Ali Abdurrahman Marmaduke
American –Yemenite male living in Amsterdam tells us
about marrying a Dutch woman, his views on the socio- political landscape of The
Netherlands and the seemingly simple decision of abiding to the Muslim community’s value to circumcise boys
immediately after birth.
Basically, where do you
come from?
United States
of America
Did
u grow up there?
Yes, my dad and mom are from Yemen.
Before
you came to stay in Amsterdam, where were you?
I was in Sri Lanka.
How long were there for?
How long were there for?
2 years
You're married to a Dutch woman. How did that come about?
Well, I met my wife while I was in Sri Lanka. She is
Dutch and we decided to stay here for a while.
Where
does she come from in The Netherlands?
She comes from Hilversum, 20 minutes southeast of
Amsterdam.
So, you both took the decision to move to Amsterdam at the time, do you feel strongly about the culture, here?
So, you both took the decision to move to Amsterdam at the time, do you feel strongly about the culture, here?
No, I don’t feel strongly about the culture because
it’s not my culture.
Culturally
what do you enjoy doing as a couple?
We visit
friends and go out to Cafes when we have the time.
How
different is Amsterdam from where you come from? In terms of lifestyle, diversity, ability to improve
socio - economic, democracy.
From a scale of
1 to 5, It would be Scale 2 and the difference is that here there is a lot more money, but a lot more phobia about all kinds things.
Can you give an example about the phobia, you
are referring to?
Perceived Muslim
invasion which is clearly expressed in the politics of the country
Are
you Muslim?
Yes
What
is the difference between Sufi and Shiya Muslims?
Simplistically,
“Sufis” are mystics while the “Shiya” are not
Is your wife Muslim?
No, she is not a Muslim
Does
it not affect your relationship?
The major decisions
are discussed like whether to circumcise our child later or not, but overall it
does not affect our relationship.
Are
you going to continue your stay or do you plan to leave?
I plan to leave and go back to the US with my family
because I don’t have permanent residence.