Friday, June 15, 2007

Bald women turn off Little Ayatollahs

Sharifah Amani and Yasmin Ahmad... they already pissed off the Malay and Muslim chauvinists for the films Sepet and Gubra.

The former for potraying an 'unlikely' story where a nice Malay Muslim girl falls for a Chinese vcd peddlar, and the latter for an even 'more unlikely' storyline where nice Malay Muslim women engage in the world's oldest profession ie. prostitution.

Now for Muallaf, the duo's latest cinematic collaboration where yet another Malay girl gets involved with a Chinese boy (in the movie, Amani plays runaway youngster Rohani who is befriended by a schoolteacher named Brian, played by newcomer Brian Yap)... - Sharifah Amani has gone and shaved her head bald.

She actually looks ok... and with that expression on her face, like a slightly stoned Sinead O'Connor.

But the lack of hair has drawn fire from Malaysia's Little Ayatollahs (the state muftis or religious clerics, who are the theocratic counterparts to the Little Napoleons in the nation's bureaucracy), as reported by NST and Malaysiakini.

Selangor Mufti Datuk Mohd Tamyis Abdul Majid said:

"Unlike Muslim men, going bald for (Muslim) women is forbidden in Islam. It is also sinful for men to act or behave like a woman and vice-versa."

Perak Mufti Datuk Seri Harussani Idris said:

"As Muslims, we should not sacrifice our religion for the sake of wanting to be popular. I have been observing that nowadays, our artistes are becoming too open and daring, either in their actions or attire."
To be honest, I had no idea that bald women were haram and forbidden in Islam. I knew women had to cover their hair (tutup aurat) but equating going bald with sacrificing one's religion? Oh please lah, can you be any more melodramatic? As some bloggers have asked... exactly which sentence in the holy book prohibits female baldness? You Little Ayatollahs are making this shit up as you go along, aren't you?

And again, the religious establishment's infatuation with form over substance is deplorable. One woman shaves her head, and two muftis immediately call for press conferences. But when it comes to real issues like crime, corruption, money politics and young unemployed sons-in-law of Prime Ministers owning 3 luxury cars with personalised number plates (KJ10Q) and RM5,100 in unpaid fines (ref Malaysiakini) - there's not even a peep nor whimper from any of you muftis (khaaakk... phtooooi!). So, looking at which issues you guys are allocating your efforts to... are you trying to say that losing one's hair is a bigger sin compared to losing one's morality?

It is also worthwhile to note that the foreign press have started referring to Malaysia as "the conservative Muslim country". No good can come from this.

But muftis in the conservative Muslim country have called on authorities to issue guidelines to prevent Malay Muslim artistes, especially actresses, from extreme behavior or dressing, theNew Straits Times reported (AFP).

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

From http://www.eramuslim.com/ustadz/fqk/6b08162604-mewarnai-rambut-batasan-pendeknya-rambut-bagi-akhwat.htm

Wanita Potong Rambut Pendek

Syariah melarang seorang wanita untuk bergaya dengan gaya penampilan laki-laki, termasuk dalam bentuk potongan rambut. Sebab Rasulullah SAW telah bersabda:

Dari Ibnu Abbas ra berkata,"Rasululullah SAW melaknat laki-laki yang bergaya wanita dan wanita yang bergaya lak-laki." Dan beliau berkata,"Keluarkanlah mereka dari rumah-rumah kalian." (HR Bukhari)

Jadi semua ulama sepakat tentang tidak bolehnya wanita memotong rambut seperti potongan rambut laki-laki. Sebagaimana mereka juga sepakat mengharamkan laki-laki memotong rambut dengan potongan wanita.

Namun ketika sampai kepada bentuk real dari potongan itu, ada wilayah yang kurang disepakati, sehingga masing-masing berijtihad. Contohnya adalah 'ijtihad' anda yang membatasi harus sampai ke bagian akhir leher atau pundak. Mungkin nanti ada ulama lain yang berbeda dalam menetapkan batasan-batasan itu.

Namun yang jelas batasan pastinya adalah diharamkan wanita untuk mencukur gundul rambutnya, meski di luarnya pakai jilbab. Juga diharamkan mencukur sebagian dan membiarkannya sebagian.

_______________________

There is hadith on the matter. Pray be a little more careful when you accuse people of making things up - perhaps you need to do a little bit more research yourself?

As for the other comments you mentioned with regards to the religious scholars ignoring the 'blatant sins' of the politicians etc., isn't that what comes with the BN government methods in this country?

Perhaps you will vote for a more Islamic government next time so that the more important and currently 'untouchable' issues will be looked into?

Taknak pulak??

sean-the-man said...

alaiparoi

The hadith you quoted says that men should not sport the fashion of women and vice versa.

Where does it say that baldness is monopolised by men? Tell me they didn't make that part up, based on their own biases and prejudices.

Look at Sharifah Amani's picture. Does she look like she's trying to impersonate a man, or simply a woman with no hair?

You have just exhibited the universal but ultimate weakness of organised religion. That's when men, with all their human failings and inadequacies, feel empowered to interpret the word of god and extrapolate the almighty's divine intention.

As for absolving the muftis by blaming BN govt's "methods". So, you're saying that their mandate as religious leaders only extend to soft, easy targets?

Doesn't a mufti's commitment to justice and fairness encompass all aspects of life, like the religion itself - or can muftis pick and choose which areas of life they want to dabble in and ignore the other bits?

In that case, I put it to you that they are not qualified to be muftis.

Anonymous said...

On baldness, there was a case in France where tudung is banned and a girl wore a bandana as a symbol of resistance. When she was asked to remove her bandana, she did so and voila! No hair!

Let's just wait for the storyline of the movie.

On the little Ayatollahs, sorry to say that they receive their pay slips from BARISAN NASIONAL! If they ever talk about real issues, then 'their contract will no longer be extended'(read: you're fired!) Only the little Ayatollahs with titles like Tuan Guru and his Dewan Ulama members are capable of talking about the real issues.

But you won't vote for them, right?

Anonymous said...

"MUHAMMED FORBIDS THE WRITING OF HADITHS

It has been documneted in Muslim , Ahmed and other sources of Hadith that Muhammad had prohibited the writing of his hadith.

(1) Ibn Saeed Al-Khudry reported that the messenger of God had said,

"Do not write anything from me EXCEPT QURAN. Anyone who wrote anything other than the Quran shall erase it."

The following historical incident happened about 30 years after the death of the Prophet Muhammed and shows that the Prophet never canceled his order not to write but the Quran. The hadiths books however contained some FABRICATED HADITHS that are considered by the same Hadiths scholars as very weak, trying to indicate that Muhammed changed his view about writing the hadiths. The readers of the hadith to follow, that happened about 30 years after the death of the Prophet, will conclude by themselves that the Prophet Muhammed never authorized the writing of the hadiths since the time he told his followers not to write but the Quran..

Read the rest of the article at http://www.quran-islam.org/... "

Anonymous said...

Khamr: This word in the Quran means cover, and the word Khimar means that which covers, however the same word in many dictionaries and in its current use would mean alcohol. As a result, the prohibition in the Quran of Khamr means that God prohibits anything that covers or obscures the brain, that could be alcohol or drugs. Similarly the word Khimar in 24:31 is used for any cover on the woman's body, her dress is a cover, her blouse is a cover, her coat is a cover ... etc, thus the command is to cover the bosoms with whatever cover the woman is wearing (blouse, dress, coat ...etc) however the word was corrupted to make the word khimar mean head cover only! and thus the unlawful forcing of women to cover their hair. For more detailed analysis please go to:

http://www.quran-islam.org/24%20verse%2031.htm

Anonymous said...

Muhammad (pbuh) forbids writing of hadith? And you quote from one?

Here's the answer to that criticism from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadith:

The hadith Ahmed, Vol. 1, page 171 says: "Do not write down anything of me except the Qur'an. Whoever writes other than that should delete it." Some have interpreted this as the Hadith should never have been written.

However, according to most scholars and researchers, this hadith was specific to the time Qur'an was still being revealed. The reason behind this command was to prevent any risk of confusing the Qur'an with Hadith. However, once the revelation was completed and it was certain that no more verses were going to be descended, it was permissible — and even an obligation — to write down the Hadith to preserve it throughout time, because, had the memorisers of the Hadith passed away before writing it down, the Hadiths could have disappeared.


Sorry, the largest community group in Malaysia will not follow the lifestyle of the second largest community group in Malaysia that is going to become the third, simply because they make Godless lifestyle such as cohabitation and homosexuality as acceptable lifestyle and not criminal acts. Take note that the two stated lifestyle do not produce kids.

Anonymous said...

========================================
Rosa_Gigantea said...
However, according to most scholars and researchers, this hadith was specific to the time Qur'an was still being revealed.
==========================================

this means this hadith is abrogated. does this mean verses from Quran can be abrogated too due to certain events?

adala

Anonymous said...

Funny it seems coming from someone who loves Islam and yet believes what the scholars and researchers say, instead of what Master Muhammad had instructed. Quran is the BEST HADITH for you to follow, as simple as that.

Anonymous said...

Chk: http://www.eramuslim.com/ustadz/fqk/6b08162604-mewarnai-rambut-batasan-pendeknya-rambut-bagi-akhwat.htm

Haram Gundul

Syariah melarang seorang wanita untuk mencukur gundul kepalanya, meski ketika keluar rumah memakai kerudung dan tidak ketahuan kebotakannya. Dan bila keluar rumah tanpa kerudung, tentu lebih haram lagi.
Hadits itu adalah:

Dari Ali bin Abi Thalib berkata bahwa Rasulullah SAW melarang wanita untuk menggunduli (botak) kepalanya. (HR An-Nasai)
_____________________

Don't believe in hadith? Up to you..this is for the other people who believe in it.

Anonymous said...

AlaiParoi said...
Don't believe in hadith? Up to you..this is for the other people who believe in it.
===================================

i dont believe in hadith. but im being forced to. else i'll be sent to ulu yam. cant i have freedom of religion in my religion?

adala

Anonymous said...

You go Sean! All over the world these people are the same, they are confused over the sayings and hadiths, and how it is written in Arabic and how only scholars can make interpretations and comments and they will impose their views on others. Have mercy on you, if you decide that you have a brain and want to use it to deduct what is logical and what is not.
Martin Luther King says the day you remain silent on things that matter is the day you are dead.
Keep writing these superb commentaries and dont let them intimidate you into submission.

sean-the-man said...

Thanks for the encouragement. Will definitely keep pounding the keyboard.