Shifting his weight from one foot to the other, he speaks to me on the subway platform in NYC. Muhammad Bilal Lakhani is not tense or anxious about anything it is just the way he is all the time – restless, energetic. That is perhaps why Bilal became a published author at age 19. Bilal is now a 23-year-old graduate student at the Journalism School, Columbia University.
Bilal’s first book, his only book, is titled ‘Real life lessons from the Holy Quran for the 21st Century Muslim’. He finished writing this book when he was 17 years old. “The book was meant for me, as a handbook. So that I didn’t make the mistakes I had made before,” he says. But, how many mistakes could a 17-year-old have made anyway! Later, Bilal went ahead and decided to share his book with others.
However, getting a book published on religion by a young, non-established writer was, in his own words, “a fight”. He persistently got back to the publisher for two years and finally managed to see his thoughts in print in 2006.
With a mischievous smile on his face, Bilal says he doesn’t put into practice much of what he had written back then in his life now. “The tough part is following what is in the book, not writing it,” he says.
The book has a contract that one signs with oneself and pledges to God that he will follow the ‘righteous’ path. When asked about the contract, Bilal laughs and explains that while some in his family still find it practical and enjoyable, others think it is immature.
Bilal himself thinks that the book is an immature attempt. “However”, speaking in a mild voice, he says, “it is an important part of who I am. There is still a conflict, an identity crisis.” Thus, he gave the book to his fiancé when he first met her.
Bilal’s granduncle reads a page from this book every night before he goes to bed. ‘I am learning something about religion from my grandnephew’, he once said to Bilal. Bilal says that this was the most touching thing he had heard about his book. Bilal’s emotions and gratitude are hidden below his beard covered face, but his eyes say it all.
Bilal’s home country is Pakistan. He plans to write a second book back there, which will not be limited to religion but will take a broader look at life.
This young writer in transition is perhaps voicing the conflict and crisis that most young Muslim men face in this rapidly changing world.
Raksha Kumar
5 comments:
Interesting. Amazing how a seventeen year old's writing can be a talisman for his grand uncle, in an age where Welschs and Chopras and several others are writing in the 'genre' of what can be broadly called self-help books
But for those, who might not be able to get a copy of the book for various reasons, I think it is important that we know of his conflicts a little bit, what made him write this book or perhaps a small excerpt from the book would be good. Please write another piece, Raksha.
I think a lot of us are religious in various ways! But to take religion as an integral part of our lives is a different thing altogether. For me, religion is: private, its about your personal equation with 'God or the idea of God, its musical for me since I listen to religious songs on and off. But I have never been in a position of a conflict, in the sense that I have hardly been in a situation when I would have turn to religion for some answers. Yes u do need some answers, and u do get it but inter-linking it with religion is a different matter and I am not sure if I think that way. I think God gives you answers because you have faith in God whihc in turn means that u have faith in yourself.
PS: this is not a rebuttal of what Bilal's book might be. Just some random thoughts!
Enjoyed reading the piece.
You are one of my most widely read thin list of authors.
And Bilal, kudos to you man! I guess when you areleast expecting to produce a book, you are bound to come up with one. Would love to chat with you about it. Cheers!
Well done, Raksha! I could see Bilal's presence as I read your descriptions; it's a very well told visual story. Keep up the good work.
Thank you Chiara! :)
Rakhsa I second everything that you have said.
I have known Bilal for over 6 years now,and I am really impressed by the way you have depicted him and his feelings. He has the potential to touch the sky and is a person who will go to extremes to accomplsih his dreams. I will be lying if i say that I have read the book and I loved it. But to Bilals credit I would like to point out that he is a wonderful humanbeing and he loves to take on challanges.
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