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Reluctant Mullah (2000)

by Sagheer Afzal(Favorite Author)

3.53 of 5 Votes: 2

languge

English

genre

review 1: the 4th star is only because this is the first book I read that actually made laugh out loud.Don't get me wrong this impression does not last long, you might even shed a few tears at the end.(I laughed at some of the dialogues at the beginning, I would have rather enjoyed if the whole book was about these silly adventures of the three friends)Somewhere along the middle I lost interest because the characters were just plain annoying with their sob stories. The Pakistani family depicted in the book seems to be somewhere out of 70 0r 80's Britain and so are the 'young British Muslims'. That's it I'm not complaining anymore.The ending was quite a shock for me, I never saw it coming a great twist in the story and it left me feeling nostalgic and sad may be the same way the main... more character felt.I guess it's not a bad read if IT can stir your emotions. But I hated the writers perspective OF how "troubled" young Muslims are these days, and from experience I would say it was not quite true at times, the characters just did not fit in with the current British Muslim community though it was intended to be.
review 2: Fact: Nobody likes an arranged marriage. It's on this basis that the novel The Reluctant Mullah makes its case. In it, Musa has just thirty days to find a wife that he actually likes, or else he's stuck with the one chosen for him. He fears who will be selected for him, as it goes against every romantic bone in his body. Thus, he begins searching on his own. It's not simple, as Muslim tradition makes getting to know any woman a near impossibility. He's aided (and thwarted) by friends more bent on the humor of the situation than by real concern for his future.Musa himself is intriguing. Besides his romantic nature, he has a sense of humor not expected from a Westerner's perspective. For example, he sings Sinatra music, "My Way", but changes the words:"And now the end is near, and so I face the final cousin. My friend, I'll say it clear. I'll state my case of which I'm certain. I've been to muslimbrides, I've travelled to each fa-mi-ly. But more, much more than this, I did it my way." It's his irreverance mixed with a shocking amount of modern humor that makes him an extremely likable character. The novel makes a fascinating read because it discusses Muslim culture without delving into political or religious polarities. Instead, it focuses on the social life and complications of people dealing with both tradition and outside influence, all in a modern world. I appreciated that the women in the story do not appear to be slavish nor repressed, but rather amusing and sassy and quite capable of taking care of themselves. In fact, what surprised me most was how close family ties were, especially with aunts and uncles all concerned and involved in each other's lives. Sure, Musa finds it a bit obnoxious as he seeks true love, but the unity and reliability on each other is inspiring.In all, this was an amusing novel that still had a share of deeper complexities. Because, despite the humor and ridiculous situations that Musa finds himself in, a darker side of tradition will still assail him. He finds love, but he finds heartbreak as well. This is what makes the novel both timeless and appropriate for anyone: affairs of the heart know no national, political, or religious boundaries. less

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