Muallaf by Allahyarhamah Yasmin Ahmad.I've mentioned before in my previous post and last nite i get to my hands on it.Finally!.I've been her fan ever since she released Sepet under her successful works.Her last work-Talentime was released even earlier than Muallaf but I rather wait.The film was so controversial with LPF Malaysia and was said to offend a lot of religious parties even before it was released.
So when i turned on my DVD player, i was preparing mentally for lots of things-honestly i was scared if Muallaf was going to dissappoint me.i was also worried that I would become one of those 'jumud' and judgemental people.yet i believe in Arwah yasmin Ahmad- she has a lot of views on religion yet she always remain as a devoted muslim.One of her trademark that I really like was she always started her film with 'bismillah' and she even got it written in chinese just to make sure her viewer knows what it means to her.honestly, i haven't seen any other muslim director used that in their movies.maybe for Yasmin trying to convey, no matter what we do, we must do it in the name of our God-Allah.She relayed this message in one of the scenes whereby Rohani was trying to start he old school Passola.At first she tried to start it while arguing with Ana and it didn't work then she tried it again but this time she started it with 'Bismillah'.vroom!the passola starts as if there was nothing wrong with it.
The two sisters was brought up by their late mother who taught Religious Comparison in NUS thus their knowledge of Bible, Te Tao ching etc impressed brother Anthony and Brian Goh-neighbour and teacher at Rohana's school.Through the eyes of these 2 girls, Brian slowly salvaged his relation with religion.bit by bit, he fell in love with Rohani whom he viewed as devoted muslim yet with warm heart.Her willingness to forgive everyone who hurt her and her sister especially her abusive kaki mabuk father made him felt for her even more.
As i said before, yasmin has a lot to say in this movie with regards of religion and people' prejudice.For such when a lebai came to help Brother Anthony who has hit by the bodyguards of Rohani's father.I think she tried to say not all religious muslim will ill-treated other religious christians.When brian waited for Rohani and Rohana outside of the mosque, he was invited in by one of the lebai there because he was sweating and Brian's response potrayed how paranoid non muslims to muslims as if the lebai would hurt him.Hmm. another issue brought up Yasmin in this film is drinking behaviour by Rohani's father.Rohani's father represent the current modern 'malay elites'.i used word 'Malay' here because a Muslim abide the rules and would never drink.ironically, her father refused to shake hand with his private investigator because the private investigator touched the dog.This scene remind me of a chinese friend of mine, she asked me once; why muslims refused to touch dogs or eat pork but happily drink jugs of beer or bottles of jack daniel or have brokeback relationship.The only way i can answer her was malay born muslims nowadays prefer to live like christians but die as a muslim.as harsh it sounds but that's the only truth- which even i hate to admit.
A lot of funny parts too inside this film and as what critics said, it was heavy with religion issues.Yasmin was trying to tell us not to afraid to learn about other religion (provided with a strong base of understanding of Islam).Rohani and Rohana are very well versed about other religion but that made them have a stronger faith in Allah to the extend Brian got borrowed Rohani's tafseer Al-Quran because he was amazed with the verses quoted by the 2 girls.The knowledge of these 2 girls were far more than any ordinary Muslims or christians yet it didn't turn them to be religion extremist or to the extend of murtad.In a way, yasmin trying to say despite of what other religious people think of her, she will always be a muslim because her faith in Allah was more than anything.
the touch of little romance element in this film made it even sweeter and meaningful to me.it was funny the way brian expressing his longing for Rohani when she was away and i found his phone conversation witth Rohana was very sweet and cute.I really like the way rohani preached him about treating his mother right without making him felt she love him less.
All in all, Muallaf became my fave yasmin's work after Sepet, mukhsin and Gubra(i put it in order).Arwah Yasmin was trying to tell others especially the non muslim about beautiful Islam is in her very own way.For that, i won't never doubt her faith or tauhid because who am I to judge her because the one and only force who can judge her is Merciful Lord Allah.I prayed for her blessings and hope there will be a lot more non muslims and so call modern muslims watch this film.
p/s:really miss her wonderful and magical advertisement.
