Festival Beliawanis Nasional: A Muslim Feminist Event

It has been three days since but mind still fresh from it. This is the biggest feminist event ever organized by Persatuan Belia Islam Nasional (Pembina) which managed to exceed the number of audience anticipated earlier.

This photo is posted into Pembina website on the very same day, boasting of the crowd who filled in all seats available in the hall until some have to sit on the staircases.

This programme, as the name says, is focused on women and problems they are facing. The program features two forums which the first discussed women’s health care,challenges they are facing the workplace and building true muslimah self-esteem. Th second slot in the evening discussed Gaza Solidarity Mission (Misi Solidariti Gaza, MSG) presenting people visiting Gaza itself including TV Al-Hijrah personality, Miss Amie Sofea and artist, Salima Habibi and some other noted individuals.

High-spirited Salima Habibi asking the crowd together to unite for Islam and make the world at peace

They again voiced out the most quoted phrase for Muslims visiting Gaza, “We went to Gaza to support and motivate them, but in the end they are the one who are motivating us and taught us what Islam is all about.” They related their beautiful experience there, of the Palestinian good deeds and their strong belief in Allah which lead visiting Muslims to piety and non-Muslims to learn and understand the religion.

There was also a talk on car maintenance which drew attention to the last until some even visited the car maintenance booth outside for further information. The booths outside was few but cater to the event needs with some food stalls and most of others selling clothes and hijabs.

Further explanation on car maintenance in the booth

Stalls of clothes, hijabs and hangers outside the hall

This event which gathered female Pembina activists or ‘beliawanis’ throughout the country also brought together long-lost friends.

Our ‘long-lost’ friend. We haven’t contacted much since her moving to further her study

Ample time was given starting from about 5 p.m. to give way for Asar and Maghrib prayers and also early dinner. There are shops within walking distance with Arabic architecture, something not weird for a venue named International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM).

Signboard of a shop

The event started back with a poem recitation on challenges faced by muslimah in the time of Rasulullah S.A. W.. It was memorable, as touching as it can be, to ask the audience to reflect on themselves and be inspired by the ‘sahabiah’. It was then continued by a theatre about real problems in Malaysia; pluralism, Shiites, LGBT etc. However this theatre needs audience to switched off their videocams, cameras or camera built-in phones as the actresses had their aurah not fully covered; some were without hijabs they used to wear in order to act the characters in the theatre.

Te event ended with the end of theatrewith most of the audience looked exhausted (I’m sure the organising team was even more) with them directly rushing out. Some came as far as Kelantan to this venue of more than a hundred kilometre, attending the event as soon as their arrivals.

However, everybody, every participant knows, they did not come for nothing. It was a gathering with the aim for Allah and done according to the Shariah law and that were what count the most.

All smiles while waiting for the bus to return home

Selawat and salam to the Prophet Muhammad S. A.W., ahlul bait, tabiin, tabi’ tabiin, mujahid mujahidah and everyone who is trying their best for the religion. Amiin.

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