One evening, I hit the sack with my laptop. I played Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales and glued myself to the screen. Captain Jack Sparrow, brilliantly portrayed by Johnny Depp, overwhelming occupied my imagination even after the movie had ended. This fascination of mine is a reflection of a natural human trait. People transcend themselves through characters portrayed in the media. This can especially happen if the protagonist is a hero. In the genre of action movies, fighting is a key attraction. In this case, sword fighting, shooting, and jumping from high altitudes mesmerize and excite the audience. We wish that we could do this in real life. The action … [Read more...]

  As a result of being born into a Muslim family, in a Muslim country, Islam was naturally installed in me by my parents and reinforced by our community where I resided. However, one of my earliest fascinations was Karate, which is drawn from Japan, a much more secular state. In Japan, Shinto, a very local religion, coexists with Buddhism. In a similar fashion, Sensei (teacher) Abdullah Mohammad Hossain, who is committed to both Islam and Karate, finds harmony being a devoted Muslim as well as a Karateka. On a Saturday evening halfway through his class Abdullah yells out in Japanese, “Yame’’ (Stop). The students at KOFS (KO Fight Studio), a dojo, halt their Karate drill. Abdullah … [Read more...]