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.
(Literally) I was this Years old, when I found-out that it’s Mahrūm/Islāmically-Prohibited to be a Lackey, a Groupie, a Dick-Rider, etc. Muhammad (Peace be upon him) stated, Word4Word, “Don’t be an Imma`ah (Lackey, Groupie, Dick-Rider, etc.).”.(at-Tirmidhī) This Hadīth/Narration is listed/cited as Hadīth# 2007 via the Musnad (Hadīth/Narration-Collection) of at-Tirmidhī. The Irony, as per my Personal Life-Experience, is that I abandoned my Allegiance to a Hizb/Religio-Sectarian Group in “2007”, C.E./1428, AH.
Now…keep in Mind: this Clown-Ass Nigga Shamsi Bensafi literally pontificated/claimed publicly, that MBS (Muhammad ibn-Salman) is a “Salafī”. Da Fuck Part o da Minhāj is this?!!! Make that Goofy-Shit make Sense.
My Personal-Experience being an Adherent to a Hizb taught me that any/all Ahzāb/Religio-Sectarian Groups are Inherently-Similar in that:
a. All-Ahzāb lay Unwarranted/Unjustified-Claims to Religio-Monopolies/Superiority, predicated upon Islāmic-Concepts which ironically existed prior to the Revelation of The Qur’ān.
b. All-Ahzāb, in order to sustain their Survival, must rely upon (almost exclusively) al-Imma`tiyyah (Lackey/Dick-Rider Culture).
“My Imām/Leader”…”My Shaykh/Teacher”…”My Tarīqah/Path”…”My Minhāj/Methodology”…”My Madhab/Religio-Legal School”…”My `Aqīdah/Religio-Theological School”…”My Political-Party”…”My Gang”…”My Hood”…”My Clique”…”My Country”…”My City”…”My Tribe”…etc.: any/all of this literally spawns&incubates, facilitates, etc. al-Imma`tiyyah.
Why bring this up…#Anwer: the Entire-World, via the Entirety of Human-History almost, has been immersed in al-Immatiyyah, particularly/especially relative to the Revelation of The Qur’ān. There’s even Ahādīth/Narrations like those found via Abī-Dāwud, which Muhammad had stated, “Whomever imitates any People are of them.”. This Issue of al-Immatiyyah directly is addressed via that Aforementioned-Hadīth/Narration. We, as Muslims, must pay Close-Attention to the Clear&Present-Dangers of al-Imma`tiyyah, or else we will be destroyed by it, just like the Umum/Nations before us were destroyed because of it.
You don’t have to be European to be a White-Supremacist. Just like you don’t have to be Non-Muslim to be an Islāmophobe. Persons like Assim Al-Hakeem: “Religio-Scholar” Native of the Arab-World via KSA/Saudi Arabia thus undoubtedly prove this…they happen to be both a Xenophobe & an Islāmophobe. Ironically, Persons like them are actually no different than Persons like Said Rageah.(https://garethbryant.wordpress.com/2019/11/14/muslim-hatemonger) Much like how `Amr ibn-Hishām was nicknamed Abū-Hakm/Father-Of-Judgment/Wisdom, whom was renicknamed Abū-Jahl/Father-Of-Ignorance via Muhammad (Peace be upon him): it’s ironic that the Last-Name of the Person whom is in this Post is al-Hakīm/Wise-Person, when in fact it should be al-Jahīl/Apathetic-Asshole. Islāmophobia & White-Supremacy are both Manifestations of azh-Zhulm/Oppression. And whomever co-signs or is Silent concerning either is a Zhālim/Oppressor, by definition. Being Pro-`Asabiyyah/Xenophobia is Islāmophobia, by definition, because the 1st-Being/Created-Thing to be Pro-`Asabiyyah was ash-Shaytān/Satan. And ash-Shaytān is the Ultimate-Islāmophobe.(at-Tabarī, as-Suyūtī, ibn-Kathīr) One may Dare ask how/why do I pontificate/claim such a Stance against Assim Al-Hakeem. I’ll answer that. Firstly though, I’ll thoroughly detail the “Black Lives Matter” Concept vs. the “All Lives Matter” Kalām/Rhetoric. “Black-Lives Matter”, is as valid as “All-Lives Matter”, because #Allah (the Creator/Lord of the Universe) created All-Life/Lives. However, at the Same-Time: if “Black-Lives” don’t matter to those whom benefit from al-`Asabiyyah/Xenophobia via White-Supremacy/White-Privilege, then saying “All-Lives Matter” is Deflectory-Rhetoric. It summarily means that they know that “Black-Lives” don’t matter via White-Supremacy & don’t care that “Black-Lives” don’t matter.(https://garethbryant.wordpress.com/2018/02/04/bilalmoviereinforcesslavenarrative) This, of course, is because they’re able to hide under the Filthy-Cover of White-Supremacy, via either: being European, passing for “White” (Russians/Central-Asians, Euro-Latinos, Middle-Eastern Peoples, Mixed-Ethnicity Peoples/”Bi-Racial”, etc.). Also, there’s Good-Ole Coonery via Persons whom’re classified as “Black”, via the Socio-Caste System which the Western-World operates by, based exclusively upon al-`Asabiyyah (via Classism, Ethnocentrism, Colorism, etc.). They attempt to convince People that White-Supremacy isn’t Reality. They also contribute to Self-Hate & Self-Destruction of their own People. Furthermore, you don’t have to be Afro-American to be a Coon-If you’re Non Afro-American & you co-sign Anti-Blackness, via your Silence and/or your Biases, then by definition you’re a Coon. Oh, by the way: Muslims whom don’t/refuse to stand against White-Supremacy, then by definition, not only are they Muslim-Coons, but most importantly/worse yet, they’re Islāmophobes Assim Al-Hakeem & those like him are most definitely Muslim-Coons. Silence and/or Participation as per al-`Asabiyyah is Islāmophobia by definition. Muslims are Mafrūdh/Islāmically-Mandated to stand against any/all Manifestations of azh-Zhulm/Oppression: Spiritually, Psycho-Emotionally, Primally.(https://garethbryant.wordpress.com/2019/09/23/toxicleadership) Of course, Persons like Assim Al-Hakeem have, on Numerous-Occasions, spoken against any Forms/Manifestations of al-Jihād (Struggle/Resistance) against Oppressive-Governance/Governments. And, this is because Persons like them are pressured, via their Oppressive-Governments, to command People to be Anti-Dissent. Ironically, Dissent was literally used via Muslims of the Middle-East/Arab-World via the Geo-Political Ancestors of this Region aiding Non-Muslim/Western Powers topple al-Khilāfah/Islāmic-Governance: the Ottoman-Empire during World-War I.(https://garethbryant.wordpress.com/2013/12/06/hujjahagainstsaudiarabia) Standing against azh-Zhulm is something Allah takes so seriously, that He decided to make azh-Zhulm Mahrūm/Islāmically-Prohibited even upon Himself. And, if/whenever there’s Muslims being Silent/Complicit regarding any Manifestation of Oppression, then this is Islāmophobia, by definition…you don’t have to be Non-Muslim to be an Islāmophobe. In fact, ironically: Muhammad (Peace be upon him stated taught us that al-`Asabiyyah is something which his Ummah/Nation will never abandon.(Muslim, an-Nawawī)
It’s Patheitically-Ironic, that in a Nation-State whose Religious-Elite are so Hardline against Musical-Entertainment: Saudi Arabia not only has Music-Concerts within KSA, but also is Home to some of the Most-Popular Music-Artists in the History of the Muslim-World as well as the Arab-World, like Muhammad `Abduh for example (not to be confused with the Founder of Salafism in the 1860’s, C.E. of the Same-Name). However, within the Same-Breath: there’s Fatāwā/Religio-Rulings after Fatāwā as per the Islāmic-Prohibitions regarding Musical-Instruments, Musical-Lyrics, Musical-Genres, etc. & ironically the same Musical-Artists within the Realm of the Saudi-Kingdom pontificate/promote the exact Same-Kinds/Types of Music which is condemned via the Saudi Religio-Elite.
Some very important Facts to note by the Way: a. Music, via its Entirety, inherently isn’t Mahrūm/Islāmically-Prohibited. b. The Term which is used via at-Tanzīl/Revelation (The Qur’ān & the Sunnah/Prophetic-Tradition) to describe the Prohibited-Elements of Music: al-Ma`āzif itself is too often mistranslated as “Music-Holistically/Musical-Instruments Holistically”. c. The Correct-Meaning/Translation of al-Ma`āzif is “Instruments of Evil” & more specifically, via at-Tanzīl is “Woodwind/Stringed-Instruments”.(al-Bukhārī, Abū-Dāwud) d. There’s a Known-Instrument know as ad-Daff: an Arab-Drum…ironically, ad-Daff is Mahlūl/Islāmically-Allowed & by definition it’s literally a Musical-Instrument.
So, obviously, Islāmically: there’s absolutely no Way that all Music/Musical-Elements are Mahrūm.(al-Bukhārī, Muslim, Lisān-ul-Arab: Lexicon of the Arabic-Language, ibn-Manzhūr) Saudi Arabia, just on the Issue of Music itself, is 💯%-Guilty of spreading Cultural-Colonization. Basically, their Premise is to indoctrinate the Entire Muslim-World to conform to their own valid Individual-`Urfiyyah. And, of course: the Best-Way to pull this off is to disguise Arabism with the Cloak of al-Islām. In spite of the Fact that al-Islām is a Dīn/Religio-Spiritual Lifestyle & not an `Urf/Culture, KSA readily attempts to lay Claim to al-Islām, as though it’s their Personal-Property, which clearly it’s not. And, because of the Fact that Salafism particularly, unique to any/all other Ahzāb (Sectarian/Deviant-Groups) amongst Muslims, the Religio-Puritanical Postures which is pontificated/promoted via Salafism pushes a very Ugly-Precedent/Agenda that if it comes out of/from Saudi, that if Saudi allows it, if Saudi co-signs/supports it, then it’s All-Good. This includes: a. Squandering the Wealth of the Muslims (Petroleum which is the Only-Reason as to how/why KSA & the other Gulf-States even matter to the World at all). b. Collusion with Non-Muslim/Western Powers against Muslim-Countries/Governments, Muslim-Leaders, etc. (in spite of their Hypocritical-Kalām/Rhetoric concerning “Patience&Obedience in regards to Muslim-Leadership/Rulership) (Nawāqidh-ul-Islām/Nullifications of al-Islām, Muhammad ibn-`Abd-il-Wahhāb) Gareth Bryant
This is my 1st-Book. Myself, along with my Co-Author, LaTisha Bradford-We’ve published this to provide Readers with something pragmatic: to look within themselves introspectively, objectively: reflecting upon their Lives. I’m personally very excited concerning this Publication. I’ve been writing for a Long-Time. However, I never really expected that I’d be at this Literary-Level, authoring Literature/Books. This is truly a Watershed-Moment for me personally, because it stands as a Magnanimous-Accomplishment within my Life. To be an Author is such a Monumental-Feat. Most People don’t get to be Authors. So, this is something for me an Accomplishment/Achievement, the Ability to share something with the World which is real, tangible, and has the Potential/Capability to improve the Lives of anyone who chooses to read my Book. Our Purpose for even writing this Book is because both my Co-Author & I saw as well as felt the Neccessity to highlight Life-Experience as a Stepping-Stone towards Progression, Evolution, Improvement, etc. So that any Person reading this Book can potentially reflect upon their own Lives & draw from our Book ways to look at themselves as those whom still possess the Capabilities&Abilities to grow, regardless to what Space/Place, Age, Career, Situation which they’re currently within. The Book itself is exclusively meant to provide Hope, along with Practical-Tools to improve one’s Self, at one’s on Pace, at one’s own Time, without Judgmentalism, Criticism, Ridicule, etc. And, I’m confident that we’ve been able to accomplish this as such.
Fraser Anning, raving & ranting… …Mocking the Mosques attacking. Claiming that al-Islām is the Problem… …when Gunmen were quarrelsome. He acts as though Immigrants are dangerous… …didn’t colonizing Australia massacre her Millions?!!!
Yeah…I thought so: simply deflecting… …so far removed from your own very Dark-History.
Arrogance is blatant Truth-Rejecting… …your Ancestors used Blood to write their Violent-Story.
People like this think&feel emboldened, that they’re the World’s-Masters… …upon the Horizon though is a Storm of Retribution, full of Disasters.
Their Hands have corrupted the Earth, yet they proclaim to be its Saviors… …all they do is exploit & manipulate, profiting from People’s Past-Labors.
For the first time in my life, I’m afraid to be Black…
…everything about who I am is under fierce attack.
I’m worried that my Mother will have to see me in a Casket…
…body mutilated like Emmett Till: a tragedy that’s so drastic.
I’m afraid that one day I’ll be blown away…
…by a Police-Officer’s Gun and at any day.
I’m apprehensive that I’ll just be another Black-Man killed in the Streets…
…and that my murderers will get away with it, and continue walkin da Beats.
It’s more likely that I’ll be killed by Cops than by ISIS…
…we live in a World where we just want to deny this.
Everyone wants to pretend that equality is here…
…tell that to Black-Men who live in constant fear.
Whether we’re Gangster or Corporate, it don’t matter…
…cooperating makes Police draw their weapons faster.
Why must Society make Others feel…
…that I do nothing but rob and steal?
Why are the Police trained to automatically view me as a Criminal?
The Racism of the 60’s resurfaced from its historical subliminal.
What are we supposed to do; how do we fight back?
The load is too heavy: I feel that I’m about to snap.
Ramadhan 1435 AH/2014 CE…I went to Masjid Ar-Rahman, on 29th St bet. 5th Ave & Broadway, in Manhattan, NYC-After making the congregational Maghrib/Sunset Prayer, my shoes go missing. I’m honestly mad as Hell: those Sneakers were brand-new & fresh out the box, I barely had them for a whole week, I got them for free…they were a gift. So, you can understand why I was duly pissed all the way off!!! I felt so violated that someone, a Muslim, would dare to steal something during Ramadhan in the Mosque no less. I was just thinking in my mind what I would do, and how would I hurt this Person who took what was mine, if I woulda caught-up to them. It even got to the point when I was yelling, and causing a scene, concerning what was taken from me. Some other Muslim-Brothers attempted to clam me down, but it just wasn’t working: I came in the Mosque with my Sneakers, and I had wanted to leave with my same Sneakers. But, guess what happens next?
Check-out how merciful Allah, the Creator/Lord of the Universe is:
1. He bestowed mercy upon the one who took my footwear, so I would not have acted out of anger against a fellow Muslim, during Ramadhan of all times.
2. He touched the heart of a Muslim brother who volunteered to give me his own shoes.
3. He touched the heart of another Muslim brother who actually drove me to a sneaker-store & bought me a brand-new pair of Sneakers…cash, which ironically were fresher & cheaper than the sneakers that I had gotten taken from me at this Mosque…the Sneakers which were taken from me were the Nike Andre Agassis, in Dead-stock/Brand-New condition. But, then the brother had bought me a pair of Nike ACGs, also in Dead-Stock/Brand-New condition.
4. Most importantly: the person who took my Sneakers actually did me a favor, because along with my shoes being taken, then perhaps a portion of my Sins have also been taken from me, which will make it easier to meet Allah on the Day-of-Standing, because the less Sins that a person has on their back, the better for them, when it comes to being judged by Allah on the Day of Days…So, I still considered myself a Winner.
Gareth Bryant 