Sumbul Ali-Karamali, the author of The Muslim Next Door: the Qur’an, the Media, and that Veil Thing, will come to Paly to talk about her book and misconceptions about the Islamic belief during lunch on Friday in the English Resource Center.

“Ali-Karamali has a background in religion study,” Paly librarian Rachel Kellerman said, who arranged for Ali-Karamali’s visit. “The popular media sometimes puts an negative context upon the Muslim faith…and she would like to demystify the Islam faith.”

The Muslim Next Door illuminates what it is like to be a Islam and describes it in personal yet academic chapters. The book features topics such as the jihad, the media, women’s rights, and reactions to the 9/11 attacks.

“The book is well-researched and contains academically reliable information,” Ali-Karamali wrote on her Web site, “but it is also a warm, candid conversation. Sometimes humorous, sometimes poignant, it contains engaging anecdotes contextualizing Islam in a Western context that anyone can relate to.”

Ali-Karamali will be the first speaker in the “Food for Thought” speaker series that Kellerman organized. Although the event is not sponsored by the school, Kellerman is trying to have three speakers per school year talk to students at lunch.

“[The series] will depend on students’ response,” Kellerman said, “so we’ll see how that goes.”

In previous years, many teachers were unwilling to give up their teaching time to let their students meet with speakers. Kellerman hopes that students will come to “Food for Thought” speaker lunches with some additional incentive, such as extra credit.

As proof of attendance, tickets will be given out to students who come to the ERC on Friday, but it is up to each English teacher to decide if students will receive extra credit for attending.