The critical analysis of ‘Khuda Kay Liye’   (movie written by Shoaib Mansoor)

By Dr. Sohail Ansari

يُرِيدُونَ أَن يُطْفِؤُواْ نُورَ اللّهِ بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَيَأْبَى اللّهُ إِلاَّ أَن يُتِمَّ نُورَهُ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَافِرُونَ

They (the disbelievers, the Jews and the Christians) want to extinguish Allah's Light (with which Muhammad SAW has been sent - Islamic Monotheism) with their mouths, but Allah will not allow except that His Light should be perfected even though the Kafirun (disbelievers) hate (it). Chapter Name:Al-Tawba Verse No:32

Scene:  Maulana Wali in a court responding to pre-mediated questions (being grilled for eliciting intended answers)

Maulana in response to a question about permissibility of music said: ‘Only four among all prophets were given the books, each (from these four) had the miracle of his own. Dawood (peace be upon him) used music (and used instruments as well) to glorify God. Will God choose bad/non-permissible thing (medium) to exalt Him?

The question of Maulana ‘Will God choose bad/non-permissible thing (medium) to exalt Him?’ defines music itself: ‘a thing to extol God’; this definition cannot be generalized to all kinds of music. Words, tunes, songs or melodies if stimulate erotic passions are prohibited.

Maulana further quoted Prophet (P.B.U.H) appreciating Abu Moosa al-Ash’ari for good voice to underline the permissibility of music.

Maulana has led audience to the bottom line: God can not choose illegitimate or unlawful things to glorify Him. God has chosen music; therefore, music is not only permissible but desirable medium to eulogize God.

Learned Maulana surprisingly does not know the difference between qirat and singing. Justifying singing by qirat is ‘too scholastic’ to explain.

‘‘The view that Dawood (peace be upon him) used to seek forgiveness by playing the flute is a view for which there is no basis, rather what is meant by the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to Abu Moosa al-Ash’ari , ‘You have been given a beautiful voice (mizmaar, lit. flute) like the beautiful voices of the family of Dawood” (narrated by al-Bukhaari (5048) and Muslim (793) is that he had a beautiful voice, and the beauty of his voice was likened to the sound of the flute. 

Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Sharh Muslim: The words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) concerning Abu Moosa al-Ash’ari – ‘he has been given a beautiful voice (mizmaar) like the beautiful voices of the family of Dawood’ – The scholars said: What is meant by mizmaar (lit. flute) here is a beautiful voice.  

The original meaning of the word zamr is singing, and phrase “the family of Dawood” refers to Dawood himself. The phrase ‘the family of So and so’ may apply to the person himself. Dawood (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had a very beautiful voice.

Al-‘Iraaqi said in Tarh al-Tathreeb (3/104): What it meant by mizmaar here is a beautiful voice. The original meaning is the instrument that is blown into (wind instrument). The beauty and sweetness of his voice is likened to the sound of the flute. … He had an extremely beautiful voice in recitation.

Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar said in Fath al-Baari: What is meant

by mizmaar is a beautiful voice. The basic meaning is the instrument and the word is used of the voice as a simile.

There is no difference of opinion among the leading scholars of Islam concerning the prohibition on musical instruments. The four madhhabs are agreed that they are prohibited, and whatever has been transmitted to suggest that there is a difference of scholarly opinion concerning this matter comes under the heading of odd views to which no attention should be paid.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

The view of the four imams is that all musical instruments are prohibited… and none of the followers of the imams mentioned any dispute concerning musical instruments.

Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa (11/576, 577).

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

Anyone who has the slightest knowledge should not have any reservations about that – i.e., singing and musical instruments. The least that may be said is that it is the symbol of evildoers and drinkers of alcohol.Ighaathat al-Lahfaan (1/228).

·         Al-Albaani (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

·         Hence the four madhhabs are agreed that all musical instruments are prohibited.

Shoaib Mansoor should have guided Maulana to say further:

 ‘What I know is that Islam is the religion of reason and logic, and it does not prohibit anything unless it is harmful to people; what is the harm in music?’

Answer : It should be understood that singing has specific characteristics that affect the heart, instilling hypocrisy in the heart and causing it to grow, just as water causes plants to grow. ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Azeez wrote to the one who was in charge of educating and disciplining his children, saying: Let the first thing you try to instil in them be hatred of entertainment, which is initiated by the Shaytaan and ends with the wrath of the Most Gracious, for I have heard from trustworthy scholars that the sound of musical instruments, listening to singing and repeating their songs causes hypocrisy to grow in the heart, just as water causes plants to grow.

·         Music It distracts the heart and prevents it from understanding and reflecting upon the Qur’an and acting upon it. For the Qur’an and singing can never coexist in the heart, because they are diametrically opposed. The Qur’an forbids following whims and desires, and enjoins chastity and restraint, and staying away from the evil inclinations of the nafs and causes of misguidance. It forbids following in the footsteps of the Shaytaan, whilst music enjoins the opposite of all that and makes it fair-seeming; it motivates people to follow desires and evil inclinations, so it provokes hidden desires and motivates one to commit all kinds of evil acts. .    

·         Singing is a means that leads to zina or is a motive for zina.

With regard to calling it a motive for zina, this is very accurate, for there is no other means that could lead to zina that is more effective than it. Yazeed ibn al-Waleed said: O Banu Umayyah, beware of singing, for it takes away dignity, increases desire and undermines chivalry. It works like alcohol and does what intoxicants do. If you must do that, then keep your womenfolk away, because singing leads to zina.

Shoaib Mansoor should have guided Maulana to ask about the ruling on songs by saying that ‘Birds’ warbling is a kind of music, waterfalls, rains and wind sounds are also kinds of music, how can we ever avoid listening to these sounds?’

‘It is invalid to draw an analogy between music and the sound of birdsong or running water’

Maulana said something about dress. ‘We claim that Islam transcends the boundaries of time and region. A man in New Zealand cannot be asked to wear Salwar as the part of requirements to embrace Islam.  Dress is specific to time and the region. The dress of Prophet (P.B.U.H) must have been similar to that of Abu Jahl; hence there is no Islamic dress’.

Islam does not prescribe any dress but the dress-code. Non-Muslim can follow the Islamic dress code and Muslim can follow non-Islamic dress-code. Dress does not become Islamic if Muslim wears it nor become uN Islamic if non-Muslim wears it. Islam is cosmopolitan religion; therefore one can wear any dress if it does not violate the Islamic dress code. 

Women’s dress code

1. The hijab (covering) must conceal the entire body except the face and the hands.

2. It should not be translucent or tight. Tight clothes, even if they conceal the colour of the skin, still describe the size and shape of the body or part of it, and create vivid images.

3. It should not attract the attention of the opposite gender; thus it should not be extravagant or excessively opulent. Nor should jewellery and makeup be on display.

4. It should not be a garment worn because of vanity or to gain popularity or fame.  The female companions were known to wear black and other dark colours but other colours are permissible; a woman must not however wear colourful clothes because of vanity.

5.  It should not be perfumed. This prohibition applies to both the body and the clothes.

6.  It should not resemble the clothing worn by men.

7.  It should not resemble the clothing that is specific to the non-Muslims.

Men’s Dress code

1. The part of the body from the naval to the knees should be covered.

2. It should not resemble the clothing that is specific to the non-Muslims. Western clothing that does not represent a certain group or sect is normally permitted.

3. It should not resemble the clothing worn by women.

4. It should not be tight or see-through.

5. A man is not permitted to wear garments made of silk, or jewellery made of gold.

6. Two types of adornment are forbidden to men but permitted for women. These are, gold and clothing made of pure silk.

As long as these conditions are fulfilled a woman and a man may wear whatever she or he pleases.

Maulana must examine a girl in a court for the Islamic dress code and criticize the dress women wear in movies so to negate the impression that having no specific dress does not mean every kind of a dress.

Maulana said: ‘priorities are reversed; beard grows when the love for prophet (P.B.U.H) is at the zenith; it is the culmination or climactic point, the practical manifestation of the love for prophet (P.B.U.H). Ignite the love, it will grow itself. Quid-a-Azam and Allama Iqbal have carved indelible imprints but both these icons were minus beard.   

These interesting arguments generate a few questions. Did both national figures have a certain qualms or loathing about a beard? Or they despite the intense desire and a great respect for a beard could not grow it as the old habit (habit of not wearing a beard) die hard?

Prophet (P.B.U.H) is the role model for every aspect of life. We must learn and respect Quid-a-Azam for his contribution to Pakistan but must not follow him (Quid never asked for it either as he had Prophet (P.B.U.H) as his role model and urged Muslims to follow teaching of prophet (P.B.U.H.) for the renaissance) as the role model for the conduct of life.

 Alvin Robert Cornelius and Rana Bhagwandas were  great Pakistani jurists, and legal philosophers. Maulana must have urged his listeners to drink alcohol and eat pork as these two great figures were doing so; further they never prayed or followed Islam; therefore for achieving legal distinction one must not follow Islam.

Maulana would have to prove that these Quid-a-Azam and Allama Iqbal  would not have been epoch-making, if they were not minus beards to prove his implication that a beard is not needed or one must not grow a beard if aspires after milestones.  

This implication is itself absurd. What point Maulana tries to make by connecting the absence of a beard with the landmark achievements of these two great personalities. People put beard to mark themselves as the follower of prophet (P.B.U.H). Beard is not grown as the facilitator or a kind of a lubricant or a key to the worldly success.

The reasoning of a Maulana that ‘a person will spruce up his actions if his beliefs and values are reinforced’ can only be given qualified approval. The attitude of a man toward people and issues will definitely improve as he progresses in his Islamic faith, but to say that a person should not be asked for any change in life as a change will come itself through progression is debatable. People at the time of a conversion in Islam are categorically and unambiguously informed that they will have to give up alcohol, pork, promiscuity and all other practices associated exclusively with former religion of theirs to enter into the fold of Islam. This never happens and can never happen that one is allowed to carry on with former ways of living despite being converted to Islam as he is believed to slough them off through progression.

 Medicine cannot work if a patient does not abstain from a certain things; similarly Islam can heal if a person no longer indulges into evil practices.

Students and soldiers wear uniforms to have the sense of belonging to their institutes. Students and soldiers wear uniforms right from beginning; they abide by the discipline of the institutes of theirs right from beginning. No one argues that love of institutes is to be ignited so that they would   follow the dress and discipline themselves.

One can be closer to God, if he follows the Islamic code of a dress, and wears the beard as these things create the sense of belonging to God and his prophet (P.B.U.H). Dress instills a sense of piety and that leads to the acts of piety. A beard creates the sense of belonging to the prophet (P.B.U.H), and this sense creates the feeling that a follower has a certain responsibilities to discharge.   

A Maulana tried to give impression that a boy in a court had been browbeaten into growing a beard. This impression was in a sharp contrast to his earlier insinuation that a boy was coaxed into believing form as the substance.

One must however understand that one cannot become a Christian if he is grown with Christians. Muslim girl will remain Muslim even she is grown with non-Muslims and a Muslim girl cannot marry non-Muslim

A Maulana said: ‘people procure money through illegitimate means and strive to find permissible food’.

So people must eat non-permissible food if money is not obtained by lawful means? Or abstain from eating as long as they do not earn through legitimate means? Food itself does not become non-permissible if bought by money obtained through unlawful means; for example beef is permissible and remains so in all conditions. Person will be punished for the money _as it is acquired through illegal means_ used in buying beef. In a similar way, Food itself does not become permissible if bought by money obtained through lawful means; for example pork/ham is non-permissible and remains so in all conditions.

One should not confuse moral teaching with law. Hadith goes:   one who does Adulteration of milk ceases to be a Muslim’ one however does not cease to be legally as he remains a Muslim by faith but by action ceases to be a Muslim. 

It is morally not right to have food through illegitimate money but food is lawful anyhow.

A Maulana said: Prophet (P.B.U.H) inquired his wife if she had sent women musicians along with Baraat (people going to girl’s home to marry her) as people of ansar tribe were very fond of music.

Readers/audience interpret what they see in terms of their own cultural frame of reference; therefore a speaker or a writer must mention a set of criteria or stated values in relation to which he makes and wants readers to make judgments. Otherwise one can criticize anything or generalize anything or confuse one thing with another by choosing frame of reference of his choice.

Thing is how one defines it. Name itself is not enough to capture the reality of one thing. To interpret the music of one culture, one must know the definition that culture use to define music.   What kind of music girls were going to play? How different or similar that music was with the music played in movies of our time? Learned Maulana has to prove that the music of Ansar was in no variance with the music of Bollywod so to justify music.

Brief analysis of a plot

Plot

·         Mansoor and Sarmad, the two successful singers from Lahore. Sarmad eventually gets influenced by an Islamic activist Maulana Tahiri, as he begins to practice Islamic way of living and gives up his music career as it is considered "haraam" by the Islamic community. Maryam (Mary), a westernised British Pakistani girl, falls in love with Dave from the British community. However this displeases her father, who is hypocritical, despite himself having a live-in relationship with a British woman.

Meanwhile, Mary's father plans to take her for a trip to Pakistan to meet Sarmad and Mansoor. While touring FATA, she gets deceived by her father to marry her cousin, Sarmad. Mary, forcefully gets married and abandoned in her household. In an escape attempt, Mary tries runs from the village but gets caught by Sarmad. He eventually consummates their marriage by force as a sort of punishment so that Mary would not escape again.

Mansoor goes to a musical school in Chicago, where he meets Janie. They both eventually fall in love with each other and Janie even leaves alcohol for him. However shortly after the events of 9/11, Mansoor gets arrested by FBI, due to his Islamic background and gets detained for a year in Guantanamo Bay detention camp.

Mary is rescued by Sarmad's father under the protection of the British government. A devastated Mary, takes her father and cousin to court in Pakistan. Wali (Naseeruddin Shah), a Maulana, then explains to the court how Islam is being misused in the name of war and hatred, bringing the religion forward in a believable and peaceful manner. Traumatized by all the suffering he has seen and caused, Sarmad withdraws from the case. He also realizes the damage that he was made to do in the name of religion. Mary is now free and returns to the village where she was kept prisoner so she can educate the girls there. Meanwhile, Mansoor is still in FBI custody after a year of torment; the last torture session having inflicted permanent brain damage. After a failed rehab attempt, he is deported and reunited with his family in Pakistan where he begins to recover’.

Analysis:

Maryam (Mary), a westernised British Pakistani girl, falls in love with Dave from the British community. However this displeases her father….

Should not have this displeased her father? Perhaps a hypocritical father knows that if the religion is ‘brought forward in a believable and peaceful manner’ so it will cease to be a religion

‘Muslim scholars and jurists unanimously agree on the fact that marriage of a Muslim woman to a non-Muslim man, whether he is polytheist, Christian or Jew, is strongly prohibited. “As to marriage, you are allowed to marry the chaste from among the believing women and the chaste from among those who have been given the Book before you (are lawful for you); provided that you have given them their dowries, and live with them in honor, not in fornication, nor taking them as secret concubines.”Qur’an (5:5).

For the majority of the exegetes, the verse absolutely prohibits the marriage of Muslim women to polytheists (al mushrikīn) and people belonging to other monotheistic religions and gives authorization to Muslim men to marry Christian and Jewish women.

father, who is hypocritical, despite himself having a live-in relationship with a British woman.

Father can live-in relationship with a British woman as a Muslim man can marry Christian woman. For the sake of arguments we believe that living with a British woman is unIslamic, but then this line of reasoning appears absurdly interesting, it means one cannot forbid his son or daughter for any unIslamic practice because he himself is practicing something unIslamic.

Sarnad gives up his music career as it is considered "haraam" by the Islamic community.

Learned writer must have exposed his audience to reason given by the Islamic community to consider music harraam so that audience can judge the rationality of the arguments given by a Maulana against the arguments of the Islamic community.

Mary, forcefully gets married and abandoned in her household…… He eventually consummates their marriage by force as a sort of punishment so that Mary would not escape again.

Logic of a learned writer is in the reverse order. Consummation is the fulfillment of a marriage and non consummation is a sort of punishment.

One  wonders what kind of marriages, a learned writer has observed or experienced that he can think of a marriage without consummation and believe consummation is a sort of punishment. A learned writer must  explain to his buffaloed audience the purpose of a marriage