“Righteous Sinner” Film-Review: How sinful is a “Sinner” & how righteous is a “Righteous-Person”?!!!

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Author’s-Note:

The Producer & Star of this Film, “Righteous Sinner”: Boonaa Mohammed had graciously allowed me to write an Article about his Film. The Movie is in every Sense direct, alluring, gritty, controversial, impactful, powerful, edgy, etc.(www.righteoussinnermovie.com)

The Film mainly focuses on the Inherent-Fragility of Humanity, and how when we have Position, Authority, Influence, Power, etc. Most-Humans don’t realize/care about the Reality that Muslim-Leaders, “Students-Of-Knowledge”, “Scholars”, “Imāms”, “Shaykhs”, etc. are more often than not just as Flawed/Sinful as anyone/everyone else. It indepthly explores & challenges the Tragedy of Muslims whom self-implode/self-destruct, resulting from Egotism/Narcissism via Muslim Celebrity-Culture.(Noble-Qur’ān: Chpt.25, V.43)

One of the Great-Points which the Film additionally highlights is the Various-Levels of Addiction…Addiction to: Ego/Desires, Substances, Fame, Wealth, Power, Sexuality, etc.

It was easy to see that the Silver-Lining of the Movie stems from the Story of Barsīsah.(Wahb ibn-Munabbih, at-Tabarī, ibn-ul-Jawzī) And in spite of the Speculative-Nature surrounding the Mustalah/Authenticity of the Story, it however still contains Truth/Honesty.

The Mental-Health Elements via the Film are very Spot-On. Especially as Muslims: our Ignorance/Apathy towards Mental-Health Awareness drives us even further into the Depths of Darkness, as per Mental-Illness. Unfortunately via the Muslims: we automatically associate Mental-Illness with at-Tajnīn (Jinn-Influence/Possession), when in fact at-Tajnīn & Mental-Illness are Mutually-Exclusive.

A very Edgy-Component of the Film was that the Director literally combined the Story of Barsīsah with the Spike Lee Film “Jungle Fever”. The Ethnocentric Sexual-Tension/Intensity between the 2 Main-Characters are very apparent. The Film also gives Great-Scope into al-`Asabiyyah/Xenophobia, particularly in Terms of one of the most common Elephants-In-Room amongst Muslims: Interethnic-Relationships/Marriage. These Dynamics within the film cause the Intensity between the two Main-Characters that much more intimate, complex, as well as complicated.

The Tug-Of-War, between the Main-Character & the Voices which they constantly hear throughout this Film, represent the Struggle to maintain their Spiritual-Integrity, also their Sanity. As the Movie evolves, so does the Intensity of Tragedy-Shocking for some, yet unsurprising for others how Things unfold. This, to me, is very near & dear to me. As I’m in the Healthcare/Mental-Health Field, being a Chaplain (Counselor/Therapist). The Struggles very accurately/honestly portrayed via this Film are what I engage daily, via my Profession. I’ve even presented Research to MSU (Michigan State University: Dept. of Psychiatry) & lectured at Cambridge University (Clare College), regarding all the Subject-Matter display in this Movie pertaining to Mental-Health/Illness, as well as at-Tajnīn.(https://garethbryant.wordpress.com/2019/07/08/attajninvsmentalillness)

This is a Film which I’d recommend anyone/everyone to watch, with an Open-Mind/Heart…looking past one’s Shyness or Bias, regarding the Subject-Matter detailed within it.

Gareth Bryant

1442, A.H./2020, C.E.

The “People-Of-Knowledge” Pseudo-Narrative & Pseudo-Monopoly according to Muslims

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1LDswNrz1CaEZSiu/?mibextid=TRmnTU

I personally know Muslims, who’ve basically the Same-Kinds/Types of Islāmic-Knowledge as I’ve amassed. Yet, immediately they’ve been granted Titles like, “Ustādh”, “Imām”, “Shaykh”, etc. Now, let me make myself very clear: I despise Titles, because they make People Arrogant. However, staying On-Point: one of the Reasons how/why this is the Case is because they’re not from me & I’m not from them. Meaning, they’re Arab…I’m not, they’re Desi…I’m not, they’re European/Euro-American (“White”)…I’m not, they’re African…I’m not, they’re Asian…I’m not, etc. Also, I don’t even consider myself to be a “Person-Of-Knowledge”. It’s simply that I know Game if/when I see it. Even as per Muslims whom’re of me & I of them-Persons who’ve literally dedicated their Entire-Lives to Islāmic-Academia/Scholarship…those whose Islāmic-Knowledge so greatly surpasses my own by far: even Those-Persons aren’t recognized as “Scholars”, “Shaykhs”, etc.

But, instead, they’re religio-academically disrespected via the Imposition of the Title “Student-Of-Knowledge” placed upon them. And, what I know for a Fact: that Title “Student-Of-Knowledge” is a Muslim Religio-Scholastic Euphemism for “Lil-Nigga”. I’ve observed/witnessed These-Realities my Entire-Duration as a Muslim. It took me a Long-Time, however, to self-develop the Courage to recognize/accept & call the Religio-Bullshit out if/whenever I see it. And anytime/everytime I’ve actually called this out, I get Sided-Eyed as though I’m the One who’s Buggin.

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It’s basically a Control-Mechanism, because via Things such as al-Hizbiyyah/Religio-Sectarianism, al-`Asabiyyah/Xenophobia, the Pseudo-Narrative of Bilāl ibn-Rabāh (May Allah be pleased with him): the Muslim-Slave Narrative, Sexual-Access to Women, etc. Muslims Native/Indigenous to the Western-World/Hemisphere (especially Muslim Afro-Americans from Canada to Chile) predicates/dictates that we can’t be Muslim Religio-Scholars unless/until these Clown-Asses from Muslim/Muslim-Majority Countries “declare” us to be so. News-Flash: that’s never going to happen. These Persons will never recognize/accept the Vast-Majority of Persons-Of-Knowledge amongst Muslim Afro-Americans, because for us to be Academically-Autonomous/Independent thus means that we’ll no longer be their Religio-Slaves. Ironically, the Worst-Part is that Muslim Afro-Americans absolutely love to be and/or remain Religio-Shackled to the Same-People who’ll never truly respect any of their Religio-Academia/Scholarship. This is the Case, simply due to the Fact that, statistically, demographically: instead of using al-Islām as the Ultimate-Tool to correct the Human-Condition, we’ve merely used al-Islām to switch Slave-Masters. We literally enjoy being NWA (Niggas With `Aqīdah/Theology).

Romance of the 3-`Aqīdahs

How much longer are Muslims of our Generations going to continue to tolerate/accept Muslim-Foreigner Influences, which does little2no Good and/or mostly2complete Harm?!!! Just to give you Context…NASA (the Scientific-Research/Discovery Wing of the U.S.-DOD) invented the James Webb Telescope, which was $50Billion & detected (via the Will-Of-Allah) Multiple-Galaxies that’re estimated as being the Same-Age as (if not older than) the Previous-Age that the Seen-Universe had been estimated as…about 14Billion-Years old. Ironically though, here on Earth: there’s Muslims whom still pontificate/claim that the Earth is “Flat”. Literally, till This-Day, it’s an “accepted” Religio-Geological “Fatwā/Ruling” dictated by someone whom:

a. Was Blind since they were a Teenager.

b. Never received any Official/Formal Secular-Education.

c. Never lived externally of the Arabian-Peninsula.

There’s been more than enough “Persons-Of-Knowledge”, who’ve sat with Fulāns-Fulāns/These-Niggas&Those-Niggas. There’s an Unlimited-Plethora of Islāmic-University Graduates, from Multiple-Institutions via “Overseas”…
…honestly it’s to the Point that why do People still go “Overseas” to “study”. I’ll tell you how/why: it’s because al-Ijtimā`/Unity scares&confuses so/too many People. And, this is exclusively because so/too many People don’t want to be responsible nor accountable. So, upon that: it’s easy&convenient to stay separated, so People can operate as if they’re practicing Bastard-Fuedalism…their own Religio-Regions/Fiefdoms.

The Ambition/Vision: to free us from Muslim-Foreigner Influence.

The Focus/Plan: to connect with Liked-Minds whom’re tired of being Religio-Academically bitched via Muslim-Foreigner Influence & that we work together in order to pattern an Authentic Religio-Destiny of us based upon al-Islām & no longer based upon Muslim-Foreigner Sucka-Shit.

The Drive/Work: It’s going to be an Uphill-Dogfight from Start2Finish. And, realistically, we may not live long enough to see it manifested. But, we must still aim for it.

Don’t get me wrong: I’m not saying “Fuck the Scholars.”. However, what I’m authoritatively saying is that we’ll never be Religio-Demographically Autonomous, if we continue to allow ourselves to be Religio-Academically Shackled to “Overseas-Scholarship”. Islāmic-Knowledge has always been capable/able to be transformative for any/all Peoples who’ve been exposed to it. If/when we look all across the Planet, all over the Muslim-World, etc. Various-Demographics of Muslims have acquired Sufficient Religio-Academia/Scholarship…thanked those whom brought it to them…and they kept it pushin. We da Only-Niggas who act like 15-Year Olds with a Full-Set of Permanent-Teeth still trying to get Religio-Academically Breastfed.

For example…literally, as per any/all the Islāmic-Institutions of Higher-Learning any of These-Dudes went to (both the Graduates & Drop-Outs alike):

1. Where’s the Qur’ān-Schools?!!!

2. Where’s the Tafsīr/Commentary-Schools?!!!

3. Where’s the Hadīth/Narration-Schools?!!!

4. Where’s the Fiqh/Legal-Analysis Schools?!!!

5. Where’s the Madhab/Religio-Legal Schools?!!!

6. Where’s the Sharī`ah/Islāmic-Law Schools?!!!

7. Where’s the Iftā/Religio-Research Schools?!!!

Gareth Bryant

al-Imāmah/Leadership just isn’t for Gareth Bryant

(For better or for worse) I’ve literally: said, done, pontificated Controversial-Things which’ve been the Human-Reasons how/why I’ll probably never be selected, recommended, etc. for al-Imāmah/Religio-Leadership amongst Muslims.

There’s Several-Reasons, how/why I’m grateful this is the Case:

a. Being a Leader is a Burden, not an Entitlement.

b. Being a Leader has the Potential to bring out the Worst in People.

c. Being a Leader makes you a Slave to those you’re entrusted to lead: sacrificing one’s Personal-Life.

d. Being a Leader is stressful.

I’ve honestly 0-Regrets for being overlooked, as per being looked to for Leadership. Things like this, ironically, have helped established Barriers between myself & the Pursuit-Of-Leadership. And, it serves as the Perfect-`Udhr/Excuse to never actively pursue Leadership. Personally, I still don’t comprehend how/why there’s Muslim-People whom still pursue Leadership.

Wanting to be a Leader, as a Muslim, is a Serious-Problem. I honestly don’t get/don’t want to get it. There’s of course some/many People whom may very well find it strange, that I despise the Idea of Leadership this much. I don’t care-My Leadership-Reservations are 💯% Islāmically-Valid. I’ve literally witnessed/observed Muslims assume/accept being Leaders & it’s literally ruined their Lives, their Relationships, their Families, their Wellness, etc. & most importantly: it’s ruined their Connection to/with Allah.

I refuse to be slaughtered, via Leadership, without even a Weapon.

Gareth Bryant

1442, A.H./2020, C.E.