Invite Mr. Wright: Oh really? And exactly who told you that?

Whoa!

Is this really a blog post?

Why yes, it is! xD

So after many months of not updating this blog, I am finally writing something again!

And is it bad that I'm writing about something that's bothering me? Because I do that a lot, don't I? (...The previous post was about how Twilight bothered me, so... =..=ll I swear this isn't a hate blog or anything...)

Anyway!

So yes! This is an update, and this time, I'm going to talk about a television show.

Now just to let you know, I'm not much of a TV-watching person - I normally surf the net (like everyone else my age). But the other night I was watching TV, and I was watching Invite Mr. Wright.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with this show, I'll give you a brief introduction:

Basically it's a show where Ian Wright, dubbed as "the most travelled man on the planet" on the show's website, travels to various places on earth. Wherever he goes, he gets a guide and stays with the locals.

I've only watched several episodes of this show, so I'm not really following it. The other day I watched one episode where he was in Indonesia. And just a few nights ago, I watched an episode where he went to Kota Bharu, Malaysia.

I was intrigued to see what he thought of the place and stuff. As usual, he had a guide with him, a Chinese woman that I didn't know. But I did some googling just before I started this post, and found out that she is Joanne Kam Po Po. (I...still have no idea who she is. Really. Who is she? The name doesn't ring any bell. Sorry. :/ )

So anyway, after meeting Pak Yusuf, who makes wayang kulit thingies, Ian and Joanne retreated to Pak Yusuf's house, I think. It was during Ramadhan, meaning the whole family was fasting.

Once it was time for them to break the fast, Ian asked Joanne whether you could brush your teeth if you were fasting, and she said something along the lines of:

"No, you can't brush your teeth. You're not even supposed to swallow your own spit."

And this is where I derived the title of this blog post. Immediately after she said that, I thought, "Wtf is this woman talking about? And exactly who told you that?"

I mean, I think I wouldn't be bothered if she'd said it, like, "I think you can't brush your teeth" or, "I heard you can't brush your teeth if you're fasting, I'm not sure though, why don't we ask Pak Yusuf?" - but instead, she said, "No you can't, and you can't swallow your spit either if you're fasting" with such confidence that I just had to go "WTF lady srsly."

And get this -- Ian seemed to believe her.

Double WTF moment!

I mean, here's the thing. She is not a Muslim - that's the main reason it bothered me. And after googling her name, I found out that she's a kind of singer or something? Not a scholar or a teacher or anyone who is in the position to give off explanations - wrong ones, too, might I add! - to Ian, who is known for being in numerous documentary shows.

Being a documentary show means that there are many viewers who would watch and think that this is the truth about Muslims and the month of Ramadhan (because, let's face it, people tend to think that whatever's on TV is the absolute truth), when in fact it's not. When in fact its just a lady giving off wrong explanations - because she isn't a Muslim, nor is she an expert in Islam.

After hearing her say that, I just switched off the TV and stalked off to my room.

Then I thought about it.

I have watched Invite Mr. Wright before, and I've believed everything the host and whatever guide he had with him in that episode had said without even stopping to think whether the facts that they've dished out were true or not. Chances are there have been many other wrong explanations given out about places or religions or people in Invite Mr. Wright. I just didn't know about it.

Well, this time around, it's an episode about Malaysia, and it's also about my religion, so I know for sure that what Joanne said is wrong.

For your information, Yes, you can swallow your own spit. I mean, how silly would it be if we're not allowed to do that? You don't see us spitting everywhere every now and then during Ramadhan, do you?

Also, Yes, we can, in fact, brush our teeth during Ramadhan. It is common knowledge that the Prophet (PBUH) had been seen brushing his teeth using the siwak (brushing stick) during Ramadhan.

We can also brush our teeth using toothpaste, given that we do not swallow it (of course we don't, who does?). While some scholars have deemed it as 'makruh' (disliked/discouraged action) to brush your teeth this way while fasting, it is not haram, and it does not invalidate your fast.

So there. I got that off my chest. I feel better now. :)

But seriously though... This is supposed to be a travel/discovery show. If you want to talk about places and people and religion, make sure you do it right.

I understand that it might just be an honest mistake on Joanne's part, that she really thought that we can't do all those things, but really? Really? You are eating while one whole Muslim family, why not ask them about it? Even if Joanne did come off as very confident with her answer, Ian shouldn't have believed her just like that.

He could've asked, "Who told you that?"

He could've asked, "How do you know they can't brush their teeth or swallow their spit? You're not a Muslim, so how do you know?"

Or, he could've asked those, I dunno, 10+ people eating around him who ARE Muslims and who KNOW for SURE whether or not they could brush their teeth or swallow their spit during Ramadhan.

I mean, it's their religion, man.

Their explanation should, I think, be more valid than Joanne Kam Po Po's (who is a singer, and isn't a Muslim).

The end.

I'm astonished that they don't know.

So I just decided to upload a picture of me on my GaiaOnline profile, and for the heck of it, I started searching for threads discussing the hijab on GaiaOnline.

I found this thread and I'm quite surprised at how clueless people are when it comes to the hijab. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, since, well, no one can understand everything, but still. I'm kind of surprised.

So the thread's title was, "If I were a Muslim girl who has to wear a hijab..." and the poster says

"I would shave my head. What's the point of having hair on top of my head if no one can see it? I don't understand why Muslim girls who have to wear the hijab don't just shave off their heads."

And here are some of the replies (all from different users):

"Maybe they enjoy having hair, even if they have to cover it."

"Islam heavily promotes shaving. IDK why hair on the head would be excluded."

And then a genius pops in after googling something and says,

"Okay, according to this site, they can cut their hair but they can't shave it."

Then the conversation went on:

"I was just thinking about this and I would hate to be a Muslim girl, because I love to have long hair. I'd leave it long, longer than the hijab. ^_^ "

"In hot countries, the hijab is made of lighter stuff, so it'll probably just slide off. They probably love their hair."

"Yeah, it's weird, my sister wears the scarf and sometimes gets a haircut, and I ask her what's the point, no one will see it? She said they like to look nice since they don't wear the scarf at home."

And then of course an over-sensitive person who's not capable of a civilized discussion pops in and says,

"Wow, you people are so racist it isn't even funny! I wear a hijab and the point is to preserve my self-respect. RESPECT, something none of you have. Seriously, before you start trash-talking about a religion or culture, why don't you get your facts straight first and actually LEARN."

Then blah blah blah, some arguments over this and then there's this little exchange between two users:

"I'm a Muslim, but wearing the hijab is not required. It's a choice and having several cousins who do wear the hijab, they tell me they keep their hair to make them feel good about themselves and for their husbands. And when they're with other Muslim girls they can pretty much dress up sexily and do their hair and stuff."

"So Muslim girls who wear the hijab in public places can take it off when they're alone with other girls?"

"Yeah, pretty much, as long as there are no men. They can dress up like prostitutes, too, if they want."

And more questions and assumptions and opinions:

"Don't they take it off every so often? It would suck to keep wearing it while you sleep. I mean, damn."

"I think it's because they like their hair and they would feel weird without them..."

"(They don't shave it off) because they wanna feel pretty, like any woman does."

"IDK, I feel sorry for them when it's hot outside and they wear the hijab and the long dress thingy."

And then the thread dies. I wanted to put in my two cents, but the thread's been dead for a year now, so. Yeah. If I could say a word or two, though, I'd tell them that:

1. The concept of covering up in Islam doesn't only involve covering the hair. I think most of them in that thread doesn't understand this. Even if a Muslim woman shaves off her hair, she still has to wear the hijab to cover her bald head, neck, ears, etc. It's not the hair, it's the head, and, well, your entire body except your face and hands.

2. Muslim women can't shave their hair. Look what happened to Sharifah Amani the last time she was bald. I mean, srsly u gais, come on.

3. No, it's not optional. Who told you that? xD

4. No, we don't keep it on all the time, we take it off when we sleep, lol.

5. You can have long hair and still wear the hijab. I know a girl who once grew out her hair past her knees (kan sistel, kan kan kan~ xD).

So yeah. I'm just slightly amused right now~