Natrah: Lost soul?

Last Saturday I went to see the staging of Natrah at Istana Budaya with my sis, cousins+ their significant others ;).
The performance was alright, but we didn't get the best seats because the theater was packed to the brim and there were no other available tickets. However, I didn't mind much as I was interested with the story ;)

Setting aside the theater performance and script (which was for me OK laa), I find myself more fascinated about the underlying questions of the whole Natrah situation.
...before I go further, I want to state that I am no authority on this issue and whatever is written here are just thoughts generated by random networks in my brain. So don't go all defensive on me ok? :p

I don't know what I'd do if I'm in Natrah's shoes. I really can't kid myself that I'd be stronger in resisting the constant interference in my life and faith. Plus, she was only 13. Sometimes I think that her life is too controlled by outside forces that to the end her choices are often not her own....but that is only an outsider's observation, the truth in her heart will never be revealed to us.

I think that what happened to Natrah is not a tragedy to Islam. As someone I know once said, "if in her heart she is Islam, then she won't deviate". But if she is not, then we would have to pray that Allah in all His mercy would lighten the path for her to come back to Islam. Please know and remember that while we fought for her to remain Islam, the other side is also fighting for the exact same reason. So actually, it's fair game because each side believes that they are the divine right. To me, the real culprit is the Locke guy who tricked Che Aminah into coming to Singapore. What he did was mischievious but cunning.

I think the question whether or not Natrah should remain a Muslim should be entirely her own once she is of age. However, is coming of age alone is enough? I wonder...assuming that Natrah is so gullible to outside forces and unable to take a stand, can her judgment be taken as the ultimatum, as the defining parameter of what should be done? Giving or placing anything to the undeserving is the definition of zalim (cruelty) right? When is someone rendered unfit to make decisions?

Another thing, the story narrated in the performance is implying that the colonialist are unrespectful of the law and rules in Islam. But as my fully qualified lawyer sis said, Natrah is not a question of religion, but rather a question of the right to custody. The league they were fighting in is not religion, but the court of law. I am not saying that rules in Islam should abide by the civil laws but what authority Islam has in that particular setting? Islam does not have the power to impose its will on others because at that time even Malaya didn't practice Shariah laws. Here we are, screaming "bangsat penjajah" and other terms along the same line. Who'll care? This pointless anger to me is in total disharmony to the need to understand in Islam. Who would believe a raving fanatic with a shiny blade that threaten everyone to believe he's advocating peace? What the eyes see is the total opposite to what the ears hear and what the heart feel. We have to change this, somehow.

However, what I conclude for myself after watching the performance is that truth does not depend on how many wins or loses. If it does, then how wrong we all are because we keep losing eventhough our numbers exceed the small white bubbles formed by the waves as it crashed to the shore. We weakly disappear, as if we never were there before.