Friday, March 14, 2008

Change The World

This is a nice video clip of a movie I think entitled 'Pay It Forward'. Honestly, I have not seen the movie nor even heard of it, but received the link via email. Do kindly watch it.


What I do like about this clip is that it is trying to reach to the mass to correct the mess of the world we live in. It may seem like a line from John Lenon's song 'Imagine', but I think the message here is more down to earth.

In this clip, the teacher tries to expose his students of 7th Graders to the real world of the community they live in. He does not reprimand his students for their initial objection, nor force them outright, rather persuasively guide them to a level of thinking they may have not been accustomed to. Off course, some may say this is just a movie and is not part of the US Education Syllabus, which may be the premise where the movie is based upon. But when I look at my nieces and nephews who were born and raised there, I think the premise is not far fetched at all. But let's leave the movie aside for a while, for watching it brought my attention to 2 other matters, distant as they may be, but related.

Before I begin on the matter, again I have to emphasise here that I am no religious scholar. But I am inclined to believe that the imparting of knowledge and perhaps wisdom by the teacher in the movie above is in line with Islamic values and thinking. Islam after all, is not confined to spiritual obligations alone (Hamblum MinAllah), but community obligations as well (Hamblum Minnanas) - apart from our obligations to Allah s.w.t., we are also to assist fellow beings(which is include plants, animals and even the environment). And one of the strong mind enforcement of both is the Solah Jumaat; the solah itself as our obligation to Allah, while the khutbah is the reminder to our duties not only to Allah, but the community we live in.

Here sadly, has been the failures of many khutbahs where the social aspect of the THE community are hardly touched. Rather, most of khutbahs seem out of touch with the reality of the community and worse, have been part of the propaganda machine of certain parties especially in the west coast and southern part of the peninsular. It has come to such that there have been individuals who ridicule the very idea or legitimacy of the khutbah! And when you reflect this on the teacher in the video clip, I for one, would think he can give a better sermon than some muslims, including myself; the only aspect missing from the teacher's khutbah would be regarding the reminder for Muslims towards Allah. From here, this thought led me to a quote by an unkown Ustaz, and one which is gaining more fame.

The quote I mentioned is: "Di negara sosialis kemudahan asas di beri percuma ( rujuk negara barat berfahaman sosialis). Tapi pelik di negara umat islam bermazhab sunnah waljamaah dan islam hadhari perkara ini menjadi rebutan untuk memiliki syarikat air dan naikkan tarif air.

Seorang ulama islam pernah berkata bila aku pergi negara orang kafir ada islam tapi umat nya kafir tapi bila aku pergi nagara umat islam umat islam ada tapi islam tiada."

Simply put, it means there are now more Islamic values in non-Islamic countries rather than the Islamic countries, of which Malaysia claims to be part of.

Anyway, these are just the thoughts that drifts in my mind. You may agree, and you certainly may disagree; such are your rights - and mine - in this life we live.

5 comments:

tokasid said...

Salam Shah:

I think I have seen that movie but have to check it out first.

As for the khutbah in our country you are 100% right.Its mainly a propaganda by the gomen. And you'll see many sleeping or trying to stay awake.
just like today in DT: its about Islam Hadhari. I mean...come on lah kan. Its been a failure,this Islam Hadhari thing and yet the Melaka Religious Dept is still harping on it.

Why can they just write khutbah about the need to use zakat wisely or the need for parents to keep a keen eye on their children or that fathers need to be examplary to their children with good akhlak.About fathers need to teach their children how to perform the solat and not just leave it to the ustaz and ustazah at school.

But no.They have to harp on mundane stuff. About you have to be grateful to the gomen who had given you so much(but never once I hear about khutbah condemning YBs acting like kings or living lavishly with questionable sources).

So I guess its our duty now to do this things,InsyaALLAH.

cakapaje said...

Wa'alaikumusalam Doc,

Unfortunately, we are not given the chance to explain to the public about our views against IH, while the gomen only approach students and not the public on the matter. On a survey conducted by a newspaper - think it was Utusan - not long ago, more than 70% of those asked know even what IH is all about.

Unfortunately too, the 'we' who are able to play a role effectively are people with 'stature' in the public's eye. And previous to the PRU12 results, these people of 'stature' are the cronies and the ameno politicians who keep sending the wrong messages. Try speaking aloud against their opinion, and you are an outcast in the society almost immediately. InsyAllah, soon this will change.

Salt N Turmeric said...

TA, Iv seen this movie like twice and just like I am Sam (Sean Penn & my fav actress Dakota Fanning) its a good but damn sad story. No matter how many times I watch it, id def cry my eyes out! U must watch it to really understand wht im talking abt. ;)

cakapaje said...

Salam Farina,

Hmm...is the comment reserved for Doc TA only? :) Still, I must make a point to watch the movie.

By the way, you are Farina aka Princess are you not? It seems you too have taken a new look on your blog. Hmm...wonder if I should follow suit.

Salt N Turmeric said...

hehe yes this is farina aka princess. i still keep my pj blog but changed the setting so new readers wud go to my food blog and only those who knew me know where to go to my 'life' blog. ;)

eh wht do u mean tht the comment only for doc ta? how many writers are there for this blog? arent talk only and cakapaje the same? ur making me confuse. *malu*