Source:http://worldofjah.ning.com
The serious , the satirical & the somewhere inbetween !
Friday, May 29, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Exit Wounds
Beloved fight your urge to dedicate words of song
and poetry, without actions they will remain forever…
mere words.
Beloved abandon your passionate soliloquies, strangers
do not care to hear of my magnificence.
Beloved discard the thought of building great monuments
of love to me, eventually all structures will crumble
to dust.
Beloved stop conjuring me up in your mind, those memories
are no longer yours to enjoy.
Beloved avoid meaningless apologies, your broken promises
are their crypts.
The door is open.
Your future lies in wait.
It’s time to walk away…
and poetry, without actions they will remain forever…
mere words.
Beloved abandon your passionate soliloquies, strangers
do not care to hear of my magnificence.
Beloved discard the thought of building great monuments
of love to me, eventually all structures will crumble
to dust.
Beloved stop conjuring me up in your mind, those memories
are no longer yours to enjoy.
Beloved avoid meaningless apologies, your broken promises
are their crypts.
The door is open.
Your future lies in wait.
It’s time to walk away…
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Monday, May 25, 2009
Don’t Cover It Up
A while ago I came across this inspiring effort by the Dubai’s City of Hope Women’s Shelter. Their ‘It’s Time You Spoke’ anti-abuse campaign, gave out beauty kits with messages encouraging abuse victims to seek help. The kits are plain on the ouside and inside, covering twelve eye-shadow and two blush covers are sixteen “if” messages, i.e.; “If dragged across the floor”, “If punched in the face”, “If burnt with an iron.” On the brush applicator is the answer for what to do in those situations, “Don’t cover up injustice. Speak!
Victims of domestic abuse often try to cover their bruises, burns and scratches with make-up ‘It’s Time You Spoke’ campaign for the City of Hope, Dubai’s only women’s shelter, is an amazing initiative.
Domestic violence is one of the most under- exposed issues of modern living. It is also the most unbiased. It crosses every dividing line possible. Whether its cultural, religious, income level or geographical location.
It has also been around so long , many religions and cultures have adopted it as usual practise. Women are far from naughty children that need to be chastised or ‘fixed’ by their ‘significant others’.
The World Health Organisation study based on interviews with more than 24 000 women from rural and urban areas in 10 countries: Bangladesh, Brazil, Ethiopia, Japan, Namibia, Peru, Samoa, Serbia and Montenegro, Thailand, and the United Republic of Tanzania found that
domestic violence affects women's sexual and reproductive health and that it could contribute to increased risk of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. Although pregnancy is often thought of as a time when women should be protected, More than 90% of these women had been abused by the father of the unborn child and between one quarter and one half of them had been kicked or punched in the abdomen.
Despite the health consequences, very few women reported seeking help from formal services like health and police, or from individuals in positions of authority, preferring instead to reach out to friends, neighbours and family members. Those who did seek formal support tended to be the most severely abused.
Our silence will not save us or them, not against domestic abuse… not ever!
(Source: http://www.womenslegalresource.com/blog/archives/758,
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2005/pr62/en/index.html)
Thursday, May 21, 2009
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Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Jailed
Today as I waited to cross the road, the prison van passed by.
People with hopes and dreams, people with skin and blood.
Their lives on hold … their bodies behind bars…
Physically imprisoned.
Today I looked in the mirror hoping that finally my reflection would smile back.
A person with hopes and dreams, skin and blood.
My life on hold… my heart behind bars…
Emotionally imprisoned.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Saucy Secrets
(Source: google.com)So there I was trampeding through the Sexpo this weekend, sniffling at the scents that are meant to drive him wild; vampishly sampling the jumbo cherry lollies; and giving my flabby thighs the ultimate work out at the pole-dance workshop! This is one of the not-to-miss events of the year! Really shows that in Africa size definitely counts cos this is the BIGGEST, sexiest exhibition of its kind in the world!!!!
Toys for boys, pearls for girls and everything in between! Racy or lacy, it’s all laid out for your picking; whether you’re a forty-niner or a sixty-niner; if a French fourchette tickles your fancy, or indie undies!
Sexperts and penilists discussed everything from virility to virology but if you’re more into mountaineering than theorising, there’s Mount Peni, awaiting daring expeditionists to reach its climax!
Organisers say that since the launch of the Sexpo two years ago, they’ve seen a notable change in the choices of the clientele - : "The global economic crisis, job insecurity and other stress factors will cause in increase in sexual activity between couples, acting as a stress release valve and escape clause from realities.". It seems that the economic slump has made more people want to bump (and grind)! In simpler terms, it means that your sex life is indirectly proportionate to your disposable income! Just remember though……. What goes up must come down!!!
Although I must admit that the vast array of lingerie didn’t quite measure up to the Syrian Sexpo that’s on daily in Souq al-Hamidiya. From singing underwear to flashing fairy lights, glow in the dark ones and a set of undies shaped like lady’s hands enveloping the wearer's nether regions. In a slightly higher price range, you’ll find remote-controlled bras and knickers for those moments when you cannot wait to eeeerrrrm dive in?!!! They are designed to spring open and fall to the floor with a clap of the hands or a press of a button.
Bet you didn’t know that “Islamic sexual mores are not only about veiling women, segregating the sexes and austerity… Indeed, if a husband fails to satisfy his wife sexually - or vice versa - it is considered grounds for divorce under Islamic law.”
Every bride-to-be is armed with an assortment from what has to be some of the world's kinkiest "leisure wear". Its tradition and a public service………. Spice it up and prevent the wandering eye. See Malu Halasa and Rana Salam’s style guide called ‘The Secret Life of Syrian Lingerie’ for further details.
Speaking of spice……. The goodness of vegetables is ever on the rise (‘scuse the pun). Nicci Talbot's guide recommends practicing the art of ‘deep throating’ with phallic shaped vegetables in her book entitled ‘Unzipped - How to Give the Perfect Blow Job’. This advice comes with a caution however… Veggies tend to break and may cause choking – potentially fatal. Pause a moment and picture the obituary……. Enough said! But now I get why the fatwa on cucumbers and tomatoes was issued!
Until our next sexcapade, I’m back to the dreary old life of cotton briefs ala Bridget Jones.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
Taqwacores
(Image source: google.com)
It was about four, maybe five years ago that a couple of mouse clicks and speedy door-to-door delivery led to my introduction to an unusual and strange phenomenon that seems to be galloping through western Islamic youth societies like a haras of horses. I waited for the dust to settle to be able to examine the hoof prints of the Taqwacores, the pages of which now lie ashen in my back yard. The title of the novel is a combination of the Arabic word, taqwa, meaning piety or God consciousness, and the word hardcore – as in hardcore music.
I had read about the maverick author, Michael Muhammad Knight, when he participated in the women-led Islamic prayer in New York City. Fascinated by the title of the book and intrigued by the controversy it created, I had to read it!
By the time it reached me, it had long undergone a dramatic facelift from the photocopied manuscript that Knight circulated on his campus.
Reading the story of punk-rock Muslims – misfits in society – I recognised a sense of longing in the characters – of wanting to belong to something greater than them. The extreme juxtaposition of being punk rockers but being God conscious in an unconventional style drew me deeper into the story, at each turn of the page, anticipating an about turn. But as the story progressed, I began to realise why this was meant to be Knight’s farewell to Islam. At times I felt that I could identify with the anguish and uncertainty that each of the characters go through in finding their niche, or in some cases, rooftops! I appreciated the author’s belief that “Islam is big enough for someone like me” because I truly believe that it is! But now, as the movie adaptation of the novel is being made, and since the novel has been prescribed as a set-work for many course studies at universities across the USA, I am reminded of why I felt the need to build a bonfire around it.
I have never been known for conservative interpretations and practice of religion but I had some levels of discomfort with the blatant disregard for some basic respected norms. I feared that young people would interpret the Taqwacores as consent to behave as and how they pleased, and still claim to be followers of Islam. Nudity, uncleanliness in prayer, reading the holy book to the sound of a guitar, drug and alcohol abuse and outrageous sexual obscenities cannot be condoned even if the message behind it all is real!
The Taqwacores was an imaginary creation of Knight but it has now reached cult status and several so-called Islamic punk-rock bands have been started – some whose songs I like! Young Muslims, not only punk rockers, are identifying with the messages in a positive way and linking up with each other, creating what Knight calls their own “anti-community”. Those who were, like Knight, turning away from the religion, and feeling ex-communicated, are now more comfortable in knowing that God doesn’t ex-communicate anyone from His fold. The Taqwacores has an almost Sufi aspect to it and reminds me of “God’s Unruly Friends” – but that’s for another review.
Knight returned to the fold of Islam after some interventions by the Muslim community but he continues to be controversial, writing about the Five-Percenters, an off-shoot of the Nation of Islam. On his decision to learn and write about the group and their founder, Clarence 13X Smith, who later blasphemously named himself Father Allah, Knight said: “I was really getting into the idea that Islam is not something fixed in stone, its not a dead thing but something that’s alive and still grows and adapts to its surroundings. South Asia has produced its own Islamic traditions; it blended Islam with itself and made Islam its own. The same thing happened in Persia, Turkey, Indonesia, everywhere. I started to think about that also taking place in America, that American Islam would evolve its own traditions and honour indigenous American saints. The Five-Percenters are a vital part of that tradition, even though they’ve moved so far from the center that they emphatically reject the religion of Islam and have no desire to be considered Muslims at all.”
So…. Will I go to see the Taqwacores movie?
Yes! And it’s probably not a bad thing that so many young people can still feel God in their core!
Would I go to a Muslim punk rock concert like that of the Kominas (bastards) band?
Maybe, mostly out of curiosity.
But I think I’ll stick to the quiet sema, rather than the head banging and I’m soooo not into patch-worked burqas! It’s so retro!
I had read about the maverick author, Michael Muhammad Knight, when he participated in the women-led Islamic prayer in New York City. Fascinated by the title of the book and intrigued by the controversy it created, I had to read it!
By the time it reached me, it had long undergone a dramatic facelift from the photocopied manuscript that Knight circulated on his campus.
Reading the story of punk-rock Muslims – misfits in society – I recognised a sense of longing in the characters – of wanting to belong to something greater than them. The extreme juxtaposition of being punk rockers but being God conscious in an unconventional style drew me deeper into the story, at each turn of the page, anticipating an about turn. But as the story progressed, I began to realise why this was meant to be Knight’s farewell to Islam. At times I felt that I could identify with the anguish and uncertainty that each of the characters go through in finding their niche, or in some cases, rooftops! I appreciated the author’s belief that “Islam is big enough for someone like me” because I truly believe that it is! But now, as the movie adaptation of the novel is being made, and since the novel has been prescribed as a set-work for many course studies at universities across the USA, I am reminded of why I felt the need to build a bonfire around it.
I have never been known for conservative interpretations and practice of religion but I had some levels of discomfort with the blatant disregard for some basic respected norms. I feared that young people would interpret the Taqwacores as consent to behave as and how they pleased, and still claim to be followers of Islam. Nudity, uncleanliness in prayer, reading the holy book to the sound of a guitar, drug and alcohol abuse and outrageous sexual obscenities cannot be condoned even if the message behind it all is real!
The Taqwacores was an imaginary creation of Knight but it has now reached cult status and several so-called Islamic punk-rock bands have been started – some whose songs I like! Young Muslims, not only punk rockers, are identifying with the messages in a positive way and linking up with each other, creating what Knight calls their own “anti-community”. Those who were, like Knight, turning away from the religion, and feeling ex-communicated, are now more comfortable in knowing that God doesn’t ex-communicate anyone from His fold. The Taqwacores has an almost Sufi aspect to it and reminds me of “God’s Unruly Friends” – but that’s for another review.
Knight returned to the fold of Islam after some interventions by the Muslim community but he continues to be controversial, writing about the Five-Percenters, an off-shoot of the Nation of Islam. On his decision to learn and write about the group and their founder, Clarence 13X Smith, who later blasphemously named himself Father Allah, Knight said: “I was really getting into the idea that Islam is not something fixed in stone, its not a dead thing but something that’s alive and still grows and adapts to its surroundings. South Asia has produced its own Islamic traditions; it blended Islam with itself and made Islam its own. The same thing happened in Persia, Turkey, Indonesia, everywhere. I started to think about that also taking place in America, that American Islam would evolve its own traditions and honour indigenous American saints. The Five-Percenters are a vital part of that tradition, even though they’ve moved so far from the center that they emphatically reject the religion of Islam and have no desire to be considered Muslims at all.”
So…. Will I go to see the Taqwacores movie?
Yes! And it’s probably not a bad thing that so many young people can still feel God in their core!
Would I go to a Muslim punk rock concert like that of the Kominas (bastards) band?
Maybe, mostly out of curiosity.
But I think I’ll stick to the quiet sema, rather than the head banging and I’m soooo not into patch-worked burqas! It’s so retro!
Friday, May 8, 2009
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Wanderer in love
Dilam dar aashiqui aawareh shud aawareh tar baada,
Tanam az bedilee beechareh shud beechareh tar baada.
My heart is a wanderer in love, may it ever remain so.
My life’s been rendered miserable in love,
may it grow more and more miserable.
- Amir Khusrau (Persian / Indian Poet)
Monday, May 4, 2009
Calls to the Faithful
There are no shortage of calls to the faithful and what strikes me most is the variety of the callers and their aims (it's all in the advertising, I tell you) as well as personal gains.
This week, I heard, by far ( and I mean miles and miles far) the most interesting explanation for who is to blame for the hole in the ozone …
A guru (unnamed for her own protection) has claimed via her 24-hour satellite television station that the blame for the hole in the ozone layer should go to the cows, because the noxious fumes released when they pass wind are the vile emissions that have caused said hole (yes she is blaming farting cows).
From Sheiks that will pray your daily prayers for you (because you haven’t personally reached the spiritual stage required to do so) to temples that have express lanes for generous donors who will be donating more than 10 000 rupees.
Everyone has amassed followers from charismatic speakers claiming to be the prophets of this generation to leaders with their own beach houses and yachts sponsored proudly by their devotees.
All of it begs of a humanity, that is desperate to believe in something or rather anything greater than us, with the ability to inspire wonder and create miracles.
And rightly so, who wouldn’t find it hard to believe that the precision taken to create a dragonfly and majesty required to carve out a mountain, came about due to a cosmic sneeze.
This week, I heard, by far ( and I mean miles and miles far) the most interesting explanation for who is to blame for the hole in the ozone …
A guru (unnamed for her own protection) has claimed via her 24-hour satellite television station that the blame for the hole in the ozone layer should go to the cows, because the noxious fumes released when they pass wind are the vile emissions that have caused said hole (yes she is blaming farting cows).
From Sheiks that will pray your daily prayers for you (because you haven’t personally reached the spiritual stage required to do so) to temples that have express lanes for generous donors who will be donating more than 10 000 rupees.
Everyone has amassed followers from charismatic speakers claiming to be the prophets of this generation to leaders with their own beach houses and yachts sponsored proudly by their devotees.
All of it begs of a humanity, that is desperate to believe in something or rather anything greater than us, with the ability to inspire wonder and create miracles.
And rightly so, who wouldn’t find it hard to believe that the precision taken to create a dragonfly and majesty required to carve out a mountain, came about due to a cosmic sneeze.
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