To Kill A Mockingbird

In the name of Allah,
Most Gracious, Most Merciful,
Praise be to Allah,
the Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds,
and Peace and Prayer be upon the Final Prophet and Messenger. Abdullah Yusuf Ali, The Holy Quran

***

When I bought it recently at the local MPH, my mum was puzzled to as why I would buy such a book since it was a classic and she read it back when she was in her Form 3. She was like, "Why now?" so I said, "Well, I never bothered before but now I wanna own it cause reading it from elsewhere just won't be enough."

Well, this action was taken after I pondered for some time what a certain Miss A had wrote a few entries back. You see, I never bothered buying books because I think I can just read it anywhere but then, good books are hard to find so I might as well buy it and keep it for my children to read in the future where maybe all the good books will be lost in the sea of books full of sex-making and what not.

You have to admit, these days, it is hard to find a book that is entirely void of sex-making explained in excruciating details. I had to delete those scenes manually in my head for me to make sense what the writer is  trying to convey besides animalistic carnal activities.

It was quite pessimistic to assume as such but let's talk realistic. With all the entertainments and so-called PG13, I am sure as hell I won't let my future kids watch TV and buy their own books or make an email account or go on Facebook, but let's not go there shall we? I have a feeling being a mother in this era will be a great challenge. May Allah ease anyways.


So yeah, moving on to the book.


The only bad thing about the book is the hangover. This story lingers for quite a long time, and I took like maybe 10 minutes to get over it. It's just sad anyway, but then, it is recommended for reading.

I like that book because,

• it doesn't talk about and describe sex in excruciating details. None at all, if I may.
• it focuses on the problem in the community

Now, I have always liked these kind of books. When God was a rabbit is a good read too except I wouldn't want to read it again. I get bored too easily. It will be a miracle if I read it again. The same goes for animes, movies etc.

So, the book. It was written in the point of view of a little girl and well, I'm not really good at explaining other people's work so you can read it here at our ever faithful wikipedia. In short, the black man was trialed for a crime he didn't commit, and of course, a white man's words against his, even if the truth is that he is innocent, he was damned the moment he was put on trial. The jurors gladly declared him guilty, because of the prejudice they have against the blacks and that, in the history, there have never been a black man proved innocent, because that would be just wrong for the community. 

Stupidity I have to say. 

So here are some of my favourite quotes from the book. I say some because there's just too many and I hereby declare that I love that book as a whole, word by word.  

“I think there's just one kind of folks. Folks.” ― Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

“They've done it before and they'll do it again and when they do it -- seems that only the children weep. Good night.” ― Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

And here's more.

I'll just go and wipe my crocodile tears now.

Anyway, after I was done reading, it got me thinking about the racial injustice for quite some time and also what Atticus Finch had said in the courthouse, which is by the way, one of my favourite quotes too.

“We know all men are not created equal in the sense some people would have us believe- some people are smarter than others, some people have more opportunity because they're born with it, some men make more money than others, some ladies make better cakes than others- some people are born gifted beyond the normal scope of men.
But there is one way in this country in which all men are created equal- there is one human institution that makes a pauper the equal of a Rockefeller, the stupid man the equal of an Einstein, and the ignorant man the equal of any college president. That institution, gentlemen, is a court.” 
― Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

It got me thinking about how the world is as a whole unjust and you can see it in the news almost everyday. We didn't get by one day without asking, "Why did they do this to those Palestinians?", "Why do they have to aim at those little children?". All the 'why's are asked for a reason and that is we yearn for justice and fret not, that justice, Allah promises us in His book,

So how will it be when We assemble them for a Day about which there is no doubt? And each soul will be compensated [in full for] what it earned, and they will not be wronged. [3:25]

Each and every soul.

Just remember that.

But again, it's quite scary too. I don't exactly have that much good deeds and I'm not exactly a saint either. 

Makes you reflect on what you have done so far don't you think?

"Sometimes we can't just say "Allah has a better plan for us." 

We have to believe He does."