Punk Islam
Throughout the course, we have explored different conceptions and forms of Islam–from the stripped down Islam of contemporary Saudi Arabia to the mystical Islam practiced by Sufi Muslims. However, one of the most radical conceptions of Islam is punk Islam. While reading Michael Muhammad Knight’s novel The Taqwacores for another class, I was struck by the audacity that the characters had in interpreting Islam. They were not afraid to skip prayers, party all night, and even question the commands of God.
For this project, I decided that I would create an artwork inspired by a punk aesthetic. So, I primed a canvas, and then I painted a crescent and a star, which are common symbols in Islam, used mostly for political purposes and used on flags. Once I allowed the crescent and star to dry, I soaked the canvas with coffee, as if a punk Muslim had been angry or irreverent and had splashed the symbol with coffee. Then, I painted the word “IQRA,” or “recite” across the star and crescent. This was my interpretation of a graffiti tag, which has Islamic significance because it is the first in the Qur’an. I continued to burn and rip away at the canvas so that it looked to be in a dilapidated state. After this, I hammered a sign onto the canvas, which said, “This is Karbala.”
As I stated, the inspiration for this project was The Taqwacores. In this novel, one character, Yusef, asks another character, Jehangir, what punk Islam is. Jehangir responds, “I think its’ just about being ugly” (Knight 56). While I do not think that punk Islam is necessarily that simple, I do like this description because it gives the impression that punk Muslims are not bound by conventions. For me, punk Islam is about questioning the boundaries of the religion and rebelling against the conventions that one finds to be stifling. The ultimate goal is to reach an Islam that is personally fulfilling and meaningful.