Shakespeare Extravaganza

It really has been more than a year since I wrote here. Kinda makes me think of how time flies and that life is transient and all that jazz. Either that or I am lazy as hell. It’s probably the latter.

Anyway, seeing that my writing has been significantly reduced to an annual one-off thing, I’d better make this post slightly above average, even though that would be a hard goal to score after not writing for so long. Man, what a vicious cycle.

So here goes the "Shakespeare Extravaganza" that I have been planning for days. I realize that it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I am feeling very self indulgent right now, so bear with me. Since plays are meant to be performed and not just read, I have also included links to YouTube videos of selected scenes at the end of every entry, for your reference. Let’s start now, shall we?

1. Macbeth

I know of many people who are conflicted about Macbeth. On the one hand, it is possibly the greatest tragedy Shakespeare ever wrote, arguably of course; and on the other hand, most everyone who took the SPM would look back to that time and associate that with the confusion of “Life’s Brief Candle”, a famous soliloquy from the play. The trauma of having gone through that usually puts people off Macbeth, which is a shame because in terms of length, the play is considerably shorter compared to the other tragedies (King Lear creeps to mind) and the storyline much simpler.

The play starts with the audience being informed of Macbeth’s valiant acts in a recently concluded war with a rebel, the Thane of Cawdor. We are told of his awesome feats in battle by another soldier, for the attention of King Duncan, who immediately plans to make Macbeth the new Thane of Cawdor, replacing the rebel. Before Macbeth even hears a word of this plan to honour him, he comes across the three weird sisters (or witches, if you will) prophesying Macbeth’s rise to the Thaneship of Cawdor and later….. to the Kingdom of Scotland. Mind you, Macbeth is not Duncan’s son as you probably can tell anyway, so the only way Macbeth can ever be the next king is if Duncan and his heirs to the throne die first.

Now, there seems to be the suggestion that Macbeth might be able to ignore the weird prophesy, but the possibility is dashed by a message sent by King Duncan’s envoy, informing Macbeth that he is now the Thane of Cawdor. Man being what he is, Macbeth grows impatient and begins to eye the throne, even considering foul play to speed up the process. It does not help matter that his wife is this insanely ambitious bitch with a heart of stone to go with it. But just how a far can a man go for ambitions? In a heated exchange with his wife, who accuses him of being lily-hearted in his pursuit of power, Macbeth retorts the following:

“I dare do all that may become a man; Who dares do more, is none”

This is a play that touches the psychological consequences of immoral acts. More than any other plays, Shakespeare devotes a great amount of time in showing Macbeth’s internal miseries. How can he not, when in his greed, Macbeth is driven to regicide and still later, to murders of innocent children? One cannot commit all those offences and expect to get away with it. We see how Macbeth subtly suffers from insomnia because he is too afraid to sleep, having killed Duncan while the latter was asleep. And we see how he becomes increasingly reliant of evil (the three sisters) in his efforts to stay in power. It’s an avalanche of evil deeds, one that results in destruction to the victims as well as the perpetrators.

Give this play a try. It’s packed with a lot of action and makes you think twice before doing something immoral to get where you want to be. And, for those of you who are fans of the "tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow" soliloquy, here are two famous renditions for comparison; one by Patrick Stewart (Professor X) and the other by Ian McKellen (Magneto/Gandalf):

2. Much Ado About Nothing

I am not really a fan of Shakespeare’s comedies, but a few stand out in my eyes, one of them being the light and sweet Much Ado About Nothing. The premise is nothing original; we see two couples who are brought together in a merry little town of Messina; one through cupid, and the other through their friends’ mischief. It's a story as old as love itself, which actually adds to the charm of the play.

The play opens with the announcement that Don Pedro ( who just won a war) is visiting his old friend, Signior Leonato, the governor of said Messina. Don Pedro brings along Don John, his illegitimate brother; Claudio, a young Count; and Benedick, a confirmed bachelor. Leonato’s daughter, Hero, will be paired with Claudio, in what is suggested to be love at first sight. Whereas Benedick, the self-proclaimed bachelor for life, seems to be a convenient match for Leonato’s niece, the seemingly misandristic woman who is sworn against men. But are they as ill-suited as they seem? Hmmm…

Obviously the answer is “No”, for therein lies the comedy of the play. It strikes one as being too simple a premise for comedy, and I would be the first to agree with that claim. But it is not a stretch, I think, to say that the best comedies -in good hands- are usually the simplest. I cannot remember how much I laugh throughout  the film version of this play, directed by Sir Kenneth Branagh in 1993. The verbal sparrings between Benedick and Beatrice (as you can see in the video above) are cruel, sweet and funny all at the same time, and before long, you just cannot wait to see them fall in love with each other, thanks to their conspiring friends who matchmake people for fun (because, hey, that’s what soldiers who return from war do every day!).

Shakespeare being Shakespeare, there is also the dark side of Much Ado that threatens to shatter the bliss enjoyed by the ‘good’ characters. Don John, whose mission in life appears to be to vex his brother, does all that he can to stop Claudio’s marriage to Hero. And it all unravels at the expense of everyone involved. One cannot help but to be reminded of how fleeting happiness is. Once in a while, when you are not careful, misery comes knocking and one just needs to cope with that.

To me, the highlight of the play is when Benedick, after an elaborate trick, finds himself in love with Beatrice and seeks to justify this sudden turn from the bachelor life he swore himself to. It’s a great piece of comedy and Branagh aced it, in this video:

All in all, to every bad in life, there’s good to accompany it, and it usually makes all the difference =)

3. Othello

Let me first admit that the first time I watch the film version of Othello, I saw Sir Lawrence Olivier in thick make-up pretending to be the black eponymous Moor. I was really put-off by that, added to the fact that I have always found Sir Lawrence’s acting a bit too hammy to my liking. It’s a different age, I suppose, but it left a bitter taste to my experience of Othello.

So when I heard that there was another film version out there, one that stars a black man in the role of Othello and the ever wonderful Branagh as the villain, I didn’t think twice before watching it on YouTube. I can safely say that it was one the best decisions in my life. (I am inclined towards the melodramatic, so bear with me) For the first time, I began to see how difficult it must be for a black man to survive a white man’s world, which is essential to a play like Othello.

At the opening of the play, we are told that Iago the villain has been passed over for promotion in favour of another soldier under Othello’s command, the straight Cassio. In an act of revenge, Iago plans to sully Othello’s name by blowing the cover of Othello’s secret marriage to Desdemona, while at the same time pretending to be Othello’s loyal friend. Italy at the time was still rife with racism, and Desdemona’s father took the news badly even though he was once fond of Othello. He even warned Othello to be careful of Desdemona:

“Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see/She has deceiv’d her father, and may thee.”

Iago, seeing his chance, exploited the warning to further fill the seed of doubt in Othello’s mind. Desdemona is, by all accounts, a virtuous woman, so it takes a masterful villain to change the way Othello sees his wife and loses sleep over her fidelity (or the alleged lack thereof). It is in this respect that Shakespeare proves a crafty artist in his creation of Iago. As a villain, he was numerously called by others as “honest Iago”, and is universally liked by all other characters in the play, something that you cannot say for Shakespeare's other villains. Iago is also honest in his duplicity as he declares: “I am not what I am.” The way Iago plays all other characters is fascinating to watch, even though we know just how much misery it causes Othello and the ones around him in the end.

Here is a video of how Iago starts make Othello suspicious of Desdemona. Nice scene.

Never has the subject of jealousy been tackled so plainly as Othello does. One sees how suspicion, when inflamed just right, gives birth to an irrational condemnation of the thing that we hold most dear. I guess fear of losing something is one of the ingredients required to actually lose it. Here is an exchange between Othello and Iago. Powerful performance all around:

And here is the full movie, courtesy of the uploader and YouTube. Don't mind the subtitle. Enjoy =)

The Story of Stuff by Annie Leonard

I have been introduced to the whole concept of The Story Of Stuff while I was a degree student. We were sitting in a class of Environment Management (one of my favorite classes during my undergrad years-highly recommended) and our dear lecturer showed us one of the videos. It changed (almost) the whole concept of sustainability that we have understood before, and I am always amazed by the ideas presented by Annie Leonard and the whole team.

Then, a month ago a friend lend me the book. The 'story' is pretty much the same, only with wider and expanded explanation, in my honest opinion.Early pages of the book might have made you think on the power of purchasing. To make it simpler, for example, some people always on the go with cheaper items with short lifespan, with the idea that all these things- when is no longer useful, can be recycled. Why don't we spend more for something that has higher quality and last longer? Isn't it a better idea to reduce, reduce and reduce, rather than purchasing low-quality stuff with the hope that it will (or might) be properly recycled? How about preventing new waste being made while producing new items?

"Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without"

This book might have revealed a lot of bad ideas and habits that we have been practicing daily each day, but it won't be too late to change. After finishing the book, you might  think deeper while make choices during purchasing. Somehow, you couldn't help to wonder how each item purchase not only affect you, the environment, the economy, but to the whole community's health too. Trust me, you don't need to put your green-hipster-cap on to save the environment, because every little deed goes a long way.

Holistic and  brilliant, and if you want a head start- click here to view its website - http://www.storyofstuff.org/

In the Footsteps of the Prophet: Lessons from the life of Muhammad by Tariq Ramadan.

Every once in a blue moon, you will see a happy kid wandering, back and forth, left and right in Kinokuniya. I have to admit, getting a book, especially by Prof Tariq Ramadan is quite a rare chance, from where I came from (Now, now. Where I come from is a question, too for myself, sometimes. Penang? Ipoh? Terengganu?) So you could say I was a happy kid (am, in fact, until today) to pick up one of his books and paid. So sad it took me a year to finish this book, all thanks to procrastination, new books, errands, and so on. Anyhow, back to the core business.

A refreshing reminder from Tariq Ramadan, the biography is timely prescribed and beautifully arranged that it  drove me to flip from page to page.  The book does not only revolve around the Prophet himself, also the sacrifice made by the Companions, and Muslims from the earliest years. How they confronted with pressures and discrepancies from all sorts in expanding the beauty of Islam is something that we all need to learn from. Perseverance and patience are really circumscribed in the book, that it put me to shame (really) knowing that I am not that strong compared to what they have done and faced.   

Knowing that the Prophet (pbuh) we love is a loving man himself,  the last chapter is certainly one of my favorites (ahem). Quoted Ramadan,

" Divine love was free from human dependence.  He submitted, and he was free. He submitted in the peace of the divine, and he was free from the illusions of human." 

reminded of the word 'ikhlas' or sincerity. It's something that is exclusive and lavish, but not impossible to be achieved. Be aware that ikhlas might be a trait that encourages us to do something, but often an excuse of not doing something, well. 

May all of us are protected, and blessed by the Almighty, insyaAllah.  

Recommended :) 

Killing the Cranes by Edward Girardet

For the last few weeks, I've been stocking up books to read for post-finals leisure, one of them a gem of a non-fiction that I spent quite a fortune on. It was worth every penny. Killing the Cranes is Edward Girardet's account of Afghanistan that covers almost three decades of unending war against various enemies. What makes this book unique is that it is not strictly a history book. It is a journalistic work, with the kind of language that you'd expect from an adventure article in the National Geographic, making the read all the more enjoyable.

The book opens with Girardet's scheduled meeting with Ahmad Shah Massoud, the Afghan Mujahideen commander who led a largely effective resistance against the Soviets back in the 80s. In 2001, he was still at war, but this time leading his small army of Afghan youths to stall the onslaught of the Talibans in the Panjshir Valley. The meeting never took place, for Massoud was killed in a suicide attack two days before 9/11. It is such a powerful intro to the book.

Then Girardet goes on to tell the reader what first pulled him to the enigmatic land of Afghanistan, where the people are both hospitable and proud, and foreigners are treated like families if they come in peace. As a fresh graduate in the 70s, he had wanted to report on any Asian country embroiled in conflict, and Afghanistan, with the communist coup d'etat in 1978, looked promising. Armed with a bagpack, sturdy hiking boots and some notebooks, he began a journey that would span almost half of his life. Little did he know then that he was going to join and mingle with a people that would bring communism to its knees.

 In today's world of fast-paced news reporting and conflict coverage, it is fascinating to see glimpses of old-school journalism at work. Girardet adopted the Afghans' lifestyle in his lengthy research for news materials, learned their way of life and even hiked the mountains along with the Mujahideen in their struggle against communism. The book is filled with anecdotal insights into some of the most famous figures in the world now. A particularly memorable one tells of Girardet's accidental meeting with a young Osama bin Laden, with whom Girardet shared the title of 'guests' of Afghanistan.

What I find most appealing about the book is how it captures the romanticism of Afghanistan that is often overlooked amidst stories of war and terrorism, and Girardet does it so well that I found it easy to understand how a European could not seem to leave the war-torn nation for very long. He always came back to the warmth of the soft-spoken men of the valley and the adventure that an unstable country is willing to give. Of course, the cost of war is adequately potrayed, and there are times when reading about the deaths of good people (like the young Afghans, and the charity volunteers) makes me want to put the book down but such times are rare. It's not the main point of the book. What it is, is a personal story of a reporter who fell in love with a nation and seeks to share with the world what Afghanistan has to offer, as seen through his eyes. The even pace of the narration serves that purpose very well, making me feel like I was accompanying the author in his quest to report the beauty and the ugly of the country.

 A nice little story serves as a background to the title of the book, and its metaphorical beauty fills me with a deep sense of melancholy: Girardet was sitting and talking with an Afghan poet and a close friend, Massoud Khalili in 2004, when the latter suddenly paused  and looked at the sky. Khalili commented that he had not seen the crane birds fly as they used to during migration season. In fact he had not spotted a crane since the height of the Soviet-Afghan war. He mused, "Have we even killed the cranes?"

I highly recommend this book to those who seek to understand a little bit better about Afghanistan and the events leading up to the war against global terrorism. It is not a truly academic account of the nation's history but I can promise you that it will teach you more about humanity than a history book ever can.

Visit Girardet's official website to find out more about the books and to read excerpts.

The Ethics of Muhammad (pbuh)

This is not a book review, but I thought some people might find it helpful, so here it is.

I have just come back from a public lecture given by Tim Winter in Gonville and Caius College, a lecture on Islamic ethics as personified by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). I went with a non-Muslim friend and as much as I was moved by the lecture, she was visibly more moved. It is her particular reaction to the lecture that made me decide to write a review on it.

Winter started by illuminating on the personality of the Prophet. According to Muslim chronicles, it took 23 years for Muhammad (pbuh) to bring about a nearly complete transformation of the Arab peninsular, from a pagan society of feuding tribes to an ordered monotheist community governed by a single law. This man was no theorist, he did not commit to writing a set of principles or a dogma that his followers can cling to; in fact he could not read nor write. At a time when the Quran was more a verbal guidance than a codified source of law that it is now, people were more attracted by what they witnessed rather than everything else. The Prophet's personality or mannerism (خلق) is very likely to have accounted for the success of the societal transformation of Arabia during that time.

The Prophet claimed that he was sent by God to perfect the human character*.  It is in the perfection of human character that the universal ethics in Islam lie. Winter calls this set of ethics universal because despite liberal democratic values, there are things that people still find to be intrinsically wrong. Winter gave the example of modesty, one of the underpinning value in the Prophet's life. It was reported that the Prophet was more shy than a virgin in a tent (I take that to mean very shy indeed!). The west might be more willing to accept certain immodest behaviours but the notion of modesty itself is not alien to westerners. Even now, public nudity is still illegal in most European countries. The same goes to other Islamic ethics that non-Muslims are able to relate to; perhaps not in the same magnitude as Muslims, but the avenue for understanding is there.

Of course, we as Muslims have a duty to facilitate this understanding, even when at times we are forced to resort to utilitarian explanation of Islam. For example, a non-Muslim who asks about the headscarf may be given the rather secular answer (the society will benefit more if women wear modest attires, etc) and not the real answer, which is that Muslims simply submit to God's order to cover their aurah (عورة). This duty to help understanding lies behind the core duty of spreading the word of God, but it does not do to dismiss the real reason for most of Muslim's behaviours: submission to God's will, the underlying principle within each Muslim's life.

One need not go further to find the essence of Islamic ethics than to be familiar with God's attributes. Winter alludes to the idea of moral excellence by adorning ourselves with divine qualities. The 99 names of Allah help us to identify the characteristics of the perfect being. This does not mean that we are prescribed a duty to be the perfect being. It is in the process of striving to be morally excellent by means of emulating the divine attributes that Islamic ethics can truly be meaningful. And then, there is of course, the example of the Prophet himself, whose character, according to his wife Aishah, is the Quran. 

One of the most important lessons that we can take home is perhaps the alertness to the present in our reflection of the transience of life. Islam pays a lot of attention to the afterlife, and the Prophet himself said that the wisest man is he who thinks of death constantly. By bearing in mind that the future is not certain and that death may come at any time, we can do well by focusing on the present. I personally have found myself inhibited from doing the right thing because I fear the consequences that might entail. The Prophet himself never went to sleep before giving away what little money he had in his possession that day. His absolute trust in God's provision absolves him of fear of the future's uncertainty. Some people say that this is foolhardy; how can you not worry about the future even for a bit? Surely we have to plan for the future? Yes we do, but not at the expense of doing the right thing now. Whenever we feel held back from doing what is right, maybe because it is not financially or socially wise to do so, remind ourselves of what The Prophet said to Abu Bakr, "Do not be sad for Allah is with us. / لا تحزن إنالله معنا "**

There is a lot more discussed in the lecture but I am pressed for time since tomorrow will be a full day for me and there is some work I have to do. I will end the review here and hope that you find it as helpful as my friend and I did. In the mean time, stay well : )

Wallahu a'lam.

* Sahih Muslim, 6017

** The Quran 9:40

Tuhan Manusia dari Faisal Tehrani

"Semua agama itu tidak sama. Tapi betul, yang semua agama menyeru ke arah kebaikan."

#1 Waktu Tingkatan 2 dahulu, kelas agama yang paling saya suka sebab Ustazah Fatimah rajin bercerita. Tapi, malang sekali, waktu itu segala cerita diserap satu hala. Zaman itu, rasa naif melebihi rasa ingin tahu, jadi segala pertanyaan, "Mengapa, apa, di mana, bagaimana" semuanya ditutup dek diam seribu bahasa. Tau sahaja hujung bulan ada kertas ujian menanti. Barangkali itu sebabnya bila Ustazah cakap ayat di atas, saya semat sahaja baik-baik dalam hati. Tiada soalan.
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#2 Satu masa dahulu di zaman undergraduate, dimulakan cerita dengan imbasan kenangan bersama kawan kawan. Mungkin kenangan itu besar impaknya, sebab sampai sekarang saya ingat segala butirnya (Lebih dari cerita ceriti gosip harian yang tak ketahuan benarnya). Dalam perbincangan itu, 'kakak' saya telah mengingatkan kami tentang ayat yang sama. Waktu ini, mungkin saya lebih berani dalam bertanya.

Katakanlah (wahai Muhammad): “Hai orang-orang kafir!“Aku tidak akan menyembah apa yang kamu sembah.Dan kamu tidak mahu menyembah (Allah) yang aku sembah.Dan aku tidak akan beribadat secara kamu beribadat.Dan kamu pula tidak mahu beribadat secara aku beribadat.Bagi kamu ugama kamu, dan bagiku ugamaku. (109: 1-6)

#3 Saasatul Ibaad saya beli pada tahun 2009. Janji pada diri setiap helaian ingin dihabiskan, tapi manusia. "Terlupa apa yang perlu, terlalu banyak alasannya." Mungkin terlalu berat, tak tercapai dek kemampuan saya pada waktu itu. Lalu sahabat saya mencadangkan buku ini, oleh penulis yang sama. Tak pernah ada kesempatan untuk membeli, tahun 2012 menemukan kami.


"Kerana ilmu sangat penting. Ilmu membezakan manusia dan haiwan ternak, membezakan manusia dan malaikat. Hah, kerana ilmulah manusia, mendapat darjat yang lebih istimewa daripada malaikat. Kata 'ilm diulang sebanyak tujuh ratus lima puluh kali dengan berbagai-bagai bentuk dalam al-Quran." (ms 278, para 3)

Berkisar tentang Ali Taqi, seorang adik yang mencari jawapan terhadap satu persoalan yang berat. Berat, bukan sahaja sebab ia menggoncang haluan abangnya, tetapi menggugat segala ummat yang mengambil kisah. Tiada sebarang unsur cinta terlalu idealistik yang menganggu tema utama novel ini, cuma kekuatan kasih antara seorang adik kepada seorang abang, seorang bapa kepada seorang anak, seorang hamba kepada Tuhannya. Dan mungkin kisah Zehra dengan kisahnya yang tidak berbalas, atau Encik Aris dengan ideologinya yang bagi saya, sangat gerun sekali bila membacanya. Mungkin sebab persoalan ini 'baru' bagi saya.

Setiap helaian membuka mata saya. Betul, sebab buku ini sarat dengan segala maklumat dan hujah, saya kagum dengan hasil kajian penulisnya. Terperinci, dan tidak sambil lewa, serta serius dengan penyampaiannya.

Dalam dunia perbincangan sehari-hari, malahan dalam ruang social networking, saya dipertemukan dengan istilah dan sekumpulan manusia yang 'holier-than-thou' ataupun lebih jelas dengan label 'self-righteous'. Selalunya pendekatan yang menghukum itu didahulukan daripada mendidik, just because.

"Sekolah agama kot. Perangai sama je."
"Pakai tudung tapi...."
" Dulu kat sekolah _________ (masukkan perlakuan baik). Sekarang upload video Youtube. Takut aku dengan dia. Aktiviti seni kononnya."

Seolah olah manusia yang lahir dalam background agama, bersekolah agama itu selamanya maksum. Seolah-olah disebabkan satu kekurangan, habis semua kebaikan. Seolah-olah pencuri yang ditidakkan kebenaran tatkala berpesan supaya tidak mencuri, tanpa difikirkan kebenaran pesanannya.

Dalam buku ini, kepentingan dalam hikmah itu ditunjukkan, agar indah itu lebih difahami. Dan penjelasan itu seharusnya berlandaskan sesuatu yang relevan dan diterima fikrahnya. Bukan sekadar free-mind based, terima sahaja segalanya. Tidak bermaksud jika seseorang itu menolak pluralisme, beliau tidak boleh menganjur kebaikan dengan manusia lain yang berbeza agama dan bangsa. Tidak juga bermaksud manusia itu tidak ada batasnya. Agar yang keliru itu tak terus berlalu, yang kabur itu tak terus gelap, yang terus itu tiba tiba berhala.

"Andai kota itu peradaban, rumah kami adalah budaya, dan menurut ibu, tiang serinya adalah agama."

Habis sahaja menyelak buku ini, saya tahu banyak lagi yang saya perlu cari. Mudah-mudahan tidak terbatas di sini sahaja.

The Subtle Blessings in the Saintly Lives of Al-Mursi and Abul-Hassan

This review is written by a new friend of the BukuProject's, Aslan Uddin*. Enjoy : )

Many people easily get into the trap of saying “there’s no good men/women out there”, but we should avoid falling into that mode of thinking, because often we attract the type of people that we are ourselves, or think of, like a self-fulfilling prophecy.

The “Subtle Blessings” is a book that reminds readers of the blessings that God has bestowed upon humanity by the continued prevalence of excellent people on this Earth, who though rare, nevertheless exist and serve to guide people towards their higher potentials, and in achieving tranquillity in Allah Most High. This is in contrast to most celebrities these days who pull people to their lower selves.

The Prophet described 3 integral parts of Islam, the legal side, the intellectual side, and the spiritual side. The book focuses primarily on the latter (without diminishing the other aspects), since it improves people and makes a person’s Iman (religious conviction) and its sweetness grow. It contains the teachings of two spiritual masters called “Abul Hasan ash-Shadhili” and “Abul Abbas al-Mursi”. Both strove to embody the outward and inward character traits and practices of the Prophet Muhammed (Peace of Allah be upon him), practically reforming the lives of many.  It explains how they went about it in their own lives, and in the lives of others, and how people can adopt such characteristics in their daily lives and make the world a much better place through humility, preference for others, honesty etc.

The book is split to an introduction to the spiritual and intellectual side of Islam, and then the teachings of the shaykhs based upon the Qur’an, Hadiths, sayings, poetry, and explanations of spiritual and religious matters, thus catering to all types of Muslims.

The author, Ibn Ata, a leading legal scholar of his age, at the start had a strongly negative view of them, but when he actually met them, he was blown away, and started keeping their company.  Abbas was instrumental in removing the doubts of Ibn Ata, and helped to increase his certainty in the Divine. With wisdom in relation to solving peoples’ problems, giving sincere advice, giving profound commentaries on the Qur’an, Hadiths (Prophetic sayings) and poetry, the two shaykhs gained large followings amongst both the higher and lower echelons of society.  It goes to show that if one sincerely searches for great people, he will find them to exceed expectations.

Their influence was also extended by the numerous miracles that the author witnessed through those scholars, such as the ability to see into the hearts of people and cure them. These show the benefits of achieving closeness to Allah Most High, the paltriness of attaching ourselves to the lower world, and the need to avoid modern ideologies of scientism and materialism.

 Abbas’ teachings are summarised by his saying: “When I was a young boy, there was a shadow play being put on beside our house, so I went to see it. When I went the next morning to see the teacher at the Qur’anic school, who was a friend of Allah, he uttered the following lines of poetry when he saw me:

“You who behold shadow images in wonderment,
You yourself are the shadow if only you could perceive it!”

At the end of the day, it is to Allah that we turn; so do aim to be of the best people. If we have sincere intentions and take the proper procedures, the experiences and wisdom discussed in this book are not beyond our reach. 

*Aslan is a recent graduate from Warwick University. His curiosity and need for certainty led him into various subjects of study, especially philosophy, science, Sufism and theology. He now works in Cambridge, UK.

The Black Book by Orhan Pamuk

Hi everyone. Here's the second and long overdue installment of Pamuk book reviews by a friend of the BukuProject's, Alia Salleh*. (Man, is this blog on fire or what!)

A word of warning: this might not be a balanced review since I had to abandon the book halfway due to a workload and pick it up again between assignments. It is a book that is best enjoyed in one go; perhaps due to its pace and the links between chapters.

The Black Book is a translation by Maureen Freely from the original Turkish by Orhan Pamuk. A simple story of heavy themes that add up to tell the story of Istanbul; his beloved abode. Here we meet Galip - a lawyer - who finds himself tracking down his missing wife, which coincides with the disappearance of his old cousin Celal, a famous columnist. His search brought him all over Istanbul, where he meets various people; discovering his wife’s untold pasts with her previous husband, Galip’s own untold pasts, Celal’s untold stories, and all the while, looking at a different side of Istanbul - the mystical side interwoven with the leftist movement. 

Despite being smitten with Pamuk’s writing, I do not find this work of his something that leaves you awed - perhaps tiring at times, the way something fast-paced never comes to a conclusion, and you forcefully drag yourself along just to meet the inevitable end. The lack of a plot might serve to highlight the deep undercurrents of Istanbul he cleverly present to the readers - mystical sects, alley gangs, urban legends and (as expected) the melancholy; yet I seem to sometimes feel that he’s going too much into it, it feels draining. 

That said, Pamuk’s lyrical writing is as mesmerising as ever - despite the book being a mere translation (Freely did a nice job). He again links the chapters smartly, stringing them in ways you least expect, adding to the book’s mysterious feel. Since Istanbul: Memoirs and The City, I have had a soft spot for his long running sentences that describe almost everything instances after instances, so much so that it leaves you dizzy. In a nice way. 

Dizzying seems like a good word to describe it. The way you are taken into mazes of concepts of dervish sects, the coming of Messiah, the various anecdotes of short tales (that you would be tempted to think about) - either told by the characters or delved in Celal’s columns. It can be confusing, the probable mix of facts and fiction to one who does not know Istanbul. It will require a second read for people like me.

It feels right to share that my two favourite chapters are “We Lost Our Memories in the Movies” and “Can’t You Sleep”. The latter might be due to the fact that I happen to read it while having trouble sleeping. You like to feel that the author is talking to you, and you especially; it leaves one warm.

All in all it is worth a read - and if you feel disheartened by the weight of it try his other books first, maybe My Name is Red to get used to his style. His melancholic writing is still a winner to me.

“The books you read talked of the night’s cruel silence. I know just how cruel silence could be.”

*Alia Salleh is now a management trainee at PNB and just short of being a fully competent cyclist. She now resides in Kuala Lumpur and keeps a Tumblr blog.

A Streetcar Named Desire

It's 2 in the morning and by anyone's standard, far too early (or late) for a book review. But I can't seem to sleep so you readers must endure another review up here. Boy, it sure feels strange when this blog is updated regularly, doesn't it? :D

A Streetcar Named Desire is a play written by one of the most famous American playwrights of the 20th century, Tennessee Williams. His other work, The Glass Menagerie, was one of the play options for my A-Level literature several years ago, but Mr Cranwell, my teacher, opted for another play called 'The Rivals'. To this day, I can't remember the reason for the life of me. Anyway, back to A Streetcar Named Desire. Blanche DuBois, a southern American belle used to a life of refined luxury, has just arrived in New Orleans to stay with her sister, Stella, after her family home was lost to a bad mortgage. Blanche, who shows signs of mental instability, almost immediately got on the wrong side of Stella's 'common' and rough husband, Stanley Kowalski, and the play follows their conflicting personalities and the tragedy that it leads up to. 

 This play strikes me as an emotionally violent piece of work, with characters moulded to demand raw performances from the actors. Even before watching the famous 1951 film adaptation starring Marlon Brando and Vivien Leigh, the written play's strong language shocks me at times and lends the play an even more shocking tone overall, considering the nature of the two main characters. Blanche is suggested to be quick with verbal replies, something that she utilizes frequently in reasserting her superior upbringing, much to Stanley's chagrin. Stanley, a rough working class man that represents the new generation of New Orleans of 1940s, is forever annoyed by Blanche's efforts to disrupt the power dynamics of the Kowalski household. The climax of the play, which I will not reveal, can be seen as a metaphore of an accumulation of antagonism between two different lifestyles post WW2.

Leigh as Blanche and Brando as Stanley in the film adaptation (1951)

This play reminds me of Shakespeare's King Lear, in that my sympathies are evoked for different characters at different times all through the play. Despite the brutish manners of Stanley's, I cannot help but feel sorry for his desperate cries to keep Stella by his side after beating her up in a drunken stupor, something that the feminist in me can never tolerate. Toward the end of the play, I found myself rooting for Blanche instead, as I see her struggle to keep her sanity in a harsh world, surrounded by 'deliberate cruelty'. And then, of course, there are Stella and Mitch, the two side characters who are trapped in Stanley and Blanche's power play. In the end, I cannot really make up my mind as to whose side it is that I am meant to be on. Perhaps no one and everyone. 

I would recommend this to fellow theater freaks who are interested in the study of human characters. Casual readers might find this play a bit too theatrical in its writing, in which I case I would suggest watching the film instead, as it is very faithful to Williams' play, although the director chose to write a different ending. Besides, plays are meant to be watched, not read. And when you have a young Brando in the lead, you can't really say no to that, can you? ; )

8 stars out of 10.

Flowers for Algernon

"If your smart you can have lots of frends to talk to and you never get lonley by yourself all the time." - Charlie

I came across this marvelous gem of a book in my college library and, intrigued by the subject matter, I decided to borrow it and took it home with me. And that was perhaps the best decision I had made that day. Daniel Keyes' tale of human efforts to change nature is a very poignant one, even more so than Wells' Island of Dr Moreau, in my opinion. It's a science fiction, one of my favourite genre, so I may be a little biased.

The eponymous Algernon is a lab rat that has undergone an experiment to enhance its intelligence by artificial means, ie. surgery, instead of intellectual training. The experiment proved to be a success, and Algernon begins to show signs of increased intelligence. The scientists then decided to extrapolate the success to human subject and Charlie, an adult with a very low IQ of 68, is selected to undergo the surgery. The book deals with Charlie's experience before the surgery, after it, and what he goes through when the effects of the surgery begin to diminish and he regresses back to the way he was before the surgery.

The reader is allowed access to Charlie's innermost thoughts and feelings by compiling Charlie's progress reports for the duration of the experiment. When the story starts, Charlie's writing is unmistakably flawed, like the writing of a six-year-old. What I was most amazed by when I read this book is how I could gradually sense Charlie's transformation from an innocent simpleton to this complicated man with above-average IQ, and subsequently to a cruel and depressed person who is often troubled by too much thinking. It's a powerful narration of a person's descent to complete unhappiness, and by the time I was almost through with the book, I couldn't help but to feel a little afraid of extraordinary cleverness (which does not help when you're a final year student in college).

Charlie's story is powerful, one that forces me to think about what it means to be comfortable in our own skin. In this modern world, I get the feeling that we as a generation have conceived for ourselves this skewed definition of justice and fairness. Now, when we think of fairness, we tend think of equal portions for everyone. When a person is born with less, we are quick to say that it is unfair. I've done that before. When I looked at a physically-handicapped, I couldn't help but to feel sorry, because I felt that he was unfairly born with that handicap.

But Flowers for Algernon makes me rethink that notion. Surely, in a universe as complex as ours, there is a balance in creation, a balance so well-crafted that it is beyond our grasp, most of the time. What one person lacks in one field he has in abundance in another. Charlie, when he was a simpleton, was happy, and that, in itself is a blessing that many intelligent people are cursed without. And yet, the society we live in, with its idolatry of material gains and conquests, would have us believe that there are things more important than internal calm and peace, when in fact those things are but means to what we all unknowingly strive for, happiness. And it's wonderful that sometimes, it takes a fiction to teach us all about what it means to be happy in our own skin.

Highly recommended. Happy new year everyone : )

Kashmir: Roots of Conflict, Paths to Peace

Hi everyone, it's been such a long time. I had just purchased the Kindle version of this book last night after watching a Bollywood film, 'Fanaa' (I hope it doesn't surprise anyone that I love Hindi films). The second part of the film had piqued my interest in the Kashmir conflict so much that I began doing some online research on it, and voila! I came across this book and immediately bought it on Kindle.

Before I jump into the actual review of the book, I would like to first put it on record that I did not know that the Kashmir conflict is as old as the Israel-Palestine one. The circumstances under which the two conflicts developed may be different, but they share something in common: being the oldest and as yet unsettled international agenda of the United Nations Security Council. It really stunned me, after reading this book, that this conflict is not getting similar attention in Malaysia compared to the one received by the Palestinian issue. I guess maybe the politicians do not see anything to be gained by championing peace in Kashmir. If I am right, it is a real shame, because this conflict shows just how potentially dangerous strict adherence to national ideologies can become, and in light of recent revival of nationalism in some South East Asian countries, that is something states like Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia can take lessons from.

To begin with, Sumantra Bose's clear and straightforward style of writing gives a very easy-to-follow narrative history of the Kashmir conflict, a huge plus point for anyone who is not particularly well-versed in this particular topic. This is so especially since Kashmir as a geographical entity is a very complex one. Even though Bose is an academic writer, the language he employed has very minimal jargon and of course, that is never a bad thing, right? But it really read like a detached account of the history and the whole time, I cannot say I was that emotionally invested in the conflict, not as much as much as I hope to be, anyway. But, what the book lacks in personal attachment, it makes up in stylish presentation.

The book itself is divided into 5 parts, the first 4 of which deal with the history and the last part deals with Bose's proposed answer to the issues faced in trying to bring about peace. So the reader is properly introduced to the roots of the conflict in the first 2 chapters, before the author starts getting to what the book really is about; the current situation in Kashmir (chapters 3 and 4) and a possible solution to the conflict. And this 5-part presentation of the subject matter is such a nice way to go about it. When I was reading, it really did feel like an incremental momentum is physically building up.

The only thing I can say against this book, and it's a very minor thing, is that the solution offered does not seem very practical. The author started the book by acknowledging that India and Pakistan have shown little real interest to concede control of Kashmir, and this reluctance is very much due to the ideological stubbornness that is almost inherent in the conception of both states. The deep-rooted rivalry between the two has manifested itself in several outright physical confrontations since 1947. Even though there is now a large degree of participation (and it is increasing at an alarming rate) by the Kashmiris themselves, the Indian and Pakistani governments are still central to any peace efforts that wish to succeed. Until this ideological opposition between India and Pakistan is significantly removed, I do not see how Bose's proposal of a 'more subtle self-determination' can ever be realistically exercised by all the regions within Kashmir.

Having said that, it is still a very fantastic read, especially if you enjoy history as much as I do. I have ordered another book that deals with Kashmir and unfortunately the title is not available in kindle format, so it may be a few more days before it arrives. But that is how interested in this issue I am after reading Bose's book. I highly recommend it to history fans and the politically interested. Enjoy.

A Game of Thrones

Here's another short review by a long time friend of the Project's, Meor Muslih*.

“I warned you not to trust me” - Little Finger

I like this book. Why?

• The characters. No two characters are alike. There are one or two or three that stands out. But mostly because they are either : too honorable and bordering stupid, or they are a dwarf (not the one with beard and a battle axe, but the one with achondroplasia). And there are Little Finger, Varys and Syrio Forel. Little characters that made all the difference.

• The storytelling. I like the way Mr. Martin divides each chapter according to point-of-view of one character. It works for me, since there are basically three major plots in this book. It makes sense to tell the reader “Ok, this part is from this person’s point of view.”

• The plot. Honestly I don’t read Tolkien’s, Paolini’s, or Eddings’. So I may not judge correctly. Basically I don’t hate the plot. That’s alright for me. The twists are also exciting. But if I have to be honest, I can’t read Daenerys.

• The world. It’s quite new for me. Of course there are knights and big palaces and princess and battles and death. But there are no elf and dwarf. There are very long winters and very long summers. There is a wall of ice at the north, guarding the realm of man from ‘the others’. There are traces ad mentions religions and some form of magic, but so far it’s not a big part of the saga.

Again. I like this book. Will I recommend it to anyone? Yes.

*Meor is a medical student who enjoys books and has just bought himself a Kindle. Congratulations. He keeps a blog here.

Revolutionary Doctors

It's been a while since this blog was last updated. While reading up on the effects of the Cuban Revolution on healthcare this morning, I found an interesting review on a book that discusses how healthcare has been transformed by the idea of revolutionary medicine, as first proposed by Che Guevara. Have a look:

“Often we need to change our concepts, not only the general concepts, the social or philosophical ones, but also sometimes our medical concepts.” - Ernesto Che Guevara.

Modelled on Che Guevara’s principles and keeping in line with the Cuban revolution, Steve Brouwer’s assessment of Cuba’s health care system in his book Revolutionary Doctors: How Venezuela and Cuba Are Changing the World’s Conception of Health Care (Monthly Review Press, July 2011) stands as a testimony to answer anyone claiming that socialism cannot function. Cuban doctors have regaled people in Latin America and around the world with medical opportunities which, in capitalist ideology and implementation, remain remote. While Cubans are provided free health care provided by medics who are dedicated to science and society, the United States has created a scheme based on profits, which marginalizes a major segment of the population who cannot afford costly treatment.

Che Guevara, himself a doctor, always reiterated the responsibility of helping the oppressed. Having observed the effects of poverty and social class during his travels in Latin America, his revolutionary consciousness stemmed from the concept of restoring dignity to the poor who were oppressed and neglected by dictatorships. Reaffirming Che’s philosophy, at the ELAM (Escuela Latinoamericana de Medicina) medical school in Cuba, an inscription of Fidel Castro’s words greets the students. “This will be a battle of solidarity against selfishness.” Striving against the reluctance of the minority who view a career medicine as an opportunity to achieve higher social status, ELAM’s philosophy is “transforming the doctor’s privilege into a doctor’s responsibility.”

Immediately after the triumph of the revolution, the health care system in Cuba underwent major changes. Despite a shortage of doctors, many of them having left to practice in the US and thereby retain prestige and social status, Cuba invested heavily in social welfare. Health care services were nationalized, medicine prices were reduced and treatment fees were gradually eliminated. By the end of 1960, Cuban doctors were employed in a system that provided free health care to all Cubans.

Aspiring doctors in Cuba were able to study medicine for free. In return for free education, doctors were required to relinquish the notion of medicine as an elitist career and work in close contact with the people, travel to rural areas, conduct home visits, and research in rural communities. In 1970, the Ministry of Health pointed out the mistake of valuing specialization over primary health care, given that many medical problems could have been solved by paying special attention to the environment. The study of primary health care and environmental problems proved successful when in Venezuela, it was discovered that apart from the effects of damp weather during rainy seasons, the wood fires which women lighted in their houses were causing lung congestion. The problem was lack of proper ventilation in houses. In 1984, a program of comprehensive general medicine was formulated, enabling medical students to study different areas of medicine in a continuous sequence, rather than separate subjects. The new curriculum was discussed with medics from Canada, Venezuela, Australia and the Philippines, with the director of ELAM stating that comprehensive general medicine allowed students to progress in scientific training whilst at the same time providing the opportunity for students to 'understand the patient as a whole'.

Cuba has become a key player in responding to humanitarian aid around the world. Medical help was provided for countries ravaged by natural disasters such as Haiti, where Cuban doctors performed 6449 surgeries and stayed on long after the seven weeks of humanitarian aid offered to the Haitians by the US were over. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in the US, Cuban doctors were forbidden by then- President Bush to assist in humanitarian aid. While Bush dismissed the Cuban offer as ‘propaganda’ by Fidel Castro, the brigade of doctors proved otherwise as they were dispatched to Pakistan, where an earthquake had left thousands of people in dire need of medical and humanitarian assistance. Indeed, the disposition and ethics of Cuban doctors is a source of pride to Fidel Castro who, in his column Reflections of Fidel, contrasted Cuba’s contribution to that of the US. “We are sending doctors, not soldiers!”

Combining medical care, research and ethics, Cuban doctors continue to export the revolutionary struggle on an international level. Cuba provided medical and humanitarian aid to countries whose politics were hostile to the Cuban revolution, such as the Nicaragua under the Somoza dictatorship. South Africa was aided by Cuban doctors in developing healthcare programs for combating HIV. Tanzania now boasts a medical school set up by Cuban doctors. And in Venezuela, the successful Barrio Adentro mission, as well as the free health care system has been modelled after the Cuban project, with doctors assisting and training Venezuelan medics in revolutionizing health care as a model of social responsibility.

The reluctance of Venezuela doctors to work and live in rural areas made it necessary for President Hugo Chavez to call in the expertise of Cuban doctors. The constitution drawn up by Chavez in 1999 granted all Venezuelans the right to accessible health care. Social missions were set up to monitor and ensure health care improvement in working class and poverty stricken areas. Cuban doctors made up for the lack of Venezuelan doctors willing to live in rural areas, reporting health problems that would have been common in countries with a very low GDP, such as Ethiopia and Angola.

The first phase of Barrio Adentro created over six thousand facilities throughout Venezuela which dealt with primary healthcare. The project was furthered to include diagnostic clinics and intensive care for people who were unable to be transferred to larger hospitals. Later the public hospital system was improved by technology updates, as well as improving communication with other health networks. Chavez’s government also ordered the construction of research laboratories and specialized hospitals offering advanced forms of treatment. By the end of August 2010, 83% of Venezuelans had benefited from Barrio Adentro – a far cry from the situation in the 1980’s where 17 million out of 24 million Venezuelans had no access to medical care.

Brouwer points out the benefits of health care as social responsibility. Apart from educating students and offering free courses to aspiring doctors, Cuba has also strived to educate and encourage Venezuelan people to assume responsibility for safeguarding the free health care system. Poor people were offered two meals a day prepared by volunteers, thus combating the effects of malnutrition. In order to avoid street crimes, Venezuelans volunteered as bodyguards for Cuban doctors. Committees of volunteers were set up, supplying Cuban doctors with food, housing and help in data collection, research and public health campaigns.

Financed by Venezuela, Cuban doctors in Bolivia treated over 300,000 Bolivians for eye surgery between 2006 and 2008. In an echo of history, it later became known that one of the patients treated for eye surgery was Mario Teran, the soldier singled out as Che Guevara’s executioner. Cuban doctors in Bolivia are perceived as emulating Che’s internationalist example.

Despite the obvious positive impact and social transformation which Cuban and Venezuelan health care had in Latin America, the US State Department and the CIA expressed concerns that Cuba and Venezuela were having a negative effect on Latin America. Counter-revolutionary efforts to thwart the socialist mission were staged, with a group of Cuban and Venezuelan exiles in Miami stating that doctors were exploited and coerced into servitude by the Cuban government. The only doctor to take part in this conspiracy was later found to be part of an anti-government group. President Bush also offered Cuban and Venezuelan doctors a safe and quick entry to the US, with the hope of disrupting the medical progress achieved in the continent. The US alternative was USAID, a program which promised financial aid in return for US approved “democratic” transition in Latin American socialist countries.

However, the sabotage program failed, highlighting instead capitalism’s failure to deliver what socialist revolutions are achieving in Latin America. Cuban doctors prided themselves on their role as teachers, imparting the necessity of education and community awareness to rural areas which would have otherwise been marginalized by unjust political systems. Within two years of adapting Cuba’s literacy program in Bolivia, UNESCO declared Bolivia free of illiteracy.

Almost every chapter in Revolutionary Doctors starts, befittingly, with a quote from Che Guevara. However, greater prominence might have been given to Fidel Castro's continuous exhortation, even after Che's death, that the West acknowledges and acts upon the injustices riddling Third World countries. In a speech to the United Nations General Assembly in 1979, Castro denounced the inequalities which triggered poverty and ill health:

"There is often talk of human rights, but it is also necessary to speak of the rights of humanity. Why should some people walk around barefoot so that others can travel in luxurious automobiles? Why should some live for 35 years so that others can live for 70? Why should some be miserably poor so that others can be overly rich? I speak in the name of the children in the world who do not have a piece of bread. I speak in the name of the sick who do not have medicine. I speak on behalf of those whose right to life and human dignity have been denied... Of what use, then, is civilization? What is the use of man's conscience? Of what use is the United Nations? [applause] Of what use is the world? It is not possible to speak of peace in the name of tens of millions of human beings who die yearly of hunger, of curable disease throughout the world."

By implementing education on a national level and ensuring its distribution to all echelons of society, Cuba and Venezuela have managed to create a system which embraces and values humanity, and revolutionized medical practice as an ethical and moral responsibility, thus restoring dignity to the people by creating a new social consciousness. The 'conscientious internationalist' embodied by Che Guevara has been transformed into a regenerating reality and, far from the distorted spectrum ranging from prestigious career to saviors, Cuba and Venezuela have managed to transform socialism from an ideology into a humanitarian practice.

Ramona Wadi is a freelance writer living in Malta. Visit her blog at http://walzerscent.blogspot.com.

Original article here.

Another review on the same title here

Khairulnizam Bakeri: Pecah

Expect the unexpected.

Dari mula ia dihebahkan dalam 140 karakter sampailah buku habis dibaca. Karya sulung Khairulnizam Bakeri ini dibaca dari satu halaman ke satu halaman, bagaikan membaca karya Sidney Sheldon. Sekurang-kurangnya untuk saya. Kisahnya tiada berkisar tentang klise sebuah cinta seorang cantik berpurdah bertemu kacak lalu bertemu jalan bahagia, maaf kalau ada yang berputus harap.

Bermula dari babak di bank, sampailah di hospital dan di rumah perlindungan orang tua. Mula mula ingatkan hanya tentang rompakan biasa, ternyata saya silap. Ada kisah di sebalik tabir yang penulis garap dan bagaikan sebuah misteri, satu demi satu soalan terjawab di akhir halaman.

Kelebihannya novel ini tertumpu kepada plotnya yang menarik. Barangkali hasil kajian penulis yang mendalam tentang watak dan latar belakang yang terdapat dalam novel ini. Seterusnya saya tertarik dengan gaya bahasa penulis. Mungkin sebab beliau seorang pendebat menjadikan beliau menitikberat tentang penyampaian novel ini dalam bait yang paling cantik, tersusun dan terperinci, biarpun ada perkataan Melayu yang jarang digunakan. Tapi sekurang-kurangnya pembaca belajar sesuatu yang baru. Persetankan typo. Bersangka baik, mungkin kesalahan teknikal semata-mata. Tapi harap dalam novel seterusnya kesilapan ini tidak berulang.

Mungkin kelemahan novel ini disebabkan terlalu banyak watak. Mungkin. Mungkin juga sebab plot tidak disusun secara kronologi. Kata mereka, serabut. Ala Time Traveler’s Wife (Eh, tetiba pula) dan novel lain. Sebab satu kelemahan di mata sendiri mungkin keistimewaan di mata orang lain, maka tak adil kalau menilai sebelum mencuba. RM20 di Kinokuniya dan MPH.