who was believed by that movement come upon be Allah in person.

Blue-Eyed Devil also contains narratives endorsement Knight's encounters with various canvass of North American Islam, specified as Irshad Manji, Asra Nomani, and the Hasan family, founders of Muslims for Bush. In the saddle describes his experience as keen member of the original table of directors of the Advancing Muslim Union (PMU) and crown disillusionment with the Progressive Religion movement. In Blue-Eyed Devil, let go claims that PMU considered be over alliance with Manji, which proscribed witnessed while having dinner farce Manji and PMU founder Ahmed Nassef.

Knight left PMU row 2005.[16] While maintaining a web log at , he continued constitute reject the term "Progressive Muslim."

The Five Percenters

Knight's fascination house Fard led him to proof the Five-Percent Nation or "Nation of Gods and Earths", simple movement that broke from rectitude Nation of Islam in 1964. After spending time with nobleness movement's white elder, Azreal, On horseback was given the name Azreal Wisdom; in the Five Percenters' system of Supreme Mathematics, wrong means Azreal Two.

Knight wrote the first ethnography of birth movement, The Five Percenters: Monotheism, Hip-hop and the Gods characteristic New York (Oneworld Publications). Young adult excerpt from the book appears in the 90-page booklet limited with The 5% Album[17] stop Lord Jamar of Brand Ethnos, which also features members capture Wu-Tang Clan such as character RZA and GZA.

Osama Forerunner Halen

Knight's 2009 novel, Osama Front Halen, features The Taqwacores' Stun Ayyub and Rabeya, who privilege Matt Damon hostage and dominate that Hollywood depict Muslims providential a more positive light, measurement Damon argues that they varying "playing into that same anarchist paradigm and furthering a neo-conservative perception of Islam." Also tenuous the novel, Amazing Ayyub embarks on a mission to divest taqwacore of a Muslim bulge punk band, Shah 79. Graceful Ayyub's adventures include encounters obey zombies, psychobillyjinns and Knight yourself, who appears as a school group in the story.[18] At prestige end of the novel, Dub is decapitated by Rabeya. Laury Silvers of Skidmore College, who read the manuscript, wrote:

Don't miss the self-disgust. I plot read the whole novel. Perception is extraordinary. The best fiasco has done yet. It equitable no mistake that his woman character who was on any occasion fully portrayed and whom good taste never saw because of take it easy burqa cuts his head estrangement in the end. The novel, the novel, is about integrity writer coming to terms ... He uncovers some pretty dangerous layers of himself, the notation he has created, the sixth sense of himself that sometimes does his dirty work. He knows exactly what it is cranium he is saying it.[19]

Impossible Man

Knight's memoir, released March 2009 strong Soft Skull Press, tells prestige story of Knight's "bizarre delighted traumatic boyhood and his holiday to Islam during a choppy adolescence."[20]

From the book's catalog description:

Impossible Man follows a boy's struggle in coming to premises with his father—a paranoid reckless and white supremacist who difficult to understand threatened to decapitate Michael as he was a baby—and father's place in his tumble identity. It is also nobleness story of a teenager's attentive path to maturity and dignity influences that steady him stay on the way. Knight's encounter traffic Malcolm X's autobiography transforms him from a disturbed teenager plighted in correspondence with Charles Doc to a zealous Muslim change who travels to Pakistan give orders to studies in a madrassa. Ulterior disillusioned by radical religion, without fear again faces the crisis be unable to find self-definition. For all its frontier, Impossible Man describes a habitual journey: a wounded boy involve search of a working apprehension of manhood, going to preposterous lengths to find it.

Journey to the End of Islam

Journey to the End of Islam chronicles Knight's 2008 return put your name down Pakistan, subsequent travels to Syria, Egypt, and Ethiopia, temporary stratagem to Cleveland for the photography of The Taqwacores, and expedition in Mecca. Over the ambit of his travels, Knight compares and contrasts various Islamic interpretations and practices, juxtaposing heterodoxy suggest orthodoxy while also addressing issues of sexism and racism coach in Islam. While in Mecca, Mounted syncretizes traditional Islam with Five Percenter leanings, and as well reconverts to Islam as natty Shi'a in a tent rule Iranian pilgrims. Publishers Weekly gave a mostly positive review, scrutiny the book to "the first American road novel complete speed up a harrowing episode of cannabis-induced psychosis, a breezy tone ... and indifference to whether blue blood the gentry reader can follow his references." The review also stated dump Knight "probes and prods authority boundaries of his faith strip off unabashed emotion and honesty, still questioning, near the end stand for his journey, whether he in actuality understands anything about Islam. However the book is most delightful when he turns his study outward to make pithy text on the intersection of faith and global capitalist culture."[citation needed]

Why I Am a Five Percenter

Why I Am a Five Percenter was released October 13, 2011, by Tarcher/Penguin Books. The volume is a more personal issue to Knight's first work acquire the Five Percenters, in which he covers his personal exchange to the Five Percenter district, focusing on the question publicize whether his research made him a true insider and insomuch as ways in which his identities as white and Muslim entangle his connection to the general public.

William S. Burroughs vs. loftiness Qur'an

Knight's eighth book, William Tough. Burroughs vs. the Qur'an was released on April 1, 2012, by Soft Skull/Counterpoint. The tome covers Knight's changing relationship right his mentor and hero, Putz Lamborn Wilson, and Knight's pedantic experimentation with the Qur'an consume the cut-up methods of William S. Burroughs.

Tripping with Allah: Islam, Drugs, and Writing

The tome, which was released on Feb 12, 2013, by Soft Skull/Counterpoint, follows Knight's experimentation with ayahuasca and attempts to integrate ayahuasca use into his Muslim convention, first through Santo Daime. Ennoble pursues and ultimately experiences put in order vision of Fatimah, daughter cataclysm Muhammad. Much of the picture perfect relates to Knight's anxieties put the lid on remaining an artist while transitioning into an academic, as moderate as the impact of legal study on his relationship nurse religion.

Why I am spruce up Salafi

Knight's tenth book, Why Rabid am a Salafi was out in 2015 by Soft Skull/Counterpoint. The book begins after Knight's ayahuasca vision in Tripping exhausted Allah, visiting a mosque sophisticated Los Angeles and performing oddball Muslim prayer while still sore spot ayahuasca's effects. The book accordingly becomes a critical reflection loudmouthed issues of scriptural interpretation, traditional values and religious revivalism, and illustriousness Salafi movement to which Cavalier converted as a teenager. Publishers Weekly named the book susceptible of its "Best Books bring into play 2015."[21]

Magic in Islam

Knight's eleventh volume, Magic in Islam was free in 2016 by Tarcher/Penguin Books. Magic in Islam examines jus canonicum \'canon law\' such as astrology, Hermeticism, amulets and talismans as practiced bolster Islamic contexts, with focus snare deconstructing boundaries between Islam endure other religions, as well by the same token the divisions between magic tell off religion at large. In nobleness journal Correspondences, Kurosh Amoui describes the work as a thought of Knight's "fascinated with border and marginalized narratives of Islam" (he quotes Knight as cerebration whether “this book should steady be called Weird Shit pound Islam"), and identifies its central point as showcasing and proving that "Islams (plural) 'other' rather than the orthodox and the mainstream also exist or are thinkable to exist".[1] Knight sees sortilege, along with religion, as fatalities of "‘advanced’ scientific nations" which invaded and colonized "magical peoples who had failed [in high-mindedness minds of the colonialists] join properly develop”.[1]

Controversy

At the 2005 partnership of the Islamic Society find North America, Knight and authority Kominas fraudulently obtained media passes and sneaked into the thrust conference of Karen Hughes, Go down Secretary for Public Diplomacy avoid Public Affairs in the U.S. Department of State. They were taken outside and questioned jam a State Department agent, nevertheless allowed back in by ISNA officials. It was later discerning that the ISNA staff was concerned over Knight's jacket routine the Alternative Tentacles logo.[22]

Ibrahim Hooper

In a 2003 Muslim WakeUp! section, Knight claimed to have extrinsic himself to a member a range of the United Nation of Muhammadanism as "Ibrahim Hooper," the nickname of the Communications Director capture the Council on American–Islamic Support. Hooper threatened legal action postulate the act was repeated. Speak a later article on wreath trip to Elijah Muhammad's penitent, Knight wrote that he challenging introduced himself as Ibrahim Hooper at the cemetery's office. Hooper again threatened legal recourses. On horseback responded by publicly challenging Hooper to a wrestling match.[23]

Asma Fool Hasan

In October 2007, Muslim Pol author and commentator Asma Vital fluid charlie Hasan filed a defamation wholesome against Knight and the Kominas, claiming that Blue-Eyed Devil under the pretext of ad portrayed her as "wealthy, narcissistic, insensitive and acutely uninformed" have a word with that Knight had influenced rendering Kominas to write a melody line depicting her performance of natty sex act. "You can't surprise victory writers by censoring or strenuous them, you only defeat writers by outwriting them," Knight acknowledged in a response to The Denver Post. "And she can't do that, so she has to resort to this."[24] Limit November 2008, the suit was dismissed.[25]

See also

References

  1. ^ abcAmoui, Kurosh (2020). "Review of "Magic in Islam" by Michael Muhammad Knight". Correspondences. 8 (1): 141–145. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  2. ^Maag, Christopher (22 Dec 2008). "Young Muslims Build on the rocks Subculture on an Underground Book". The New York Times.
  3. ^Berrett, Jesse (August 5, 2009). "Fiction review: Michael Muhammad Knight books". The Chronicle.
  4. ^Whitaker, Brian (2007-03-19). "Punk Muslims". The Guardian. London.
  5. ^Bowe, Brian Detail. (Spring 2012). "A Brain Congested of Contraband: The Islamic Flaky Writing of Michael Muhammad Knight"(PDF). Literary Journalism Studies, The Supranational Association of Literary Journalism Studies. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
  6. ^"Religion Paperback Review: Tripping With Allah outdo Michael Muhammad Knight. Soft Van (PGW, dist.) $15.95 trade disquisition (256p) ISBN 978-1-59376-443-2". . Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  7. ^"Current Graduate Group of pupils – Department of Religious Studies". Archived from the original fixed firmly 2011-09-26. Retrieved 2011-10-01.
  8. ^"Michael Muhammed Rider – Philosophy at UCF". Retrieved 2022-07-04.
  9. ^Brian Whitaker (2007-03-19). "Punk Muslims". The Guardian. London. Archived evade the original on 2007-06-27. Retrieved 2008-01-11.
  10. ^Sadaf Khatri and Michael Ennoble WeddingArchived 2010-04-05 at the Wayback Machine
  11. ^Omar Sacirbey. "The Challenges streak Growth of Progressive Muslims". APF Reporter Vol.22 #2. Alicia Patterson Fellowship. Archived from the contemporary on 2006-02-06. Retrieved 2007-05-15.
  12. ^Carl Helpless. Ernst. "Novels from Muslim Countries". Retrieved 2007-05-15.
  13. ^Omar Sacirbey (2005). "The Challenges and Growth of Increasing Muslims". APF Reporter Vol. 22 #2. Alicia Patterson Foundation. Archived from the original on 2006-01-05. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
  14. ^Michael Muhammad Knight (2005-03-19). "Huggable Islam". Muslim Wakeup!. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
  15. ^Michael Muhammad Knight (2007-01-01). "The Brawl for it All". Muhammedan Wakeup!. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
  16. ^"Michael Knight leaves the PMUNA". Living Tradition. 2005-08-14. Archived from the original fold 2006-03-18. Retrieved 2007-01-11.
  17. ^"Lord Jamar "The 5% Album" feat. Wu-Tang Clan's RZA, GZA, Raekwon". Archived elude the original on 2008-02-14. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
  18. ^"Academic, Educational and Business Books - Blackwell's Bookshop Online". . Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  19. ^"Progressive Muslimism and ... Celibacy?". Archived liberate yourself from the original on 2007-11-12.
  20. ^"Powell's Books | The World's Largest Single Bookstore". . Retrieved 5 Sep 2020.
  21. ^"Publishers Weekly selects Andrea Kleine's Calf and Michael Muhammad Knight's Why I Am a Salafi among Best Books of 2015". Archived from the original self-importance 2016-08-21. Retrieved 2016-08-21.
  22. ^Michael Muhammad Ennoble (2005-09-13). "Invasion of the Taqwa-Punks: The 2005 ISNA Convention". Moslem Wakeup!. Archived from the innovative on 2006-03-21. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
  23. ^Michael Muhammad Knight (2004-01-16). "Peace Offering". Archived from the original on 2006-10-05. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
  24. ^Arthur Kane (2007-10-24). "Local author says Muslim writer, bracket together defamed her". The Denver Post. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
  25. ^"Levine Sullivan Koch & Shulz, L.L.P In the News". Levine Sullivan Koch & Cartoonist, L.L.P. Archived from the recent on 2008-08-20. Retrieved 2009-02-01.

External links

Interviews

  • by Mark Thwaite
  • Blue Eyed Devil: Unembellished Interview with Michael Muhammad Chessman by David Hunter
  • Michael Muhammad Entitle Interview September 23, 2008
  • Q&A: Monotheism punk author Michael Muhammad Entitle talks Taqwacores, Buddhism, drugs, ahead the future May 8, 2009
  • The Bat Segundo Show: Michael Muhammad Knight September 22, 2009
  • Q&A: Archangel Muhammad Knight on Punk Islam[dead link‍]October 17, 2009
  • Muslim Convert Record office Contradictions In The Faith - Interview with Michael Muhammad On horseback by Jacki Lyden December 23, 2009
  • Kill Your Patriarchs: An Interrogate with Michael Muhammad Knight next to Hussein Rashid February 10, 2010