TAQWACORES

I was attracted to the word itself…taqwa + hardcore(I assume) = taqwacores (my thinking of how the word came about hehe) That should be good.

I read about taqwacores related article and then I decided to read the book but turn out I could only get the excerpt of the book online which I found it interesting and would actually hook me til the end if I got my hand on the full version.

As much as I am impressed on the writer’s fantasy, I feel ‘takut’ too. If only the writer or characters are not muslim, It would be ok…in fact it might seems cool. I may laugh but then instantly I would like ‘takutnye’ and the feeling of ‘meremang’ come next. The book is like joking around with the religion but then the happenings in the book are now reality. How the writer have the ‘courage’ to make fun with Islam and how I wish he could show his ‘courage’ in other form by standing up for Islam. We in Malaysia, we don’t make fun of our religion no matter what religion; I guess it is not our culture. Or am I not aware of this changing? A much as people break the religion’s law, they won’t innovate it to be ‘better’.

What I meant by innovate..example from the book , when someone azan, the writer instill his fantasy by playing the electric guitar tuning to azan rhythm. It sounds cool but at the same time scary. Or a hijab girl living with all boys in a house. When I say hijab, they could not even see her eyes for she covers all her entire self. Macam orang arab.Yet she is otak brutal. Another one, is actually became history of muslim world when the writer’s character Rabeya lead the prayers whom her ma’mum are all guys.

This one female reader read the book and got inspired to the idea of leading a prayer and then in 2005 I think, the reader’s friend or someone she knew named amina wadud lead a prayer.

These innovations look good in human sense but not religion sense. The settings are in cool relaxing environment, that’s why you will feel cool too. That’s why you will ask, why not? (sesaat je la, lepas tu rasa mana boleh :p) the writer makes the innovations feel normal and acceptable. I can understand why readers agree.


From this book, the readers start the punk muslim or punk islam idealism. The readers somehow get the calling even though I would believe the writer would not imagine to be this far. Now they have taqwacores music.

Again, if these happenings are not in Islam setting, that would be cool. If only you can change the law by your ruling, then any religion would be so confusing. The secular should curve around religion, not religion to curl around secular right? That’s how life should be lead in normal circumstances.

Here I am giving opinions. I am not pious. I am average (or I presume).