Ms. Elliott develops her story through the journey of one man bridging the laws of two different worlds. Though there are many ways in which this story could have been complex, she made Mr. Shata’s journey seem like more of a journey of decision-making.
What I think helped Ms. Elliott develop the conflict in this story was creating the right mix of tension from a variety of sources and anecdotes that add color to a multi-cultural picture. She was keen on detail from the very beginning of the story adding the Mexicans in Bay Ridge, comments from an Egyptian law professor, statistics on the city’s mosques, delineating the McDonald’s conundrum, mentioning the trouble of oral sex, and later pressing into the deeper conflicts of domestic violence and marriage.
The thread that held this conflict story together was the multi-faceted portrait of Mr. Shata as an imam, guidance counselor, lawyer, teacher, and coach all rolled into one and tasked with the challenge of spreading Islam in a Western world. In a post 9/11 context this story gives meaningful insight into the routine and happenings of an inclusive Islamic community.
In a reporter interview with Ms. Elliot on the NYT site, she noted how difficult it was at first to get the mosque to “open its doors” to a photographer and to her questions. Though eventually she made her case, highlighting that in order to get a deeper, truthful portrayal of the community, it is important to study and learn from the imam himself.
Ultimately, I think this conflict story was a product of sharp insight into the most fundamental elements of an Islamic community in the Western world. And the imam is a brilliant element of this community because from this story one can draw the conclusion, that he is the one who holds the community together.
About Kamelia Kilawan
Kamelia Kilawan is a Jeannette K. Watson Fellow and a student at Baruch College studying journalism and religion and culture.
A Colorful, Deep Portrait of A Muslim Leader in Brooklyn
Ms. Elliott develops her story through the journey of one man bridging the laws of two different worlds. Though there are many ways in which this story could have been complex, she made Mr. Shata’s journey seem like more of a journey of decision-making.
What I think helped Ms. Elliott develop the conflict in this story was creating the right mix of tension from a variety of sources and anecdotes that add color to a multi-cultural picture. She was keen on detail from the very beginning of the story adding the Mexicans in Bay Ridge, comments from an Egyptian law professor, statistics on the city’s mosques, delineating the McDonald’s conundrum, mentioning the trouble of oral sex, and later pressing into the deeper conflicts of domestic violence and marriage.
The thread that held this conflict story together was the multi-faceted portrait of Mr. Shata as an imam, guidance counselor, lawyer, teacher, and coach all rolled into one and tasked with the challenge of spreading Islam in a Western world. In a post 9/11 context this story gives meaningful insight into the routine and happenings of an inclusive Islamic community.
In a reporter interview with Ms. Elliot on the NYT site, she noted how difficult it was at first to get the mosque to “open its doors” to a photographer and to her questions. Though eventually she made her case, highlighting that in order to get a deeper, truthful portrayal of the community, it is important to study and learn from the imam himself.
Ultimately, I think this conflict story was a product of sharp insight into the most fundamental elements of an Islamic community in the Western world. And the imam is a brilliant element of this community because from this story one can draw the conclusion, that he is the one who holds the community together.
About Kamelia Kilawan
Kamelia Kilawan is a Jeannette K. Watson Fellow and a student at Baruch College studying journalism and religion and culture.