A while back, MuslimMatters had an interesting article
about some beneficial teachings that could be gleaned from the Harry Potter
books. Although the author did a commendable job in extracting positive
lessons found throughout the series, it was nonetheless quite an unnecessary
stretch, especially when there are countless more appropriate, less controversial sources for these
same teachings.
To make matters worse, the ensuing comment thread found
the proto-typical overly-simplistic Muslim approach of condemning the Harry
Potter series as completely Haram based on its ‘glamorization’ of magic.
As for me, I believe both approaches missed the boat on
the real dangers found in the Harry Potter series and other books of this genre.
Let me start by saying that it’s not the magic. I don’t believe for one second that young
children will begin dabbling in sorcery or witchcraft upon reading Harry
Potter. I don’t even believe they will
think magic to be inconsequential in our deen, as some commenters in the MM
article alleged. Black magic will remain
black magic – a completely forbidden act in Islamic teachings – and those who
delve into it will do so whether they read Harry Potter or not.
Such fears are akin to a child reading the classic Treasure
Island, chock-full of references of sailors getting drunk, and worrying about them wishing to get drunk – or at the least, thinking alcohol to be ‘no
big deal’.
Maybe I’m being naïve, but I just don’t see that
happening.
Similarly, I’m not afraid of my daughter picking up a bow
and arrow and hunting down children in the neighborhood, Hunger Games-style. I
think she realizes murder is bad.
The real danger in exposing our children to modern-day
popular literature is the more subtle, insidious messages found throughout
these books. It’s these messages that affect the subconscious. It’s these threads that change
personalities.
I’m more troubled by the disrespect Katniss, the Hunger
Games protagonist, consistently shows towards her mother. I’m bothered by the selfish decisions she
constantly makes with little regard for others.
It’s the individualistic ‘me-myself-and-I’ attitude that is found throughout
the Hunger Games series that worries me.
Look, I understand that modern Western literature is
merely going to reflect modern Western values.
In essence, that’s where my grievance stems from. These books are exposing
our children to foreign values and morals that are inconsistent with the standards
my wife and I are trying to establish in our home.
Too many of us parents are so ecstatic that our children
are reading (as opposed to watching TV or surfing the Net) that we aren’t
paying attention to the subtle ideals promoted within these books. Many of the
books targeting modern-day teenagers contain dominant streams of feminist
notions, individualistic thought, and material gluttony while concurrently
disparaging religion and tradition and disrespecting elders.
Unfortunately there is great dearth of modern English
literature written for the today’s Muslim youth. That’s why I’ve basically
relegated myself to sticking to classical texts which maintain a respectable
sense of traditional values more in-line with Islamic teachings. Fortunately,
my daughter has shown a great deal of interest in these books, but at the same
time, she is a product of her times and is constantly tempted by the popularity
of Hunger Games, Percy Jackson, and the like.
It’s a fine line we’re treading here and I’m sincerely
praying that an Islamically stable home and a pseudo-Islamic environment
(living in Saudi) peppered with classical works and good, solid friends will be
enough to temper the ill-effects of modern media.
9 comments:
Can I just be you and have your insight?
You'll always get criticisms of fads. I remember when I was young, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was massive, and i heard a story about some kid that went down into a sewer looking for them. I think most kids then (and now) do know the difference between fiction and fact.
But the lines can be blurred, and like you say those subtle themes are very dangerous.
But real and frightening consequences do occur too. I don't know if this is an outright imitation or an enactment of those subtle themes, but i've heard of vampire-inspired, hedonistic parties that teenagers go to where they extract vials of blood from each other (don't know if they actually drink it)...apparently this stems from the sensuality put forward in the vampire stories / movies like Twilight.
My wife teaches at a strict Islamic school, and their policy is that the girls aren't even allowed to discuss these books / movies in class. I think that's kind of hardline - because a teacher-moderated discussion (which adds a wise, Islamic perspective) is, i believe, more beneficial than just blocking it out.
But the fact is that even the kids from religious families are facing these things. And maybe it's easier in your environment to avoid such things - but for the rest of us, out in the wild 'west' - there's no escaping it. I actually read that Iran recently banned 'The Simpsons' and 'Barbie' due to the ideological conflicts that those western icons have with Islam. (of course, that was a big joke / oppressive censorship in the eyes of many non-muslims).
I think for most kids, those classical texts won't be appealing at all. WHich is why, in terms of deen, I think the younger ulama (e.g. Al Maghrib Institute and the like) are so critical - because they themselves are relatively young, they relate more to the youth, and they speak the language of our generation - which is exactly what we need.
@Anon, Aww isn't that cute, my wife's left her first ever comment. Next time dear, pump the brakes on your hero-worship. :-)
@DL, nice comment. Appreciate the thought you put into it.
Totally agree with you about introducing teacher-moderated discussions about some pop-culture material. Complete censorship is a always problematic.
The onslaught of pop-culture is so overwhelming that our best bet is to counter it instead of trying to naively prohibit it.
WRT to younger ulama, I just don't think that's enough. Culture wars aren't won merely by lectures, but by offering better alternatives. And even then, the pressure of the dominant culture is all too often too much to resist.
One just never knows these days... people are influenced by their peers too, so even if they're not watching it but their friends are, who knows. It seems like Shaytaan is just everywhere, seemingly moreso than ever before.
Anyway, here's a link that concurs with your findings:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2146176/Bad-language-books-Harry-Potter-Twilight-encourage-teens-swear.html
Great post and I agree with what you say about modern day YA Western literature. It's really difficult to keep children away from such influences if such literature is especially prevalent in society due to popularity (like Harry Potter, Hunger Games, Twilight, etc). Normally I would never introduce these books to my kids, but if they somehow found out about it and kept insisting on reading it, I might let them read only on one condition: that they discuss with me the contents/theme of each chapter every night. Which means I would be reading alongside them and then coming up with relevant topics for discussion (sort of like what we do when we go over their reading/history assignments from school). I'd go over with both the parts that are problematic (and the reasons why they are problematic) as well as parts that may provide a good lesson.
As for the lack of good modern day literature that our Muslim youth might relate to, I agree that that will be very hard to find nowadays, especially with works by and about Muslims. The few YA Western young Muslim novels I came across also contain problematic elements within them (which is a shame especially because their authors are Muslims!) On two of my blogs I've written reviews of YA books about Muslims, with both the elements I've found problematic in them, along with elements that I found to be positive:
http://suite101.com/rahela-choudhury
http://rchoudh.hubpages.com/
The majority of the books I reviewed were interestingly enough written by nonMuslims. Some did a decent job with their portrayal of Muslims and others should go back and do more research about Islam and Muslims before attempting to write about them.
If your child is into reading autobiographies, here's one I highly recommend, written by a revert sister in the UK: http://rchoudh.hubpages.com/hub/from-my-sisters-lips
I would even recommend this book to nonMuslim friends and relatives, it's so good Mash'allah. Finally one other suggestion I'd like to make is possibly starting a book club with your kids' friends/classmates. That way you can extend your daily discussions about a particular book to a wider audience. Sorry for the long post I really like this topic!
AA-
@Azra, unfortunately the long arm of pop culture reaches into the minds of even homeschooling kids. As we all know, we simply can never let our guards down. And thanks for the excellent link!
@R, its funny, but I've basically begun to read some of the books my daughter has read for the purpose of understanding what they're about. That includes the Hunger Games and even some of the Jane Austen books!!! :-O
Thanks for the recommendation on the Naima Roberts book...will try to get my daughter to read it.
Oh ok that's good you're already reading alongside them Mash'Allah! And you're welcome Insha'Allah your daughter will like it.
As-Salaamu 'alaikum,
Years ago, when I worked at an Islamic school (briefly), Pokemon was still in fashion and the headteacher had a simple way of dealing with them: when he found anyone with the cards, he would rip them up in front of him. He said the cards were pictures of jinns and were haraam, quite apart from the fitna they caused with all the swapping and arguing.
The "magic" of Harry Potter is different from the Islamic understanding of magic - in these books it's something people are born with and have to learn to control, hence being sent to Hogwart's. Still, all the heroics in the book are based on the practice of magic and kids shouldn't learn that they can solve all their problems that way. I've never read any of the books and have tried to avoid the films.
Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Ephesians 2:8-10
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
John 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
Post a Comment