The Portrayal of Kelantanese Identity in Che Husna Azhari’S Fiction

THE PORTRAYAL OF KELANTANESE IDENTITY IN CHE HUSNA AZHARI’S FICTION

NUR IZZATI BT. MOHD. SAPPERI

A dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Human Sciences in English Literary Studies

Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences International Islamic University Malaysia

DECEMBER 2014

ABSTRACT

The Kelantanese are always admired and to some extent, envied by other Malays because of their strong sense of belonging. This sense of belonging is seldom portrayed in Malaysian English writing. However, Che Husna Azhari has taken the challenge to write on the uniqueness of regional Malay identity. The purpose of this thesis is to examine the portrayal of Kelantanese identity in Che Husna Azhari’s short story collections, The Rambutan Orchard (1993a) and Melor in Perspective (1993b). Nine short stories have been selected by the researcher from these two volumes. The short stories portray the expression and the retainment of Kelantanese identity within and outside their community, notwithstanding migration and modernisation. This study is also intended to see the way culture, religion and gender mould the Kelantanese identity. It has been concluded that the Kelantanese people have gradually changed their identity by adapting to other cultures as well as the result of migration and modernisation. However, they are capable of maintaining their Kelantanese identity by conversing in the dialect in their daily conversation. Islam is the strongest identity marker for the Kelantanese people as it is embedded in most of their affairs. Nevertheless, the identity of the Kelantanese women has asserted a strong influence on the family, maintaining a strong sense of femininity at the same time. The clash between the pre-Islamic elements and Islam which prevails within the Kelantanese culture, is also a part of the identity of its people.

خالصة البحث ABSTRACT IN ARABIC

الكلنتانيون دائًما ما حيظون باهتمام اآلخرين إىل حد ما، واملاليويون اآلخرون حيسدوهنم بسبب شعورهم القوي باالنتماء. ونادًرا ما يصور هذا الشعور االنتمائي يف حبوث اللغة اإلجنليزية يف ماليزيا. ومع ذلك، فقد قَبِلت هذا التحدي تشئ حسىن أزهري للكتابة عن هذا النوع الفريد من اهلوية املاليوية اإلقليمية. واهلدف من هذا البحث هو دراسة لوصف اهلوية الكلنتانية لتشئ حسىن أزهري يف جمموعتني من القصص القصرية. وهي بستان رامبوتان ) Rambutan Orchard) )أ( )3991م( وميلور يف املنظور (Melor in Perspective( )ب( )3991م(. ومت اختيار تسع قصص قصرية من قبل الباحث يف هذين اجمللدين. والقصص القصرية تصور التعبري عن اهلوية الكلنتانية أو بقائها داخل وخارج اجملتمع الكلنتاين، على الرغم من اهلجرات والتطورات العصرية. والغرض من هذه الدراسة هو معرفة االجتاه الثقايف والديين واجلنسي اليت تُ ّشكل اهلوية الكلنتانية، وتلخص هذا البحث يف أن الكلنتنيني يتغريون تدرجييًّا يف هويتهم بسبب التَكيّف مع الثقافات األخرى، وكذلك اهلجرات والتطورات العصرية. ومع ذلك فإهنم قادرون على االحتفاظ هبويتهم الكلنتانية عن طريق التحدث باللهجة الكلنتانية يف احملادثات اليومية. واإلسالم هو أقوى عالمة يف اهلوية الكلنتانية كما هو متضمن يف معظم شؤوهنم، ومع ذلك أن هوية املرأة الكلنتانية تتميز بتأثري قوي يف األسرة، ويف الوقت نفسه تتميز باالستمرار الوعي القوي عند اإلناث، وتداخل العناصر ما بني قبل اإلسالم و بعد اإلسالم اليت يسود داخل الثقافة الكلنتانية، وذلك أي ًضا هو جزء من هذه اهلوية عند الكلنتانيني.

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APPROVAL PAGE

I certify that I have supervised and read this study and that in my opinion; it conforms to acceptable standards of scholarly presentation and is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a thesis for the degree of Master of Human Sciences (English Literary Studies).

……….….………………………… Mohammad A. Quayum Abdus Salam Supervisor

I certify that I have read this study and that in my opinion; it conforms to acceptable standards of scholarly presentation and is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a thesis for the degree of Master of Human Sciences (English Literary Studies).

……….….………………………… Aimillia Mohd. Ramli Examiner

This dissertation was submitted to the Department of English Language and Literature and is accepted as fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Human Sciences (English Literary Studies).

……….….………………………… Zahariah Pilus Head, Department of English Language and Literature

This dissertation was submitted to the Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences and is accepted as fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Human Sciences (English Literary Studies).

……….….………………………… Ibrahim Mohamed Zein Dean, Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences

DECLARATION

I hereby declare that this dissertation is the result of my own investigations, except where otherwise stated. I also declare that it has not been previously or concurrently submitted as a whole for any other degrees at IIUM or other institutions.

Nur Izzati bt. Mohd. Sapperi

Signature……………………………. Date…………………………….

INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA

DECLARATION OF COPYRIGHT AND AFFIRMATION OF FAIR USE OF UNPUBLISHED RESEARCH

THE PORTRAYAL OF KELANTANESE IDENTITY IN CHE HUSNA AZHARI’S FICTION

I hereby affirm that the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) holds the rights in the copyright of this work. Henceforth no part of this research reproduced in whole or in part of any form or by any means electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system without written permission from the publisher.

Affirmed by Nur Izzati bt. Mohd. Sapperi

……………………………. ……………………………. Signature Date

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Alhamdulillah, I have completed the thesis. Thank you Allah for your mercy and blessings. Ameen. Ya Rabb.

The rest of my gratitude goes for:

My supervisor, Prof. Mohammad A. Quayum, for your guidance, patience and faith, Prof. Ghulam Sarwar Yousof, for your books, time and support, Prof. Che Husna Azhari, for your stories and inspiration, Dr. Rozina Abdul Ghani, for your motherly love and wonderful Tazkirah.

My beloved parents, Hj. Mohd. Sapperi and Hjh. Marhana and wonderful brothers, Ahmad Syahmi and Ahmad Faisal, for your endless love, understanding and never-ending encouragement, And lecturers from DELL, friends and fiancé for your knowledge, ideas, encouragement and companionship. You are awesome!

Jazakumullah khairan katheera. May Allah bless you. Ameen.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Abstract ...... ii Abstract in Arabic ...... iii Approval Page ...... iv Declaration ...... v Copyright Page ...... vi Acknowledgements ...... vii

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ...... 1 1.1 Background of Study ...... 1 1.2 Statement of the Problem...... 5 1.3 Objectives of the Study ...... 7 1.4 Research Questions ...... 8 1.5 Significance of the Study ...... 8 1.6 Literature Review ...... 9 1.7 Theoretical Framework ...... 9 1.8 Methodology ...... 9 1.9 Limitations of the Study ...... 10 1.10 Organisation of Chapters ...... 11

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW ...... 13 2.0 Introduction...... 13 2.1 Literature Review ...... 13 2.2 Theoretical Framework ...... 20 2.2.1 Identity Theory ...... 20 2.2.2 The Self ...... 31 2.2.3 Ethnicity ...... 34 2.2.4 Ethnic Identity ...... 35 2.2.5 Malays by Definition ...... 37

CHAPTER THREE: PORTRAYAL OF THE KELANTANESE IDENTITY: THE RAMBUTAN ORCHARD AND MELOR IN PERSPECTIVE ...... 40 3.0 Introduction...... 40 3.1 Culture: The Insertion of Kelantanese Dialect ...... 40 3.2 The Rambutan Orchard ...... 43 3.2.1 Islam and the Kelantanese...... 43 3.2.2 Women: The Source of Strength ...... 51 3.2.3 The Kelantanese’s Sense of Belonging ...... 53 3.2.4 Culture: The Wandering Soul ...... 56 3.3 Melor in Perspective ...... 57 3.3.1 Kelantanese’s Marriage Customs: Arranged Marriage, Polygamy and Remarriage ...... 57 3.3.2 Culture: The Bunga Telur ...... 61 3.3.3 Kelantanese Tradition: The “Gedeber” ...... 62

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3.3.4 The Kelantanese People: Relationship Between Men and Women...... 64 3.3.5 Association with Black Magic ...... 75 3.3.6 Kelantanese People and Politics ...... 77 3.4 Conclusion ...... 82

CHAPTER FOUR: CONCLUSION ...... 86

BIBLIOGRAPHY ...... 90

APPENDIX AN INTERVIEW WITH CHE HUSNA AZHARI ...... 97

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY

People from different backgrounds have their own ways of perceiving the world.

When living in their own group, they would gradually develop their own belief system, culture and norm. Culture is defined as “all the modes of thought, behaviour, and production that are handed down from one generation to the next” (Kornblum,

2012: 46). This culture would later be passed down by “means of communicative interactions” such as language, gesture, writing, architectural structures and so forth. It also changes over time, dependent upon the society to mould it, because it needs to be practical for any given time. Culture is the link between the past and the present which enables us to find the root of our identity. This remarkable aspect of culture can be seen in developments related to the arts, such as literature and music. It also makes humans “unique in the animal kingdom” (Kornblum, 2012: 46). In Chris Jenks’

Culture (2005), it is mentioned that culture provides a “principle of unification” for the people of the world. Those who share the same culture would also probably share the same identity. For example, members of a group are assumed to have a similar way of thinking, behaving and generating ideas, even though they are not directly communicating with each other. They could also associate or differentiate themselves through body gestures and behaviour in order to determine their sense of “us” versus

“them” (Burke & Stets, 2009: 118).

Having their own unique culture and identity could make a people feel proud of themselves. They also feel stronger and much more protected when living within the proximity of their community. For example, Kampung Baru is a Malay settlement

in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. The British administrators planned its development as a

Malay Agricultural Settlement in 1900 in order to allow the Malays to retain their kampung lifestyle (Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur, n.d.). It also enabled them to set up businesses to sustain their lives. In Malaysia, approximately 60 percent of the population consists of the Malays, which makes them the largest ethnic community in the country. The Malays are not a race, but an ethnic group. The sub-ethnic groups in the Malay community are culturally related to each other, but not necessarily biologically linked. Finding the “real Malay” is considered a highly difficult endeavour due to the many theories regarding the origin of the Malays which are full of speculations. Thus, the notion of the “real Malay” becomes an open-ended issue.

According to some ideologues which are not specifically mentioned by Anthony

Milner in The Malays (2008), the Malays “live across a vast territory from the East

Papua through Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand to the west of Madagascar and up through the Philippines and Taiwan” (Milner, 2008: x). However, this statement is rejected by most scholars because the inhabitants of countries like Indonesia,

Thailand, Philippines and Taiwan do not consider themselves as Malays. In The

Malays (2008), Milner argues that the most important issue that we should examine is the “kemelayuan” (Malayness), and not the Malays themselves. According to him,

Malayness is “shaped in one way or another by experience in different territorial states such as Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, Thailand and numerous others”

(Milner, 2008: 17). Yet some groups living in the Malay Archipelago do not want to be called Malay. They prefer to be known by their sub-ethnic groups such as Bugis,

Bajau Laut, Bajau Darat, Rawa, Javanese, Minang and Mendiling. They differentiate themselves because they feel that they have unique identities.

Identity is a person’s most essential and personal characteristic (Newman,

2012: 135). It is closely related to one’s customs, culture, language, culinary arts and physical appearance. It also refers to either the social categories or socially distinguishing features. People, starting from infanthood, grow up and mould their identity based on the environment, culture and society they live in. A community has a big responsibility to preserve and expose its culture and tradition to its members.

Although members of community may feel the need to preserve its tradition, not many feel obliged to take up the responsibility. Some traditions are forgotten and not passed down by the older generations to the younger ones. One of the attempts to preserve it would be through literature. Through literature, traditions and cultures are documented and are told in an interactive way, like in poetry and fiction.

According to Mohammad A. Quayum (2003), Malaysian writers “enjoy the freedom in expressing their imaginations and feelings” through several languages despite the fact that the country’s national language is Bahasa Malaysia (vii). Some writers are comfortable using their native language in writing while others prefer to write in English because of their personal backgrounds. The latter were introduced and exposed to the English language since young. Therefore, they prefer to write their stories in English. Interestingly, most write about their life experiences in a Malaysian setting. One of them is Che Husna Azhari (1955- ), a chemical engineering professor at the National University of Malaysia (Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia). Che Husna

Azhari is an example of a writer who makes an effort to promote her community’s culture, identity and tradition through literature.

Her first collection of fiction, The Rambutan Orchard (1993a), talks about her experiences of growing up in a small village in Kelantan with her family, especially her mother and siblings. The stories are mostly set in a rambutan orchard and involve

people who live within the area. Her second collection, Melor in Perspective (1993b), is also set in Kelantan but involves more serious issues such as political ideologies, marriage, polygamy, religion, witchcraft and culture. The people living in Melor, a small town in Kota Bharu, Kelantan, are the focus of the stories.

Kelantan is separated from other west coast states by the Titiwangsa Range.

Due to this, Kelantan is said to have different culture, social and economic background from other states. Historically, the Kelantan Sultanate could be traced to the era of Cik Siti Wan Kembang, in the 14th century and that of her adopted daughter,

Puteri Sa’adong and her husband, Raja Abdullah. Raja Abdullah married another woman when Puteri Sa’adong was kidnapped by the Siamese Ruler of that time.

When Puteri Sa’adong returned to Kelantan, she was outraged to learn that her husband had remarried. This resulted in a clash between them, which eventually led to his death. Unfortunately, the reign of Raja Abdullah’s successor, Raja Abdul Rahim, did not last long as he was executed by his people. That was the end of the Mahligai

Kingdom. Until today, historians still discuss and speculate on the history of the sultans of Kelantan as some truths remain hidden or are intertwined with myths and legends.

The Kelantan civil wars between the royal families played significant roles in the history of Kelantan. The families sought help from their relatives in Patani and

Terengganu. The most important event in Kelantan’s royal history is the Kubang Labu

War II in 1762 between Long Muhammad and Long Yunus. Long Yunus sought help from Long Gaffar, his best friend from Yala, Thailand, and he was installed to the throne. The relationship between the Patani and the Kelantan Sultanate is very strong as both see each other as brethren until today. Perhaps this raises the question as to

whether the Kelantanese people prefer to be associated with Malaysia or with their

Patani roots.

This study deals with Che Husna Azhari’s two collections of fiction, namely

The Rambutan Orchard and Melor in Perspective. As she deals with the Kelantanese identity in her writings, it is important to explore the Kelantanese identity and its uniqueness. This study contributes to the study of Malaysian literature and paves the way for expanding discussions on the Malay and Kelantanese identities in literature.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This research examines the portrayal of Kelantanese identity in Che Husna Azhari’s fiction. Malaysian English writings do not always emphasise the uniqueness of the regional Malay identity. Only a few Malaysian writers have explored and portrayed the Malay culture from various parts of Malaysia in their works, one of them being

Che Husna Azhari who writes about the Kelantanese society. Due to the different nuances between tradition and culture, sometimes her readers may have difficulty in understanding her writings. For example, this is likely to happen when the writer portrays the strong sense of belonging of the Kelantanese characters in her short stories. They are often considered clannish as they take exceptional pride in their background. However, this is actually their way of manifesting their identity. Some of the other Malay sub-ethnic groups, such as the Javanese, Rawa and Bugis, as well as the Malays from the other parts of Malaysia, such as those from Terengganu, Perak and Negeri Sembilan, are not empathic in preserving the uniqueness of their identities.

Therefore, there is a need for an in-depth study of how the Kelantanese people express and retain their identity inside or outside their place of origin as depicted or represented in the fiction of Che Husna Azhari.

There is also a need to study the uniqueness of Kelantanese identity and how it is depicted in the short stories from cultural, religious and gender perspectives.

Culture, religion and gender play significant roles in moulding the Kelantanese culture and identity. For example, the Kelantanese people are known for their strong religiosity. Kelantan itself is known as the “Verandah of Makkah” as it is the centre of

Islamic religious studies in Malaysia where many religious or “hut” schools have been established, such as the Maahad Muhammadi, Madrasah Naim lil Banat, and Maahad

Saadatul Qura. Kelantan is also under the leadership of the famous ulama’ Nik Abdul

Aziz Nik Mat, who is now the spiritual advisor of the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party

(PAS), which has ruled the state for the past 24 years. PAS promotes the idea of

“developing through Islam” in its political manifesto which is readily espoused by the majority of the Kelantanese people. This indicates that the people of the state are largely interested in adhering to the Islamic way of life. Another indication of it lies in the step taken by the state government by banning Mak Yong and Menora performances as they are considered lacking in educational value, containing nothing but myths and legends. This study will explore how the religiosity of Kelantanese people comes across in Che Husna Azhari’s fiction.

One of the ways to learn and understand a culture is through studying its language or dialect. Che Husna Azhari has inserted several Kelantanese words and expressions in her short stories in order to introduce the Kelantanese culture to her readers. In doing so, she expects the readers to appreciate the Kelantanese culture through their readings. It is customary for Kelantanese people to often use their own dialect in conversations with their own kind and even sometimes with people from other Malaysian states. This is owing to their strong sense of linguistic identity, a phenomenon reflected in Che Husna Azhari’s stories which needs to be studied.

Another characteristic in Kelantanese society is the status of their women.

Women often play a significant role in the community. They are always seen as independent and strong-willed. For example, they are capable of running brisk businesses as seen at the Siti Khadijah Market in Kota Bharu where most of the traders are women. Kelantanese women are also known for having the ability to influence their husbands in decision-making (Che Husna Azhari, 1993b: 149-153).

The present study investigates this aspect of society in Che Husna Azhari’s selected fictional works.

Kelantanese people often migrate to other states and even go abroad to study and work. As a result, they are exposed to different cultures, ideas, views and settings.

This study investigates how the change of location may or may not affect the identity formation as reflected in Che Husna Azhari’s selected short stories.

This study will engage in a comprehensive analysis of the stories in the two volumes of Che Husna Azhari’s fiction using identity theory to comprehend the ways these issues contribute in the formation of identity in the characters that occupy the author’s imagination.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

This thesis has three objectives:

(1) To investigate the way Che Husna Azhari describes the Kelantanese

characters in her short stories.

(2) To examine the Kelantanese identity-formation of the characters and its

changing nature based on culture, religion and gender.

(3) To understand how the characters in the short stories seek to retain their

identity as Malays, Kelantanese and Muslims inside and outside of

Kelantan.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

Three research questions will assist this study:

(a) How does Che Husna Azhari portray the Kelantanese characters in her

short stories?

(b) How do culture, religion and gender contribute to the formation of

Kelantanese identity and its changing nature in the characters?

Kelantanese and Muslims inside and outside of Kelantan?

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The proposed study attempts to give a brief description of the development and preservation of the Kelantanese Malay identity through the characters in Che Husna

Azhari’s collection of fictional works in order to provide an understanding of the

Kelantanese society and their strong sense of identity. From this study, it is hoped that the Malaysian society will be persuaded to be more proactive in retaining their customs and traditions. For researchers, this study will offer an insight into the

Kelantanese Malay life and identity from different perspectives. The issues raised in this study can be analysed critically by those who are interested in the study of the

Kelantanese Malay identity. The focus of the study is relevant as Che Husna Azhari is a Kelantanese herself.

1.6 LITERATURE REVIEW

A number of scholarly reviews related to Che Husna Azhari’s works will be taken into consideration. The scholars include Mohammad A. Quayum, Nor Faridah Abdul

Manaf, Amin Malak, Wong Soak Koon and Shakila Abdul Manan. They are known figures in Malaysian literature, and will be discussed in chapter II in the literature review section.

1.7 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

The theory of identity will be used in this research. The works of Peter J. Burke and

Jan E. Stets will be considered as the main reference to the identity theory, its meaning, types, elements, formation, focus as well as manifestations of the multiple identities of an individual. There is also a discussion on the development of the self which is related to identity formation. This research will critically examine Che Husna

Azhari’s writings using the concept of identity found in the texts. A thorough discussion will be provided in Chapter Two.

1.8 METHODOLOGY

This study will apply the qualitative research method. The primary sources will be

Che Husna Azhari’s two collections of short stories, namely The Rambutan Orchard

(1993a) and Melor in Perspective (1993b) as well as two exclusive interviews with the author conducted by the researcher, and Mohammad A. Quayum, a professor of literature at the English Department of the International Islamic University Malaysia

(IIUM).

The secondary sources include books, articles, journals, critical essays as well as online materials such as discussions, critiques and reviews related to Che Husna

Azhari’s works, the history of Kelantan, the Kelantanese Malay culture and identity and the Islamic perspectives. These are to ensure that the researcher would have an overview of the connection between identity, ethnicity and the development of the self that forms further discussions in Chapters 2, 3 and 4.

The texts are analysed using the identity theory as the framework of the study as presented by two prominent scholars; Peter J. Burke and Jan E. Stets. As this study will elaborate on the portrayal of the Kelantanese Malay identity in Che Husna

Azhari’s collection of short fiction, the researcher includes ethnicity and development of the self throughout her discussion.

1.9 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

The study focuses on the portrayal of the Kelantanese Malay identity in Che Husna

Azhari’s short fiction. The short stories in the two collections mostly deal with the narrator’s experiences living in Kelantan. Therefore, the main discussion revolves around the identity theory, the elements that foreground the Kelantanese culture and identity in the fiction and the development of the self.

The Kelantan-based stories will be a challenge to readers, especially those who are not Kelantanese and have had limited encounters with the Kelantanese environment and culture. Most of the information can only be retrieved from reading materials and interviews. However, the researcher looks at this optimistically and intends to do her best to share her ideas with others.

1.10 ORGANISATION OF CHAPTERS

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

The introduction includes a brief description of the thesis, the statement of the problem, the significance of the study, the research questions and the limitations of the study.

CHAPTER TWO:

a. LITERATURE REVIEW

This section provides an overview of the critical materials available on Che Husna

Azhari’s works. It also includes other additional information to assist the readers to fully comprehend this study.

b. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

This section will discuss identity theory as a theoretical framework. The theory is approached from the works of Peter J. Burke and Jan E. Stets. The chapter also includes discussions on ethnicity, ethnic identity, and the self.

CHAPTER THREE:

Analysis on the short stories: The Rambutan Orchard (1993a) and Melor in

Perspective (1993b)

This chapter discusses the selected short stories from The Rambutan Orchard (1993a) and Melor in Perspective (1993b). It analyses how Che Husna Azhari portrays the

Kelantanese identity in her selected short stories. The short stories are discussed by focusing on how the Kelantanese characters practise their culture and retain their identity.

CHAPTER FOUR: CONCLUSION

This chapter concludes with the discussions in this study. Analyses in chapters three and four are reviewed as to whether they answer the research questions based on the theory that is being used for the research. This section will also review the portrayal of the Kelantanese Malay identity in fiction.

APPENDIX

The transcription of an interview with Che Husna Azhari is attached here.

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.0 INTRODUCTION

This chapter is divided into two sections; literature review and theoretical framework.

The literature review includes reviews from scholars, researchers and educators on

Che Husna Azhari’s works, while the theoretical framework discusses the Identity

Theory, Ethnicity, Ethnic Identity and the Self.

2.1 LITERATURE REVIEW

Che Husna Azhari was exposed to the English language at an early age and at six years old, she could already read in English (Quayum, 2007: 238-239). Her early exposure to English resulted in her competency in English and this made her feel comfortable using the language to express herself because English is her first language

(Quayum, 2007: 243). Yet writing in English has resulted in her being frequently accused of being “elitist” by the “puristic and chauvinistic” members of her society

(Wong, n.d.). However, she continues to write in English and contributes to the

Anglophone writings in this region by portraying “the richness of her Malay culture and Islamic values” (Nor Faridah & Quayum, 2003: 347).

In Mazni Muslim’s interview with Che Husna Azhari, Che Husna Azhari mentions that the ideas to write the stories came from her daily experiences and observations of the people around her. In the interview, Mazni Muslim questions her narrative style of using the first person “I” because it might make readers, who are unaware of literary techniques, think that the stories are autobiographical even though they are mostly fictional (Mazni Muslim, 2013: 4). Che Husna Azhari simply says that

she wants to be a part of her characters in her stories. She is always eager to include the theme of “cultural and Islamic perspective” in her writings because she intends to present an Islamic world view to her readers, even though she refuses to write about

Islamic issues at the first place (Mazni Muslim, 2013: 4-5).

Amin Malak in his review of An English Sojourn (2008) in the Asiatic Journal praises Che Husna Azhari’s style of writing:

Che Husna Azhari injects the English language with Malay and Muslim expressions (mostly Arabic) thereby transforming the language while using it. She has developed for herself a style, scant and simple, that is markedly hers in its humour, humanity, and range of pathos. (Amin Malak, 2009: 111).

As she uses Islamic terms, Amin Malak postulates that she is appropriating a

“Muslimised English” in order to express her Islamic identity (111). Che Husna

Azhari, as Amin makes clear, wants to use Islamic terms freely in her stories without having to italicize them, such as zakah, solah, tazkirah and usrah. This can be viewed as one step in the process of enriching English, an act advocated by those who support the Islamisation of English, as suggested by Ismā’il Rāji al-Fārūqī (Faruqi, 1995: 12), one of the founders of the International Institute of Islamic Thought, Herndon,

Virginia in 1980.

In the preface of The Rambutan Orchard (1993a), Che Husna Azhari admits that she was raised listening to the “Jannah” stories which have successfully moulded her character into someone who is spiritual and possesses “the ethos of caring and compassion” as promoted in Islamic teachings (Amin Malak, 2005: 125). This could be seen in “The Boy Who Spoke Sparingly” in which the narrator expresses her sympathy towards her mute playmate, Mat Hussein, and prays that he would be given a place in “Jannah” or heaven (Che Husna Azhari, 1993a: 75-76).

Wong Soak Koon (2009) mentions that Che Husna Azhari’s The Rambutan

Orchard (1993a) combines the “reminiscing adult consciousness and the young girls’ psyche” (xix). During her childhood years, the narrator is unable to make sense of the events that had happened. Family feuds, marital problems, politics and clashes of ideas are the issues that the narrator did not fully understand when she was young.

Back then, she was only observing and remembering parts of the incidents. As a

“returning adult”, the narrator constructs sentences on behalf of the girl’s view point based on the information that she can still remember through an adult’s voice. We can see this when the narrator discusses the darker aspects of life, such as family conflicts and death. Wong Soak Koon also says that “the movement” of Che Husna Azhari’s story is “an oscillation between light and darkness, between images of open, sunlit spaces and spaces where light cannot penetrate because sinister shadows obstruct light” (Wong, 2009: xxi). The rambutan orchard signifies a “shield” that protects the narrator from the dangers around it. It filters “impurity” and gives a soothing and cooling sensation to the narrator. The young girl only feels happy in her comfort zone.

Although the stories are descriptions of a girl spending her time in “paradise”, the undercurrent message would be a girl who experiences the “loss of innocence”

(Wong, 2009: xix).

Che Husna Azhari also puts great effort in writing about her own culture.

Kelantan is her inspiration for writing the stories in her two collections, The Rambutan

Orchard (1993a) and Melor in Perspective (1993b), as they revolve around the

Kelantanese people, places, culture, tradition and language (Mazni Muslim, Nor

Faridah, Roslina & Kamaruzaman, 2010: 10). Che Husna Azhari does not write about

Kelantan out of a need to be recognised, but because it is something close to her heart and she wants to share with her readers what she treasures most.