[gentle inspiring music playing]
[school bell ringing]
What do you think I'd look like with no hair?
I don't know.
You're pretty, so you could probably rock any style.
Why do you ask?
Just curious.
Okay.
- Have a good one. - All right.
See you later.
[teacher] So what is identity?
What are the values, the ideologies, and practices
- that make us who we are? - [cell phone buzzing]
You will write an essay
about your identity and how you shape it.
Who are you?
How did you get that way?
Be as specific as possible, no generalities.
Tell me about a specific experience or several.
Ah, Tahir.
Tell us one thing about your identity.
- [Amos] Pork chops. - [students laughing]
Amos, another disruption from you
and you will be out of here.
Sorry, go ahead, Tahir.
My deen.
Good.
Will you tell the class what that is?
The Islamic way of life.
Mm-hmm.
Amos, tell us one thing about your identity.
[explosion rumbling]
Today, another round of US air strikes
are helping to slow the advances of ISIS fighters in Syria.
[chanting in Arabic]
There's no word so far on military
or civilian casualties at this time.
Immigration continues to be a hot button.
[rousing music playing]
Today we'll see highs in the mid to upper 70s
with just a few morning clouds
that we see tapering off in the afternoon.
It is maybe the perfect day
for a picnic or an unplanned date.
This week will be fairly similar
with cool, dry mornings, a few clouds,
that will taper off in the afternoons,
leaving us with the perfect, sunny spring week.
Back to you, Victor.
- Cut. - [bell ringing]
- [thunder rumbling] - [rain pattering]
All right, here we are.
♪ Me and my bars
♪ It's raining
♪ It's pouring
♪ The old man, hey, hey
♪ Is snoring
♪ Just like that
♪ I fade to black
♪ When the vibe ain't right
♪ Hashtag facts
♪ Ain't coming back
♪ You should get your life
♪ I'ma just roll
♪ Just move to Cali
♪ I'm trying to ride my wave
What did you do last night, huh?
- I was with you. - No, you weren't.
Uh-oh, I bet she feel hella dumb gettin' that nigga's name
- tattooed on her back. - Oh, my God.
Can I get, like, two more pepperonis on my pizza slice?
That will be two extra dollars.
You have a really nice smile.
Are you Puerto Rican?
No, no, Ethiopian.
Just as beautiful.
Thank you.
Okay, well take care, I'll see you later, all right?
So is that your new boo?
[all laughing]
But seriously, what are we gonna do for the talent show?
We gotta come tight this year.
- I'll help choreograph. - Perfect.
Yeah, me too.
Why don't we leave the choreography for me and Blaine?
We don't wanna end up like we did last year, you know?
[Blaine] Yeah. There's no shame.
No, but look, we'll meet up tomorrow.
Work on the routine.
We're gonna win this year.
It's our senior year.
- Senior year. - That's right.
[laughs]
[birds singing]
[spiritual music playing]
[speaking Arabic]
[Imam] We have some new believers joining us today.
I'm so happy you're here.
- Let's have them stand and... - Me too.
Introduce themselves.
Our new brothers and sisters.
[speaking Arabic]
My name is Jade Jennings and I'm from Los Angeles
and I'm just very happy to be here.
Thank you, sister Jade.
I'm sure many of us here already know you
from your weather broadcast.
I know I do.
[speaking Arabic]
I'm Jade.
I know, I watch the news.
I'm Malia.
Nice to meet you.
This is beautiful.
So, how do you feel so far?
[exhales]
I feel great.
Honestly.
It's this simplicity, really.
No God but Allah.
I feel just a oneness and complete.
♪ All I wanna do
♪ Is light it up, only high grade for you ♪
♪ So baby what's the move
♪ You're on the run, the very fun ' cause baby I do ♪
♪ Just say my name, say my name ♪
♪ Say it right away
♪ I'm up in flames, up in flames, feel me ♪
♪ And I'ma keep it true
♪ And I'ma be waiting, waiting for you ♪
♪ Let the love shine, love shine, love shine ♪
♪ I'll keep the fire burning
♪ Keep your heart next to mine ♪
♪ I'll let the love shine, love shine, love shine ♪
♪ I'll keep the fire burning
♪ Best honey on the block
♪ This honey don't stop
♪ Let's honey, any money
Hey, Blaine?
Did you see this video of Ranelle?
Yeah.
I guess that's why she dropped out last year.
I thought she was going to Community College, too.
She does and I like some of these video, though.
Bye.
[laughs]
Hey, Mom, look at this video.
Remember Ranelle from my school.
[sighs]
Honey, I had the most magical night.
I went to the mosque.
You know the one my co-worker attends.
They're about to ban those places, Mom.
And I heard women have to sit in separate rooms.
No, Summer, this was beautiful.
I mean the people, the lights, the smell...
The prayer.
Any politician looking to ban that is an idiot.
♪ Best honey on the block
♪ This honey don't stop
[piano music playing]
[Summer] My identity is shaped by my parents.
They come from two very different worlds.
My father from a large family,
my mother from a small, broken family.
Because of that, she made her own way.
Lives by her own rules.
I do, too.
My mother always says life is about growth, about reinvention.
I like to switch things up,
explore new styles, read new books.
I dance because my grandmother danced.
Movement is one of my only connections to my lineage.
To my DNA.
[sighs]
Mom, it's a sunny day today.
Why are you wearing that?
Because I want to.
Why are you wearing that?
You picked this top out for me, Mom.
Yeah, but I didn't tie it up like that, Summer.
Anyway, I was up late last night reading the Quran.
I swear I've never
- read anything-- - [scoffs] Okay, Mom.
I'll see you later.
[car horn honks]
Hey girl.
Hey, what's up?
I think my mom's on something.
Like drugs?
- No. - [both laughing]
She went to this Muslim temple.
It was weird.
Damn, that's tough.
You remember that Muslim bakery up in Englewood?
Yeah.
Yeah, my uncle got caught up in that.
Turns out their leader had like 20 wives, 40 kids.
All the women had to like walk behind the men
and bake bean pies all day.
Well, they say it was like corrupt.
They was like killing Nigerians and journalists
and then they was turned around
and selling bake goods and shit.
Oh, what?
Yeah. [laughs]
So, where's your uncle now?
Well, he went to jail and now he sells shoes
up in Redondo Beach.
He never was the same.
Wow.
But anyway, we about to ace this calculus test.
[laughs]
You study?
Yeah.
Yeah, that's about the only thing there's time to do.
[laughs]
[gentle music playing]
[Summer] I don't know what it means to be a believer.
Growing up, we never went to church.
I wanna be what my mother wants,
but I'm scared of what I want.
To be with someone, to feel, to touch them,
to dream all at once.
My mother comes home from themasjid,
glowing in a light I've never seen.
It's a Godly light.
One I connect to.
I wanna glow like her, but I already feel tainted.
Full of a fire I can't put out.
[praying in Arabic]
I'm sure many of us are aware
of all of this turmoil and madness
that has descended upon our nation and our world.
And like you and myself, I sit at home
and I wonder and I think about what can I do.
What can you do?
What can Jumu'ah do
to relieve some of this pain?
And I think about one of the five pillars of Islam
which is zakat, charity.
I'm sure many of us when we're walking down the street
and we had a bad day and we're consumed
with bills and problems and someone interrupts
that thinking and they say,
[speaking Arabic]
or they say hello, how are you, you look beautiful today.
And all of a sudden that just changes your whole day.
That may change your whole month, inshallah.
You have a pep in your step now.
You poke that chest out.
That's a form of charity.
That is Zakat.
Salaam-Alaikum, Sister Jade.
[speaking Arabic]
It was good to see you today.
Good to see you, too.
This must be your daughter.
Yes, this is Summer.
Salaam-Alaikum, young sister.
Same to you.
[laughs]
- Please, excuse her. - [speaking Arabic]
She is new to all of this.
A new believer like me.
Well this is a place for new believers.
Those with love in their hearts, seeking truth.
Yes, the truth.
Well, I look forward to more truth next Friday.
[Imam laughs]
The truth is in you, sister.
And in the Quran, [speaking Arabic].
Well...
Why don't you and Summer
take home one of these bean pies.
Oh, I don't do pie.
Starch, you know.
Thank you, Imam Khalid.
It's very nice of you.
- Have a good day. -You too, sister. Salaam-Alaikum,
He's a nice way to get over Jordan.
Don't you ever say that.
I have to say it.
We all know you wanna a cupcake.
Not another word.
[sighs]
[poignant music playing]
Summer, put that back on.
Why?
We're leaving.
Girl, do you think this is a game?
I have finally found something that makes me happy
and you wanna mock it instead of maybe learning something.
Learning what?
How to hide behind scarves and holy passages
instead of just saying you wanna screw a man
and finally be accepted for once.
I don't wanna hear another word from you.
You need to learn some respect.
You need to be in the masjid every weekend
instead of running around in the streets
looking at stripper videos.
It's art, Mom.
It's trash, Summer.
Now put it back on.
Dinner is served.
Thank you.
I put extra bacon on there for you, Summertime.
Thanks.
Babe, you remember Cali from my Yoga class?
Cal, yeah, sure.
She's having a hip hop ballet performance tonight
and I promised her I'd go.
Hip hop and ballet, you must go.
I'm gonna run.
Bye, Jennifer.
Do you wanna come, Summer?
No, I'm good.
Okay. [laughs]
Bye, Summertime.
Thanks for the sliders, babe.
[Jennifer] You got it.
Why did she call me that?
No idea.
- Good question. [laughs] - Why? [laughs]
She tries stuff.
Still worried about Mom?
It's just a phase, Summer, it'll pass.
I mean, your mother, she's always, you know
she's discovering things just like your grandmother.
When I met your mother
she was a new age Black Panther and a Buddhist.
- How does that work? - [laughs] I don't know.
I don't know.
She's been doing the most, dad.
I can't do anything without her spewing
this religious crap on me.
I don't know, you ever thought
about maybe temporarily giving in?
You know, maybe even learning about it?
At least until you graduate and move out.
You mean like converting to Islam?
No.
No, I mean, listen to your mom's preaching
a little bit, stroke her ego.
Maybe make some friends at the mosque.
Become a little bit more worldly.
Yeah.
Mm, good.
Ain't bad.
[slow pop music playing]
♪ Stay low, move close
♪ Let the world disappear
♪ There's no where
♪ I would rather be there by you ♪
♪ I've heard
♪ People talk about it
♪ Never had my own
♪ Our own pace
♪ The writer sing nothing
♪ Knowing by waking up and say... ♪
Are you gonna wear that to work?
Not sure.
All the hatred going on in this country lately.
Plus, you know how network television is.
Folks are used to their Jade Jennings.
They get confused when an anchor cuts their hair,
so you know they'd revolt if they saw a scarf.
I think you should wear it.
Be daring.
Really?
Yeah, and if they tell not to, you can sue.
It's discrimination.
But I wanted to let you know that I'm sorry
for the way I've been acting lately.
I know Islam is special to you
and I wanna try to embrace it.
I need a little spirituality
especially as I prepare for art school.
Okay.
Thanks.
♪ From a place a one day wind
♪ Breathe you out and breathe you in ♪
Y'all heard back from any of your schools yet?
I know you probably did.
I should probably know in a few weeks.
You know, they say the small envelopes
means you got rejected.
They send emails, too.
[Tati] And there was early admission.
I know she got one, because I heard her crying in the bathroom.
Doesn't wanna end up like her sister Ranelle.
Ranelle is living a good life.
You know guys, we should add
some pole dancing to our routine.
We'll get disqualified, Summer.
Plus, where would we even get a pole?
What's your Muslim ass doing talking about pole dancing?
[laughing]
Shouldn't you be going shopping for scarves at the ally?
You all need to be more open-minded. All right?
I'm about to be the fliest Muslimah in this speech, all right?
Come on. Get up. Let's go.
Five, six, seven, eight.
Row, row, and hit.
Bye, bye, snap, snap.
Snap, snap.
No.
Strong, strong.
Not so much hip.
- Why? -You don't need that right now.
I need more hip.
Come on.
♪ Boom, bye, bye
♪ Baby, come save me
♪ From this life
♪ I'm on the edge facing
♪ I'm not the type
♪ Who runs around safely
♪ Except when I'm inside you hey, hey, hey ♪
♪ Is it too late for your
♪ Too late for your
♪ Too late for your love
[Imam] And it's important that we know the difference,
between the Jinn, the angels and Sheitan.
They all influence our relationships
with almighty Allah
[speaking Arabic]
Angels are made of light.
They have no free will.
Their will is that of Allah.
The Jinn, however, is made of fire.
There are males and females
living in another universe with free will.
The Jinn, like us, choose whether to give in,
to bow in adherence to disbelief
or to accept the truth.
To use their fire to burn or warm their worlds.
So, what makes us different from Jinn?
We are not born of fire, but of clay.
We have free will, but with free will,
humans can mirror the most evil of jinn.
It's upon Allah.
It is our task with Islam to resist that evil,
to take the straight path.
The path away from drugs, away from meaningless sex,
away from ignorance and I know that's hard
with social media and posting selfies every five minutes.
It's tough for Allah.
My teams know what I'm talking about.
Right?
[trance music playing]
Ranelle is in those leaps.
I heard she got another video coming out next week.
I'm taking the Shahada next Saturday.
The what?
It's like the official prayer
you recite to become a Muslim.
Wow.
Okay.
So, that's like official now?
No turning back?
No turning back.
Okay.
[laughs]
All right.
Well, I think you look cute in a scarf.
Could play around with it.
- Yeah. - Yeah, that's cute.
Sporadic like that.
[laughs]
♪ We love them ghetto bitches
♪ Speaking in tongue bitches
♪ We love them ghetto bitches
♪ Speaking in tongue bitches
♪ We love them ghetto bitches
♪ Speaking in tongue bitches
♪ We love them ghetto bitches
♪ Speaking in tongue bitches
♪ Covering the floor
♪ We love them ghetto bitches
♪ Speaking in tongue bitches
♪ Covering the floor
♪ Dancing in the door
[hip hop music playing]
[chanting] Go, Summer! Go, Summer!
You know what?
Hey.
You look like a unicorn.
- Oh, really? - You do.
You do.
My Little Pony.
Oh, no.
My Little Pony is not a unicorn.
I had all the My Little Ponys.
[laughs]
You know what I did.
I cut their fucking tits.
[laughs]
That's what we'll call you.
My little Blaine.
[laughs]
What are you looking at?
Not much.
What's that supposed to mean, Malcolm X Junior?
Was that supposed to be funny?
I know you saw me at the mosque today.
And now, you're drunk.
Better not tell anyone you saw me here.
No one at the mosque.
Understand me?
Yeah, sure.
Hey, Blaine.
[laughs]
[piano music playing]
[speaking Arabic]
Today, our young sister Summer
will be taking her Shahada.
There's no turning back from the truth.
Just repeat after me.
[speaking Arabic]
I bear witness.
That there is no God but Allah.
And that Muhammad.
[speaking Arabic]
Is his messenger.
That Muhammad is his messenger.
Is his messenger.
[all speaking Arabic]
[speaking Arabic]
You know these were your dad's favorite.
We couldn't go a week without him asking,
when are you going to make the pancakes?
[laughs]
Well, I'm sure he still wants some.
Ew.
All Jennifer knows how to make is sliders.
[laughs]
She tried to make pancakes and they were all
big and lumpy.
One wasn't even done all the way.
It was gross.
[Jusuf] I don't care what my family says.
I've never felt this way about anyone.
[Imam] I understand.
Love is very complex.
[Jusuf] I'm gonna be with her.
I'm tired of meeting girls my father forces me to.
Just because they are a good Muslim.
Stacey may not be a Muslim, but she had a rough past,
but I want her so bad.
My dad say I need to marry somebody pure.
[Imam] Follow your heart, Jusuf.
But be smart.
Don't let your father dictate your life.
Be with this woman.
Bring her to our masjid,
but know that things might not work out the way you have envisioned.
If she doesn't convert [speaking Arabic]
Allah knows best.
I'll speak to your father and help him understand.
[panting]
We still got to overcome that.
You know the part.
Good.
We'll get it.
So, how's the Muslim thing going?
It's Muslim, Tati, not Muslim.
I guess.
You're not gonna wear that in the show though, right?
What?
My scarf?
Yeah, your scarf.
It's not sexy.
You look like someone's substitute teacher.
[laughs]
I know your mom is making you do this,
but I wanna win.
My mom is not making me do anything, Tati.
Look, [speaking Arabic]
Imam says come as we are.
I'm a Muslim, Tati.
Yeah.
And I'm a Jehovah's Witness.
Just got back from knocking on doors this morning.
That's not funny, my grandma's a Jehovah's Witness.
I don't care.
You can't just change your religion one day.
It doesn't work like that.
But you change football players every week,
so what's really going on, Tati?
That was cold, Summer.
So is intolerance.
She'll get over it.
Well, I guess practice is over.
Where are you going?
To the skate park.
I got 'em black and blue out there last week.
Gonna kick, push, kick, push, coast.
All right, bye.
See you later.
Shake it off.
Five, six, seven, eight.
Whoa, sorry.
Catch you later, all right?
Hey.
You okay?
Yeah, good.
I know.
I saw the picture you posted.
- [laughs] - Halal hottie.
Yeah, that's a new one.
Just being myself.
Are you coming to Jumu'ah this Friday?
Think so.
Cool.
Guess I see you there.
I'll see you.
All right, later.
Hi, my name is Amina.
Amina.
Nice to meet you.
My name is Mahasan.
Means beautiful in Arabic.
My name is Anisa.
No, not Anissah.
Anisa.
Jade?
No.
My name is Anisa Mohamed.
Pleasant companion.
A name change?
Jade, are you serious?
Yes.
Haven't you put Summer through enough
and now, you wanna spring this on her in her senior year.
I'm not springing anything on her, David.
I introduced her to the truth.
No, it is your truth, Jade.
It is your truth.
[faint] You know why things didn't work out between us,
because you keep switching things up and keep changing.
You cannot build a life like that.
[piano music playing]
[Summer] What did I tell you about the bean pie?
[Jade] No, stop it.
These are beautiful, right?
What do you think about this?
I can rock it.
Yeah. I think you could.
I'll take this one.
Anything else?
No, just that today.
You know, you always get my money.
I'll be back.
Salaam-Alaikum, sister Jade.
Hey, Tahir.
- Hey. - How are you?
Good, how are you?
Good. Good.
Did you enjoy Jumu'ah?
Yeah.
- You? -Yeah. Yeah. It was awesome.
It was very cool. [laughs]
So, about that hang?
- Let's do it. - Yeah?
- Yeah. - Pizza?
- I love pizza. - All right.
- [laughs] - Very good.
Are you okay?
Yeah.
I just remembered that the storm is coming, so...
[Summer] Not bad.
Told you.
These pepperonis no joke, man.
How would you know if you've never had the real thing?
I mean, who defines what's real?
So, what's with this whole Muslims can't eat pork thing?
Pigs are unclean animals.
They can give you worms.
Aren't all animals unclean?
I mean, have you smelled those cows
on the side of the freeway
when you're coming up the Bay on the five?
They smell like hot ass.
[laughs]
I literally throw up in my mouth
when we're passing them.
And here we are.
Eating all those same old stinky cows.
I mean, we're eating halal cow.
I mean, we pray over it, dance light.
[laughs]
Interesting.
You're mom cool with you being here?
I told her I was hanging out with some friends.
Why lie?
Because if she knew I was corrupting some Muslim boy
and ruining her reputation at the masjid,
she'd have a fit.
So, you're corrupting me?
What did you tell your parents?
Hanging with you.
What?
They're surprised.
I just thought Muslims can't really do this kinda thing.
Like what kinda thing?
You know.
Hanging out with someone of a different sex.
Eating beef pepperoni on paper plates.
[laughs]
You know what I mean.
[laughs]
My folks are super cool, Summer.
My mom does hair in Englewood
and my parents met at a club.
I told them I'll bring you by later.
Wow.
[laughs]
I think I want another one.
[laughs]
Damn, girl.
Really, I love pepperoni.
I can see that.
Let me hook you up right quick though.
- Okay. -You have to put a little bit of this on there.
[laughs]
Try that.
Thanks a lot.
♪ I'm so stuck, what you do to me now ♪
♪ Got me up
♪ I don't wanna come down
♪ Played my game and you're faking me out ♪
♪ You're faking me out
Dos churros, por favor.
Okay. One moment.
So, how do you know we're not Jinn?
What do you mean?
Like we could be living in a parallel universe
and not even know it?
Allah knows.
He gave us the Quran, so we know.
But I thought there was different types of Jinn.
Yeah, I mean, there's Sila, usually women,
intelligent shape-shifter.
Like me [laughs]
So, have you been Muslim since you were born?
Yeah.
Gosh. What was that like?
I guess it's like everything else.
I don't think about it much.
Do you ever get scared?
Scared of what?
I heard about the mosque being torched in Lancaster.
I don't know. It just seems like it could be hard.
No harder than being black.
Have you ever kissed?
What do you think?
♪ I just wanna take you away from here ♪
♪ I just wanna take you away
What does it say?
In the name of Allah, the most gracious,
the most merciful.
Hey, this is Summer.
This is my mom, Rasheedah.
- Hi. - Hi.
- Nice to meet you, Summer. - Nice to meet you, too.
Cute color. You did that?
Yeah.
Wow.
And this, hey, this is my dad, Dawud.
Oh. [speaking Arabic]
Would you like some bean pie?
Oh, no, we just had churros.
Thank you, ma'am, but I...
Who are you calling "ma'am"?
And no one refuses Dawud's bean pie.
[laughs]
It's like 10 times better than the one at the masjid.
And you're honest.
Come have a seat.
So, Summer, your mom is new to the masjid, correct?
She is.
She loves it.
They can't get her to take off her scarf.
How do you feel about it?
It's cool.
I mean, it's a new religion.
Learning a lot more than I ever have.
Like beef pepperoni.
[laughs]
You took her to Muhammad Mega Pizza Grill.
- Yeah. - [laughs]
That's my boy.
See, the one way to a Muslimah's heart, beef pepperoni.
Oh, stop it.
You two are just friends, right?
Yes, Miss Rasheedah.
- Don't worry. - Oh, we won't.
You can go upstairs if you like
unless you wanna watch your father's team lose.
I take great joy in that.
Let's go.
Summer, I live with a family of traitors.
Traitors, my ass.
I'm from the Bay anyway.
Dub nation.
Oh, common man.
Your team ain't going nowhere.
- Yeah. - But home.
[piano music playing]
Okay, so you win the award for the coolest parents ever.
I can't believe they let us up here.
Why wouldn't they?
Yeah.
Why wouldn't they?
We're two upstanding students.
What could we possibly doing
in this room other than studying?
[sighs]
Oh, you heard back already?
Oh, no, it's just some letters about possible scholarships.
Oh, that's good.
I haven't heard shit.
No?
Don't wanna end up like Ranelle.
[laughs]
That's not funny.
I'm serious. I'll be...
She's like famous now.
She's making serious money, I heard.
Come on, Summer, you're not gonna be like Ranelle.
I mean, unless you keep posting those halal hottie pics
on Instagram, I don't know.
[laughs]
[intense music playing]
It looks like you started a movement.
I should go.
But thank you for today.
The pepperoni.
I'll see you later.
Yeah.
O Allah, I ask You, of Your Knowledge,
for guidance and of Your power, for strength,
and I ask You of Your excessive generosity.
Certainly You are powerful and I am not.
And You are the Knower of the unknown.
If you know this matter to be good
for my religion, my worldly life, my life in the next world,
my present state of affairs or my future state,
then decree it for me and make it easy
and bless me in it.
And if You know this matter to be detrimental
to my religion, my worldly life, my life
in the next world, my present state of affairs
or my future state, then divert it from me
and turn me away from it and decree from me that
which is good wherever it may be.
And then make me to be pleased with it.
[male employee] I think she's a Muslim now, yeah.
Changed her picture on Facebook last night,
caused a whole shit storm of comments.
I think she looks much prettier, personally,
with curly hair.
I think they call it a weave or something.
[laughs]
[violin music playing]
Do you all need something?
You'd think I got a nose job with all the attention.
- We're on in five. - Great.
Jade, you sure you wanna do this?
[spiritual music playing]
[speaking Arabic]
Oh, what's...
Oh, my God.
Oh.
Hey guys.
Damn, Summer.
I didn't know you got down like that.
Like what?
Tati, are you still mad from the other day?
I think it's time to get over it.
If I was you, I'd be trying to get away
before my Muslim mom sees this.
Are you gonna delete your accounts?
[Tati] It doesn't matter. It's too late.
The photos everywhere.
You're a hashtag.
Yeah, I kinda like it.
[intense piano music playing]
[Imam] We're in a very strange time.
Everybody wants to be seen.
Everybody wants to be liked and approved of.
Vanity, glamour.
Fame can come right through a cellphone screen.
It's important for us to understand
that Islam is not for show.
It is not to be performed for approval, for validation.
I see some of my young Muslimahs flaunting their bodies
and using Islam as a way to be liked.
Stop for Allah.
As if showing your skin wasn't enough.
What did you do?
But, let's not place blame on that young person.
Rather we live in a society that promotes
vanity as a means for survival,
but I say to you, young woman, stop.
The last stop before your photos become actions
and the truth that you sought here in this masjid becomes the fire.
It's some Jinn burning.
[intense violin music playing]
Oh, no, I am sorry, Imam.
Summer is just a teenager.
Okay, this, I promise, will never happen again.
I understand, and...
I didn't want to make it public,
but the photo was everywhere.
Someone emailed it to me.
God.
Most of the people inside,
they knew what I was talking about.
It's a bad representation of our masjid
especially now, with all the bad press on Islam as it is.
Salaam-Alaikum, Imam.
- Jade. - Anisa.
Sorry.
Imam, what you did up there today was unacceptable.
How could you target a young teenage girl in front of everyone?
You could've pulled her aside afterwards.
Sister Salam, I was only trying to help her.
By persecuting her?
Telling her she's going to hell for posting a photo?
What hell is that?
Listen, Rasheedah and Imam,
I truly appreciate your concern,
but Summer is my daughter
and I will handle this.
Thank you.
You will not be needing that.
Now come on.
What the hell were you thinking?
Huh?
I swear I finally, finally found a place that I like
and you try to ruin it.
I didn't know this would happen, Mom.
Oh, really?
Let's see.
"Halal hotties make me hard" from g1zlod.
"Halal hotties on top" from man Arab.
"Halal hotties united" from jaron22.
You are a disgrace.
[sniffles]
[Summer] I remember hearing my mother
cry in the bathroom and smile and laugh
at breakfast with my father as they ate pancakes.
This is her encore performance.
I'm becoming someone I don't know.
My mother is becoming someone I don't know.
At the masjid,
I love the way scarves feel on my skin
until I get the urge to cut them up, make them into wings.
Maybe, I was born in two bodies with one soul.
I can't perform one way of being.
Society made me this way.
She made me this way.
I cannot be bound.
[intense music playing]
Let there be no compulsion in religion.
Truth stands out clear from error.
Whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah have grasped
the most trustworthy handhold that never breaks
and Allah heareth and knoweth all things.
Put this on.
And you're not performing in that talent show.
But I've been practicing for months.
I don't care.
Who knows what in the hell you and your friends
got planned for that talent show.
Probably a teen pole dancing routine.
We're dancers, Mom.
I'm going to school for dancing.
You can't do this.
I can and I will.
And I don't wanna see you talking to that boy Tahir.
And have a good day at school.
Allah be with you.
[piano music playing]
Hey.
Did your mom freak out?
She said I couldn't go perform in the talent show anymore.
That sucks, but the Summer I know,
would never let anyone, not even her own mother
stop her from dancing in that show.
Come on, cheer up.
[exhales]
All right, let's go again.
Five, six, seven, eight.
Tati, stay in your lane, what are you doing?
Oh, once my girl, now my rival, I guess.
Cute, you guess, all right.
Okay, Tati.
Watch your mouth.
Ain't that what got you on lock down
rocking sweat pants and Kmart shirts?
I'd rather be wearing Kmart shirts
than behind K hall pulling my jeans down
for football players.
Get out of my face!
No, I'm not doing this shit anymore.
Come on, Blaine, let's run it again.
How the hell are we supposed to perform now, Summer?
Easy. We perform.
We're not going to let some slut outshine us.
Let's go.
You know that wasn't right, Summer.
You know Tati isn't a hoe.
She was.
Whatever, man, I'm out.
I've got this identity, I say the right things.
Summer, are you okay?
Hey.
Your parents probably hate me, too.
Mom defended you, Summer.
Really?
Yes.
We should hang out at your house tomorrow.
Oh, yeah.
But my parents won't be there.
So what?
We could have the whole place to ourselves.
I don't know. Summer.
[scoffs] What?
You scared?
I'll see you tomorrow, okay?
[spiritual music playing]
[mellow music playing]
Yes!
[Arabic music playing]
So you, um, thinking about going back to the masjid?
I think my mom would kill me if I didn't.
But what do you want?
Pepperoni pizza slice.
[laughs]
For real, Summer.
You.
I...
I want you.
You probably say that to everyone.
And who is everyone?
I don't know.
Those girls that send you text messages--
Oh.
And letters during class. I don't know.
You wanna know something?
I have never been with anyone...
Ever.
The Instagram, the flirting...
It's just something to do.
So, uh...
Am I just something to do?
No.
You're perfect.
Your family, your life.
I just wanna break you, but gently.
I'm not who you think I am, Summer.
Most days I don't like going to the masjid.
[laughs]
I think Imam Khalid is a creep.
Tell your mom to watch out.
Oh, my God.
I knew I sensed some creep factor in him.
[laughs]
My family is cool, but we have problems, too, you know.
My dad tried to get a second wife four years ago.
My mom wasn't having it, so she separated from him.
Now they're trying to get back together
and things are kinda just getting back to normal.
You know?
Wow.
Yeah.
What about you?
What about your dad?
He lives in Studio City.
Okay.
With a white woman.
Okay.
She's okay.
I guess.
All she knows how to make is sliders.
My mom really never got over it.
[piano music playing]
It's okay.
♪ Come to me
Good morning.
Hi, I'm Melissa.
The new weather anchor.
Miles said you would show me the ropes,
but I'm just gonna shadow for now.
For now?
Mmm.
Melisa. Um...
Tell me.
Do you know mesoscale meteorology?
Uh...
How about water vapor?
That's when the water...
When it like...
You know what?
Just give me one second.
I'm just gonna go and check in with Miles.
- Okay? - Oh, sure.
[piano music playing]
Where is this girl?
[sighs]
Does you mom cook lamb, Summer?
Not really.
Mostly pasta, pizza.
I'm addicted to pizza.
Have you heard from your schools yet?
Not yet.
I only applied to one, CalArts, so...
Hopefully, I hear back soon.
[Rasheedah] You will.
You remind me of myself when I was younger.
Thank you, Miss Rasheedah.
And your hair is always laid,
so if you don't get in your school,
you can always come work for me in my shop.
Mom, stop.
[mouths]
[piano music playing]
[giggling]
[laughs]
[intense music playing]
[gasps]
I should go.
Yeah.
Um, I guess I'll see you tomorrow?
Yeah.
You want me to, you know, walk you out?
It's all good.
- See you tomorrow. - See you tomorrow.
[sighs]
Where'd you learn to cook lamb like that, Miss Rasheedah?
You should definitely have a cooking show.
I'd watch it every--
I don't want you coming over here any more, Summer.
Do you think this is a game?
I lost my family, Summer.
To this day, they won't speak to me
because I'm a Muslim.
My own parents.
And you come over here and play with this like...
I need it, too.
Please.
We welcomed you into our home.
- Why? - Because we want each other.
We both want each other.
And a religion can't stop that, I'm sorry.
But it won't.
I love him.
I'm gonna call your mother, Summer.
Who knows what else you guys have been up to.
You can go.
I'm sorry.
You can go.
[sobbing]
[intense music playing]
Really, Tahir?
Really?!
[angry background chatter]
Summer.
So, you wanna live here for the rest of your senior year?
What about Jennifer?
Hey.
You are my daughter.
Okay?
Your mom's on her way.
What?
She just wants to make sure you're okay.
Well, tell her, I am.
I don't wanna see her right now.
Okay.
Understood.
[hip hop music playing]
Where is Summer?
Yo. I don't know.
Oh.
Summer.
Are you okay?
Yeah. I'm all right.
You guys ready?
Yeah.
Let's go.
♪ Sang a lullaby
♪ To a butterfly
♪ Child's wide brown eyes
♪ Secrets inside
♪ She said when I die
♪ Become a butterfly
♪ You can flutter and color in meadows and hills ♪
♪ Beauty gave me the chills
♪ Flyin' on your own
♪ Then a thousand mourn
♪ Bright white, emerald green
♪ Silk blue, sailin' seas
♪ And the spotted wings
♪ Go blow in the wind
♪ Bright white, emerald green
[audience applauding]
I'll recite a poem for you guys?
[man in audience] Yes.
Yeah.
I am smokeless fire.
I'm a smokeless flame born to an unknown mother.
She looks for God in me, but cannot find him.
I look for God in me, but I can't find him.
They call them Jinn.
Not people or angels, beings with free will
to do evil or good.
My mother throws God at me,
but I was born a smokeless fire.
She was born of clay.
I may never see my mom again.
She disappeared in a holy book for another day.
Thank you.
[audience applauding]
[sobbing]
[cell phone vibrates]
Hello.
Salaam-Alaikum, Anisa.
Rasheedah.
Are you okay, sis?
No, I'm fine.
What's up?
Summer and Tahir.
They've been--
What is it?
What did they do?
Just take care of yourself, sis.
[sobbing]
[piano music playing]
You're tough, baby, you are.
[knocking on door]
It's your mother.
What is she doing here?
Just tell her what you told me, okay?
- Hey. - Hey.
- Thank you. - Mmm.
Summer?
Yeah, get you right here.
Thank you.
I'm not going back to that masjid.
Me neither.
I have to find a new one.
I know what you did, Summer.
What did you do?
I...
I was with someone.
A boy, and...
Why didn't you come to me, Summer?
You were busy, Mom, being a Muslim.
You are my daughter.
And I am never too busy for you.
Look, I had you when I was way too young
and I don't regret that for a second,
but I would never want you to go through
what I went through.
So...
I just hope that...
You used protection.
We did.
And that you wanted to.
I did, Mom.
Okay.
I should go.
No, no, no, no, no, no.
Yeah.
No.
- I gotta go, David. - Jade.
- She needs you. - No, she doesn't.
- We need you. - Mmm-mmm.
Hey, you did good.
Thank you for coming.
I just don't know.
No, it's okay.
[screaming]
Oh, my God.
Yes.
Oh, my God.
[screaming]
- What's wrong? - I got in.
I got in.
Oh.
Oh, my God.
Okay. That's my girl.
That's my girl.
I'm so proud of you.
[piano music playing]
Hey, Jade, you should check this out.
Wow.
That's pretty great.
Yeah.
Well done.
Thanks.
You better not forget about me, Tahir.
[scoffs] How can I forget about you
when I'm the one that introduced you
to beef pepperoni pizza?
You owe me.
How are your parents?
They're good.
Gosh, I miss them so much.
My mom kinda misses you too.
She just wants me to go to college
without having a kid first.
Nothing personal.
How is your mom?
She's good.
She's attending another masjid in Englewood.
Going on the occasional date. Having a beer.
She's doing her own thing.
How are you?
I'm just happy to be free.
Well, how about we go get some free beef pepperoni
pizza slices, huh?
But we gotta get churros first.
You're so bad for me.
I know that's why you love me.
[violin music playing]
[Jade] Now, I know we've been experiencing
some pretty gray days these past few weeks,
but we do have a warm front sweeping into our area
in the last few weeks of our spring.
Summer, my favorite season, is on its way.
[spiritual music playing]