England, the Immigrant Experience, and 'The Buddha of Suburbia' and 'The Black Album' by Hanif Kure

... eration immigrant as a 'tag' that makes them human, and shows how far it goes to unite 'brothers and sisters' together in harmonised respect and trust towards Allah, and a sense of belonging.

" The religious enthusiasm of the younger generation, and its links to strong political feeling, had surprised him." - The Black Album, Hanif Kureishi, Faber and Faber Ltd, 1995, page 91

The second generation's faith in 'The Black Album' is much stronger than of the first, this is apparent as neither Shahid nor Chili had been taught about religion (is this also a reason for Chili to be labelled a dissipator?) by their parents. Kureishi portrays these ideas through the eyes of Shahid, who's ignorance towards religion provides an unbiased insight as to its 'workings'.

"Observing the mosque, in which all he saw were solid, material things, and looking along the line of brothers' faces upon which spirituality was taking place, he felt a failure." - The Black Album, Hanif Kureishi, Faber and Faber Ltd, 1995, page 96 Shahid is uncertain and doubtful, but realises that: "...faith, like love or creativity, could not be willed. This was an adventure in knowing. He had to follow the presciptions and be patient. Understanding would surely follow; he would be blessed." - The Black Album, Hanif Kureishi, Faber and Faber Ltd, 1995, page 96

Even this seems to be the wrong way to approach faith towards God, and the author himself feels it is a fruitless endeavour when one seeks faith because it is popular to do so, or because one feels left out without it. Kureishi's depiction of Shahid's uncertainty in his religion makes the reader, who associates with him as the central character, doubt what Riaz and his posse stand for in general because the questioning brings forward the lack of evidence which is involved in faith to God. The reader finds him/herself in the same position Kureishi puts Shahid in, tempted by passion of sex, the lure of drugs, the reader feels he has been cheated in some way for his/her own beliefs, taken in by a deception.

Karim is also absorbed by his father's spirituality, affectionately calling him 'God' for his accomplishment at conducting yoga sessions with Eva and a hoard of other converts in 'The Buddha of Suburbia'. But, like Shahid, Kureishi puts Karim not without doubt, and distances from the core of belief. The children of the first immigrants have come to find themselves living in a divided world, in a state of limbo between cultur ...