Fashions push back against Muslim stereotypes
Edgy Islamic styles cross cultural boundaries
What is a radical muslim? For Muslim American Munir Hassan, it’s not an ISIS militant or terrorist. Instead, the phrase reminds him of something more innocuous– the 1990’s Teenage Ninja Turtles, one of which learns to say ‘Radical.’ So Hassan decided to create a stereotype-busting T-shirt that depicts a different style of radical Muslim – a man in an Islamic robe and cotton headscarf riding on a skateboard. His clothing line, Sidikii Clothing Co., challenges prejudices through such edgy Muslim-inspired designs. “My clothing reflects my dual identity as a Muslim and American,” said Hassan. He spoke to Globe correspondent Cindy Atoji Keene about how he decided to “Just Dua It” (a saying from one of his Islamic T-shirts):
“Being a Muslim in America is such a polarizing topic. We are always trying to defend ourselves against a barrage of negative images. Unlike any other group I can think of, we’re always trying to say, ‘Hey, I’m not like that.” I created an online Muslim clothing line that uses Islamic symbols to help dispel some of the prejudices. The company’s name — Sidikii — is Arabic for “friends,” and is a call to dialogue and collaborate through fashion. I have shirts that say “Peace” and “Blessed,” written in stylized Arabic calligraphy but are actually English words. It’s two different cultural elements working together to convey a positive message in a negative space. The designs speak to my own experience as a Muslim male born and raised in the U.S. and being influenced by both the middle eastern and western world. It can be hard to be Muslim and be cool at the same time; memorizing the Koran or trying to fast during Ramadan in the land of McDonalds. Sidikii Clothing Company started as a hobby, selling the type of shirts that I myself like to wear. People would stop me on the street, asking me about them so I started to produce and sell them. I follow an Islamic business model – to take a loan out for my business and pay interest is not something I would do. I’m responsible to a higher power and believe in being fair in my practices and ethical in the materials that I use. And about that ‘Just Dua It’ shirt: It has a Nike-style swoosh; ‘dua’ means prayers or supplications. So it’s an apt description of how I believe we need to follow our true identify and beliefs.
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