“Allah Made Me Funny Is”...Really Funny

by Dr. Hesham A. Hassaballa

In the Name of God, the Subtle, the Loving

Muslims have been known for a lot of things (many of them, unfortunately, are not very positive) in the minds of many people in America. Yet, one thing that they are not known for is being funny.

Until now.

Three Muslim comics, one of whom is a very dear friend of mine, have come together to form an unlikely grouping: Allah Made Me Funny tour. They started out in purely Islamic gatherings, such as the annual Islamic Society of North America conference, making Muslim conference goers laugh. More and more people talked about them, and they decided to form a comedy troupe.

And they made audiences laugh across the country.

The comics of “Allah Made Me Funny” - Azhar Usman, Preacher Moss, and Mohammed Amer - talk about being Muslim in America, portraying the challenges and pitfalls, while simultaneously poking fun at Muslims in a lighthearted way. Not only do they convey the truth about Islam and Muslims - that we are not a terrorist cult; that we are not a violent people; that our religion is truly about peace - but they are able to entertain at the same time, without being dirty and diminishing your spirit.

And they could not have come at a better time. Our community has gone through quite a bit of stress after September 11, as did the country. But, it does wear on you when you continue to be looked at with suspicion; when your faith and its principals are continually under attack; when most of the images of Islam and Muslims in media are overwhelmingly negative. We need a stress reliever, and there is nothing like laughter to do just that. And “Allah Made Me Funny” makes you laugh, and laugh, and laugh, and laugh.

All of the comics of “Allah Made Me Funny” come from different backgrounds and different life paths. But they are united in both faith and purpose, and they are a refreshing image in the cacophony of images that comprise Islam and Muslims. They embody all that is good about Islam and Muslims: that people who should not be brothers are just that because of Islam and nothing else. They show the country and the world that Islam has room for comedy and laughter. They also show the Muslim world that it is OK to laugh, and they teach Muslims that sometimes, we just have to laugh at ourselves, and that is OK as well.

After many shows, they finally decided to make a movie, which opened this weekend in select cities across our county.

Go see the movie!

Visit Hesham Hassaballa’s site at http://godfaithpen.blogspot.com/

Copyright © 2008 Hesham A. Hassaballa, M.D.

See also:  Shahed Amanullah’s interview with Azhar Usman at http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/2828/