I've been reading Azar Nafisi's Reading Lolita in Tehran, and I swear I could feel something inside of me is helplessly scuffling, trying to get out or to be heard. This books has become my latest triumphal opium and I found that this book is infuriatingly provocative. As the story unfolds, the readers will be surprised with several sensitive issues regarding our Religion and its devotees. Some people will definitely throw this book and consider it as total garbage and blasphemous.
While I was reading this, my oblongata is busy tracing back memories back when I was in Matriculation, and I was one of those spectacled-with-thick-coursebooks Biology students. I was all psyched up for the second semester because in Biology we will learn about the infamous Charles Darwin, the father of Theory of Evolution. But surprisingly, our lecturer, Madam Salbiyasota told us that we won't be going to study the 'Human Evolution' part due to Darwin's religious dogmas but we still able to study about his idea of 'Natural Selection" during the lecture. So we discarded that chapter.
Why we didn't learn about Darwin's Theory of Evolution?
Because 'some' people think learning the-man-evolves-from-apes-theory is blasphemous and heretical. Therefore, to ensure that the students won't be thinking too much on this theory or worst, believe in such absurd theory because this might lead students' faith in Islam went astray; we tossed away the chapter. We banned knowledge because we fear that we will subconsciously convert our children to Christianity or Atheism. We admonish our children and later generation to steer clear of 'bad' knowledge and don't even bother to read or know the real essence of the knowledge. Just stay out of it, and you'll get a pie from the skies. Bullshit.
We are so vocal in defending Human Rights but condemning the homosexuals like they worth nothing more than a penny. We never bother to find solution but so damn good in pre-judging others and their behaviors. Yeah, perhaps it's easier to held stupid demonstration against Zionism, McDonald's or Starbucks than finding solutions or even bother thinking what Islamic economic jurisprudence is all about. It is easier to point our fingers blaming un-Islamic governmental system than visiting Masjid at least once a week.
I think, sometimes we use the veil/hijab/tudung/chador/purdah/yashmak not to cover the aurat of our mothers and sisters but to cuff and purblind their eyes. Plus, from politics, education, religion, sexuality and social behaviors, we silently admonish our future children to be sore cowards; choose the same path that been followed by others in your ancestry like there is only one road that lead to Heaven.
Now are we still wondering why Muslims get left so far behind and shook our head in denial?
23 comments:
everything ppls do n did must b for a reason, say for matrix stuf tu, perhaps not to hinder u guys from convertng etc but MYB to avoid those who absorb stuf without thinkng, to admit the theory is in fact true-which is not, sumtimes believg stuf can b cosidered as iman(at least nurturng it) so they opt to skip the chapter, well to those like u, seems not adptng this blind faith stuf which is good, but theres always those who r, soooo try to b in their shoee, judgmnts everywhere but not always fair, dats life...
Anonymous,
'absorb without thinking', don't you think it will be much easier and meaningful if we, the Muslims discuss these things together in laboratories than remain silent and consider such knowledge as a no-no? IF we scared of these students, who scored minimum and more than 7As in their SPM, to be converted or too absorbed or adpting blind faith, that didn't mean to get lead them away for such chapter. But, a thorough discussion from Islamic view is all we need, not being in denial because such attitude won't solve anything.
:))
i actually like this post... :)
nk pinjam lolita after dis!!!!!!!!
You claim that it's bullshit. What are you trying to say? That Darwin was right when he said that men evolved from primates and that we should teach this our children?
MisterTaj,
Thanks.
Liyana,
Sure!
Farzen Master,
YES. we should teach them WITH clear clarification why does it against Islamic teachings.Make them understand the flaws with the theories, so when a stranger come and debate with you, you won't look stupid because we refused to learn it at the first place.
If people claimed that something is wrong, should we enroll under the same banner and dogma? NO. Find the reason why, and truly understand the knowledge only then you'll TRULY believe in what people asks you to believe.
Well said Moja. How are we to know what's right and wrong if we do not understand both right AND wrong?!
Educate men without faith and you but make them clever devils. XD
Farzen Master,
Did I say to you its better to segregate faith from education? Nope.
When we study things better, only then we will know what's right or wrong.
I actually share the same views as you. It's like how some people perceive other people as murtad for finding out about Christianity or something like that. If the faith is strong, it won't be shaken. Stop being paranoid.
Btw, good luck petang nanti.
there is no room for discussion in Islamic society because there is an impression that whatever translated from the Quran is definite.
because of this knowledge elitism, people are bound to use religion to stunt development for their own personal interest.
just imagine if people realize that Islam do not acknowledge royalty. or muslims realize that an open society is actually the ideal kind of society in Islam. if muslims realize this, heads will roll.
unfortunately these heads are the only heads that knows about this and they will do whatever they can to maintain the widespread ignorance among muslims.
dua sen saya
Never said u did. That was a mere quote. You know, just for flavor. 8D
I agree that these things should be discussed openly, however, before such things could happen, we need to develop a strong sense of al-furqan in the teacher (and then the teacher will help develop it in the student).
tapi sejarah mengajar kita bahawa ramai ibu bapa, malah nenek2 dan atuk2 serta moyang2 kita sudah tewas apabila di dedahkan pada benda2 mcm ni.
among the reasons are:
-a secular system of education (Allah or at least God is rarely if not ever mentioned in a science, maths, etc lesson),
-they couldn't resist the temptations (of things which may seem like good but is not good for them and is unlawful in the sight of Allah)
-their faith was poorly developed.
This is history. This involved our very own ancestors, until which, some of us have lost our sense of right and wrong. Until which, some of us are ready, willing and able to defend what is wrong instead of the right.
But it is not enough for us to merely be leaving comments in comment boxes. Is it?
We need to make change, starting with the improvement of ourselves -by increasing and improving our knowledge and iman, by taqarrub ilallah (getting closer to Allah) and simultaneously spreading these habits to other people: family, friends, colleagues, etc.
Improving ourselves means to improve other people because we are a walking advertisement and call to the straight path to Allah. Kalau kita tak segan buat yang bukan2...kenapa pula kita segan nak buat yang baik.....?
Wallahua'lam. Semoga ada manfaatnya =)
Dira,
Yeps, we Muslims should stop being paranoid and it is important to instill good Faith in our children.
:))
Afiq,
I think things like I wrote here has been debated over years, and we still didn't find the solution. and yes, over the years, even in Malaysia we may vividly observe people using Islam as their facade for whatever wrongdoings they about to indulge in.
and YES, these people mostly succeed in wooing the crowd and make the other Muslims go 'whoa'.
Frazen,
Hahahaha! cet!
UmmiMusa,
I Love your comment regarding this topic and I do agree that the first thing we have to do is perhaps, to instill Islamic knowledge in the Teachers first, so they won't segregate Science and Islam. Because the real deal is, Science and Islam should coexist with each other.
Yeps, let's improve ourselves!
Thanks UmmiMusa!
love ur concept..black n wite..
djND,
Whoa. So you're a dj? Awesome.
Thanks dude. I never really care abt the concept tho.
hahaha
moja!
im impressed.
really love tis writing.
;)
4000 year Quest of Judaism, Christianity and Islam? Who is the guneia pig? (eja pong salah ke) who went through so much trouble and mistakes and maybe had to learn from those mistakes? who had so much time playing with people's head with the idea of one god?...if all man is equal, then, the more time you spend on sth, the wiser u get rite~? ask e ulamak..they would agree religion changes with ppl over time and place(uh oh, is sth about that in a book *holy). and fact is, ppl accept sth because it works for them...so.....special rights or peace(aslama)?
NafasDunia ; Thanks.
Anonymous; Erm.. I didn't really get what's you idea up there. Care to explain more? :)
Post a Comment