Punks at ISNA (Islamic Society of North America) Convention

Check out the report by Michael Muhammad Knight, on the adventures of hard-core (taqwacore) Muslim punks at the 2005 ISNA convention in Chicago. Knight is the author of the novel, The Taqwacores (published by Autonomedia), a provocative account of Muslim punks in Buffalo. Knight asserts that Muslim rap, as presented at such events, is neither progressive nor challenging, but "timid daw’ah fare," and that it is the taqwacore bands who are truly creating something new, transgressive, and interesting on the margins of US Islam. If you are a fan of Moorish Science, the Wu Tang Clan, or Peter Lamborn Wilson/Hakim Bey, this is a must read. For a sample of taqwacore music, check out Knight's earlier piece on Kominas and download their song, "Rumi Was A Homo."