"Humor" and "Islam" are two words that are rarely ever shared in the same sentence. However, comedy can play an influential role in overturning Islamophobic stereotypes. Muslim comedians provide a unique perspective on the reality of being a Muslim in America today. They rehumanize Muslims by connecting with their audience in an informal manner. By removing taboos, they instill curiosity and engagement between Muslims and non-Muslims. Muslim comedians tend to address discrimination by inviting others to see various perspectives on what it's like to be a Muslim in this day and age. For example, American comedian Hasan Minhaj exposes the media to the immigrant experience and the lifestyle of an Indian-American Muslim in his one-man show, Homecoming King, and continues to do so in his new show, Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj. He, as well as other Muslim comedians, serve as positive role models to Muslims everywhere. Overall, their careers as comedians can be viewed as modern-day dawah or preaching, which is in fact a promising outlook on the future of our ummah. Therefore, the rise of comedy in Islam should be viewed optimistically, for it can have immense global influence. -Sana Alshaar
HALAL MEMES
Through social media platforms, Halal (Islamic) memes spread joy and bring together the Muslim community. Plus, they combine western values with a new set of values to reveal a more spirited side of Islam.