Poetic Justice

Introduction

A couple of years back, I, somehow, pointed out in another website that Syariah legislation (in Malacca at least) explicitly recognizes the acceptance of huqm/principles from the following mazhabs Syafie, Hanafi, Maliki, Hambali and Syiah (albeit restricted to Zaidiyyah and Jaafariyyah). In other words, Syiah Muslims are not banned from professing their belief in any way in Malaysia. This was not accurate.

In 1991, that was true but not in 2002. In 2002, the definition of accepted principles of syarak was amended. The Syiah mazhab was no longer accepted and since then, Syiah Muslims were, in essence, banned in Malaysia.

Of course, some of you may be wondering why I am pointing this out now. Well, at the time I said it, it was in relation to a discussion about a book authored by Syed Akbar Ali Malaysia and the Club of Doom. I am about to do a ‘book review’ about his new book Things in Common and it seemed sensible to put things in their proper order.

The Book

Things in Common, the author’s new book, is in a sense a sequel to Malaysia and the Club of Doom. In either book, the author has his sights trained on Muslims and how their practices do not accord with the tenets of the Islamic faith as laid out in the Quran.

However, in other respects, Things in Common departs from Malaysia and the Club of Doom as this time around, the author goes further by illustrating how some of those actions are reflective of the traditions or practices of the adherents of other faiths.

For Muslims who take pride that the Quran is the final Message sent by God as all earlier ones deviated from its original Message, this must come as a shock – to be told that you are no different from those you claim are in error.

Stylistically, the author has maintained the informality of Malaysia and the Club of Doom. The book is simple to read and the arguments easy to follow. However, this is the least significant aspect of the book.

What is significant is that the book is a timely reminder that Muslims may be in danger of abandoning the true spiritual traditions that is Islam and does so by holding up a mirror for Muslims to see what their true reflection looks like. It does so forcefully and makes no apologies for doing so.

Granted, at a time when Islam – the religion – seems to be taking a lot of brickbats, such criticisms and hard talking may be somewhat uncomfortable. It is all too easy to think that Islam itself is being besieged from without and within.

However, the focus of the book isn’t on Islam but those who call themselves Muslims and seen in this light, Things in Common is merely staying true to message inherent in this Quranic verse:

And when it is said to them, “Follow what Allah has revealed,” they say, “Rather, we will follow that which we found our fathers doing.” Even though their fathers understood nothing, nor were they guided? (2:170)

castigating Muslims for aping others, knowingly or unknowingly, and abandoning what Allah has revealed.

Conclusion

So, it the book worth a read? I think so. Like any book, one can quibble about this or that – such as the fact that there are some portions of the present book which repeats the themes covered in Malaysia and the Club of Doom – but such remarks are just that, mere quibbles.

Its sensible to be self-critical and if we Muslims lack the wherewithal or the courage to do so, the author facilitates the process and does so with his usual verve and panache.

I came across something from one of Kahlil Gibran’s book recently and thought that it would be apt to put it up here in light of some recent posts.

It’s taken from The Prophet:

And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said,
“Speak to us of Children.”

And he said:

Your children are not your children:
They are the sons and daughters of life’s longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer’s hand be for gladness; For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.

Its food for thought I suppose.

For those who prefer less weightier fare, try catching Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner which stars the legendary Katharine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy and Sidney Poitier. All I can say is, when you put an intelligent script in the hands of three gifted actors, watch the sparks fly.

I suppose most political eyes are trained on Ijok at the moment. So, small wonder, that those same eyes failed to realize that Chinese Democracy is finally complete.

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It is done and dusted. Penguins collaborative writing project that is. And it all began with “The deep waters, black as ink, began to swell and recede into an uncertain distance.” The link lies here. But for those disappointed that they could not take part in that, don’t fret, there still is the endless, senseless interactive book project. Write Something!

Introduction

This ‘book review’ is in truth long overdue. I suppose I can offer the usual excuse about work commitments and personal matters. However, truth, as they say, can sometimes be far stranger than fiction. So let’s save that for a more fitting occasion.

I will indulge in this confession however – I was actually looking for every excuse not to write this post. Principally, for two reasons – firstly, I wanted to do justice to the book given my previous comments and secondly, I wanted to see if my views remain unchanged after immediately reading the book. So with that confession out of the way, let us move onwards with my ‘review’ of Syed Akbar Ali’s Malaysia & The Club of Doom. (“the Book”) Read more »

I managed to find the time to catch this movie recently. Can’t say it is entirely new since it was released around August, 2006 but for those who may have missed it, it is worth a watch. It stars Edward Norton, Paul Giamatti and Jessica Biel.

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Was introduced to two Japanese movies recently by a good friend of mine. Strangely enough this happened after I attended that recent talk in the International Islamic University which is receiving quite a bit of flak, that too because of that less than “a minute” remark from a 15 minute speech directed towards a gathering of “intellectuals”. Sounds very reminiscent of the popular defence raised in favour of the Pope’s remarks doesn’t it?

Anyways, don’t let me get started on that as I don’t wish to sound like a broken track record. After all, there are other things to talk about. Case in point – Takeshi Kitano.

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Ever wondered how many artists (actor, director, producer, famous personality etc) have a law degree or did study law before they discovered greener pastures?

Here is my top 10 list of “Artists Who Attempted or Have a Law Degree Before Finding Their Mana On Earth“:

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Anyone who has not seen Heroes, please go watch it. Its one of the more brilliant TV Series I have seen in a long while. That said, I think its one of those series which guys get. Not being chauvinistic but that is just my view.

In unrelated development, scientists have developed a cloak of invisibility. I am not joking. We are definitely living in interesting times. Only thing left for me to look forward to is having a car that flies. Remember Marty McFly and his flying DeLorean?

… is a book by Carson McCullers. My introduction to this book came, strangely enough, courtesy of A Love Song for Bobby Long. That movie starred Scarlett Johansson, who starred as Purslaine Will and happened to inherit some books from her late mother.

One of the books in question was The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. I suppose this post is a testament of the effect a good movie, which A Love Song for Bobby Long was, can have on its audience.

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One of the best movies I have seen this year is Crash which is a movie made in 2004. Its one of those rare movies where everything just seems to come together.

The movie was helmed by Paul Haggis; amazingly also credited as the scriptwriter for this brilliant movie. Since this movie, he has gone on to direct the new Bond vehicle ie Casino Royale but don’t let the action genre credentials since then mislead you in to thinking that Crash is such a movie. Far from it, Crash is actually an anti-thesis of an action movie as it works on a much more cerebral level.

Perhaps, the demanding nature of the script may be given away by the fact the movie stars a huge ensemble of Hollywood heavyweights (think Ocean Eleven) eg Don Cheadle (of Hotel Rwanda fame), Brendan Fraser, Sandra Bullock, Jeniffer Esposito, Matt Dillon. Big stars aside though, I still believe a lot of kudos has to go Paul Haggis’ way for being able to draw out stellar performances from his cast in bringing his script to life.

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I have never been a fan of TV shows particularly the ones which require a certain amount of discipline if you truly wish to follow the plot over the course of the season. Case in point? X-Files etc. That’s the general rule.

Now the exception to that rule is that:

• the show’s plot may be truly engaging and thereby warrant that exercise in discipline; OR
• though the TV show’s plot is truly engaging, the TV show’s complete season is sold on DVD either for those who wish to enjoy it again or for those who wish to catch it for the first to see what the hype is all about

I fall in the latter category. I can’t stand the suspense.

That said, I have tried following that supposedly ‘hot’ TV show ie Desperate Housewives but I just don’t get what is so great about it. Storyline is so so and acting is so so (I am thinking horrible but feeling a wee bit generous today). So why is it ‘hot’? I don’t know. I can only hazard a guess that it must appeal at some level to the ladies. Barbara Bush apparently is a great fan.

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Champions League 2006/2007 kicks off tonight … well, at least for Arsenal. Know what the best part of this deal is for a Gunner fan?? Nothing. Why do I say that?

Well, initially Soccernet listed the game as being played in the Emirates Stadium but its apparently not from Arsenal’s website.

Otherwise, it would be a milestone since we’d be playing our first competitive match in our new Stadium, the Emirates Stadium. (Though we did have a testimonial match for Bergie a.k.a Iceman there on 22.07.2006. I think.) Read more »