EVERYMAN’ – BRIDGING THE GEOGRAPHICAL,.pptx

7/28/2019 EVERYMAN BRIDGING THE GEOGRAPHICAL,.pptx

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EVERYMAN BRIDGING THE

GEOGRAPHICAL, CULTURAL AND

RELIGIOUS DIFFERENCES.

By:

FARRAH DIEBAA RASHID ALIUNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA PAHANG


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Everyman the play

Everyman is the only play from English

medieval time which has survived in written

form.

Translated from Dutch into English

The most celebrated morality play

Written by anonymous Dutch Rederijikers(rhetorician)


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Everyman the play cont.

This play highlights thejourney that

everyman in this world shall undertake.

It reminds everyman ofwhat will happenif

he does not repent or confess his sins and the

consequences of lack of good deeds

(Coldeway and Streitberger, 2001).


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Introduction

Everyman from an Islamic perspective

Thematically, this play is about death and how

man should behave in this world from the

point of view of Christianity and it is very

much alike to what the Muslimsbelieve.

Therefore, differences that might exist

between the two were neither highlighted nor

discussed.


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Statement of problem

It is distressing to note that because of their lack of interestin acquiring varieties ofknowledge, some people areunable to see the similarities between concepts or ideas.

They are overwhelmed with the differences as there are

easier to be identified. Even though, these differences what made man a unique

individual, most of the time it causesdisunity, hatred, andmisunderstanding between men.

Therefore, this paper will focus on the similarities instead

of the differences between the Islamic and Christianconcepts oflife and death as has been forwarded in theplay.


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Concept of life and death as forwarded in the

play from an Islamic perspective:

1. Concept of death in Islam

2. Allahsjudgment is based on how one spends

their life

3. Concept of indebtedness in Islam

4. Concept of knowledge

5. Concept of repentance and6. The forgetfulness nature of man


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Concept of death

This play is about the journey led by Everyman in searchingfor accompany who is willing to come with him either toheaven or hell.

It emphasizes on two characteristics of death which areunexpectedness and inevitability (it will happen to everyone).

As in this play, the messenger has made an opening remark bysaying The story saith: Man in the beginning Look well, and

take good heed to the ending, Be you never so gay!


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Allahs judgment is based on how

one spent their life In the play, only Good Deed is accepted by God to

accompanied Everyman as good deed what made aperson. Others; friends, relatives, wealth, physicalcharacteristics, knowledge and five wits were notcounted.

The argument for this, one may have pious friends andrelatives, however it does not confirmed that he is pioustoo. He may be good looking, but it has nothing to do

with the number of good deeds he did while living. Hemay have knowledge, however, he did not practice thegood one but the bad one instead.


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From the play also, we understand that it is Good Deeds whorecorded Everymans deeds as Good Deeds says Your bookof accounts full ready had be. In Islam, Allah has appointedtwo angels to record both good and bad deeds of man.

Behold, two (guardian angels) appointed to learn (his doings) learn (andnoted them), one sitting on the right and one on the left (Al-Qaf: 17)

And there will come forth every soul : with each will be an (angel) to drive,and an (angel) to bear witness. ( Al-Qaf: 21)

But verily over you (are appointed angels) to protect you, - Kind andhonorable writing down (your deeds): they know (and understand) allthat ye do. As for the Righteous, they will be in Bliss; And the Wicked

they will be in the Fire, ( Al-Infitar: 10-14)


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In Islam, when a Muslim dies he will be separated fromeverything except three things which are prayers fromhis faithful children, knowledge which has beenpracticed for the benefit of oneself and others and

wealth which has been spend for the sake of Allah.Every deed shall be evaluated and counted by Allah.

Then shall anyone who has done an atoms weight ofgood, see it! And anyone who has done an atoms

weight of evil, shall see it (Al-Zalzalah: 7-8)


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Later, in surah Al-Qariah Allah mentions that one whose hasdone more good deeds than bad deeds will enter theparadise and those who has associated himself with evildeeds will enter the hell. And this is in agreement with theplay, as Everyman was first subjected to hell for his bad

deeds, however, he was later accepted in the heaven afterhe has done his confession.

Then, he whose balance (of good deeds) will be (found) heavy, Will be in aLife of good pleasure and satisfaction. But he whose balance (of good

deeds) will be (found) light,- will have his home in a (bottomless) Pit. Andwhat will explain to thee what this is? (It is) a Fire blazing freely. ( Al-

Qariah: 6-11)


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Allah in His book has given us the picture of heaven andhell, for instance in surah Muhammad, verse 15;

(Here is) a Parable of the Garden which the righteous arepromised: in it are rivers of water incorruptible; rivers of milkof which the taste never changes; river of wine, a joy to thosewho drink; and rivers of honey pure and clear. In it there arefor them all kinds of fruits; and Grace from their Lord. (Can

those in such Bliss) be compared to such as shall dwell forever in the fire, and be given, to drink, boiling water, so that it

cuts up their bowels (to pieces)? ( Muhammad: 15)


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Concept of indebtedness in Islam

Good Deed is the most important character in this play as he is theone who directed Everyman to confession and knowledge whichenable Everyman to free himself from sins.

In addition, Good Deed is the only one who is willing toaccompanied Everyman in his journey of death.

The reason why Good Deed has been given a lot of attention inthis play is because the Christians believe that God owns everythingon earth including mans life.

As the Christians believe that human was born with the sins offorefather, it is their duty to perform good deeds in order to payback their debt to god and in order to free themselves from the sinsof forefather.


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And this is quite similar to the concept of indebtedness forwarded bySyed Naquib Al-Attas except the part that Muslims are not bornwith the sins of his forefather. In Islam, it is important to highlightthe relationship between the understanding of the concept ofindebtedness and performing good deeds.

In surah Mukminun verses 12 until 14, Allah mentions the stages ofhuman creation; starting from clay molded into shapes, drop ofsperms, changes into zygote, than it grows up and become a fetus.Out of this fetus, Allah has developed bones and clothed the boneswith flesh. Finally, Allah completed it by determined it to be male or

female. Clearly from this verse, we are convinced that we owedAllah for our existence Whom has created us in the best way (A-Tin:4).


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In Surah Al-Araf, verse 172; all human being has affirmed to Allah that Heis our Lord who cherishes and sustains us. During alam al-ruh, there arefive things which have been appointed by Allah for us which are our life,our sustenance, our tomb, our marriage, and our happiness or misery. Andthese are added to the list of things that we are indebted to Allah.

Once, we are aware that we are indebted to Allah, and we own nothing topay Allah. It is our duty to perform ibadah; both specific and sunnah inorder to pay our debt as ibadah is the purpose of our creation. Allah said:

I have only created Jinns and men, that they may serve me ( 51:56)

Our performance of ibadah and realization of being indebted to Allah willprohibit us from vices and will promote virtues in our daily life.


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In this play, Knowledge plays an important part as he led and accompanied Everymanmeeting Confession at the House of Salvation. In the Islamic reference,

knowledge means marifah which derived from the root arafa which means toknow. Al-Jurjani in his book Al-Marifat has defined Marifah as:

Knowledge is the perception of something as it exist in the reality and before handedby ignorance

However, the word marifah is not mentioned in the Quran, but the root word arafa ismentioned in seventy one verses of the Quran among which are:

They recognize the flavors of Gods; then they deny them; and most of them are(creatures) ungrateful (An-Nahl:83)

Thou will see their eyes overflowing with tears for they recognize the truth

(Al-Maidah:83)

Based on these two verses, Al-Imam Al-Asfahani said that the Quranic definition ofMarufand knowledge is:

The perception of something as exist in reading with contemplation thinking on its traceand consequences

Concept of knowledge


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Knowledge in Islam is divided into two

categories which are absolute and perfect

knowledge and secondly, relative and limited

knowledge or as Syed Muhammad Naquib Al-Attas named it as Gods knowledge and

knowledge of man about God, religion, the

world, things sensible and intelligible, spiritualknowledge and wisdom.


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The first category of knowledge which is the absolute andperfect knowledge or Gods knowledge has been forwardedin the play in the first scene where God tells Death that itis time for Everyman to return to Him. This type ofknowledge refers to the knowledge of Allah who possessed

knowledge of everything and His knowledge is absolute andperfect. On the other hand, the knowledge of man orrelative and limited knowledge has been clearly mentionedby Allah in surah Al-Baqarah verse 255:

He knoweth what (appeareth to his creatures as) before orafter or behind them. Nor shall they compass aught of His

knowledge as He willeth(Al-Baqarah:255)


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It is clearly stated in the Quran that certain knowledge is limited toAllah only and it is unattainable by man. For example, theknowledge of time and place man will die;

Verily the knowledge of the Hour is with God (alone). It is He who

sends down rain, and He who knows what is in the wombs. Nordoes any one know what it is that he will earn on the morrow. Nor

does anyone know in what land he is to die (Luqman: 34)

Therefore, this verse explains why Everyman has never expectedthat Death will approach him so soon as man does not possess suchknowledge. Even though God has warned him at the beginning ofhis life that one day he will die and he should be prepared to face it.


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Concept of repentance and

Confession helps Everyman to free himselffrom sins and let his Good deeds to stand upand accompanied him through the journey of

death. Even though, the concept of salvationand repentance in Islam are not in agreementwith each other, it is clear that both Islam andChristianity has its own way for its followers

and believers to free themselves from sinswhich they have committed intentionally orunintentionally.


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In the Quran:

And the Garden will be brought high to the Righteous, - nomore a thing distant. ( A voice will say : ) This is whatwas promised for you, - for everyone who turned (to

God) in sincere repentance, who kept (His Law). (Al-Qaf:31-32)

Again will God, after this, turn (in mercy) to whom He will:

for God is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful. (Al - Taubah:27)


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This play emphasizes on the importance of confession /repentance. As long as we realized and admit our sinsand faults and beg for Allah forgiveness sincerely, wewill be forgiven.

However, in order to be able to have the intention torepent, one must first realize that what he has done iswrong and sinful.

In order to know this, one must be knowledgeable on

what is right and wrong. Here is where the importanceof knowledge comes in, just like in the play it isKnowledge who led Everyman to Confession.


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The forgetfulness nature of man

The purpose of Allah created man and appointed him as akhalifah on earth has been long forgotten by many peopleespecially those who believes that the world belongs tothem. According to Syed Muhammad Naquib Al-Attas(1985), Mans purpose is to do ibadah to God (51:56), and

his duty is obedience (taah) to God, which conforms withhis essential nature (fitrah) created for him by God (q.v.30:30). But man is also composed of forgetfulness(nisyan);.

Indeed, man is called insan because, having covenanted withHim, he forgot (nasiya)

(narration from Ibn. Abbas)


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Conclusion

Muslim should not draw a definite conclusionthat it is highly secular or unIslamic.

The Muslim world needs Muslim who is

objective; who is able to see both similarities anddifferences based on a complete understandingof a subject.

It does not mean all that come from the west or

other religions are bad. It is depend on how weinterpret and give it an appropriate meaningbased on Quran and Sunnah .


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