If pretty pretty pictures can speak a thousand words, what does that say about motion/video?

I am sure a lot of you will have been in this situation where there is someone about to edicate you about something Islamic... and you may even be interested and then the person starts...

"Nahmaduhu wa nusalleee"

and you rarely get past this bit stilla wake as it is so... ordered and pretentious and fake. then there is the contents that drone on and on, pretending to be atlreast 50 years older than the person is as if that privides gravitas and importance... allowing you to have a quick nap until some moron shouts "Takbeer!" making you jump up as if someone had attacked you...

What if there was another way?

Yesterday after making some chips I got to see a bit of a production of something on Noor TV. I have no idea how it started, but the basic story was about the punishment of the grave.

It revolved around a husband and wife.. the (pretty) wife was the typical wholesome woman caricature, forever trying to be perfect, hard working, religious etc etc. The husband was the opposite - living this world etc, no car ein the world for religion.

And then they died. Actually there was a bit before that where they were in a coma after a car accident, but were not aware of it, so they could do some spooky horror things where they think they are at home, but really aren't... but eventually they find out and then they die. and that is when it starts.

The husband is tortured for his sins etc, begs the people to pray for him after his death etc while they are talking about how good he was but for non religious reasons, telling people to dress up etc... live the life.

For the woman, her good actions save her.

While the husband is seen tortured, beaten, in a bad shape, she is shown by a peaceful and tranquil.

There were other smaller characters too - some woman that had been into fashion, some guy who had checked her out... he had a chisel hammered into his eye. Nice.

Overall, the story was weak, the acting not much better and the visual effects abysmal. But you know what? it still worked better than a thousand speeches.

So why is there so mush telling people about Islam isntead of showing?

Go to saudi Arabia and important places, instead of having signs telling people it is not important to visit those places, why not have there be maps etc to show how exactly they happened - or maybe even reenactions? Get people in touch with their Islamic heritage.

One of the ways that other communities have managed to keeptheir histories alive is through plays and getting kids to interact with the past by participating in the stories. But if that happened with Muslims, just think of the fatwas that wopuld come! "how dare he pretend he is person X!"

This is also one of the reasons ALi and Jamal is popular - it may be pretty crap, but when it is compared with "Nahmuduhu wa nusalleee", its much more exicting and much more real. People read it beause they want to - it is somethign they can relate to.

There isn't really a point to this blog other than to say that somethings can be spiced up, made more xciting than they are.

This does not mean there needs to be an end to textbook education, but that there needs to be variation other things get snory.