ANALYSIS ON THE COLLISION OF ISLAM FUNDAMENTALISM CULTURE AND WESTERN CULTURE AS PERCEIVED BY THE CHARACTERS IN HANIF KUREISHI’S “MY SON THE FANATIC”
An undergraduate thesis
Presented as the Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra in English Letters
By
ALDITA INTAN RAHMANIA Student Number: 034214070
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA 2008
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iii LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS
Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma :
Nama : ALDITA INTAN RAHMANIA Nomor Mahasiswa : 034214070
Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul :
ANALYSIS ON THE COLLISION OF ISLAM FUNDAMENTALISM CULTURE AND WESTERN CULTURE AS PERCEIVED BY THE CHARACTERS IN HANIF KUREISHI’S “MY SON THE FANATIC” beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan, mengalihkan dalam bentuk media lain, mengelolanya di Internet atau media lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin dari saya maupaun memberikan royalty kepada saya selamA tetap mencantumkan nama saya sebagai penulis.
Demikian pernyatan ini yang saya buat dengan sebenarnya.
Dibuat di Yogyakarta
Pada tanggal : 15 April 2008
Yang menyatakan
(ALDITA INTAN RAHMANIA)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
In this wonderful moment I would like to thank God for the life and all experiences that have been given to me. I dedicated this thesis to my family, friends, and all who support me. For my Mother who has given me the chance to see the world thank you for your care, support, and struggle that make me realize to finish this thesis soon. For my little sister Ega I promise you to buy Naruto accessories for you. For my relatives also thank you.
My deepest gratitude goes to my thesis advisor Paulus Sarwoto, S.S, M.A who has guided me and given me his precious time to correct my thesis. My gratitude also goes to Elisa Dwi Wardani, S.S, M. Hum who has given me her precious time to read and give correction on my thesis before the final exam.
I want to say thank you also to my friends in English Letters 2003 and in
Arms and the Man who always give support to me. Special thanks to my best friend Lia who always gives me support and motivation I do really appreciate that.
For my friends in Kos Sekartaji: Mbak Cory, Early, Okta, and Mbak Ika thank you for your support. My special gratitude goes to person who understands me most, Bayu, thank you for the support and motivation you have given me to finish this thesis soon and also for all the time we have shared together. Thank you for everything.
Last but not least, the writer wants to say that the difference should not be debated or used as the basic reason of people having a conflict but it should be allowed to enrich our beautiful world to make world peace.
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TABLE OF CONTENT
TITLE PAGE ……………………………………………….. i APPROVAL ……………………………………………….. ii ACCEPTANCE ……………………………………………….. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ……………………………….. iii TABLE OF CONTENT ……………………………………….. iv ABSTRACT ……………………………………………….. vi ABSTRAK …………………………………………...... vii
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION ……………………………….. 1 A. Background of the Study ……………………………….. 1 B. Problem Formulation ……………………………….. 4 C. Objective of the Study ……………………………….. 4 D. Definition of Terms ……………………………….. 5
CHAPTER II THEORETICAL REVIEW ………………………. 7 A. Review of Related Studies ……………………….. 7 B. Review of Related Theories ……………………….. 9 1. Theories on Characters ……………………….. 9 2. Theories on Clash of Civilization ……………….. 11 3. The Relation between Literature and Society …….. 12 C. Review on Socio Historical Background ………………... 13 1. Islam Fundamentalism ………………...... 13 2. Islamic Culture ………………………………... 15 3. Western Culture ………………………………... 17 D. Theoretical Framework ………………………………... 20
CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY ………………………………… 22 A. Object of the Study ………………………………… 22 B. Approach of the Study ………………………………… 23 C. Method of the Study ………………………………… 24
CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS ………………………………………… 26 A. Western Culture and Islam Fundamentalism Culture perceived by the main characters ………………………… 26 1. Parvez ………………………………………… 26 a. Parvez’s view on Materialism ………… 27 b. Parvez’s view on Individual Freedom … 29 c. Parvez’s view on Secular Life ………… 31 2. Ali ………………………………………………… 33 a. Ali’s view on Western Education ………… 33 b. Ali’s view on Jihad ………………………… 35 c. Ali’s view on Prostitute ………………… 37
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B. Factors causing the collision between Islam Fundamentalism Culture and Western Culture in the story ………………… 38 1. Different concept of Individual Freedom ………… 39 a. Food and Drink ……………………….... 39 b. Ideal of Life ………………………… 41 2. Monopoly of Truth ………………………………… 44 3. Attitude toward woman ………………………… 50 4. Misconception ………………………………… 54
CHAPTER V CONCLUSION ………………………………… 57
BIBLIOGRAPHY ………………………………………………… 60
vi ABSTRACT
Aldita Intan Rahmania. Analysis on the Collision of Islam Fundamentalism Culture and Western Culture as perceived by the characters in Hanif Kureishi’s “My son the Fanatic”: Yogyakarta Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2008.
“My Son the Fanatic” is a short story written by Hanif Kureishi who is a Pakistani writer; this short story is included in a collection of short stories book titled Love in Blue Time. This short story is chosen to be analyzed because the story is good and also this story talks about one of the most serious and confusing conflicts between cultures today, Islam Fundamentalism Culture and Western Culture. In writing this thesis, the writer uses a library research method to answer the questions that are presented in the problem formulation. There are two problems that are solved in this study. The first problem is how the Western Culture and Islam Fundamentalism Culture are perceived by the characters in the story, and the second problem is what factors causing the collision between Islam Fundamentalism Culture and Western Culture. The approach used to analyze the short story is the Socio cultural- Historical approach; it is used to analyze the factors that cause the collision between Islam Fundamentalism Culture and Western Culture through the way of the main characters perceive them. Moreover, this approach is also used to understand the real conflict between Islam Fundamentalism Culture and Western Culture in the real time which is reflected in the story. The result of the study shows that firstly the main characters, Parvez and Ali, adopt Western Culture and Islam Fundamentalism Culture based on their own perception. Parvez adopts Western Culture such as Materialism, Individual Freedom, and Secular life; those concepts are done based on his perception. While Ali adopts Islam Fundamentalism Culture based on his point of view as an Islam Fundamentalist which influences the way he views Western education, Jihad, and Prostitute. Secondly the writer finds some factors causing the collision between Islam Fundamentalism culture and Western Culture; they are Different concept of Individual Freedom, Monopoly of Truth, Misconception, and Attitude toward woman. In the conclusion the writer finds that the collision in the story was actually caused by the characters themselves and not caused by the culture or the value. The way they perceive the value and culture that they adopt makes them are always in colliding situation.
vii ABSTRAK
Aldita Intan Rahmania. Analysis on the Collision of Islam Fundamentalism Culture and Western Culture as perceived by the characters in Hanif Kureishi’s “My son the Fanatic”. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2008.
“My Son the Fanatic” adalah sebuah cerita pendek yang ditulis oleh Hanif Kureishi seorang penulis dari Pakistan, cerita pendek ini termasuk dalam sebuah buku kumpulan cerita pendek berjudul Love in Blue Time. Cerita pendek ini dipilih untuk dianalisis karena isi cerita yang bagus dan juga cerita ini membicarakan tentang salah satu konflik antar budaya yang sangat serius dan membingungkan saat ini, Budaya Islam Fundamentalisme dan Budaya Barat. Dalam penulisan tesis ini penulis menggunakan metode pustaka untuk menjawab pertanyaan-pertanyaan yang disampaikan dalam perumusan masalah. Terdapat dua permasalahan yang dipecahkan di dalam tesis ini. Permasalahan pertama adalah bagaimana budaya barat dan Budaya Islam Fundamentalisme dipandang oleh karakter-karakter utama di dalam cerita, dan permasalahan kedua adalah faktor-faktor apa yang menyebabkan konflik antara Budaya Islam Fundamentalisme dan budaya barat. Pendekatan yang digunakan dalam menganalisa novel ini adalah pendekatan Sosiokultural-Historical, pendekatan ini digunakan untuk menganalisa faktor-faktor yang menyebabkan konflik antara budaya Islam Fundamentalisme dan budaya barat melalui cara karakter utama melihatnya. Selain itu pendekatan ini juga digunakan untuk memahami konflik sesungguhnya antara budaya barat dan budaya Islam Fundamentalisme pada kehidupan nyata yang dicerminkan dalam cerita ini. Hasil dari analisis ini pertama menunjukan bahwa karakter-karakter utama, Parvez dan Ali, mengadopsi budaya barat dan budaya Islam Fundamentalisme sesuai dengan persepsi mereka sendiri. Parvez mengadopsi budaya barat seperti materialisme, kebebasan individu, dan kehidupan sekuler; konsep-konsep itu dilakukan berdasar persepsinya. Sedangkan Ali mengadopsi budaya Islam Fundamentalisme berdasar pada sudut pandangnya sebagai seorang Islam Fundamentalis yang mempengaruhi cara dia memandang pendidikan barat, Jihad, dan prostitusi. Kedua, penulis menemukan beberapa faktor yang menyebabkan konflik antara budaya barat dan budaya Islam Fundamentalisme yaitu perbedaan konsep dalam kebebasan individu, monopoli kebenaran, salah paham, dan perlakuan pada wanita. Pada kesimpulan penulis menemukan bahwa konflik dalam cerita ini sebenarnya disebabkan oleh para karakter utama atau orang-orang sendiri dan bukan karena budaya atau nilai. Cara mereka memandang nilai dan budaya yang mereka adopsi membuat mereka selalu dalam situasi konflik.
viii CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
Literary work is a media for an author to express his idea by taking the realities which are found in his society and then mixing it with his own idea. This real condition can be the inspiration for an author to produce a literary work, through this way he can communicate his feeling, problem, or experience. In other words, we can say that literature can be understood as a presentation of real life.
The reality in the author’s society is presented in purpose to convince the reader about what really happens in history or today. The object here refers to the interesting events that happen in society such as the social, cultural, political, and economical issues or historical movements that impress most.
In the same language, Guerin states that a literary work cannot be separated from its society because first, in any event, while someone places the priority that literature is primarily art, it must be underlined that art does not exist in vacuum but it exists in certain human civilization that has produced it. Second, it is a creation by someone at sometime in history and intended to communicate some ideas or issues that have relevance to other human being (1979:21).
Since Literature is a “presentation” or portrait of reality in a particular place and time, it sometimes reveals some historical facts or states past mistakes in our life. It stands as a bridge from the previous generation to the next.
Collision, for example, it happens from time to time whether it is racial collision,
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social collision, or even cultural collision. The last one is the greatest collision between two different cultures which are always in clash. In this thesis, it will be analyzed the collision of Islam Fundamentalism culture and Western culture which are perceived by the characters of the story. The collision is presented by two major characters in a short story titled “My son the Fanatic”.
This thesis is going to analyze the short story by Hanif Kureishi, “My son the Fanatic”. This is a story that talks about one of the most serious and confusing conflicts between cultures today, Islam Fundamentalism culture and Western culture. “My son the Fanatic” is interesting to be analyzed because the story gives different object to discuss. This story, as if, portrays the collision between the cultures of Islam and the culture of the West which is represented by each characters of a Pakistani-family. Though this short story is not very famous, like many other famous short stories from famous authors too, but it is very qualified because the conflict that happens in the story is the representation of the conflict that happens in the real life so that the reader will easily understand and imagine by comparing it with reality, therefore many critics are addressed to this story.
“My son the Fanatic” has also been made movie by Udayan Prasad, a
Pakistani director, with introducing Om Puri as Parvez, Akbar Kurtha as Ali or the son, and Rachel Griffith as Bettina. The film was a huge hit in the 1997 Cannes
Film Festival, its intriguing way of combining comedy and drama earned it the
Official Selection. The entire film tries to establish a dichotomy between Islam’s culture and West’s culture. The film speaks for open mindedness, showing that a 3
prostitute can be a good person and that a religious fanatic is always youngster; it offers much to think about while questioning common prejudice.
In the story of “My son the Fanatic” there are a lot of reflections of the collision of Islam Fundamentalism culture and Western culture especially which are presented by the main characters of this short story. Parvez, one of the main characters, is a Pakistan-born man who is very fond of Western way of life. The cultural assimilation happens in Parvez’s life from traditional Islamic value to open-minded cosmopolitanism. He feels that the West is the proper place for him since he can find liberation and there is no strict rule that forbids him to do anything. West is a tolerant country for him. This assumption makes Parvez neglects his root and religion because he can get enjoyment from his lifestyle.
Parvez adopts Western Culture based on his perception. While Ali, Parvez’s son, before getting associated with Islam Fundamentalist in London he is an ordinary immigrant boy. He studies accounting, wears fashionable clothes, plays video games, and likes to go with his English girlfriend. Ali’s behavior changes after he experiences Muslim’s struggle againsts oppression in England and other countries. He throws out all of his possessions such as guitar, video games, cricket, and stops going with his English girlfriend who is, of course, a non-
Muslim. He even stops studying accounting. For Ali, praying and worshipping
Allah is the most important things to be done. Ali adopts Islamic value based on his perception.
This short story gives a clear description about the conflict between Islam
Fundamentalism culture and Western culture which is represented by the 4
characters in the story. The clash between Western culture and Islam
Fundamentalism culture is described very brilliantly. This thesis will analyze both social values as one element of the culture, and the characters that represent them based on their perception. At last, the writer wants to say that a culture cannot be blamed by other culture because of its difference since it can lead to a great cultural problem. The difference should not be debated but let the difference enriches our beautiful world to make a world peace.
B. Problem Formulation
In order to understand the collision of Islam Fundamentalism culture and
Western culture which is represented by the characters in Kureishi’s “My son the
Fanatic” there are two questions to be answered:
1. How are the Western Culture and Islam fundamentalism culture perceived
by the Characters in the story?
2. What factors cause the collision between Islam fundamentalism culture
and Western culture?
C. Objective of the Study
From the problems formulation above, it is important to state the objectives of this study. Firstly, the writer wants to depict the Islam
Fundamentalism culture and Western culture which are perceived by the characters in the short story. After knowing it, the writer wants to show the factors that cause the collision between Islam Fundamentalism culture and Western culture in the story.
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D. Definition of Terms a. Collision
According to Oxford Advanced Learner’s dictionary of Current English by
A.S. Hornby, collision is strong disagreement, conflict, or clash of opposing aims, ideas, opinions, etc.
In English Dictionary for Advanced Learners, it is stated that a collision of cultures or ideas occurs when two very different cultures or people meet and conflict.
b. Western Culture
Western Culture is a term which is used to point the cultures of the people of
European origin and their descendants (Stearns, 2003).
c. Islam Fundamentalism
In the book titled Islam Today: A short Introduction to the Muslim world it is stated that Islam Fundamentalism is a term which attempts to convey contemporary Islamic revivalism and resurgence (Ahmed, 2001:226).
d. Culture
According to Longman Dictionary of English language and Culture, the word “culture” means the customs, beliefs, art, music, and all other products of human thought made by a particular group of people at a particular time
(Summers, 1992:311). 6
E.B Tylor, in his book titled Primitive Culture stated that culture is complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, custom and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society (quoted by Kroeber and Kluckhohn, 1952:81).
e. Fundamentalism
According to Longman Dictionary of English language and Culture, the word Fundamentalism means the practice of following the rules of a religion, such as Christianity or Islam, very strictly and exactly (Summers, 1992:527).
In Encarta Webster’s college dictionary stated that Fundamentalism means the belief that religious or political doctrine should be implemented literally, not interpreted or adapted (Soukhanov, 2005:580).
f. Character
According to Abrams in his book A Glossary of Literary Terms, character is defined as the person presented in dramatic or narrative work, who is interpreted by the readers as being endowed with a moral and disposition qualities that are expressed in what they say, the dialogue and by what they do the action.
Gill (1995:125) in his book Mastering English Literature, defines character as a person in a literary work who has some sort of identity which can be seen from his appearance, conversation, action, name, and so on.
CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL REVIEW
A. Review on Related Studies
Only a few studies have been done by critics in this short story. But, many critics have been done toward the movie that is adapted from the short story itself.
Most of the critics in the short story are much talking about clash culture and religion. This chapter reviews some criticisms directed to “My son the Fanatic” which are necessary to support the analysis of this study.
Work done by Tatang Iskarna in an article in Phenomenon vol. 9 No 1-
June 2005, is analyzing about tracing the root of the clash between Islamic tradition and Western values.
My son the fanatic portrays the most intense conflict between two cultures, Islamic tradition and Western values. This story tries to establish a dichotomy between the values of Islam and the West. (Iskarna, 2005:71)
In the article he wrote, he stated that two values which are represented by the characters in the story, Parvez and Ali, are the basic reasons of conflict that happens in this story, he stated:
Their inability to reconcile their ideas and attitudes with each other and the outside world establishes that there is a basic substance of difference between Islamic and Western values which results in continuing conflicts. (Iskarna, 2005:72)
In finding the explanation on the root of the clash between Islamic tradition and Western values, Tatang Iskarna applied what Samuel P. Huntington proposed in his monumental book The clash of civilization and the Remaking of
World Order. Iskarna argued that what happens with the main character is caused
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by the values which exist in the place where he lives although sometimes still influenced by his old tradition. In this case he describes Parvez:
Living in England as an immigrant, Parvez experience these values, and he is able to adapt himself to these although he sometimes behaves in the way what his old tradition says. (Iskarna, 2005:69)
Another study about this short story is taken from an article in website which is talking about self-discovery of the main character that is signified by his little knowledge of Islam which had been his root that he left, it is stated that:
…this is really about Parvez discovering himself, not about Islamic Fundamentalism or racism in England or love, although all of those factors into his journey. (Clanton, 2000)
The critic wanted to say that, actually, the story is about a man who is in process in finding self-discovery; he undergoes some experiences which are included in discovering himself such as racism, love, or the conflict with his son who joins in
Islamic Fundamentalism. Moreover, the critic also stated that the story is interesting because it is the reflection of what really happens in the real life, it awakens us to bigger issues and cultural problem.
Those are some of the works done by the experts to this work. The analysis in this thesis is different to the article which is taken from the internet because the article tells about self-discovery of the main character. While this thesis talks about the conflict between Islam Fundamentalism Culture and
Western Culture which are perceived by the characters. So it can be said that the writer of this thesis can discover something new from this story.
The analysis in this thesis is more or less similar to what Tatang Iskarna stated in the article he wrote, the difference is Iskarna analyzed the conflict of the
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main characters in the story who represent Islamic tradition and Western values while this analysis talks about the collision of Islam Fundamentalism culture and
Western culture itself which happens in the story and also the description about the factors caused the collision. Nevertheless, this thesis does not take aside the discussion about the characters in the story.
In short, Iskarna’s main attention is on the conflict of the characters while this thesis is not only about the characters of the story but broader to the factors cause the collision between Islam Fundamentalism culture and Western culture.
So it can be said that the analysis in this thesis develops Iskarna’s article though perhaps the result would be a little bit similar.
This thesis is spotlighting the cultural clash between Islam
Fundamentalism culture and Western culture; it shows how two cultures are colliding. As we know that Islam and Western are always in colliding situation and there are many causes which create that collision. Hopefully, this thesis will give something new in understanding the story.
B. Review on Related Theories
1. Theory on character and characterization
Characters are the people who are represented in the story; they have their own characteristics that are different to one another. Every author has their own way in characterizing the character in the story they write. Character is one of the most important things in the story in a story.
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Character or Doer participates on a story by acting that is based on the script of the story itself. Characters are differentiated in some types; they are Flat and Round character. Flat character is performed less of individualizing detail, it could be only in a single phrase. In other hand, Round character is complex in temperament, motivation, and performed with subtitle particularly. It also can be said that round character is performed in a more complicated way.
Another type of characters is major and minor character. Major character is the character who gets the fullest attention of the reader, they also as the figure to create the atmosphere of the story. Minor character or secondary character is the character who has a limited role in a story. The role of minor character in a story is as the partner of the major character, whether as a friend or as enemy.
It can be seen also to the other opinion about character in Understanding
Unseen by M. J Murphy. He states that there are many ways to the author to describe the character and suppose the reader will understand about it, such as: a. Personal Description
The author can describe the character through his/her appearance. b. Character as seen by another
The author describes the character through the other’s opinion and his clothes in the story. c. Speech
The author describes the character through what the character say.
Whenever he speaks, including the conversation with other or gives ideas or opinion.
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d. Past life
The character is described through his/her past life (direct comment by author, the thought of the person, conversation or from other person)
e. Conversation with the other
The author describes the character through conversation of others and their sayings about him. f. Reaction
Author can describe the character through another person’s reaction toward various situations and events or the character’s reaction. g. Direct comment
The author gives the description on the person’s characteristics directly h. Thought
The author describes the character through his knowledge or his thinking and in here the author is able to do what the reader cannot do in real life. i. Mannerism
The author can describe a person’s mannerism or habits which may also tell us something about his character.
2. Theory on Clash of Civilization
Clash of Civilization is a controversial theory which defines that people’s cultural and religious identities will be the primary source of conflict in the post
Cold War world. This theory was popularized by Samuel P. Huntington in 1993.
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Moreover, theory Clash of Civilization got a great attention after the terrorist attacks in September 11, 2001.
Still in the book by Samuel P. Huntington titled The Clash of Civilizations and the remaking of World order, he says that the trends of global conflict after the end of the Cold War are increasingly emerging at the divisions of civilization.
In fact, we can see the global conflict like the break up of Yugoslavia, in
Chechnya, and between India and Pakistan, those are the evidences of inter- civilization conflict.
It is believed that the present global war on terror between the West and
Islam is not a new result of a few existing radicals, but as a reflection of millennium plus history conflict between those two civilizations. Moreover,
Western – Islamic clash would represent the bloodiest conflicts of the early 21st century. So that, the tragedy of terrorist attacks in September 11 2001 including the Afghanistan and Iraq wars have been widely seen as support for this Clash theory.
3. The Relation between Literature and Society
Wellek states, in his book Theory of Literature, that literature as a work of art is a social creation. Using language as its medium, literature has a close relationship with the society. Literature ‘represents’ ‘life’; and ‘life’ is, in large measure, a social reality even though the natural world and the inner or subjective world of the individual have also been objects of literary ‘imitation’. (1956:94)
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Most of the time, it is assumed that literature, at any given time, mirrors the current social situation ‘correctly’ or meaning to say that an author should express the life of his own time fully that he should be ‘representative’ of his age and society. But, literature is really not a reflection of the social process, but the essence, the abridgement and summary of all history or it can be said that a writer certainly expresses his experience and total conception of life (1956:95). Literary work can play its role as a document that records social realities which are artistically portrayed by the author (1956:102).
Langland writes that literature is an imitation of outside world (1984:4).
Since society in a literary work is not ‘a faithful mirror’ that reflects what is real, the word ‘imitation’ shows the important point of the non absolute fidelity of what is pictured in a work of art with what is or was really there in the real world. As she writes: “In art alone the illusion of an outside world be created and maintained” (1984: 4, 5, 9). From the point above, it is clear that the world is the object of literature, and society is a part of a world. Langland further explains that literary research is always about the social world, sine the social matters like traditions, conventions, politics, socio-historical, or attitudes of the society are the materials which are raised in the analysis.
C. Review on Sociocultural-Historical Background
1. Islam Fundamentalism
Islam Fundamentalism has known as the West’s arch-enemy, their conflict was worse after the fall of Berlin Wall that made the West had been accused of
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being on the lookout for a substitute rival to ensure the continuity of its political and military unity and hegemony, and Islamic Fundamentalism seemed to have the right qualification.
Until present time, Islamic Fundamentalists are known that they do indeed attack the West. They have some movements to revolt against the West and burn off all of Western’s concept in the world.
In the book of The challenge of Fundamentalism written by Bassam Tibi, it is stated that the concept of Fundamentalism can be traced back to Sayyid Qutb, the Egyptian political preacher who is seen as the intellectual father of Islamic
Fundamentalism. He is furious anti-American and anti- Western Muslim, he proposed to reject the Western civilization and its replacement is Islam. Islam
Fundamentalists are struggling to maintain a new order which is based on the political doctrine of Islam, certainly that it is as interpreted by them.
Islam Fundamentalist’s view about the West can be seen through Qutb’s, he argued forcefully that the West is morally bankrupt and about to crumble. In his view, only Islam is prepared to assume the world leadership that the West is about to give up.
Qutb’s basic missionary massage was that world peace can be achieved only under the banner of Islam, within the framework of Jihad as an expression of
“world revolution”.
Still in Qutb’s view, man-centered cultural modernity is the cause of the deadly disease that has befallen the West and it is now approaching to infect
Islam. In the Fundamentalist view, current Islamic societies are generally
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characterized as a mix of jahiliyya (pre-Islamic age of heedlessness) and kufr.
True Muslims retreat from these societies, and in doing follow the Prophet, who retreated from Mecca and set out for Medina in 622.
Still in the book by Bassam Tibi it is also said that Fundamentalism is much more than extremism or terrorism; it is rather a powerful challenge to the existing order of the international system of secular nation-states. In this case, this institution is Western in origin so the revolt against it is also a revolt against the
West.
Islam Fundamentalist’s point of view and concepts can be seen through
Qutb’s way of viewing religion and especially the way viewing Western that they considered as an enemy that must be destroyed.
2. Islamic Culture
Today there are approximately one billion Muslims faithful worldwide.
Muslim is the name for an adherent of Islam or one who submits to the will of
Allah. The religious message mystically delivered to Muhammad, the Prophet of
Islam, is viewed from the Muslim’s perspective as the continuation, the clarification, and the conclusion of God’s revelation to humanity (Naylor,
2000:163).
Islam does not reject the world, the Muslim ideal balances matters of the world (dunya) with ideas of religion (din), being a good Muslim should involve in both. It reflected the primary principles of balance (adl) and compassion (ihsan) in all walks of life. But, although Islam emphasizes balance and order, still, many
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Muslim societies have moved away from the Islamic ideal which is based on the
Qur’an and the life of the prophet.
The history of Islam is the history of ideas and their power to influence people’s actions. The ideas came when Islam first appeared; it was about that you could believe in God directly and yet live in here and now.
Throughout the world, Muslims accept that Islam is rooted in the Qur’an and the Sunnah, the life of the Prophet Muhammad. Muslims remembered and applied what he said and did both during his lifetime and throughout the following centuries. Muhammad has served as the ideal model for Muslim life, providing the pattern that all believers are to imitate. Muslims look to Muhammad’s example for guidance in all aspects of life: how to treat friends as well as enemies, what to eat and drink, and how to make love and war.
The practices of the Prophet became a material source of Islamic law alongside the Quran (Esposito, 1998:13). By Quran and the Sunnah they point to the Shariah, the Islamic path. However, culture, history, and ecology have affected how Muslims live their lives.
Muslim ness, the label of Muslim, is not a guarantee of good behavior.
This is what the Qur’an tells that each individual is responsible for his or her own actions, even for parent-children relationship. In the notion of tauhid, or the oneness of God and the unity of existence that it reflects, is so critical in the understanding of Muslim’s attitude to life. In Qur’an, it is emphasized that we must walk softly on the earth and that we are tenants and not the owners of the earth, we are here only for short while.
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For Muslims, Islam is not merely a system of belief and worship, a separate part of life, so to speak, different from other part of life which becomes the concern of non-religious authority. But, it is the whole of life and its rules include civil, criminal, and even constitutional law in Islam-based nation (Lewis,
1993:4). The difference is the emphasis each culture places on universal aspects of life, Islam emphasizes that life must be one of balance, that a person must pray but also have time for the family, eat as much as necessary, take regular physical exercise, that personal hygiene and cleanliness are important, that sexual activity is natural as long as it is done in the legal bound of marriage, and so on.
3. Western Culture
Western Culture or Western Civilization is a term which is used to point the cultures of the people of European origin and their descendants. Western culture composes the great heritage of social norms, ethical values, traditional customs (such as religious belief), and certain artifacts and technologies as shared within the Western sphere of influence. The term “Western” itself is often used in contrast to Asian, African, and Arab nations.
The concept of Western culture is commonly related to the classical definition of Western world. Based on this definition, Western culture is a set of literary, scientific, musical, and philosophical principles which form it apart from other great civilizations. Western culture applies to countries whose history is strongly signed by Western European immigration or settlement; moreover this is not limited to Western Europe (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Culture).
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It is said that Elements of Western culture have influenced greatly on other cultures worldwide. People of many cultures, both Western and non-Western consider that “modernization” is equal to “Westernization”. Some people of the non-Western world have suggested that the link between technological progress and certain harmful Western values provides a reason why much of “modernity” should be rejected as being unsuited with their vision and the values of their societies.
In that way, various uses of Western culture’s concept have included, rightly or wrongly, such as critiques of American culture, materialism industrialism, capitalism, commercialism, hedonism, imperialism, modernism, or the teaching of Western Civilization (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Western_ culture).
In the West, the spiritual power has not been functioned in a sacred social order like the Confucian state in China and the Indian caste system. The West has obtained social freedom and autonomy; consequently its activity has not been confined to the religious sphere, otherwise it has had far-reaching effects on every aspect of social and intellectual life (Dawson, 1991:16).
Western civilization unites many of local cultures, Western civilization has undergone processes of secularization and in the process it has established a separation of religion and politics in society. In secular societies, religion has a social function but no longer determines the entire character of the social system
(Tibi, 1998:201). Secularization affects religion by encouraging it to develop as a
19
separate system. Consequently, religion becomes private religiously; it may express its belief but it may not force them on others (1998:203).
The secularism that appeared in Western Europe in the seventeenth century was not to establish and enforce irreligion as a new state doctrine but rather to prevent the state from any involvement in doctrine and to prevent the upholders of any doctrine from using the coercive powers of the state (Lewis,
1993:181).
The activity of the Western mind was the result of a long process of education which changed the concentration of human thought and widened the possibilities of social action. In this changing the primary factor was not the power of conquerors and capitalists, just like what most of the non-Westerners think about the West which later became the trade mark of the West, but it is because the widening of the quality of human intelligence and the development of the new types of creative genius and ability (Dawson, 1991:17). Moreover, this changing was motivated by the desire to succeed, power, and wealth which are so obvious in European country.
Western civilization has been the great excitement of change in the world because the changing of the world became an integral part of its cultural ideas.
Before the achievements of modern science and technology nowadays,
Westerners had applied the idea of a magna instauration of the sciences which would open new ways for human understanding and change the fortunes of the human race. Moreover, the independence of cultural leadership and political
20
power in the West was one of the main factors that produced the freedom and the dynamic activity of Western culture (1991:17).
In all western country, it is only in Western Europe that the whole pattern of the culture is to be found in a continuous series of free spiritual movements, so that every century of Western history shows a change in the balance of cultural elements, and the appearance of some new spiritual forces which creates new ideas to produce a further movement of social change.
In Western culture it is often difficult to trace the connection between the spirit of faith and the new movements of change, moreover when we study these movements closely we shall usually find that such a connection does really exist in fact (1991:21).
D. Theoretical Framework
In this section the writer wants to explain about the theories that are used and also the reason why those theories are needed in this analysis. All the theories such as theory on character and characterization, theory on Clash of Civilization, and some socio-cultural Historical background in the short story as the extrinsic data that have mentioned in the previous will be taken to analyze the study.
In the first problem, the theory of character and characterization will be used to study what kinds of characters presented by Hanif Kureishi in “My Son the Fanatic”. After knowing what kinds of characters in the story, it can be analyzed the Western culture and Islam Fundamentalism culture perceived by the characters in the story since in the first problem is the analysis about the
21
characters’ attitude in viewing Western culture and Islam Fundamentalism culture in their life.
In answering the second problem formulation of the study to discover the factors that cause the collision between Islam Fundamentalism culture and
Western culture, theory on Clash of Civilization, which is popularized by Samuel
P Huntington, is used. This problem deals with the conflict between two different cultures, and it is closely related to this theory which states that cultural and religious identities will be the primary source of conflict.
At last, Socio-cultural-Historical background is informed to make the readers easily interpret the socio-cultural background in the story of “My son the
Fanatic”. Moreover, it is also used to see what the characters represent in the story. So that it is applied Wellek theory that literature represent life and that artist conveys true and necessarily.
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study
The study deals with a short story which was written by a Pakistani writer named Hanif Kureishi. This short story consists of 12 pages which was published in the year 1997 by Scribner, New York. This short story is included in a collection of short stories book titled Love in blue Time.
“My son the Fanatic” takes place in England where a cross cultures mixes in with the new lifestyles of a Pakistani family. The theme of immigrant children rejecting traditional values is a common one, but in the story of “My son the
Fanatic” there is a twist. It tells about a Pakistani taxicab driver who with his son lives in England as immigrant, the conflict happens when his only son joins in
Moslem Fundamentalism which leads to his father’s displeasure.
It is a cultural story between a father and his son, moreover it is a modern story and we have all become consciously aware of this issue lately. Although
Kureishi, in his story, does not offer a solution for the conflict between Western and hard-line Islamic cultures, at least he acknowledges the validity and importance of the basis of the issue and treats them in a particular way.
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B. Approach of the Study
The approach that the writer uses in the analysis is the socio-cultural historical approach. This approach is used to see a literary work from its relation with the social history of certain place and time. According to Rohrberger and
Woods, in their book Reading and Writing about Literature, the only way to locate the real work with socio-cultural historical approach is in reference to the civilization that produces it. In that book, Rohrberger and Woods defined civilization as the attitudes and actions of a specific group of people and pointed out that literature takes these attitudes and actions as its subject matter and they added that it is necessary to investigate the social milieu of the place and time when a creator creates the work (Rohrberger 1971:719).
In this study, the approach is used to understand the real conflict in the real life that is between Islam Fundamentalism culture and Western culture which is reflected in the story of “My son the Fanatic”. Since the story really portrays what happens between Islam Fundamentalism culture and Western culture which always in colliding situation from past until present. There is no certain time and place where and when the collision was started and happened but it arose significantly after the tragedy of 11 September 2001. Therefore, the writer wants to ‘dig’ deeper about Islam Fundamentalism culture and Western culture and also to discover the factors that create the collision.
24
C. Method of the Study
In order to complete the analysis, the writer used the library research method as the method of the study. This method tried to collect data from written source books which would be useful for the analysis. The primary data for the analysis was taken from the short story of “My son the Fanatic”, while the secondary data was derived from other sources, such as books, article, internet, and other which could be fully supported the study, and were related to the problem.
The first step, the writer read the work by Hanif Kureishi entitled “My son the Fanatic”. Collision of Islam Fundamentalism culture and Western culture was the topic chosen after reading it thoroughly. The writer thought that the topic would be much interesting if it is related to the same event in reality.
The second step is to give the complete understanding for the reader about
Islam fundamentalism culture and Western culture, as the object of the analysis.
Since the writer wants to reveal the factors that cause the collision so the writer thinks that she needed to understand about each of them. First, the writer describes about Islam Fundamentalism culture and also Islam in general as the addition.
Then, Western culture is explained from the definition of Western culture to
West’s way of thinking.
The third step is to reveal the Western culture and Islam Fundamentalism culture which are perceived by the characters of the story. In this part, the writer wants to show that the main characters of the story adopt Western culture and 25
Islamic culture based on their own perception and that they represent the conflict which also happens in reality. So that the reader will understand that literature is a portrait of reality.
The final step is to give a clear description about the factors that cause the collision between Islam fundamentalism culture and Western culture. The writer would start by taking the reader to see how both of them are always in colliding situation. Afterwards, the writer would continue with depicting the factors that create the collision between Islam Fundamentalism Culture and Western culture.
CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS
In this part, the writer will examine the western culture and Islam
Fundamentalism culture perceived by the characters in the story. In addition, since the character that represents Islam is described as an Islam Fundamentalist so the writer will depict the factor caused the collision two times, first based on Islam
Fundamentalist’s view and second based on Islam Liberal’s. At the end, it will be studied the factors that cause the collision between Western Culture and Islam
Fundamentalism culture as represented by two major characters of the story. In the first chapter the writer mentioned that the conflict in the story also happens in the real life, so it will be added also some proves of the conflict in the real life as the supporting idea.
A. The Western Culture and Islam Fundamentalism Culture perceived by the characters
1. Parvez
The Western Culture in this story is adopted by a character named Parvez.
Parvez is a Pakistan-born man who lives in England as an immigrant. He grew up in Lahore, Pakistan where all young boys were regularly taught the Quran. In his youth, Parvez had an experience which he considered as an indignity and this indignity made him avoided all religions. His Quran teacher used to attach a piece of string to the ceiling and tied it to Parvez’s hair to stop Parvez from falling
26 27
asleep while he studied, so if his head fell forward he would automatically awake.
At first, Parvez decided to live in England to get a better life but then he also finds liberation. Parvez’s new way of life is heavily influenced by Western Culture, so that he becomes Materialist, Free, and Secular. a. Parvez’s view on Materialism
Parvez adopts one of Western Culture’s concepts in his life that is materialism; materialism is a desire or tendency to be more interested in material possession and physical comforts rather than in spiritual values. It has been
Parvez’s dream to have a better life in England because he does not want to live in poverty anymore.
Parvez regards that people will live happily if they have a lot of money and fulfill all the needs in their life. In other words, according to Parvez’s opinion, people are said to live in happiness is measured from their material possession.
Parvez perceives the concept of materialism in this way; he works very hard only to get material things for him and, of course, his family because he wants to live like any other Western family who live in prosperity. It can be seen from the quotation:
Parvez had been a taxi-driver for twenty years. Half that time he’d worked for the same firm. Like him, most of the other drivers were Punjabis. They preferred to work at night, when the roads were clearer and the money better (Kureishi, 1997:101).
Parvez expects many things from his job as a taxi-driver because his living and
“happiness” depend on it. For Parvez time is money so he spends every second of his time to work. 28
In his life, Parvez is only interested in material things and take aside spiritual needs such as having a recreation, doing hobbies, or thanking God.
Therefore, he spends much of his time to work which means earning money.
Parvez had explained patiently that for years he had worked more than ten hours a day, had few enjoyments or hobbies, and never gone on holiday (Kureishi, 1997: 105)
Actually, Parvez has a good reason why he works so hard, that it is because his son Ali. Parvez works long hours for Ali because he wants to give the best things for his only son. He spends a lot of money for Ali’s education, which is majoring in accounting, in purpose that later his son can be an accountant and earn much money from that job. Parvez also buys many things for Ali such as good suits, computer, TV, video player, and stereo system in order he will not feel inferior than his English friends.
Parvez gives many physical things for Ali, which seems too much, and it is done based on his assumption that possessing all material things makes people live happily. It seems that Parvez does not realize that spiritual values are also needed by all people. Somehow, spiritual needs also needed to make a balance in living so besides fulfilling material things people also need to fulfill spiritual needs.
Materialism in the Western Culture did not appear by itself; also it did not from the power of conquerors and capitalists. However, it was the result of a long process of education which involved the quality of human intelligence and social action. Moreover, it is also motivated by the desire to succeed. Parvez’s 29
materialist is caused by his obsession and dream of doing well in England also his desire to live like Western family who in his perception always live in wealth. b. Parvez’s view on Individual Freedom
After we have understood one of Western Cultures, materialism, inside the main character we continue to seek Individual freedom inside the main character’s life. In here, the writer tries to know in what way Parvez applies the concept of
Individual freedom.
Living in England as an immigrant, at first, Parvez was only obsessed to change his life to be better economically, but then Parvez also adopts Individual freedom which is very revered in Western society. The concept of individual freedom is really applied by Parvez in his life and it changes his way of thinking and viewing anything in his surrounding from his old tradition way. When Parvez was still in Pakistan he had to follow the Islamic rules which was very ‘strong’ in there, then after he lives in England he thinks that he has to fit in the British Legal
Law that really reveres what is called as Individual Freedom. In applying
Individual freedom based on his perception, the first thing he does is leaving his religion behind since Western people have a concept in their mind that each person is the master of their fate.
Although Parvez adopts Individual right in his life, it does not mean that he behaves as he likes, his behavior is still in a boundary which is permitted and allowable in the West. Parvez worships Individual Freedom but he also convinces that people have to treat others well, this quotation will show it: “Haltingly,
Parvez said that people had to treat one another with respect, particularly children 30
their parents” (Kureishi, 1997:109). Every people must respect one another especially children to their parents, that is what Parvez wants to say. He wants to show to his son, who is an Islam fundamentalist, that although he adopts Western
Culture and worships Individual right he is still a good person.
Parvez assumes that every person has a right to get enjoyment in their life which cannot be limited by anything even religion. He argues that all people have freedom to enjoy themselves and it should be done in a good way without giving disadvantage to others, he says “For a start…you should enjoy yourself. Yes.
Enjoy yourself without hurting others” (Kureishi, 1997:109). Parvez admits that all people have right to do something but they have to remember also that their rights should be done without hurting others.
Parvez wants everyone to appreciate his rights as the Individual right, as the consequence he should appreciate others’ right too and he does it. Parvez respects other people with any job they have, he does not differentiate people based on their job. He applies it also to Bettina, a prostitute who used to be
Parvez’s taxi customer and then after some time they become friends.
Bettina had known Parvez for three years. She lived outside the town and, on the long drives home, during which she sat not in the passenger seat but beside him, Parvez had talked to her about his life and hopes, just as she talked about hers. They saw each other most nights (Kureishi, 1997:102).
Parvez admits Bettina’s job as a choice of life that should be respected. He knows that she has to do it because she has to earn money to make living for herself.
Even though Bettina is a prostitute she is a nice friend that makes Parvez can share about his problem to her. 31
He could talk to her about things he’d never be able to discuss with his own wife. Bettina, in turn, always reported on her night’s activities. He liked to know where she had been and with whom (Kureishi, 1997: 102)
Parvez reveres Individual freedom and he feels comfortable with that concept, nevertheless he also respects other’s right. For this concept Parvez applies it in appropriate ways, he knows that Individual freedom should be respected and in doing our own right we should do without giving disadvantage and hurting others. c. Parvez’s view on Secular life
The last Western Culture concept that is adopted in the life of Parvez is secularism. Secularism is a concept owned by most of Western countries.
Secularism is a concept of separation between religion and politics in society, religion becomes a private affair of every person which is not being put on their actions in social life. Parvez adopts the concept of secularism in his life; he refuses the limitations and control from the religion.
When Parvez lived in Pakistan his life was controlled and limited by the
Islamic Law which prevailed in Pakistan but he did not feel comfortable with that.
Then after living in England he feels fit with the rules prevails in there. In the
West Parvez feels free to do anything without caring religion laws, that is the reason why he loves England very much, as he says” But I love England,” Parvez said, watching his boy in the rear view mirror. “They let you do almost anything here” (Kureishi, 1997:107). Parvez regards that religion just limits his life and obsession so he adopts the concept of secularism based on his own perception. 32
His action which shows the application of the concept of secularism also appears in his activity with his friends. Parvez and his fellow taxi-drivers used to gather to have some funs in their office; they do anything only for their pleasure.
They slept during the day, avoiding their wives. They led almost a boy’s life together in their cabbies office, playing cards and setting up practical jokes, exchanging lewd stories, eating takeaways from local balti houses, and discussing politics and their own problems (Kureishi, 1997:101).
Parvez and his friends, who most of them are Punjabis which means Pakistani also, know that they live in England so they feel free to do anything including things which are considered uncommon to be done in their home country because they are not allowed by the religion such as avoiding their wives and exchanging lewd stories. In the story, there is no discussion about their marriage so the writer assumes about the reason why they avoid their wives is because they do not feel happy with their marriage since most marriages in Pakistan are arranged by parents and other respected family-members.
The Western concept of secularism really separates the activity in social life and politics, whereas, non-secular countries like Malaysia and Arab apply religion within the activity of every person in their society including about food and drink. In the West, people are free to eat and drink anything they want and happily Parvez does it which also creates a conflict with his son, it can be seen through his conversation with his son:
Surely it wasn’t a crime to have a drink when he wanted one? ‘But it is forbidden,’ the boy said. Parvez shrugged. ‘I know.’ ‘And so is gambling, isn’t it?’ ‘Yes. But surely we are only human?’ (Kureishi, 1997:105) 33
Another conversation with his son can also show that he does really apply the concept of secularism:
Ali then reminded Parvez that he had ordered his wife to cook pork sausages, saying to her,’ You’re not in the village now. This is England. We have to fit in’ (Kureishi, 1997:106).
Those quotations show that Parvez has left the tradition in his home country which is influenced by the religion. He really feels comfortable with the West’s way of life which gives pleasure to him, but it seems that Parvez uses the concept of secularism to justify his attitude that feels humiliated by the religion, such as drinking and gambling. So he does not really apply the right meaning of secularism but he deviate it into the justification of his pleasure
2. Ali
In this story, Islam Fundamentalism culture is adopted by Ali based on his perception. Ali is Pakistani boy who with his family move to England as immigrants, he experiences a transition in his young age from an ordinary immigrant boy who adopted Western’s life style to an Islam fundamentalist.
When he followed Western’s life style he studied accounting, played video games, guitar, cricket, and liked to go with his English girlfriend. However, all those change after he joins Islam Fundamentalist community. He throws his possession out, gives them away, and donates them to charity shop; even he avoids his English friends. Ali’s life changes drastically, he prays regularly and embodies the Islamic culture based on his perception in his actions. The way Ali perceives Islamic culture can be seen through his view on Western Education,
Jihad, and Prostitute. 34
a. Ali’s view on Western Education
Ali’s hatred of the West cannot be negotiated in any ways, he regards that
Western is drove of infidel. Western Culture is considered that it againsts Islam because it is not in accordance with Islam and anything which against the law of
Islam will go to hell. As a Fundamentalist, Ali views that anything which has relation to the West must be burnt off because, in Ali’s perception, they are source of evil.
Western education also becomes Ali’s aim from his hatred of the West.
After joining the Islam Fundamentalist community Ali becomes interested in the
Muslim’s life because he has just realized that the Western oppresses them, that view influences his study on accounting. Before joining in Islam Fundamentalist community, Ali was a student of accounting of a school in England, he was a clever student and got As in most subjects, it can be seen through Parvez’s statement “…,and what an attentive scholar he was, getting As in most subjects”
(Kureishi, 1997:101). However, after joining in Islam Fundamentalist community
Ali decides not to continue his study anymore, it is shown in this quotation “What had finished Parvez off was the boy’s saying he was giving up his studies in accounting” (Kureishi, 1997:107). Ali regards that Western education is not proper to study because it cultivates badness, “Western Education cultivated an anti- religious attitude” (Kureishi, 1997:107). He also has some reasons why he does not want to be an accountant, he says “And in the world of accountants it was usual to meet women, drink alcohol, and practice usury” (Kureishi,
1997:107). Ali’s opinion about job as an accountant is only based on his 35
assumption since he has never entered into the world of accountant before, even he stops studying it.
Ali’s decision to quit from his study in accounting is opposed by his father, Parvez. Parvez says that he wants Ali to be an accountant later because it is a good job since it earns much money, he also argues that accountant is a job which has good prospect and if Ali continues his study in accounting he will have a bright future, Parvez says “But it’s well paid work,” Parvez argued” For years you’ve been preparing” (Kureishi, 1997:107). Parvez’s argument about accountant reflects his view on the concept of materialism, but Ali has the opposite opinion. Ali argues that accountant is the seed of Western materialism and it is really contradictory with the Islamic Law, as Ali says “The Western materialists hate us,” Ali said. “Papa, how can you love something which hates you?”(Kureishi, 1997:106). As a fundamentalist Ali thinks that anything related to the West must be avoided because he does not want to break the rule of Quran, so he prefers to work in prison with poor Muslims. b. Ali’s view on Jihad
Ali colors his life with the Islam Fundamentalism culture and he does not want to break it. He regards that anyone who does not follow the rules of Islam is considered to be unbeliever and unbeliever should be eliminated from this earth.
Being a fundamentalist Ali does not accept other concepts of life outside the
Islamic Law based on his view; he feels that only his view which is right and out of that is considered wrong and must be obliterated. 36
Being a fundamentalist also makes him becomes narrow-minded, he does not think deeper about anything which he considered is wrong because he feels that the truth is his own. This way of thinking also happens in the way he perceives Jihad; he sees that Jihad is a physical fight which will be done to fight against anything which he considers not in accordance with Islam.
Ali’s understanding about Jihad reflects his knowledge about Islam based on his Fundamentalism view, as it is stated that Ali regards that unbelievers must be eliminated from this earth and the way to eliminate them, according to Ali, is by doing Jihad. Ali considers that the Westerners are unbelievers, they persecute and oppress Muslims. He feels that it is his duty to stop the persecution and oppression by Jihad.
My people have taken enough. If the persecution doesn’t stop, there will be jihad. I, and million of others, will gladly give our lives for the cause (Kureishi, 1997:106).
From above quotation it seems that Ali has a misconception about Jihad (more analysis about Jihad will be discussed in the next subchapter). Ali regards that
Jihad is a good thing so he assumes that he will be put into Paradise though no one knows where we will be after we died because it is God’s secret and we should not precede God because he has great might over us. Ali believes if people do good things God will give paradise and if people do bad things they will be put into the hell.
Ali has an argument that Islamic Law should be prevailed as a principle in every aspects of life for all people. In other words, he wants that anything related to human life should be based on Islamic value and under the Islamic Law, if it 37
does not happen the condition that will happen is like in the West society because based on Ali’s view as a fundamentalist Western is a sink of hypocrites who does not recognize religion. c. Ali’s view on Prostitute
Being a Fundamentalist does not make Ali think wisely, instead he thinks everything only based on whether it is right or wrong in his view. Ali limits his social life in society; he only socializes with people who he considers as a good person. He also differentiates people based on their job, if their jobs are good in his view he will befriend with them but if their jobs are bad he will not be willing to be friend even talk to them.
That Ali’s way of thinking is also used in the way he sees his father’s friend who is a prostitute named Bettina. Ali judges that Prostitute is a sinner and
God will put them in hell. According to Ali, prostitute is seen as devil and he is not able to talk to her, though Bettina tries to be friendly to him but Ali responses it with sharp answers “And who are you to ask me these questions?” (Kureishi,
1997:110). Ali does not give respect to her though he knows that she is older than him who should be respected.
The way Ali views Prostitute is contrast to his father’s view, Parvez views that being a prostitute is a choice of life because she has to earn money to make living just like him who works as a taxi-driver. Parvez sees that it is an Individual right to choose her job as long it does not give disadvantage to others. Whereas,
Ali sees that Prostitute is a sinner that should be avoided because they are including in the drove of evil. Ali cannot accept his father’s view, he does not 38
agree with Individual right because, based on Ali, people does not have individual right in their life since the autonomous right is in God’s hand. Ali also cannot bear to see when Bettina touches her father though she only tries to assure Ali that his father loves him much “You know he loves you more than his own life”
(Kureishi, 1997:110). Ali treats Bettina badly because of her job and it is contrast to what Islam exactly teaches to respect others well whatever their jobs; moreover if it is needed we may help them to get other jobs.
B. The Factors causing the collision of Western Culture and Islam Fundamentalism culture.
The conflict between the West and Islam also appears in the real life, the conflict began many years ago. According to Dr. Muhammad ‘Imarah in his book
Barat versus Islam: Kritik dibalik Hegemony Wacana Barat atas Islam, the conflict was started by the rising of Islam which freed East countries from Rome hegemony. This conflict was worse after the fall of the Berlin Wall, with the breakdown of communism the West had lost its arch-enemy. So far, the West had been accused of being on the lookout for a substitute rival, and Islamic
Fundamentalism seemed to have the right qualification. The underlying argument was that the West needed to identify a new enemy so as to ensure the continuity of its political and military unity and hegemony. That was the true event that happened between Islam and West. Moreover, there are many differences between
Islam and West that is possible to cause a collision between them.
The collision between Islam Fundamentalism and the West can be seen in the events in “My son the Fanatic”, those are the main concerns in this analysis. 39
The writer has divided the discussion into four topics for the basic reasons of the conflict between Islam fundamentalism and the West.
1. Different concept of Individual Freedom
The first factor causing conflict between Islam fundamentalism culture and Western culture in the story is the difference in applying Individual freedom, it is broken into two terms, they are: Food and drink and Ideal of life. a. Food and Drink
The rule related to food and drink also sets off the clash in scope of the difference in applying individual freedom. That night, Parvez and Ali go to a restaurant and then a waiter, whom Parvez knows, brings Parvez his usual whisky and water. Ali sees it and shows a dislike face, and then he speaks to his father harshly that drinking alcohol is prohibited, he states “Don’t you know it’s wrong to drink alcohol?” he had said (Kureishi, 1997:105). Ali tries to tell his father that drinking alcohol is wrong but he does it in a bad manner that makes him to be being insolent.
Parvez cannot accept what his son does to him; he has explained that drinking alcohol is common for man who works hard like him. Drinking alcohol, for Parvez, is a kind of enjoyment that he has in the middle of his work hour.
Parvez tries to assure Ali that drinking alcohol is common; it can be seen from the quotation “Surely it wasn’t a crime to have a drink when he wanted one?”
(Kureishi, 1997:105). Parvez wants his son to be understand about his habit, moreover Parvez thought that they live in the West so they have to fit in it since in 40
the West there is no law which rules about which food and drink are allowed and which are not.
Ali cannot accept his father’s reason, he still stands with his argument which is based on Islamic Law that he believed. He told that drinking alcohol was forbidden and it was not true to do something which is forbidden. Nevertheless,
Parvez keeps drinking and every time he looks at his son’s fastidious face he drinks more quickly, he realizes that he is getting drunk but he cannot stop drinking. Parvez cannot accept the law of Islam which rules about food and drink; he feels more comfort with the West which separates religious and non-religious life so he could freely enjoy his individual freedom.
Ali keeps telling his father, Parvez, that he has not lived a good life; he has broken the rules of the Koran. Ali thinks that his father has been already influenced by Western Culture whereas in fact the individual Muslim is also expected to observe a series of food guidelines such as avoiding the eating of pork, drinking wine, and other intoxicants (extended to drugs), and gambling. In the other hand, Parvez cannot deny that he loves all of those things especially eating pork; even he used to eat it for breakfast.
Parvez couldn’t deny that he loved crispy bacon smothered with mushrooms and mustard and sandwiched between slices of fried bread. In fact, he ate this for breakfast every morning. (Kureishi, 1997:106)
In Islam, everything done by Muslim must submits to the will of Allah revealed through the Prophet. This has meant organizing all of life according to the dictates of the Sharia. This fact cannot be accepted by Parvez, though he is a Muslim, he 41
prefers to Western’s life which assumes a distinction between religious and secular institutions.
Ali, whose life is walked based on Islam Fundamentalism, cannot understand about his father’s habit. Ali believes that individual freedom to do anything for Muslims should be done on Islam’s path and not allowed to break it because in the Koran there is already a law which rules about food and drink.
While Parvez, Ali’s father, thinks that they live in the West so they have to fit and obey the rules which are lawful in it, but since in the West there is no formal written law that rules people’s behavior so Parvez has an opinion that individual freedom is a right for everybody to do anything they want including what they want to eat or drink. b. Ideal of life
The difference in determining ideals of life becomes the second factor of the clash in relation to individual freedom. For addition, Islam in general has never been rigorous or puritanical in its attitude toward life in the world, the world is a place of goodness to be enjoyed. For Islam Fundamentalist, the true lives are praying to Allah, no Muslims are oppressed, and the Law of Islam rules the entire world. They will never feel in peace if they have not happened yet.
That idea can be seen through Ali, who represents Islam Fundamentalist; his life is filled with praying to Allah and demanding justice for Muslims who, according to him, most of them are still oppressed. Ali prays to Allah everyday regularly, it is proved by Parvez’s observation toward Ali, “The boy was praying.
Without fail, when he was at home, he prayed five times a day” (Kureishi, 42
1997:104). Ali is never absent to pray because he thinks that it is the most important thing for Muslims to be done to get God’s salvation in the world and when they are dead.
For Parvez, ideal of life can be achieved if someone can fulfill all the needs in his life in the world. A person has obtained ideal of life if he has a lot of money and he could enjoy from what he got, therefore ideal of life can be achieved if someone works hard even without a rest. However, Parvez experiences this idea, “ Parvez had been a taxi-driver for twenty years. Half that time he’d worked for the same firm” (Kureishi, 1997:101). “They preferred to work at night, when the roads were clearer and the money better” (Kureishi,
1997:101). From those quotations it can be said that Parvez adopts materialism, one of Western’s concept. He works for years to find money to give living for him and his family in purpose to have a good living. Parvez does not want his family live in poverty. He wants his family, especially his son, can live like any other
Western family.
The conflict between Ali and Parvez happens when they argue about their philosophy of lives which later on lead to the ideal of life. At first, Parvez tries to affect his son by saying that people have to treat one another with respect particularly children to their parents, then Parvez starts to show his philosophy of life:
, this life was all there was, and when you died, you rotted in the earth. ‘Grass and flowers will grow out of my grave, but something of me will live on” (Kureishi, 1997: 109).
43
Parvez’s philosophy means that while people still live in this world they have to make their life happy because when they died they just rotted in the earth. Parvez thinks that his life must be meaningful while he is still alive and it can be achieved if he can enjoy himself, about it he says to Ali “For a start…you should enjoy yourself. Yes. Enjoy yourself without hurting others” (Kureishi, 1997:109). For
Parvez, every people should have enjoyment because enjoyment is the beauty of living.
Ali has the opposite idea with Parvez’s philosophy, he does not agree with his father’s view. For Ali, living is condition where all Muslims are free since Ali argues that most Muslims in the world are still under pressure, he says “All over the world our people are oppressed,” was the boy’s reply (Kureishi, 1007:109).
Ali against his father’s idea about how to live which suggests that every people should enjoy themselves, he argues how he can enjoy himself if many ‘people’ are still oppressed.
From the discussion about Ideal of life above, it is clear that Ali and
Parvez have different concerns in their life and those differences create a conflict between Parvez and Ali. Ali’s concept of Ideal of life is related to spiritual needs such as praying, maintaining the law of Islam, and freeing Muslim’s oppression.
He prefers to anything which can increase the quality of his religiosity and fulfill his spiritual needs. On the other hand, Parvez more concerns to the things which are worldly like enjoying ourselves while we are still alive. Parvez views that true life is a condition where people can fulfill all their needs and also make living for their family therefore Parvez works very hard. 44
2. Monopoly of Truth
Monopoly of Truth appears as the next factor of the clash between Islam
Fundamentalist and the West in the story. Monopoly of Truth is a kind of characteristic which one regards that only his view, idea, and faith are the truth and other’s are not. Monopoly of Truth emerges in the two major characters in the story, Ali and Parvez. They never have the same idea about anything and both of them always regard that their arguments are true, therefore whenever they share about something it must be ended with conflict because their feeling of domination of truth.
Ali also experiences what is called as Monopoly of Truth. Ali always thinks that his opinions are always true, he cannot accept other’s argument which are different or opposite to his. In the story it is told that Ali is an Islam
Fundamentalist who hates Western very much. He hates everything which is related to the West, even he quits from his study in accounting because of his hatred to the west. It is proved in this quotation: “What had finished Parvez off was the boy’s saying he was giving up his studies in accounting” (Kureishi,
1997:107). “And in the world of accountants it was usual to meet women, drink alcohol, and practice usury” (Kureishi, 1997:107). Ali regards that meeting women, drinking alcohol, and usury are Western Cultures so if he does it, mean that he breaks the rule of Koran.
Ali’s hatred to Western is influenced by his Fundamentalism to religion, in this case is Islam, so he always compares other culture and religion with the Law of Islam which is based on his own interpretation. Though he lives in England he 45
does not feel fit with the Western culture, in spite he hates it so much because in his view there are many Western Cultures that invite people to the evilness which mean that it is opposite to Islam’s teaching. His hatred is shown in this quotation:
“The West was a sink of hypocrites, adulterers, homosexuals, drug users and prostitute” (Kureishi, 1997:106). From quotation above it clearly shows that Ali hates Western very much, his hatred as if makes him cannot think rationally. He does not accept the difference because that difference is opposite to his belief.
Properly, we do not have right to judge other because of the difference because it could be just a prejudice and give disadvantage to our self. What we have to do is respect the differences.
Ali’s decision to quit from his study in accounting of course makes his father feels disappointed because he has worked hard to find money to pay for
Ali’s study. Ali’s father, Parvez, is sure that accountant is a good job because it can earn much money, so when Ali says that he wants to quit from his study
Parvez opposes it “But it’s well paid work,” Parvez argued. “For years you’ve been preparing!” (Kureishi, 1997:107). Parvez’s argument does not change Ali’s decision to quit from study; he still does what he has decided. For Parvez’s argument Ali replies it with a sharp answer “Western education cultivates an anti- religious attitude” (Kureishi, 1997:107). Ali regards that Islam is the true path where people all over the world should ‘walk on’; other culture and value out of
Islam path are considered as deviation. Ali’s opinion about the West seems just a stereotype that he adopts. Ali admits that all Westerners are hypocrite, he does not really recognize the Western but he has already made a judgment about it. Once 46
again the writer wants to say that we do not have right to judge others. Therefore, his hatred is not only intended to Western culture but also to other religion, “The skin of the infidel would burn off again and again; the Jews and Christers would be routed” (Kureishi, 1997:106). Ali’s attitude toward other religion is extremely intolerable because he has no respect and appreciation anymore to others. Not all
Muslims have the same opinion with Ali; it is just an idea of some people who has similar point of view with Ali. Though different, Ali should respect others because, in fact, Islam does not teach people to hurt and hate others.
As it was stated, Islam is a religion of peace which does not agree if people fight against other moreover if it is back grounded by the difference on religion. Islam teaches Muslim to respect people with different religion since there are many religions in this world with different concerns such as Judaism lays stress on Justice and Right, Christianity on Love and Charity, and Islam on brotherhood and Peace. Muslims need to appreciate these beliefs and what others believe with a real understanding which does not explain over the differences.
Ali’s attitude does not really reflect the teaching of Islam because what he does is contradictory with what is said in the Koran. Being a fundamentalist makes him becomes a narrow-minded; he assumes that absolute truth belongs only to his faith but in the other hand, Islam does not teach this way. Truly, Koran implicitly says that belief in One God brings us to believe in the oneness of mankind and on the unity of mankind builds the concept of human brotherhood.
This brotherhood includes all who believe in God whether Jews, Christians, or
Muslims. 47
Monopoly of Truth like Ali does should not be done because it will create a bad image for Islam itself and above all it can lead to a clash between religions.
Ali’s attitude is back grounded by his little knowledge about Islam, so he sees everything only from the surface but not go deeper than that. Ali and other people who have similar idea with him should know that people in this world need bridges, give and take between religions and that they should be fellows in a common task without regarding that the absolute truth only belongs to itself and the other are invaders. A Quotation from Sayyeda Fatima al-Yashrutiyya in a book titled The Muslim Mind can represent that idea:
The different religions are like a tree. There is one root and many branches. On each branch there is a light, and the lights are of differing colours. But they all draw their light from the one root. We all need to keep our own light bright (Waddy, 1976:116).
The conflict between Islam Fundamentalist and the West in the story is not caused only by one side but both sides. Parvez, Ali’s father, also experiences monopoly of truth. Parvez argues that The West is the most comfortable and proper place for all people because he feels it by himself.
Parvez adopts many of Western cultures such as Materialism, Individual
Freedom, and Secular life because he assumes if non-Westerners live in the West they have to fit in the condition including culture and Law that are valid in there and he hopes that his son will do the same thing. But the fact is the opposite, his son blames him because he fond of the West, but Parvez argues it: “But I love
England,” Parvez said, watching his boy in the rear view mirror, “They let you do almost anything here” (Kureishi, 1997:107). “That is the problem,” (Kureishi, 48
1997:107). The argumentation between Parvez and Ali always happens when they talk about Islam and The West. Ali argues that everything regardless of Islam taught is considered as anti-religion while Parvez argues that Western culture is appropriate because it lets people to do anything what they want. Since both of
Ali and Parvez are argumentative they never got a solution for the conflict they have.
Regarding Ali’s assumption about the West which is anti religion, some explanations might help to explain about the position of religion in the West.
Religion also has an important place in the West although it plays only a fairly small role in the day to day of most citizens. In the West there is almost no critical national decisions are made on the basis of religion and religion tolerance is the rule in all. It is well worth to remember that religion was the central focus of both personal and national life. Although religion may fairly plays no greater role in the life of most westerners but they reflect to a remarkable fact that this was not always the case. If it is proved by that fact, so Ali’s judgment about the West is not completely true because it is only based on his prejudice.
Ali’s hatred to the West still cannot be accepted by Parvez because he thinks that it is unreasonable. Parvez wonders why Ali hates the West very much because in his opinion the West is a tolerant country which gives freedom for everybody to do anything and that is the reason why he adopts Western Culture.
In one occasion, Ali tries to persuade Parvez to hate the West; Ali tells that
Parvez misunderstood about the Western that actually the Western hate them. It is shown in this quotation “The Western materialists hate us,”Ali said. “Papa, how 49
can you love something which hates you?” (Kureishi, 1997: 106). Being told by his son about it Parvez does not change his mind, he still holds his opinion that the truth is that the Western is good because it is very understanding to everyone who lives in it.
Parvez plans to do something to his son because he cannot bear anymore to hear his son’s judgment, he plans to expel his son from the house though
Parvez knows that it will be the hardest thing he has ever done.
“I’m going to tell him to pick up his prayer mat and get out of my `house. It will be the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but tonight I’m going to do it” (Kureishi, 1997: 108).
Parvez knows that it is hard to do but he cannot stand with his son who, as if, judges him as a criminal because he fond of the West, though finally he cancels to do it.
Ali’s assumption about the West has not finished yet, he regards that the
West always underestimates the non-westerners and it is back grounded by one occasion when Ali accused his father, Parvez, of groveling to the whites. It can be seen in this quotation:
…, he explained, he himself was not ‘inferior’; there was more to the world than the West, though the West always thought it was best (Kureishi, 1997: 108).
Hearing Ali’s assumption about the West, Parvez does not accept it just the way it is because he thinks that it is not true, and then he replies it “How is it you know that?” Parvez said. “Seeing as you’ve never left England?” (Kureishi, 1997: 108). 50
Implicitly Parvez denies Ali’s prejudice about the Western because he knows that
Ali has never left England so he has no basic to prove his statement if it is really true.
Although Parvez still defends his argument that the West is a tolerant country and proper place for all, it does not change even a very little bit part of
Ali’s faith instead it cultivates a little emotion in him. A little bit emotional Ali emphasizes to Parvez that Islam is the true belief because it is the only one which brings up morality and leads people to the true path and this fact cannot be denied by anyone even though by his own father. It can be seen in this quotation:
Ali said, ‘Real morality has existed for hundreds of years. Around the world millions and millions of people share my beliefs. Are you saying you are right and they are all wrong?’ (Kureishi, 1997: 109).
On one occasion, Parvez cannot be able to control his emotion anymore.
He cannot bear with his son’s attitude toward him who does not show any respect like a child to his parent. One night, Parvez feels that the accumulation of his anger and disappointment to his son’s refusal reach its peak so Parvez kicks Ali over. Parvez hits Ali until the boy’s face is bloody but it does not stop his action nonetheless Parvez struck him, Ali shows no fear in his eyes also he neither covered himself but he only said “ So who’s the fanatic now?” (Kureishi,
1997:111).
3. Attitude toward women
Islam Fundamentalism and the West as represented by Ali and Parvez, two major characters in the story of “My son the Fanatic” have different ways in treating women and it is also as the factor of the clash between them. 51
The factor mentioned above is experienced by Parvez and Ali. They have different way in treating a woman and the woman meant here is Bettina, a prostitute who also Parvez’s taxi costumer. Parvez has known Bettina for three years, he used to ferry her home after her “night’s activities”. Those regular meetings make them become closer and that make Parvez feels free to talk about everything than to his own wife and so does with Bettina.
He could talk to her about things he’d never able to discuss with his own wife. Bettina, in turn, always reported on her night’s activities (Kureishi, 1997:102).
Parvez feels more comfortable to talk and to share about anything to Bettina include about the change of his son, Ali.
Bettina has never met Ali but it seems that she knows him much since
Parvez tells about his son continually also when he suspects that Ali is a drug user. That is the relationship between Parvez and Bettina. Both of them feel comfortable with their relationship because they know each other about their position, neither of them feels upper or lower. Bettina is a prostitute, she earns enough money to make living for herself and Parvez is a taxi driver who earns money for him and, of course, his family. Parvez treats Bettina as a good friend who is willing to hear when he shares about his son; he does not care about
Bettina’s profession as a prostitute which is seen as a lower rank and underestimated by most people.
The contradictory attitude is shown by Parvez own son, Parvez and Ali have different way in treating a woman. That condition is depicted in the situation on an evening when Bettina is riding in Parvez’s car; they pass a boy on the street 52
that has just come out from the mosque. After seeing that boy closely Parvez notices that the boy is his son, Ali. Parvez asks Ali to get into the car to back home together, but Parvez awares that his son will show bad attitude to Bettina because of her appearance.
Parvez became aware of Bettina’s short skirt, her gaudy rings and ice-blue eye shadow. He became conscious that the smell of her perfume, which he loved, filled the cab. He opened the window (Kureishi, 1997:110).
From that quotation it can be seen that Parvez, actually, has already known that
Ali will show his dislikeness to Bettina though they have never known each other before.
Ali does not change his attitude, he keeps showing his dislikeness to
Bettina even though Bettina has shown her hospitality to him by questioning some things about him in purpose they could be closer “And how are you getting on at college? Are you working hard?” (Kureishi, 1997:110). Bettina wants Ali to know that she cares nevertheless Ali replies it with a sharp answer “Who are you to ask me these questions?” Ali said, looking out of the window (Kureishi,
1997:110). Bettina understands with Ali’s attitude toward her, so Ali’s answer does not make her angry even she adores Parvez in purpose to make Ali knows that Parvez loves him much, but she says that by touching Parvez that make Ali more angry to her.
By now, Bettina had inadvertently laid her hand on Parvez’s shoulder. She said, ‘Your father, who is a good man, is very worried about you. You know he loves you more than his own life’ (Kureishi, 1997:110). ‘You say he loves me,’ the boy said (Kureishi, 1997:110). ‘Yes!’ said Bettina (Kureishi, 1997:110). 53
‘Then why is he letting a woman like you touch him like that?’ (Kureishi, 1997:110).
This time, Ali’s answer makes Bettina angry because Ali is not polite at all even though Bettina is friendly to him. Bettina cannot control her emotion when Ali looks her as if he challenges her, she said, “What kind of woman am I that I should deserve to be spoken to like that?” (Kureishi, 1997:110). Ali answers
Bettina with a sharp answer also: “You know what kind,” he said (Kureishi,
1997:110). Ali is very impolite to Bettina though Bettina is kind to him but the reason why Ali does that bad attitude is because of Bettina’s job as a prostitute.
He sees that prostitute is immoral so he has to take a distance with her, though she is a good person.
Islamic view women to follow the norm on many aspects of life nevertheless it do not mean that we have to take a distance with people who are
‘regarded’ as immoral. In this case, Ali is misunderstanding with that teaching since his point of view is influenced by his extreme thinking.
In the writer’s view, Ali’s attitude is not correct because he must know that Islam does not teach its follower to be impolite to anyone whatever their jobs because all people are equal ‘in front of’ God and only God who has right to judge
His follower whether they are good or bad. We are only human who has no right to differentiate people whatever their job, religion, and background.
In the real life, as it is known that Islam and the West have misunderstandings about attitude toward women. Some Westerners have assumptions about Muslim women such as that Muslim wives are helpless prisoners in the home, Muslim wives should walk a few paces behind their 54
husbands, Muslim women do not eat with the men but eat afterwards, Muslim women are not allowed to visit cemeteries, go to funerals or indeed even to mosques, and the last that Muslim men enforce a rigid seclusion on their women through the use of force. Those are some misunderstandings of the West about
Muslim women but the true fact is that women in Islam have the right to inherit property, to divorce, to demand a say in the house and in public life, to conduct business, and to have access to information and knowledge.
4. Misconception
Misconception also appears as the cause of conflict between Islam and the
West in the story. This factor is only dealt with Ali’s own misconception about
Jihad. Ali, one of major characters in the story who represents Islam
Fundamentalists has a conception that Jihad is a kind of aggression in purpose to make the whole world follow Islam’s path. It can be seen in this quotation: “The
Law of Islam would rule the world;...” (Kureishi, 1997:106). For Ali, Jihad is a kind of war to uphold Islam and nothing would rule the world but the law of
Islam. Ali and his friends in Islam Fundamentalism community will do Jihad because they believe that Western persecutes Muslim. Ali says “If the persecution doesn’t stop, there will be Jihad” (Kureishi, 1997:106). Therefore, to gain their purpose to rule the world by the law of Islam they will do anything even risk their lives “I, and million of others, will gladly give our lives for the cause” (Kureishi,
1997:106). Parvez, Ali’s father, is questioning why Ali is voluntary give his life in
Jihad. Parvez does not understand about his son who is willing to sacrifice his life to gain his purpose. Nevertheless, Ali believes that people who do Jihad will get 55
the repayment for what they did. The repayment is Paradise. Ali states “For us, the reward will be in Paradise” (Kureishi, 1997:106). Ali believes if a believer
(Muslim) is killed while engaged in Jihad, that person goes directly to Paradise without having to wait for the Last Day. Moreover, Ali is sure that God will put that person in Paradise because he had done a holy thing since Jihad is a war in true path which is done for the sake of God’s favor.
For Islam Fundamentalists, Jihad is defined as an expression of “Islamic world revolution”. They emphasize on the changing in all aspects by supporting violence to reach their revolutionary purposes. Moreover, they shout Holy War as one of their efforts to legitimate their purposes. This thing is a form of deviated
Jihad; they boast it to get sympathy and support from poor people and youngster.
The Islam Fundamentalist’s view on Jihad affects some of Westerners that make them convey Jihad as a “holy war” and refer it to what is called as
Terrorism. Western views the spreading of Islam as just a war, but Muslim in general views this in a different manner. Actually, Islamic Jihad is never an aggression but rather an effort to spread Islam as the true religion without involving aggression. This argument is difficult for some Westerners to understand but it clearly reveals how people of different civilizations fill concepts with different meaning.
That wrong perception about Jihad appears by The Muslim extremists themselves, they do disgraceful deeds under the name of Jihad such as bombing, attacking, and taking hostage; those result in many disadvantages for many people. They only represent a little minority of Muslim, also they are always 56
carrying the name of Islam in every action they do. Therefore, it has created a bad image for Islam as a religion of war and not a religion of peace
Basically, Jihad is a continual struggle to be a good person and do good things for others. Jihad in Islam, actually, is a war to fight against uncontrolled passion and desire in ourselves and, of course, not physically war. The greatest challenge in Jihad is not to defense Islam, but a spiritual struggle to control ourselves from all forms of inner evil: ego, sin, and strong passion which keep people from doing things which is believed as true. In addition, most Muslims in recent time are not confused with Jihad in understanding of Holy War but Jihad in heart (feeling), mouth (saying), and hand (action).
CHAPTER V
CONCLUSION
In analyzing the short story titled “My son the Fanatic” by Hanif Kureishi the writer is using a Socio cultural-Historical background approach. The writer uses the socio cultural- Historical approach because she wants to show that the conflict between Islam Fundamentalism culture and Western Culture that happens in the story also happens in the real life. The collision between Islam
Fundamentalism culture and Western Culture happens from past until today, moreover this collision arose significantly after the tragedy of 11 September 2001.
In the Hanif Kureishi’s “My son the Fanatic” there are two main characters father and son, Parvez is the father and Ali is the son. They are
Pakistani family who live in England as immigrant. In this story, Parvez adopts
Western Culture because he really feels comfortable with the concepts of Western
Culture; even he left behind the rules from his root country. Whereas, Ali adopts
Islam Fundamentalism culture after he joint Islamic Fundamentalist community.
At first, Ali behaved like any other Western boy but after joining in Islam
Fundamentalist his life changed. He decides to embody the rules of Islam based on his perception in his life and that Quran should color his life.
In this thesis there are two problems which are analyzed. The first problem is about the Western Culture and Islamic culture perceived by the main characters.
In this story, Western Culture is adopted by Parvez, he adopts many of Western
Culture concepts they are Materialism, Individual Freedom, and Secularism.
57 58
Parvez applies those concepts in his life based on his perception. Parvez perceives materialism as a concept that people’s happiness is measured from their material possession; Individual freedom is also perceived that every person has a right to get enjoyment in their life which cannot be limited by anything even religion; while secular life is used by Parvez to justify his pleasure. Whereas, Islamic culture is adopted by Ali based on his view as an Islam Fundamentalist which influences the way he views Western Education which he hates so much, Jihad, and Prostitute which he considers as a sinner that should be avoided.
The factors causing the collision between Islam Fundamentalism culture and Western culture can be seen in the analysis of the second problem. There are four factors which are causing the collision, they are Different concept in
Individual freedom which is broken into two terms Food and Drink and Ideals of
Life, then Monopoly of Truth also appears as the factor which is causing the collision between Parvez and Ali because they never have the same idea about anything and each of them always regard that their arguments are true, the next is attitude toward woman which is experienced by Parvez and Ali who have different way in treating a woman and the woman here is Bettina a prostitute who also Parvez’s taxi customer who later becomes Parvez’s friend while Ali shows different attitude that he hates Bettina who he considers as a sinner, the last factor is Misconception which appears as the factor creating the conflict and the misconception here prevails with regard to the duty of Jihad in Islam which is deviated from the understanding of a continuity struggle to be a good person into a holy physical war From the analysis that has been done, the writer can 59
conclude that the conflict between Islam Fundamentalism culture and Western culture is caused by the attitude of the characters in the way they perceive the value or the culture because they cannot respect other’s difference so it resulted in a bad situation that they have to belong to. At last, by learning this study the writer wants to say that a culture and value cannot be blamed by other culture or value because of its difference since it can lead to a great cultural problem which hampers the making of world peace. BIBLIOGRAPHY
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