Muslims in Love

Gr 10 Up—Viewers are introduced to young men and women who are practicing Muslims in America. The focus of this student-made documentary is how each of these unique young people goes about finding someone to love. Zahra, a law student of Indian descent, would like to be married but feels her career is paramount. She plans to rely on fate to determine if she will find an appropriate spouse. Mohammed and Ferdas approached their courtship and marriage in a way that is both traditional and contemporary. They first communicated through email and finally met in person to cement their relationship and ultimate marriage. Jameelah broke off her engagement because she felt that her future relatives were biased against African Americans. These individuals and other young Muslims are introduced in this short film to present a range of approaches toward love and marriage which are more conservative and tradition-based than the methods generally employed by Americans. This simply made film may be useful to generate discussion about customs and mores while increasing viewers' understanding of an often misunderstood faith.—Maria Salvadore, formerly Washington DC Public Library