Ramadan & What it means to be a Muslim

The problem with writing is that you can become so immersed in your own work that you forget what is happening around you. By the time you get round to dealing with things then other stuff tend to pile up for you too. I don’t want to sound like a broken record but a lot has been happening on my end. That and keeping busy with various other projects is keeping me on my toes!

No matter how busy I am, I look forward to one particular month every year in the Islamic calendar. Yes, you guessed it right it’s Ramadan. It is the month full of countless blessings and virtues. Fasting is one of the Pillars of Islam. The act of fasting is itself an act of mercy. It is a time when Muslims try to purify their souls by reconnecting with Allah and abstaining from all kinds of wrong doings. The word ‘Sawm’ literally means ‘to refrain’ not just from food and drink but from bad thoughts and evil actions. Ramadan is also the month in which the Holy Quran was revealed. A month when Muslims will increase their reading of the Quran and put it into practise in their daily lives.

During Ramadan Muslims will engage in extra prayers and worship in the hope of becoming better people. Ramadan is known as the month if empathy. A time when Muslims will reflect on people less fortunate than themselves and try to help better their situations. The virtues of fasting are great indeed, and one of the virtues is that God chose fasting for Himself. Prophet Muhammad said:

"Allah said) "Every good deed of Adam's son is for him except fasting;it is for Me. I shall reward (the fasting person) for it.' Verily, the smell of the mouth of a fasting person is better to Allah than the smell of musk." (Al-Bukhari) 

The beauty of the first ten days of Ramadan is that it is full of mercy and blessings. As Muslims are actively seeking to please Allah in this month their reward will increase up to seventy folds. It is important to point out for a Muslim to gain Allah's pleasure in this month is only possible through sincere repentance and pleasing Him and Him alone. If a person's intention is to please another person or organisation then they will have wasted their time and made no gains for themselves in this world or the hereafter

It is at this point I need to express that sometimes in the media we see individuals carrying out horrific acts of violence in the name of Islam. For some strange reason they like to choose the blessed month of Ramadan to carry out their evil. These perpetrators do not represent ordinary Muslims, what they do has nothing to do with Islam. According to Islamic teachings they should be held accountable for their wrong doings in this world and will certainly in the hereafter. Most Islamic scholars and Muslims dissociate themselves from such evil people and organisations. However as it is the Holy Month of Ramadan most Muslims are trying to avoid speaking ill of anyone and keeping up with their worship in this blessed month. Most Muslims will be praying for all those who have lost someone in the latest tragic event that took place abroad. For Muslims this month is better than a thousand months. It is best time to ask for Allah’s help in all circumstances.

On a different note, I have also been involved in a homeless project with a Christian/Muslim organisation. A humbling experience and something that I will continue to do over the coming months.It takes place once a month and suitable for anyone to get involved. Without sounding patronising I feel working on this project is building bridges and bringing communities together. We all live in hope for a better world Insh-Allah. :)

Working on my novel

For all those who have been waiting for my next blog I do apologise for the delay. Phew! This has been quite an intense period in my life. I have been working hard on my novel which is taking most of my time. There is just a lot to do. Just because you may finish writing a novel does not automatically mean it is ready for publish. As many of you know there is a lot to do in between what with the rewrites, adding missing bits to the plot, character building etc.etc..Sigh! 

Writing can be such a lonely business. I did not realise how many hours and days would be spent trying to get my novel structured the way I want it to be. Again, you are never satisfied with the results. There is always a part of you that wishes you could have done better. The worst bit is when you send it out there to agents and publishers, you know if it get’s picked up there will be more work to do! Lol! I am cool with that!

Apart from my novel writing I have been also been working on some articles which will be shortly published. It has been a hectic time for me.  If anyone is waiting to hear from me I will be in touch soon.

I am still sending Brightside to a couple of film festivals and waiting to see what happens. There is so much going on. The most important thing for me at the moment is I am on standby for my son who is sitting his GCSES this year. I am proud to say he has been relentless with his revision. I am hoping and praying he get the results he deserves. :) He’s probably going to get annoyed I put this section in. lol! Teenagers get so embarrassed quickly these days. Lol! Well, I am his mum and will think the best for him.:) 

Glad to be blogging again!

Yes, it has been a long time since I last wrote on my blog. For personal reasons I have been kept away and focusing on other creative projects. Actually, it has not been a bad thing doing other things. It has opened my eyes to the amount of creativity out there and how easy it is to get involved in such projects.

Whilst, I’ve been off radar, I have also focused on my novel and other writing materials too. It has been very interesting point in my life. Something that I will always cherish. In this period, I have also been working for charitable organisations like Friends of Alqsa. I have been writing a series of articles and literature leaflets for their charity.

I have to admit, it has been very therapeutic focusing on my writing projects. I have just completed my children’s fantasy novel and in the process of filling in the gaps and tidying it up. I am surprised it is nearly a 65,000 word novel. Hopefully, in a couple of months, I hope to send it out there. God willing it will get picked up somewhere. Who knows what might happen? Anyway, I am back now and still hoping to do more film projects in the future.

For all those who remember Brightside? Well, I am still sending it out there to film festivals. It doesn’t matter when it was made a creative body will always appreciate its purpose. So, yes, there are plenty of opportunities to send my documentary to good film organisations. I am quite excited this time round. Anyway, I’ll keep you posted on things.

Brightside -Indiegogo campaign

Please donate to support the documentary we've been working on. We need to finish it and get it out to festivals which is expensive business. go to http://www.indiegogo.com/Brightside We have about 45 days to raise what we need. 

Brightside is a documentary which gives a voice to 5 British Muslim Women so the audience can hear their thoughts, perspectives, hopes and dreams.

Film festvials, pushing boundries and moving forward!.

Ok, Brightside enters another few film festivals this week. I am holding my breath! So exciting! Brightside is now ready for promotion. We have set up a crowd funding campaign to push it further. For me this is the most difficult part of the journey. So far, we have self –funded the project entirely. Going public is not something that comes natural to me. I have embraced myself for the long haul. Filming was the easiest part to this process. Promotion in the next few months will prove difficult.

I am not made of steel. Certain things will get to me. What really saddens me is when people pass judgement on you and yet they know nothing about your life.  I know we are all guilty of this, but there is a limit. My crew and I have been working extremely hard to get Brightside out there.  Every spare minute I have is spent trying to promote Brightside wherever possible. Sometimes, my children want something and I have to stall them to deal with Brightside. Fortunately, I have great children Mash- Allah who are patient with me. I love them to bits!

As a newcomer to the Industry I have made many mistakes along the way. Trust me some of these blunders have been pretty cringe-worthy! A bit like being on “You’ve been framed!” lol! Yes, in those moments I wished the ground had swallowed me up! Hey! It doesn’t last though! Again, I learnt from my errors, still learning and moving on. You have to be woman enough to take it!

 As a Muslim woman entering the Film Industry has been difficult to get used to. Clair and the rest of my crew have been brilliant. However, certain individuals will try to bring you down. For me to prove filmmaking is a respectable profession for Muslim woman is my ongoing challenge. There are some who still believe women shouldn’t be working at all. That's fine, people are entitled to their opinions. What people don’t realise is the invisible barrier I am trying to break through. It is hard to explain unless you come from a certain cultural background. My job is to keep getting the message out there and staying strong :)

So my little tip- if you thinking of going into filmmaking then you must be ready for what comes with it. There will be some good surprises, difficult decisions, and hard times ahead. It’s all part of the learning process. Don’t lose heart, chin up and keep going. That’s what it’s all about.

 Other news, I’ve been working with Eemaan on a short film project “Contentment” (10mins) to enter for a film competition. I was mentoring her and had the position of assistant director. I am amazed at what Eemaan picked up while filming. She is a natural! lol!  We hope to send her short to film festivals soon. 

Before I forget,I am posting my interview (Women & Work) with Leicester Business Women in regards to International Women's Day. Ok keep you posted:)

Brightside

Yea! Brightside has been submitted to a number of major film festivals in the last couple of weeks. Presently, we are sending out the 15mins version to film festivals. Our (30mins) is close to being completed and will be sent out soon. Gosh! I can’t believe this is really happening! I used to dream of such stuff but didn’t think it was possible for someone like me! When Clair and I received an e-mail the other week that Brightside had been accepted by a major film festival, I knew then our journey had begun.

The first time I saw my film on DVD ...  there are no words to describe it. Before I continue talking about the making of Brightside, I need to go back to the beginning. How it all started?

It all began when I went on Chris Jones’ filmmaking course. I remember sitting through the entire course, hardly saying a word to anyone, scared of being found out for my lack of knowledge. Chris on the other hand was encouraging and positive toward us all. He gave us lots of useful information and tips in how to break into the film industry. It was back then I got introduced to Ross Mcminn, our Editor, who would later work with us on Brightside. So you never know who you may meet on a course!

Filmmaking started out as a hobby. Using my hand flip camera, I would film the kids, practice to zoom in and out of focus and interview friends and family to polish up on existing skills. I attended quite a few film courses, but it was on my last course, Filmdirecting4Women, when it was still running, where I would meet Clair Haynes my Co-Producer and Co- Director to Brightside. Clair and I hit it off immediately and the rest of course is history. Ruth Torjussen who ran the course back then ( is now setting up other Business Ventures) was a real inspiration to us both! Her course was practical and in depth with details on camera techniques.

The turning point for me was when I spoke to Farhana Shaikh. She is the fantastic Editor for the Asian Writer Magazine who told me about “Women’s Voices Now" the film festival based in New York & L.A. Seeing some of the films on this website made me realise my dreams could be a reality!  All the films were produced and directed by Muslim women from around the world, including countries such as, Afghanistan, Yemen and Palestine. To see these women in action was the push and motivation I needed. What excuse did I have? I was living in England!

 The idea for Brightside sprung to mind while I was still on Ruth’s Course. After meeting with Clair, I decided to work on the storyboard and questionnaires and the poem. All the time, I kept thinking how could we take the project to the next level? It is important to point out that at this stage Clair and I were meeting every fortnight. A lot of planning went on before our shooting dates. Our main worries were ...   cost? Hiring Equipment? ... Location? All the normal .. big... big... questions that need to be thought through properly before filming happens.

We hired the lovely Doreen Fonju from London to be our camerawoman. We felt it was important to have a woman interviewing the five Muslim women and our actress. All the women were very happy to work with her. We had no problem getting the best out of each lady. We were shooting on a Canon 7D Digital SLR Camera using different lenses whenever necessary.

Farid El- Jazouli our Sound Engineer has been with us throughout the whole project. A pretty easy going guy, but sometimes I got the impression he felt a bit out numbered by us women! lol! He is cool and a total professional! We look forward to his last bit of contribution to Brightside.

Again, have to repeat a big ...huge thank you to Ross, our Editor who was very patient and understanding with both Clair and I. I’m sure we tested his patience to the limit but he never lost his cool. There were times when we had to make last minute changes and he would do it without kicking up a fuss. A good tip is to find a good Editor who you can work with. You will be working very closely with them during the post production stage and you need someone who gets your vision. We were fortunate to have found Ross. You may decide to edit the film yourself which is great if you know what you are doing? Otherwise invest in a good Editor, it will save you a lot of agro, money and heartache!
Oops...need to mention the other team members who I owe a huge thank you from the bottom of my heart. They are: Kristian from Keyestudio, Carl Harris, Shaun Taylor, Manike Music and all the volunteers who took part. Without their effort and contribution Brightside could not have been completed. Clair has been working closely with them while I work on other stuff to do with Brightside. Have to say...they are the best at what they do!

A little tip, if you decide to do a joint film project. Do make sure it's a person you can rely on, honest and makes you comfortable. Don’t worry about feeling inadequate or making a fool of yourself. You will make many mistakes along the way but its how you will learn. If you are going to go into filmmaking with the attitude you know everything... you may cause yourself a lot of problems.

In my experience to get advice from your crew can be helpful in getting your vision across.  You need to be 100% behind your project if you want it to happen. Don’t panic if things start to go wrong, learn from your mistakes and move on. When things go right, feel happy, enjoy the moment, you made it happen!  Finally, this is your story and you are bringing it too life. Be happy and enjoy the ride!

2012, Post Production & Leicester Voices

Belated New Year Everyone! In case you’re wondering what has happened to me in the last few months? Well, I have been around but trying to juggle too many things!! Apologies to all who follow my blog. I have been up to ‘my eyeballs’ in teaching and post production meetings. Hopefully, I’m back on track and hope to keep you posted with updates:-) Just to let you know, I’m not just a filmmaker but a mother, worker, teacher, carer literally playing all roles. Yes, sometimes it can be difficult to strike the right balance and boundaries can get muddled. Women naturally multi-task and have been doing it for centuries. I really admire and respect my mother’s generation who have been doing it quietly for years without complaints. I never understood until recently why she used to do so much? It’s not that women are not capable of playing different roles but sometimes we need recognition and to be understood. It makes a big difference when partners, children, family or friends appreciate us!!

Ok,going back to our last shoot date, which was the 20th Dec, 2011, at the film studio at Phoenix Square. It was an amazing five/ six hours of non-disturbed filming. Without sounding too cliché, I had to pinch myself as I witnessed my vision come to life on set. This was the poem performance, the final part to my film. In the limited time that we had, I was doing all sorts of crazy stuff, like buying makeup from Asda for our actress before we even got to the studio! Yes I know! Trust me, when you are on a tight budget,you will do anything to make those pennies count! Again, I was not just Director…Producer… but playing numerous other roles, it was quite hilarious at times! Someday, I hope to write memoirs on my journey into filmmaking.

I owe a big thank you to our amazing actress Sareena Rai who gave a magical performance on the day. She was amazing to watch in action. I hope we will be seeing more of her on TV soon! Finally, to be able to say “It’s a wrap!”…was emotional moment for me. It will be something I can look back to and know I was part of making history. I made my ideas and vision come to life! A huge achievement for myself and something I'm very proud to be part of.

As my journey comes to an end. I can't sometimes believe how far I have come. It never crossed my mind that I would reach this stage so quickly. My film now enters the final stages of post- production. Again, many thanks and appreciation to my crew who were very hands on the day! We hope to send my film to film festivals next month. Wish us luck! :-)

Of course I am now hit by the filming bug. What do I do? A short experimental film involving the Somali Development Service of Leicester. This project was filmed and produced in 24hrs and put on Citizen Eye’s front page for the weekend 4th -6th Feb 2012. The weekend when the dreaded EDL decided to return to Leicester for another protest. I would like to thank Managing Director Jawaahir Daahir and Maryam Anshur for their contribution to this project. Again, I am very proud of this project. Ok keep you posted on what I do next!