PK (probably the best movie I've watched so far)

Assalamualaikum,

Let me begin by thanking Fad Bin Zack and Aishah Ahmad for recommending this movie. Thank you so much.

I was always skeptical on Bollywood movies, especially the ones with a title like "PK". They'll be nothing but kitsch songs and emotion fest. PK didn't prove me wrong. However, the film dares to discuss the highest level of philosophy  as Dr. Normala Othman once said: religion.

What's so great about the movie you may ask. Well, I believe that film is a powerful medium that can be used to reach out to people. Discussing religion openly is often seen as tedious and might even be a taboo. The movie has successfully raise awareness on the concept of divinity i.e God and social issues in a necessary melodramatic way. All the tawdry stereotypical elements in Bollywood movies are needed so that the public are able to think about the matter in a laid-back way.

I have always wanting to spread dakwah in films but I fear that I will write something which is too heavy and too scholarly for a person to watch in pleasure. Whoever came out with the idea for this movie is a genius as the amount of issues discussed is huge and that is not even an exaggeration. Every single scene is important and needed to get through to the people. Regardless of the cinematography, acting and original score, the content of the movie is amazing and I am not ashamed to say that this would be the best film I've watched my entire life. Congratulations and thank you.

PK

The day I started to really love rap. {Wasalu Muhammad Jaco}

Assalamualaikum ...

I have been listening to rap since we have all heard about MC Hammer & Vanilla Ice. Only when Eminem came with his Marshall Matters LP that I started to think that rap is a cool kind of music. So I bought the tape and another uncensored one so that I could hear all the explicit words. I love every single song in it. After that I started to listen to every single rap that are famous during those days; Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Redman, etc.

So the days of gangsta rap are over. I've moved to all sorts of other music genres. Rap is still around, but it wasn't my real interest (not trying to say that my real interest is now rap). It's not when I heard of the name Lupe Fiasco by a friend who introduced me to the song "Superstar". It didn't quite impress me, but it is a nice song, hearing it for the first time.

When LASERS came, I started to listen to the album. Just like any other album, you'd listen and love a few of the songs first ... in the end you'll love every single track. I started to learn what rap is about. I found out that rap is a form of poetry, and coming from a literary background I agree to a certain extent that songs can be poetry.

You see, to me (as someone who recently love poetic stuff) poetry is a form art using language. Thus to have it as an art, it requires something to make it beautiful. Just as paintings requires good colours, brushes, creativity,etc, poetry requires the right set of words, sounds, imagery,etc. Thus, the same goes with the lyric of a song.

I'm not saying that Lupe Fiasco's song are like Shakespeare's sonnets because that is too far apart. Shakespeare's sonnets are beautifully crafted. Rap (I'm referring to good rap), to me is beautiful because it usually rhymes and the choice of words used are just great.

While most commercial rappers are talking about dancing, partying, drinking, girls, sex, etc, Lupe being someone who go against establishments, raps about society, war, environments and other forms of awareness. It is really rare to hear a mainstream artist, especially from the US going against the occupation on Palestine by Israel.

After listening to Lupe, I got a whole new perception of rap. I could listen to Lupe singing about Islamic things with other singers; Snoop Dogg, Skylar Grey, Erykah Badu, etc without any issues. It just open up the way I think about something.

This is one of my favourite verse from "Superstar" taken from The Cool:

[chorus]

Yea, uh
A fresh cool young Lu
Trying to cash his microphone check 2, 1, 2
Want to believe my own hype but it's too untrue
The world brought me to my knees
What have you brung you?
Did you improve on the design?
Did you do something new?
Well your name ain't on the guest list
Who brung you? You
The more famous person, you come through
And the sexy lady next to you
You come too
And then it hit me
Standing outside of heaven waiting for God to come and get me
I'm too uncouth
Unschooled to the rules
And too gum shoe
Too much of a newcomer
And too uncool
Like Shadow and Lavelle
I battle with it well
Though I need a holiday like lady who sung blue
Go back what ever you did you undo
Heavy is heaven
The devil on me two tonnes too

p/s: Just listen to how well this verse rhymes. ~~

Muallaf

Assalamualaikum ...

The last post about the movie Muallaf is actually a contest, where I have to post something about the movie to get passes to watch the "Grand Premiere" of it in Malaysia (haha). Yes I did got the passes (4) ; Sapick, xLANx, Fader Mariano and me had a good time watching it (it's free).

The movie is good with lots of things to think about, especially about religion. It is rated certificate 18PL, for its contents being unsuitable for those who are not matured enough. I agree with the rate, but I do not understand why it should be banned.

There's no big issue to be controversial. The movie does not promote religious pluralism as some claims it to be. The masturbating scene was totally harmless (there may not be even such a scene if one would view it).

My friend said that maybe the reason why the movie is banned in Malaysia is because of the statement Rohani (Sharifah Amani) said about why alcohol are not banned in the country since it only brings bad things. Politic wise, the statement may offend the government.

Overall it's nice to buy the DVD as a collection. I like TaleNTime better.

p/s: tak sempat nak amik gambar dengan Sharifah Amani.

Muallaf (2008 or 2009?)

Bismillahirahmanirahim
In the name of God, the most Gracious and most Merciful

Yasmin Ahmad's Muallaf premieres in Malaysian screen in 2009

After one year of waiting, after hearing stuff about the movie, finally Muallaf will be premiering in Malaysian screens on 24th December 2009. The movie had already premiered in Singapore more than a year ago (27th November 2008). I have doubt whether this is actually a Malaysian or Singaporean made movie (actually the movie involves both MHZ Film from M'sia & The Picturehouse from S'pore)

I don't know how the movie manage to be screening in Malaysia after failing to pass the Malaysian censorship authorities. I heard that there is a masturbating scene in the movie (maybe some sex education from our dear Yasmin Ahmad). I hope that Yasmin's fifth movie will be as great as the others. And Sharifah Amani, don't fail me... huhu ....

p/s: the next post will be the review of the movie.

Danger of Lying

I fell off(tq xLANx) a motorcycle at Greenwood once, riding with my friend. Me and my friend have some minor injuries and were treated at the IIUM clinic. I didn't tell my parents about this because they have warned(tq xLANx) me not to ride on a motorcycle whatever the case is (they're motorcycle-phobic).

Somehow the news got to my parents, but in a different version. I don't know how the news spread but what reached my parents is that I've been in an accident and I'm in the hospital with my arm broken.

See how things turn out when someone lied.

This might sound totally absurd but think about it : You know that Charles Darwin told us that humans are the descendants of apes. One day if someone tells(tq xLANx) (lying as a joke) that we actually evolve from frogs, as the frog prince fairy tale were not just created without a cause, people might just believe it and discuss about it (we have the whole theorist and philosopher convention on this), thus create another theory of evolution concerning frogs.

I know the example given sounds silly but look wider on how a simple lie can change the whole story ad how a lie that is intended as a joke can change the world.

The Butterfly Effect.

The Prophet (PBUH) "forbade Muslims from lying even if they do so only as a joke, in order to make others laugh."

Satan in Chains (Ramadan)

We have been told that Satan are chained during the Ramadan month. So, there won't be any haunting ghost around and that we're safe from them.

Abu Hurairah, (may Allah be pleased with him) quoted the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as saying: “When the month of Ramadan comes, the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of the Hellfire are closed, and the devils are chained.” (Reported by al-Bukhari)




We (Muslim) know that Satan is the cause of all evil things. So why are there still sins committed if Satan is actually locked up or chained in the month of Ramadan.

I've asked this question in an IRK (Islamic Revealed Knowledge) class during my undergraduate studies. The lecturer said that we should not take the Hadith literally. By that she means that the Satans are not actually or literally chained but were chained due to our religious deeds (Amal) ; fasting, sunat terawikh ,etc.

I do 100% agree with her explanations. I agree with her that the Satans are not literally chained. Why do we still have sinners in the month of Ramadan if they are actually locked up.

It is our job to lock them up. I prefer to chain them because it sounds cooler (nonsense hehe).

p/s: when I refer to Satan it would include devils, ghosts, djinns, etc.

Selamat Berpuasa, Happy Fasting.

May Allah S.W.T be with you. Amin

Genie oh Djinn...

Everybody knows the story of Alladin. He finds (bukan "founds", tq Teyhah n LanXLan) the magic lamp and were granted 3 wishes by the Genie. In Disney's version of Alladin the Genie was in blue. The Genie is friendly, funny and witty. I remember loving the movie when I was in standard 1 or 2 and I would guess, who won't?

Here's the weird thing about Alladin's Genie (or generally reffering to the Disney's Alladin)- Since when does a genie or djinn (in reality) is friendly to human, helps them and grants wishes for good?

I don't know the real story or the real version of Alladin, but the one that Disney made was a real fault as for the portrayal of the genie. I didn't notice this until I watch documentaries about Freemason, Anti-Christians and its movement (at one point it even mentioned that Walt Disney as a high member of the Masonic group, woah! ). Were the documentaries for real? I don't know. But one thing for sure is that a genie that grants wishes for us does not intend to do good.



The real thing that could happen to Alladin is supposed to be like what happened to Dr. Faustus by Christopher Marlowe. I guess many years ago when Marlowe was alive he maybe heard about the story of Alladin and retells it in another version (the version which I found that was more logical than Disney's Alladin).


All in all, the reason that I'm so concern about this matter is that I don't want my children or any future generation to look at things and accept it as it is. I don't want them to think that a genie may be a friend to us as finding them would grant us wishes and that is a good thing. I don't want them to end up like Dr. Faustus because in my opinion it's not possible to happen.


p/s: The reason that I highlighted Disney's Alladin is because that is the version of Alladin that I can really remember. The other version , the ones in the book seems a bit different where I can find one ending with Alladin and Jasmine being together but without the help of genie or without the presence of genie in the end.


p/s: for those who don't know about the story "Dr Faustus". = It's in short about Dr Faustus who finds help with satan (Mephistophilis and Lucifer) to receive worldly pleasure by selling his soul to them. In the end he regretted what he'd done and 'tis too late that he died in blaspheme.


bonus question : what's a question that does not need an answer called?

What's wrong with this picture?

I think there's something wrong with this picture. I need someone else too confirm it with me. This picture is taken at the surau at JJ Wangsa Maju.

Oppression is Salvation..

For years the Jews have been oppressed by the German's Nazi under Adolf Hitler, look at the Jews now, they've become better every single second (media, military, world power, etc).

For decades women have been oppressed as the weaker sex all over the world, look at them now as more and more women enters the IPTA in Malaysia leaving the men behind. Women also have better grades than the men in majority.

(I did wonder if men were really or literally getting extinct and that more women were born on earth today than men. I think the answer is no, because all the men have gone to fields that were not academic, for example sports and mechanics stuff.)

The best literary work came from those who are being oppressed (works of war, prejudice, etc) as from the works of those who experience or seen oppression (Charles Dickens, Langston Hughes, Rabindranath Tagore).

The best men also came from those who were been oppressed, such as Malcolm-X, Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and even Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin. (Both Hitler and Stalin were abused by their fathers in their childhood and look what they've turn out to be).
Thus from these observation I may conlcude that those who have seen, experience, gone through hardships, suffering and humiliation, oppression, tortured, etc are the ones who will be the best. "What doesn't kill you only get you stronger" I believe.

Don't feel bad if you're humiliated, not cool enough, bullied, ragged, etc because you'll turn out to be a great person. You just need to be strong and endure it. Don't feel sad if you don't look handsome or beautiful enough to be attractive to the society because you're going to be stronger, even just don't feel inferior about your physic or mental state. Just don't give a damn..ahah.
"Little People Kill People" Joey Jordison..

All successful people have gone through many hardships and challenges that you can never imagine of. To be successful is to be difficult.

p/s: our Prophet Muhammad S.A.W and other Prophets have endured much to have the words of Allah S.W.T being spread throughout the world until this day. Think about that.

Khusyu' in solat..(EDITED)

Assalamualaikum..(wanna make it a habit ah to give salam, it's the same thing as saying "yo!, wattup?" just nicer . Peace Be Upon You)

I have this problem of not being khushu' in solat (I believe we all have), that come to the extend of forgetting which raka'at of the prayer I'm in, which happens almost everytime (except for Subuh prayer n congregational prayer). I do believe that the reason why I have problems in focussing on stuff (reading, lectures, etc) is because that I'm not khushu' in my solat which is important as it is a way to discipline yourself.

So in order to deal with me forgetting my raka'at, I've created a method to keep track on my raka'at :



The method is as shown by the pictures above is by pointing out your finger (to signify what raka'at u're on, 1 finger for 1st raka'at and so on) during the time when your in the standing state of your solat (I don't know what it's called, but it's the state where you recite the Al-Fatihah and other surah). The method kinda help me in reminding me on which raka'at I'm in. But I do still have doubt in this method (wether is it the right thing to do) so I went to the Department of Fiqh (IIUM) and find someone who'd help me with this.

The result is that after consulting with Lukman (a Post-Graduate student in Fiqh department) I found myself in the state of wrongness. What I really mean is that I came to the state where I believe too much in myself that I could achieve anything or everything if I try my damn best on my own. The method that I created (above) is the result my way of thinking, my ideology or my philosophy.

We (Muslims) must believe that everything in this world belongs to Allah S.W.T and that Allah S.W.T has the power to give and take eveything that he owns anytime and anywhere. It is my mistake that I believe too much on myself that I'd achieve anything if I try my best. As a Muslim I need to believe that I have a God to submit to, and that without his permission I won't achieve anything. So by using this method I'd able to be khushu' in solat on my own ( I would maybe come to think that I don't need Allah's S.W.T help)

So to conclude, my method of indentifying the number of raka'at is in a way a wrong thing to be practiced. Eventhough it kinda helps, but psychologically it tells me that I'm capable of myself to be khushu' in my solat without the help of Allah S.W.T. I won't say this is a wrong method but try to think about it and I do need feedback on this.

People can focus when they march as soldiers but can they be khushu' in solat?

Thanks to brother Lukman from the Department of Fiqh.

Peace!

for more info on Khushu' in solat : http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=4084954384548492003&postID=8425984783781957764

p/s: Lady Gaga plays good music.

Cursed into a Sting Ray, old myth...busted

Not a long time ago, there's this fuss about a 3gp video clip showing of a human being cursed to be a sting ray. In addition to that, the clip also includes Islamic or Arabic recitation (wasn't sure bout dis, wether its quran or not) Urgh..!! Menyeramkan!!! (scary). It gets to everyone's sight and most of them believe it thus many version of story came out. The clip as shown from the pic above were said to be a man who'd been ungrateful to his mother, thus have been cursed by God and turned to an animal; a sting ray.......(this was the version I heard)

Well last afternoon, I was watching Animal Planet (556 Astro), there this prog with the late Steve Irwin catching an animal. Guess what he catched, A CURSED STING RAY MAN!!! ..It's not a sting ray, its a shark called Shovel Nose Shark which is exactly what the so called CURSED STING RAY MAN looked like.

So now I ask, who in the world created that story, that myth. What in the world are they thinking? was it to corrupt our Muslim society? or was it just any stupid myth/rumour maker? or maybe it's an unusual animal to be seen by them?

whatever it is, it's busted... who'd believe such a thing, I doubted it dlu..(btol tau, x caya suda)

p/s: lesson is dun believe sumtin until it's proven so....