The Irony of Happy Muharram by Syed Amjad Ali: Book Review

Title: The Irony of Happy Muharram

Author: Syed Amjad Ali

Publisher: Half Baked Beans

My Rating: 3.5 stars

Links: Amazon

 

‘The Irony of Happy Muharram’ is a satirical book containing the personal prospects and views of the author.

The book is rather informative and not a story narration. It is simply an effort to present what an average Indian Muslim’s life is like.

The book is written with the aim of illuminating the society about misconceptions and myths already reserved about the Indian Muslims.

The author recounts a hilarious story where during casting votes his name was changed to Shaheed Amar Ali from Syed Amjad Ali. Besides, same was done with the names of his brother and his wife.

The author also talked about the reality of Muslim leaders who don’t understand what an average Indian Muslim wants. Also, they are more concerned with the religious issues instead of practical ones.

The book also clarifies about the term Milad-un-Nabi which is wrongly stated as Eid-e-Milad where both have acute different meanings.

It also holds illustration of myths and fables about Muslim marriages and common perceptions about Islam.

The author has presented his outlook on Muslim culture wisely. He has strongly put forth the point that the Indian Muslims are as much Indian as anyone else.

It’s a quick and light read that can be finished in one sitting with only 100 pages.

If you happened to read this book or thinking of it lately, do share your thoughts.

 

-Harshita