TLC Unveils All-American Muslim
What’s it like to be Muslim in America? On Sunday, November 13 at 10 PM ET/PT, TLC answers that question with ALL-AMERICAN MUSLIM, a powerful new eight-part series that goes inside the rarely seen world of American Muslims to uncover a unique community struggling to balance faith and nationality in a post 9/11 world.
ALL-AMERICAN MUSLIM follows the daily lives of five American Muslim families in Dearborn, Michigan, one of the most established and largest concentrations of American Muslims in the country and home to the largest mosque in the United States. Each episode offers an intimate look at their customs and celebrations, as well as the misconceptions, conflicts and differences they face outside—and within—their own community.
“ALL-AMERICAN MUSLIM is a perfect fit for TLC, inviting viewers into a world they might not otherwise experience,” said Amy Winter, GM, TLC. “Through these families and their diverse experiences, we will explore how they blend their values and traditions with everyday life in America.”
The families on the series share their biggest celebrations and their unexpected challenges. From
getting married and the birth of a first baby, to juggling busy careers while raising a family, to managing sibling dynamics, ALL-AMERICAN MUSLIM shows how these individuals negotiate universal family issues while remaining faithful to the traditions and beliefs of their faith.
The families featured in the series share the same religion, but lead very distinct lives that often times challenge the Muslim stereotype. Among the handful of subjects profiled:
• Suehaila and Shadia: Suehaila wears a traditional headscarf and follows daily prayer rituals—while Shadia, her outspoken sister, is decorated with piercings and tattoos and recently married Jeff, an Irish Catholic who is converting to Islam.
• Nader and Nawal: Newlyweds expecting their first baby, Nader and Nawal are working to strike the right balance between their traditional Muslim roots and American culture.
• Fouad: As head coach of the Fordson High School football team, Fouad has pioneered a shift in his team’s summer practice schedule by flipping to night workouts from 11pm-5am since 98% of his team is fasting for Ramadan.
• Mike and Angela: Mike, a deputy police chief, and his wife Angela, a consultant to a major auto manufacturer, are juggling their busy careers with raising their four children in a modern Muslim family.
• Nina: A strong independent Muslim businesswoman, Nina’s family runs the premier wedding and banquet hall in Dearborn—but against their advice, she is trying to venture off on her own to open a nightclub.
• Samira and Ali: Samira and her husband of seven years Ali struggle with fertility issues and are pursuing numerous options including conventional fertility techniques, dietary alternatives and Muslim supplication prayers. After years of unsuccessful attempts, Samira considers putting on the Hijab in order to be closer to God and hopefully blessed with a child.
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