Background Of The Drama

2001 2002 2004

Wajahat was the only 2001 His teacher told him to Wajahat and his teacher 2005
one students correctly
identify the editor of write a play about ordinary
Muslim Pakistanis
2003 worked well together
T. S. Eliot’s “The
Waste Land American family

Wajahat gave his first

After 9/11, Wajahat stopped completed draft to his teacher
coming to class for about three Drama The Domestic
weeks Crusauders
 Scene 1 : The Revenge of the I.M.B.E.S
Act 1 Scene 2 : Kolor Me Kashmir
Scene 3 :The History of the Masala Chai
Scene 1 : Tom Jones and the Biryani Surprise
Scene 2 : Big Trouble in Little Kabul
Scene 3 : A Man Prefers Symmetry
Scene 4 : The Case of the Treatening Nail Cutters Act 2
Scene 5 : Just Give Them Lollipop
ACT 1
 Scene 1 : Tom Jones and the Biryani Surprise
Time : 12.25 Pm
Setting : in the kitchen

As the curtain opens, the adhan is

heard for about sixty second. Khulsoom, the
mother, is cooking. After the adhan ends,
khulsoom switches on the radio , which is
broadcasting a classic by Tom Jones. Then,
Fatima comes to change the radio, but her
mom has back turned it again. Then they
argue. Khulsoom asks Fatima to help her
cooking, but Fatima makes one condition
that she has to change the radio and settle
on an AM news station, so Fatima will help
her mother cooking Lamb Biryani.
Khulsoom says yes, and they cook together.
When they are cooking, they argue about
“how to be a housewife”.
Then, Sal (Khulsoom’s eldest child,
has walked in, unnoticed, as the situation
becomes increasingly. When he stops
humming, the women stop talking, and both
stare at him. Then Sal gets into their
argument.
 Scene 2 : Big Trouble in Little Kabul

Time : 1 p.m
Setting : Family room, kitchen

Hakim, the paternal grandfather,

entering the kitchen from the foot of the
stairs. Fatima and Khulsoom are still in
the kitchen, preparing the meal. Then
Hakim sits on the couch in the family
room, tells them about a boy he met at
flea market. Sal enters and sits on the
family –room chair, he sifts through the
paper, picking up the business section.
 Scene 3 : A Man Prefers Symmetry
Time : five minutes later
Setting : in the family room

Salman enters, slightly stooped, wearing

his business clothes, white business shirt, and
black khakis. He is obviously perturbed about
something, and look a little haggard. No one
hears him returning home. Then Salman turns on
the television almost immediately after he enters
the house. He goes past Fox News and lands on
a talking-head commentator. He mutters to
himself.
As fatima fixes her hijab, Khulsoom, the
non-hijabi, gives her a look, and Salman
chuckles. Salman bends down in traditional
South Asian fashion and places his head near his
father’s chest. Hakim places his hand on his
son’s head. Then fatima yells ghafur to go
downstairs.
 Scene 4 : The Case of the Treatening Nail Cutters

Time : a couple of minute later

Setting : as before

Ghafur enters from the foot of the

stairs. Sal curiously observes Ghafur up
close. He is looking at his beard and his
skullcap. He playfuly teases him and
punches him a bit, in an older-brother
fashion. Then khulsoom surprises Ghafur.
Ghafur stars reddening, becomes a little
embarrassed.
Khulsoom serves Lam Biryani as a
surprise to Ghofur, but Ghafur comments
on the food instead. He comments that
Lamb biryani can make him obese. Then
Ghafur tells about their story when he was
on the plane.
 Scene 5 : Just Give Them Lollipop

Time : about thirty-five minutes late

Setting : In the family room

Ghafur is watching tv. Sal goes back to

play with his cell phone. While they are doing
their activity, Salman asks to Ghafur that he
wants his son to be a doctor, but Ghafur
doesn’t want to be a doctor. He just want to
be a teacher.
Because ghafur insists for his future.
Salman suddenly and loudly slaps him. Sal
explodes off his chair and runs to defend his
brother. Everyone gets involved in stopping
the fight.
ACT 2
 Scene 1 : The Revenge of the I.M.B.E.S
Time: a little while latter
Setting : a boy’s bedroom

Sal picks up a partially broken

starscream transformers toy. He is amused by
his toy, a relic of his chilhood. Ghafur is lying
down on the bed. Then sal advises ghafur.
There is silence in the room. Fatima
shakes her head. She has entered during the
monologue and now stands, listening, near the
doorway. Ghafur ponders what he’s heard.
Fatima also gives an advice to ghafur, but
Ghafur is more interested in Sal’s advice.
Sal runs out of the room with Fatima
chasing him to battle, pillow in hand.
The rest of the stage is dark. Ghafur
appears to be looking directly at the audience
, yet he is immersed in thought. After a five-
second pause, he says “do I dare disturb the
universe?” takes some times, his face reveals
the answer before his lips do. “it’s about time
someone did.”
 Scene 2 : Kolor Me Kashmir

Time : Sunset, Maghrib time

Setting : Master bedroom

As the lights come up.

Khulsoom is sewing at her sewing
station. Muhammad rafi’s Barsaat ki
Raat, a famous golden-age Indian
song, plays in the background quietly a
khulsoom hums sadly to helself, adrift
in her own thoughts. Salman enters
from the bathroom. After that they
argue about a shirt. Because
khulsoom doesn’t dry-clean it.
 Scene 3 :The History of the Masala Chai
Time : evening
Setting : the first floor, as before

Hakim is praying while sitting in a chair.

After he is finishing his prayer. Khulsoom walks
to the kitchen and starts to rearrange things,
cleaning, and looking about. Salman enters . He
turns up the TV volume instead.
The tension is slightly relieved. Khulsoom
brings out the chai on a tray. Sal doesn’t drink his
chai. He just looks around and starts smiling and
chuckling to himself.
Then when Sal brings his chai, he
inadvertently knocks into his grandfather, causing
him to spill his hot chai. Hakim yelps in pain and
drops his cup on the floor. the family members
jump up and run toward him. It reminds Hakim to
history of the Masala Chai, then Hakim tell it to
them.
I In the end of the story, khulsoom gives a
birthday cake for Ghafur, and all of the member
family start singing. Then Ghafur closes his eyes
to make a wish, and blows out the candle as the
lights fade to black.
 The Domestics Crusaders
A Muslim American Family Drama

Written by: Wajahat Ali

Directed by: Carla Blank
Produced by: Mejgan Massoumi and Ishmael Reed
Date premiered: 2005
Place premiered: Durham Studio – UC Berkley
Genre: Comedy, Family
Setting: Post-9/11; family house in Amerika
Serikat
Cast of Characters
Nindi Singh as Monisha Shiva as Fatima
Khulsoom/ Ami (Daughter)
(Mother) Twenty-four years old. Hair covered
Early-to mid-fifties by white hijab, wearing stylish red
She has Dyed-black hair, slightly designer sweater and designer blue
long, but graying. Young looking, jeans. Green armband.
with wrinkles around the eyes, bags
underneath. Wearing traditional
female shalwar khameez

Abbas Zaid as
Kamran Khan as Hakim/Dhada
Salahuddin (Elder Son) (Grandfather)
Balding, with gray hair and gray
Twenty-seven years old. Skinny, but beard. due to slouch. Walks tall,
with muscular definition. chin up, but belly out. Strong
Brown/black hair. Dark black shoulders, a man with discipline but
designer pants, shoes, and jacket. beaten down by age. Wears a
White, collared Banana Republic Jinnah cap and traditional white
business-type shirt. Noticeable silver shalwar khameez. Carries a stick
belt. Kind of like a suave pitbull. and dhikr (prayer) beads in right
hand.
Imran Javaid as
Salman/Abu (Father)
Latte fifties. Graying hair, gradually
thinning. Dark black eyes. Wearing
black khaki pants, white business
shirt, gray socks, and desi sandals.
A reddish tint to his skin. Looks
slightly haggard/tired.
Adeel Ahmed as
Ghafur (Younger Son)
Fit but not muscular build, light
brown eyes, light black hair, fair
skinned. Wearing average Western
clothing, green shirt, but also a black
kufi (Muslim skullcap). .
 Writer’s Biography

Name : Wajahat Ali

Born : Pakistan
Education : Catholic High School
Davis- School of Law (2007)
University of California (2002)
Life and Career : Consultant for the U.S State Department
Co-host of Al Jazeera America’s The Stream
Author of Domestics Crusaders, the first major
play about Muslim American, post 9/11
THE IMPACT POST 9/11 IN
AMERICA
 Social

Islamophobia is a prejudice, aversion,

hostility, or hatred towards Muslims and
encompasses any distinction, exclusion,
restriction, discrimination, or preference against

In addition, half of U.S. Muslim adults (50%) say that in

recent years it has become more difficult to be a Muslim
in the U.S., with 10% of this group attributing this to
discrimination, racism and prejudice.
The Psychological

The effect of the terrorist attacks on the mental health of

Americans was also reflected in a study commissioned by
the American Psychological Association, which surveyed
1,900 Americans in early 2002. About one in four adults
said they felt more depressed or anxious than at other
times in their life, with the Sept.
 Economy

The Impact on Air Travel The impact on Market

In the August prior to 9/11, U.S. air travel set a On the first day of NYSE trading after 9/11, the market

record high with 65.4 million passengers. Post- fell 684 points, a 7.1% decline, setting a record at the time

9/11 air travel declined substantially. for the biggest loss in exchange history for one trading
day.
 Business
The small business sector, especially
enterprises in the vicinity of the World Trade
Center in lower Manhattan, suffered major losses.
Almost 18,000 small businesses were shut down or
destroyed.
As a result of the fallout from the 9/11
attacks on the insurance industry, the Terrorism
Risk Insurance Act was passed to share losses
between the federal government and insurance
industry.
Job losses
In New York City as a whole, the
attack caused an additional loss of about 143,000
jobs per month over a three-month period beyond
the trend in job losses already occurring as a result
of the economic recession of 2001.
The effect of September 11th was
concentrated on the finance, professional services,
information, arts, entertainment, management, and
manufacturing industries that make up the "export"
sector of the New York economy.
 G.I. BILL POST 9/11

G. I. Bill
The G.I. Bill was created to help veterans of World War II. It established hospitals, made
low-interest mortgages available and granted stipends covering tuition and expenses for
veterans attending college or trade schools.

Post-9/11 GI Bill
Mississippi Representative G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery proposed legislation in 1984 to
make the GI Bill permanent. It insured that veterans of the Vietnam War could receive
higher education.
 TRUMP’S TRAVEL BAN

On January 27, 2017 President Donald Trump issued an

executive order banning entry from seven majority Muslim
countries (Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Yemen, and
Somalia) citing national security reasons.

Trump said the plans were about keeping America safe

from terrorism and that it was not a ban against Muslims,
but many people disagreed because the majority of people
living in six of the countries on the list are Muslims.
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