The Source Page #6

That's right...that's what they say.

So...what am I doing here ?

I don't know any more.

What is lslam

and the holy wisdom

of the Prophet Mahomet,

that we must hail Him

and pray to Him ?

Is it religion ?

It's the happiness from

communion with Allah.

Islam gives us the rules

for living together,

of respect and love for one another,

and fulfils our desire for spirituality.

It raises us !

All of us, men and women !

All the rest is just interpretation,

twisting the holy scriptures

for personal interest, lmam!

Let's start at the beginning.

The Almighty said:

"In the name of Allah, The Compassionate,

The Merciful.

"O peoples ! Fear your Lord

"Who created you

from a single soul

"and created therefrom its mate

"and from them twain

"spread many men and women."

Listen to the hadith

narrated by Tirmidhi:

"Women are the sisters of men."

The Prophet,

may prayers and salutations be upon him,

has wished

that men and women be equal.

Equal, Imam!

Equal doesn't mean men at the top,

giving orders, deciding,

and women at the bottom,

obeying, procreating.

Equal doesn't mean women beaten.

Yes I read, lmam.

And not only the Koran.

And I'm not the only one

in the village that thinks this way.

Why shouldn't I have the right

to read, write,

think, interpret ?

Koran 58, 11:

"And God will raise up

those who believe

"And those who will have

received the knowledge.'

Who wouldn't want women

to be raised by God ?

Aren't WE Muslims,

the same as the men ?

Imam, the drought saps our earth

and our hearts.

That's our only problem.

As the fertile earth makes us

and it's we who give life.

Why do only men

get to decide our future

The men should be

carrying the water !

So...have you put those witches

in their place ?

Sometimes I ask myself

if you're really a woman.

Why do you only stick up

for the men ?

F***ing sh*t !

Is this the only path ?

There's a highway nearby.

And a cable-car.

So...have you joined the strike ?

And some sweets for the kids.

Thanks.

Have you seen the way

he looks at you ?

Watch out, even his donkey's

better looking than him.

- He's a nice man.

- So what ?

He thinks he can "open sesame"

with 3 bonbons !

Where'd you get

all that money from ?

Don't say anything, OK? I sold a to S'lim's wife.

S'lim? Which S'lim?

S'lim d'Ajdir.

He's a cutie, eh ?

All the girls dream about him.

His mother got him married

to the richest woman in the valley:

Rhim...Hassan the accountant's daughter.,

You alright ?

Yes...

- When were they married ?

- Three months ago.

All I need is my Koran

and enough to eat.

Good day to you.

Imam, have you conquered them, then?

Are we allowed back

in their beds ?

Yes.

But I don't know when.

Maybe when the drought breaks.

Look at me in the eye, Nassim.

I'm your mother.

Why should I have to

wear the veil?

You're a woman.

Who brought you the world,

you and your beard?

Get up!

Why the veil ? Why hide me ?

Am I an object of lust ?

An instrument of Satan ?

If your father hadn't wanted me,

you wouldn't be here.

The veil came in in the old days

to distinguish free women

from the slaves,

so as to recognise them.

In those days, the woman with no veil

was a slave,

easy to own.

There aren't any slaves

any more.

All women are free.

And no woman, you hear me,

should be easy to own!

And if Man desires Woman,

it's the will of Allah.

But it doesn't make us either slaves

nor objects to cover...

...just to stifle men's lust.

You close your eyes !

Be strong... control

your satanic desires yourself,

Cover your eyes,

not our faces.

"Flies only crawl into open mouths ! '

Don't let yourself

be manipulated, my boy.

You're responsible for everything

you say and do.

You have a brain, you can reason,

you don't have to join the mindless mob.

Allah is great,

and He expects us all to be

responsible for one another

and to the Prophet.

We should be proud, upstanding

respecting ourselves

and our community.

If you hate just one man,

you hate everyone

in the community.

And leave our Imam alone.

If you replace him,

I swear before God...

I'll kill you myself !

Maybe you're right:

We can't continue.

The imam is destabilized, and the sheik

and the Islamists are delighted.

They'll take power.

You shouldn't start a war

unless you know how to stop it.

I didn't start the war.

It was already there.

I don't understand:

Do you want to stop or not ?

What do you want, my love ?

Water ?

Just the water, or much more ?

Are you out to challenge

everything ?

Destroy all tradition ?

What IS a woman ?

What IS a woman as far as

you men are concerned ?

Are you saying

I don't respect you ?

That I underestimate you ?

So what ARE you saying ?

That I exist !

I exist !

You OK ?

OK.

- You here to kill me today ?

- No, not today.

I think I know

why you're here.

Tell me.

In three days, come to Ouria,

the largest village in the area.

Everyone 'll be there

for the Harvest Festival.

And...?

Nothing.

You'll understand down there.

You wanna write to S'lim ?

Not today.

If you're go out

you'll get some more.

They want to humiliate us

in front of the world.

They want to talk about their strike

at the Harvest Festival

And convince other women

to do the same.

Nawal told me everything.

The other women

will be here in a week.

Ours shouldn't be allowed

at the Festival !

There'll be nobody there

to stop them...

...but I have a plan.

Thank you.

They know everything. They're going to

stop us going to the Festival.

There is only one solution...

All of us veiled !

Free men salute you

Vigilant and alert day and night

The dove bids you welcome

Face with work

I never flee

Sleeves rolled up

Perspiring brow

Peace and quiet

Reinforce my heart

So ?

You'll see.

Men, O root of truth and reality...

I savour your shoulders' sweat

on a beautiful morning

The harvest is good

What a blessing ...

The woman is a bird

That announces the day

And turned the trees green

Woman is the root

Who binds the roots

She is the energy

Who advances time

Thanks to her

Time does not disappear

Nor falter.

They say the year has been good

The year is good

For the harvest is too

Here is the news

from our village

Our men spent their time

drinking tea

Purses full,

but with empty hearts

Isn't it sad

that flowers wither ?

Even when men have

always watered them

Men water them with relish.

Lend me your ears and

listen carefully :

No water to the village ?

Then let there be no truce...

A strike will be our woman's ruse !

The tourist income

Should pay for water to the village

Right S'lim ?

It's over...we offer no cheek to kiss

If you approve,

write what's happening in your paper.

Women, you'll become goats

And who wants to see

a goat in their bed ?

We must never admit defeat.

The infinitely small

can sometimes be

more majestic

than anything supposedly great.

Water,

fresh air,

life,

even love

can gush forth at any time.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes