“A Muslim Leader in Brooklyn, Reconciling 2 Worlds,” written by Andrea Elliott, tells the microcosmic story of Sheik Reda Shata, an imam originally from Egypt, now leading a mosque in Brooklyn. In reporting Shata’s life story and struggles as an American imam, Elliott sheds light on the macrocosmic issue of what it is like for Muslims all throughout the United States, and how two worlds need “reconciling.”
Elliott’s piece reveals itself to be a feature article in the very first sentence. “The imam begins his trek before dawn, his long robe billowing like a ghost…” Elliott’s rich descriptions and creative passages tell Shata’s story in a unique way. For example, she describes Shata as an “Islamic judge and nursery school principal, a matchmaker and marriage counselor, a 24-hour hot line on all things Islamic.” Descriptive passages like the opening lede and this description of Shata show this is anything but a news story.
Despite Elliott’s strong writing, a reader might think her reporting is lacking, in that Shata’s voice is the main driving force behind this piece. And since this is a conflict story, she should have more people weighing in. However, this is hardly the case. Shata is the conflict in this story. He is one of the few who can see into two worlds—the Muslim religion in America and the stricter Muslim religion originating overseas. His job involves on blending these two worlds and making things work. If an important claim is made by Shata or Elliott, Elliott appropriately backs up the claim with quotes from experts. The voices of another imam, a Muslim activist, a retired police officer, a woman from an anecdotal story, a counselor, and a psychiatrist are all included in this piece, making it very well reported.
