Finesse…an art to be acquired and practiced…

“What is all that ruckus?” D’s screams could be heard from upstairs. The next instant, her steps were heard running down the staircase.

I opened my bedroom door, held out my head and said, “Maybe some people just want to share their piece of favourite music?” My lips pursed a smile.

T shook her head and said, “At 2 a.m.? You gotta be joking!”

“Where are you going at this time of night?” I said, realizing that T was putting on her jacket.

“Have got to study. Can’t stay here! Want to spend the night at my friend’s. Away from this noise! See you later!” said she, her fingers twisting the key at the main door.

“You take care now! It is so late!” I said, with a frown on my forehead.

“Don’t you worry about me!” she said, in between her voluptuous lips. The main door rattled as she pulled it close behind her.

I went back to my bedside. Then putting aside my Ph.D thesis which I was trying to read all over and revise while awaiting my viva, I lay in bed with a book instead. “I Coriander” was written on its cover, penned by Sally Gardner.

A delightful piece set amidst medieval times, full of admirable prose. No wonder it garnered the most popular book by British school children in 2005 (Book of the Year Award). The amazing thing about the author was that she was a dyslexic as a child; was often ridiculed at by her friends and called ‘stupid’ by her teachers, thrown out of several schools, labeled unteachable and also sent to maladjusted children. It was only after her parents sent her to a special school that she started to learn how to read at the age of 14. Then gaining a degree with highest honours at a leading London art college and became a highly successful costume designer in film production.

All of a sudden, there was a loud bang on the glass pane, accompanied by the voices of drunkards singing. My hands quickly reached to put out the reading light and I hid under the sleeping bag. My lips, uttering prayers, “Please Allah! Please protect me..”

I occupied the room fronting the main road of the corner unit, double storey terrace house that was rented with T and two other non-British girls (non Muslims too). But we all got on very well indeed! The lower storey façade was all glass windows from ceiling down to nearly to the floor and not grilled like back here in Malaysia. A hard knock and the glass might shatter…

Most weekends would typically be as such! The sound that was heard earlier on was the loud music coming from cars which would sometimes whizz pass the corner. The driver manning the steering sometimes behaving like a competitor in Formula One. Most of the time, young Muslims of Pakistani descent or from the Middle East. Questions were sometimes posed by people in the local white community, “When is the next Muslim Christmas?” referring to the wild parties, liquor binging and swinging by the Muslim youths on the eves of the two auspicious Eids in the Muslim calendar along the sidewalks of the Curry Mile. How ironic!

Sometimes I would feel ashamed and full of disgrace, especially when I chance upon British gentlemen driving their automobiles full of politeness and grace.

How do you explain such a thing like this? It is just beyond comprehension!

I remembered Brother Idris Tawfiq’s words at the question and answer session at the end of his talk a month back then. How befitting it was, as his audience were mostly young Muslim men and women from universities all over Britain and especially from the University of Manchester.

This was what he said, “Muslims should exemplify good examples. As muslim youths staying in the UK, you should be doing this. Then only will the British people be straightening up in their seats to listen to you! And lastly, I would like to say this. There are little things that you can do to help our fellow brothers and sisters who are being subjected to hardship in this world right now. Boycott the goods and products of those who use your money to continue to buy weapons to persecute our muslim brothers and sisters. Please do this and please spread these words. Remember, the power is in your hands! May Allah continue to bless you all! Assalamualaikum!”

Have we asked ourselves these questions? How far have we tried to portray good examples as Muslims? Especially in the spate of recent happenings? Certain quarters amongst us have suddenly become objects of attention…roving eyes and ears all pricked up! The slightest blunder and tongues would start wagging and worse still, the confidence of the masses waning. Have we really done our best to render our opinion, act and react with wisdom? Touching people’s hearts with grace and kindness? Until they realize that Islam is full of glory and its followers are compassionate beings? For these were exemplified by our Rasul (peace be upon him), especially more so during the opening of Makkah. Absolutely no vengeance, no malice. Only gentleness and forgiveness...

And are we prepared to forgo and boycott (as strongly suggested by Brother Idris Tawfiq) certain quarters whose sales of products contribute to (if not in its entirety then maybe some) the destruction, massacre, torture and misery of our fellow men, women and children in other parts of the world including Palestine?

So think!