Muslim Punk On The Rise

News21 wrote an interesting article about the rise of Muslim punk rock bands across the United States. They play a style of punk called Taqwacore, taqwa being the Arabic word for piety. Far from being pious in the way Americans understand it, these guys take a more personal rather than public display of their practice.

"With a rebellious attitude and unabashed criticism of both East and West, Muslim punk highlights the breadth of Islamic practice and piety. For this colorful crew, donning patchwork jackets and taking slow drags from hookah pipes, religion is more personal than institutional or dogmatic.

"For the most part, the bands drink and smoke, in excess, despite Islam’s prohibition of the two. When driving from coast to coast on tour, they’re not stopping to break out prayer mats for the obligatory five-times-a-day salat.

"But just because they aren’t doing Islamic practice in the traditional way, doesn’t mean they don’t still consider themselves religious Muslims."

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