The following version of this book was used to create this study guide: Masood, Syed. The Bad Muslim Discount. New York: Doubleday, 2020.

The story begins in the mid-1990s. Anvar Faris lives in Karachi, Pakistan with his mother Bariah, father Imitaz, and older brother Aamir. Aamir is generally the favorite child, as he is more responsible and religiously devout. The only person who prefers Anvar is his grandmother, Naani Jaan. Naani Jaan teaches Anvar how to play checkers, which she uses as a metaphor for many different life lessons. Eventually, the Faris family decides to move to America in the face of rising violence in Karachi. They must unfortunately leave Naani Jaan behind, as she is too old to travel.

In San Francisco, Anvar attends college and begins dating Muslim classmate named Zuha Shah. They keep their relationship secret from Anvar’s parents. Eventually, Zuha breaks up with Anvar, as he is not as devoutly religious as she is. After college, Anvar attends law school and decides that he is going to try to participate in Islam with the Muslim community more regularly.

Meanwhile, in Iraq, a young woman named Safwa lives with her parents and brother. During the Iraq War, Safwa’s mother and brother die of illness. Her father—referred to only as Abu Fahd—is imprisoned and tortured by the U.S. military. He is eventually relased, and he and Safwa flee from Iraq. They then go to America as undocumented immigrants, with the help of a tyoung man named Qais. In return, Qais demands that Safwa marry hm. Abu agrees to the proposal against Safwa’s will. Safwa changes her name to Azza as an alias, and she feels only slightly comforted by the fact that Azza does not seem to want to marry him.

Anvar eventually moves to a specific apartment complex in San Francisco that is owned by a Muslim man named Hafeez Bhatti. Hafeez specifically rents to Muslim tenants. Azza, Qais, and Abu move into the same apartment complex. Hafeez introduces Anvar to them, as Anvar is a lawyer and might be able to help with the fact that they are undocumented immigrants. Anvar is unable to help them, but he and Azza develop a sexual relationship. Meanwhile, Anvar learns that Zuha is engaged to be married to Aamir.

Azza faces repeated physical abuse from Qais, and so she thinks about ways in which she might be able to report him to U.S. immigration enforcement. Anvar is uncertain of the morality of this plan. In order to force Qais away from Azza, Anvar tells Qais that police at pursuing him, so he should flee. Qais runs away. Meanwhile, Zuha and Anvar profess their love to each other. Also, Abu learns of Azza and Anva’s relationship. Abu threatens Anvar with a gun and is then shot to death by law enforcement. Azza flees San Francisco and begins life anew in a distant town. And Zuha and Anvar marry.