You all know I'm a practising Catholic. And being in Malaysia I suppose you do know that I learn a little about others' faiths. Not that I know them in-depth, but I do know some fundamentals. And I know enough stuff on other faiths to tell me that how holy a person is doesn't depend on external technicalities alone. (Some of you may cite this reason as to why the Catholic Church is often criticised). The Islamic part of Form 4 History let me know a little more about the Islamic faith (which is the nation's official faith).
Again, I was getting the scoop on Yasmin Ahmad when some guy (who didn't give his name and didn't greet her) challenged her on the covering of the aurat (i.e. the rest of the body, except the face and hands). It started with that guy asking Yasmin for the verses in scripture. Yasmin reflected that comment back to him - she asked him to give the verses. Very well, he did. And here's a translation of the after-comment :
Are you trying to say that the compulsion of covering up, which is practised by millions of followers all over the world, is something not compulsory ? Are you trying to prove that you know a lot more about the Quran than scholars around the world ?
Do you know who this reminds me of ? The Pharisees and Sadducees during Jesus Christ's time when they were commenting on all those technicalities (like the fact that Christ's disciples didn't wash their hands before eating, and that Christ was healing people and performing miracles on the Sabbath day). I was angry. Even in a society revolving largely around secular pursuits there are such hypocrites. Now, I felt, it's time for troisnyx* to intervene.
To the person who threw the false accusation on Yasmin Ahmad's blog I answer :
No one's considering themselves any higher than anyone else around them. Kak Min did her films with humility. She did them for a noble cause. So why are you trying to put ideas into people's heads that she's challenging belief ?
Well if you THINK that's the case, tell me - you know full well that covering the aurat is a must. But do you also know that there's more to practice than covering up alone ? Your concern, rather, should be on whether she can reach out to people and bring them back to righteousness, and that's precisely what I see (in her films and in her behaviour).
Now, I tell you solemnly, if you still wanna refute me, bring it over to troisnyx* officiel. I'm certain that with whatever I know, I'll grill you through and through. I may not wear religion on my sleeve, I may not know the Scriptures at my fingertips, but I do know one thing : the love and power of the Lord is enough to help me bend people like you on the knee !
P.S. I returned to the post on Yasmin's blog where that guy gave such heated comments (I know I was hot-blooded in that one) and I found that even Yasmin gave a good counter-argument to their comments. I do admit, every now and then we are judgmental, but I can't tolerate anyone who's judgmental when it comes to religious practice. I know I'm not - and I know Yasmin isn't. Nyeah well, as my Lit teacher Ms Sunbeam quotes from Scripture all the time, if we judge others, in the last days God will judge us accordingly.
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