A hijabed punk rock band?

We are Lady Parts (Season1, E1-6; 2021)
Written and Directed: Nida Mansoor

Early Western philosophers used to look down on music and musical instruments. They considered it a lower-class activity. Nevertheless, they appreciated the harmonics and mathematical intervals that were needed to make music. Al-Kindi and other Islamic scholars also included harmonics and music in their curriculum. The 4-stringed oud was a popular instrument during the Golden Age of Islam. They realised there was a close relationship between poems and music and their emotional effect on the soul. Al Farabi, the philosophical giant of Islamic Civilisation, often referred to as the Second Teacher (after Aristotle), wrote about music therapy and the therapeutic effect of music on the soul. 

A Moor and a Christian playing lute together
in 13th-century Spain

One can easily imagine a young villager from Western Europe, the remnant of the Western Roman Empire, which in the 11th century was experiencing the Dark Ages, longing to be where the action was. The happening place to be at that time was the Islamic cities that had chic coffee bars, melodious oud music accompaniment and spoken poetry.

Despite the positive publicity of music and Islam, even at that time, certain groups opposed the widespread use of music. They viewed music as an intoxicant, only valuable for seeking pleasure. On the other hand, in Central Asia and India, Sufis utilised music and poetry to express the greatness of God. It became a medium to display their piety, praise the greatness of the Divine Being and spread His gospel.

Oud

Fast forward to the 21st century. The most dominant and assertive denomination of Islam insists that music is haram. They insist that it deviates its followers from fulfilling God's path to a meaningful life that would ensure bliss in the afterworld. Nobody dares to pick a bone with these leaders, and the hunt to clamp indulgence in music continues.

Against this background, a bevvy of girls from the conservative side of London decides to start a punk band clandestinely. In this situational comedy, living under the hawkish eyes of friends and neighbours who take it as their God-given duty to ensure fellow practitioners of the religion do not go astray, they are used to being told off that the behaviour is not accepted.

Against this backdrop, the four-piece band, with their manager, put together a workable band amidst all the challenges hurled upon them. There were the judgemental eyes of the community, the internal family issues, love problems, their daytime jobs, prejudice and the stage fright that the lead guitar player had to overcome before they finally make a successful debut performance.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Lost in time...

During our first meeting (majlis), we, the Hutchings group, discussed about too many things. One of the things we did discuss is about djinns and angels. Perhaps, people who dwell in the business of healing probably knew more than we think they know. That they knew many things about microbiology and even psychiatry. Perhaps, their nomenclature and their explanation differ much from our understanding of etiology and pathogenesis of disease processes.

Surprise, surprise! Just the other day, there was a podcast on antibiotics and the discussion on how new antibiotics are rendered worthless within a year or so after it is marketed as the next wonder drug!

Incidentally, two microbiologists, who took greatest interest in Old English games, dressing and language stumbled upon old scriptures written by an alchemist or healer in medieval times. He had written a book on his collection of 'wonder cures'.

After translating the text and preparing meticulously a concoction using simple household items like leek, onion, honey and vinegar, they actually had a paste which successfully cured a stye!

Just like how Alexander Fleming who was feted with the Nobel prize and honoured on the Times magazine, when penicillin was discovered, these old witches and shamans must have their place in the limelight when their potions cured the illnesses of the day. Penicillin, despite its early promise and apparent breakthrough in treating infection, soon encountered drug resistance as the survival skills of the microscopic lifeforms showed their 'street smartness' through genetic engineering to stay alive. Witches' potion No. 5, must have had its spot in the monthly 'Top 40' chart before bowing sheepishly to potion No. 8 and so on.