Download Narratives in the Popular Islamic Novels of Malaysia

A Love Blessed by God:
Narratives in the Popular Islamic Novels of
Malaysia*
Mohd. Zariat Abdul Rani**
Introduction and Research Background
This article departs from a current development sweeping the market for
popular fiction in Malaysia. This refers to the ‘phenomenon of popular
Islamic novels’ that began to emerge at the end of 2008 and continues to
this day. The phenomenon is characterised by the continual production of
‘popular Islamic novels’—namely novels that display Islamic traits in their
external aspects, such as their covers, titles, blurbs, etc. A large number of
these popular Islamic novels display illustrations of beautiful veiled women
on their cover, and use Arab/Arabesque words in their titles, which are
often paired with Malay words. There are also novels that explicitly selfidentify as ‘Islamic novels,’ with descriptions written by the writers
themselves, or endorsements from fellow writers and readers, all of which
are printed on the front cover or in blurbs. There is also an inclination to
foreground the more Islamic elements of the writers’ respective
* This article is based on my research project entitled “Islam and Popular Culture:
The Present Phenomenon of Popular Islamic Novels in Malaysia,” which was
funded by the Asian Resource Foundation (ARF) and the Asian Muslim Action
Network (AMAN), under the Research Fellowship Programme for Young
Muslim Scholars 2010. I wish to express my thanks to ARF & AMAN, and to
my employer, Universiti Putra Malaysia, for their supports.
** Universiti Putra Malaysia
backgrounds and qualifications in their printed biodatas.1
Aside from Islamic characteristics, the external aspects of these popular
Islamic novels also hint at the possibility of a male-female love story being
presented within. For instance, many novels use the word cinta (love) in
their titles, in combination with Arab/Arabesque words such as hidayah
(guidance), kifarah (recompense), hijab (veil) or surah (verse). And often
accompanying the illustrations of attractive veiled women are those of
handsome young men. There are also novels that indicate the presence of a
love story in their blurbs. For instance, Rona-rona Cinta Damascus
(Colours of Love in Damascus) by Sheila Wani (Telaga Biru Sdn Bhd,
2008) contains the following synopsis: “Novel ini juga menceritakan kisah
percintaan seorang gadis bernama Manal Husna” (“The novel also tells of
the love story of a girl named Manal Husna.”)2 The blurb of Warkah Cinta
Berbau Syurga (A Heaven-scented Love Letter) by A. Ubaidillah Alias
(2008, PTS Sdn Bhd) meanwhile, also contains a reader response which
reads: “…novel cinta berjiwa Islamik begini sewajarnya menjadi alternatif
terbaik…” (“Such an essentially Islamic novel should be the best
alternative…”)3 With such external features, it can safely be said that the
initial impression of such a novel is informed by two major subjects,
namely Islam and romance, which in turn creates the expectation that an
1
In this context, the phenomenon of popular Islamic novels in Malaysia has
featured the involvement of writers with academic qualifications from Middle
Eastern universities. I have discussed the contribution of these Middle Easteducated writers elsewhere. See Mohd. Zariat Abdul Rani. “Popular Islamic
Novels in Malaysia and the Contribution of Writers Educated in the Middle East,”
Review on Indonesian and Malaysian Affairs 47.1 (2013): 35-60.
2
Sheila Wani, Rona-rona Cinta Damascus, Telaga Biru Sdn Bhd, Kuala Lumpur,
2008.
3
A Ubaidillah Alias, Warkah Cinta Berbau Syurga, PTS Sdn Bhd Batu Caves,
2008.
104 東南亞硏究 23 권 3 호
Islamic love story will be presented within.
With this expectation in mind, the popular Islamic novels of Malaysia
have been well-received by the public, in that they have recorded
astounding sales figures. Besides Rona-rona Cinta Damascus and Warkah
Cinta Berbau Syurga, the best-known popular Islamic novel titles include
Salju Sakinah (Snow of Tranquillity) by Zaid Akhtar (2008, PTS Sdn Bhd),
Hidayah Cinta (The Divine Guidance of Love) by Ilham Hamdani (PTS
Sdn Bhd, 2008), Surah-surah Rindu (Verses of Longing) by Saridah Hamid
(PTS Sdn Bhd, 2008), Kifarah Cinta (Recompense of Love) by Danisha
Nur (Buku Prima, Sdn Bhd 2009), Ya Fattah; Cinta Sakti (O Great
Opener; Mystical Love) by Noorfadzilah (Buku Prima, Sdn Bhd, 2009),
Melakar Cinta Firdausi (Sketching Heavenly Love) by Nurul Aini K.
Azhari and Aimi Nabihah Mohamad (PTS Sdn Bhd, 2009), Qasidah untuk
Kekasih (Song for a Lover) by Siti Munirah A. Rashid (PTS Sdn Bhd,
2010), and Hijab Cinta (Veil of Love) by S. Rafidah H. Basri (PTS Sdn
Bhd 2011). Almost all of these novels are still being undergoing reprinting,
and are commonly marked with ‘bestseller’ on their front covers. The
writers of these novels are also rumoured to have received royalties of
hundreds of thousands of ringgit, from which they have bought houses,
cars, and vacations.4 The immense popularity of these novels have attracted
the attention of local publishing companies like PTS Sdn Bhd, Buku Prima
Sdn Bhd, Telaga Biru Sdn Bhd, and Galeri Ilmu Sdn Bhd, to focus their
attentions almost exclusively on the publication of popular Islamic novels.
Interestingly, even Alaf 21 Sdn Bhd, which was hitherto known as a
publisher of secular romance novels, is now seen to be inclined towards
4
This statement is acknowledged by Ainon Mohd herself, the chairperson of PTS
Sdn Bhd. See Panduan Menulis Novel: Teknik Surah Yusuf, PTS Profesional,
Batu Caves, 2011, xii-xiii.
A Love Blessed by God:
Narratives in the Popular Islamic Novels of Malaysia 105
publishing Islamic novels. In short, the publication of popular Islamic
novels in Malaysia now constitutes an important literary phenomenon that
cannot be overlooked.5
This in itself warrants serious attention. This is due to the fact that this
literary phenomenon is characterised by significant shift in the public
appetite for, and market trend of, popular novels in Malaysia. This refers to
the clear inclination of these novels to present Islamic love stories, as
described above. But it must be noted that the inclination towards romantic
themes is not new; throughout the history of Malaysian literature, popular
novels have been readily associated with male-female love stories, as will
be addressed in greater detail below. What is new to Malaysian literature is
the inclination of these popular Islamic novels to use love stories and Islam
complementarily, so as to better sales figures. This is a departure from the
association of love stories in popular novels to sexuality and erotica, which
was a commonly employed strategy to increase sales figures.
This is confirmed by existing studies on popular novels in Malaysia. For
instance, studies by Talib Samat (1992) and Abdul Rahman Haji Ismail
5
It is important to state that a very similar phenomenon had emerged in Indonesia,
following the extraordinary reception greeting the publication of Habiburrahman
El-Shirazy’s Ayat Ayat Cinta (2004). This reception then catalysed the publication
of a large number of popular Islamic novels, to the extent that a phenomenon was
emerged. I have discussed on the phenomenon of popular novels in Indonesia
elsewhere, and conducted analyses of the most significant novels in the genre. See
Mohd Zariat Abdul Rani, “Islam, Romance and Popular Taste in Indonesia: A
Textual Analysis of Ayat Ayat Cinta by Habiburrahman El-Shirazy and Syahadat
Cinta by Taufiqurrahman Al-Azizy”, Indonesia and the Malay World, 40.116
(2012): 59-73. I have also made a comparison between some of the more notable
popular Islamic novels of Indonesia and Malaysia. See Mohd. Zariat Abdul Rani,
‘Popular Islamic Novels of Indonesia and Malaysia: A Preliminary Exploration,’
at Asia Research Institute (ARI) Weekly Seminar Series, ARI, National
University of Singapore, Bukit Timah, 28 June 2010.
106 東南亞硏究 23 권 3 호
(2003) on the contribution of Syed Syeikh Al-Hadi in the field of literature,
note that his Hikayat Faridah Hanum (1925) was a “fenomena”
(phenomenon) in its own time,6 largely because its narrative was imbued
with shades of erotica. 7 This is also true of public appetite and market
trends in the 1940s and 1950s. Studies by Mohd Ghazali@Fauzi Yaacob
(1967) and Mahaya Mohd. Yassin (1981), for instance, find that the
presence of a love story with erotic and sexual elements could cause a
given novel’s popularity to skyrocket. This would explain why Ahmad
Lufti’s novels, which were characterised by eroticism, were immensely
popular, 8 despite being given the title “Prince of Bad Literature.” 9 The
6
According to Talib Samat (1992) and Abdul Rahman Haji Ismail (2003), the sales
of Hikayat Faridah Hanum had provided its author, Syed Syeikh Al-Hadi, with
ample profit—enough to start his own publication company, Jelutong Press. See
Talib Samat, Syed Syeikh Al-Hadi: Sasterawan Progresif Melayu, Dewan Bahasa
dan Pustaka, Kuala Lumpur, 1992, 69-70; and Abdul Rahman Haji Ismail “Syed
Syeikh al-Hadi: Penggerak Kebangkitan Melayu Abad ke-20,” in Sohaimi Abdul
Aziz (ed.) Syed Syeikh al-Hadi: Cendekia dan Sasterawan Ulung, Penang,
Penerbit Universiti Sains Malaysia, 2003. Additionally, Pendeta Za’ba, a famous
Malay intellectual in the 1930s, also explains how Hikayat Faridah Hanum
became so popular that many Malays at the time began to name their daughters
Hanum or Hanim, after the protagonist. See Abdullah Hussain and Khalid Hussain
(eds.), Pendeta Za’ba dalam Kenangan, Kuala Lumpur, Dewan Bahasa dan
Pustaka, 1974, 257.
7
See Talib Samat, Syed Syeikh Al-Hadi; and Abdul Rahman Haji Ismail, “Syed
Syeikh al-Hadi.”
8
See Mohd. Ghazali@Fauzi Yaacob, “Unsur-unsur Seks di dalam Kesusasteraan
Melayu”, academic project, Jabatan Pengajian Melayu, Universiti Malaya, 1967,
and Mahaya Mohd. Yassin, “Struktur Plot Novel-novel Ahmad Lutfi”, academic
project, Jabatan Pengajian Melayu, Universiti Malaya, 1981.
9
The term “bad literature” in this context refers to literary works that are rife with
manifestations of sex and erotica. In this light, it is interesting to note that Ahmad
Lufti himself has acknowledge that he was motivated by his desire to satiate
public appetite, as he claims: “Pada masa itu 1948-1951, ada dua cara menulis
buku yang mendapat sambutan hangat. Pertama, seseorang penulis kalau mahu
hidup [maksudnya, memperolehi sumber pendapatan] terpaksa mesti mengikut
kemahuan pembaca. Ia terpaksa menulis cerita-cerita yang boleh
“menggemparkan” [merujuk kepada unsur-unsur seks dan erotik] mereka” (“At
the time, 1948-1951, there were two ways to write popular books. First, if a writer
A Love Blessed by God:
Narratives in the Popular Islamic Novels of Malaysia 107
trend continued in the 1960s and 1970s, with Meor Alif Meor Ahmad
(1970) and Supardi Muradi (1978) finding that romantic themes
complemented by erotica increased the sales of novels from the era. 10
Moreover, literary critics and scholars commonly refer to the 1960s and the
early 1970s as the “era picisan” (pulp era) in the history of modern Malay
literature, due to the surfeit of sexual and erotic novels in the local
market. 11 It is during this era that the ribald novels of Yahya Samah
became popular—with some selling over five thousand copies, a number
that was large for the Malaysian literary market at the time.12 Moreover, the
market trend of the time even compelled a few established writers, such as
Shahnon Ahmad, Abdullah Hussain, and Azizi Hj Abdullah, to write their
own sexual and erotic novels.13
wanted to live [obtain an income], he had to adhere to readers’ demands. He
would have to write stories that could ‘shock’ [referring to sexual and erotic
elements] them.”) In Mahaya Mohd. Yassin, “Struktur Plot Novel-novel Ahmad
Lutfi”, 12. Also See Mohd. Ghazali@Fauzi Yacob, “Unsur-unsur Seks di dalam
Kesusasteraan Melayu,” 76.
10
See Supardi Muradi, “Novel-novel Erotik Melayu di Sekitar Tahun-tahun 1960an dan 1970-an”, academic project, Jabatan Persuratan Melayu, Universiti
Kebangsaan Malaysia, 1978; and Meor Arif Meor Ahmad, “Pasaran Novel-novel
Melayu 1957-1969,” academic project, Jabatan Pengajian Melayu, Universiti
Malaya, 1970.
11
See Ungku Maimunah Mohd Tahir, “Modern Malay Literary Culture: A
Historical Perspective,” in Readings in Modern Malay Literature, Kuala Lumpur,
Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka. 2003, 8; and Ramli Isin, Riak dan Gelombang
Sastera Melayu, Kuala Lumpur, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 197, 159-61.
12
See Meor Arif Meor Ahmad, “Pasaran Novel-novel Melayu 1957-1969”, 17.
Mohd. Ghazali@Fauzi Yaacob also states that: “Yahya Samah menjadi popular
di kalangan peminatnya kerana tulisannya yang mirip kepada soal seks. Nama
Yahya sentiasa saja dihubungkan dengan seks” (“Yahya Samah became popular
among her readers for her writings that addressed issues of sexuality. The name
Yahya is always associated to sex.”) See “Unsur-unsur Seks di dalam
Kesusasteraan Melayu,” 86.
13
Shahnon Ahmad wrote a novel entitled Terdedah (1965), while Abdullah
Hussain wrote Kuala Lumpur Kita Punya (1967), and Azizi Hj Abdullah, Sami
Mekong (1976) and Bila Hujan Malam (1976). Mohd Zariat Abdul Rani
discusses these novels in “From ‘Popular Fiction’ to ‘Serious Novel’: The
108 東南亞硏究 23 권 3 호
The inclination of the general readership in Malaysia towards romanticerotic themes continued well into the 1980s and 1990s, albeit with less
manipulation of sexual elements, especially in the popular novels of the
1990s. 14 The inclination towards romantic-erotic themes is clear, for
instance, in the immensely popular novels of Ahadiat Akashah—with some
selling over 100 thousand copies, which was a record at the time in the
history of novel publication in Malaysia.15 The same trend extended into
the early 2000s, with the
romantic-erotic novels of Aisyah Sofea,
Norhayati Berahim and Sri Diah, being well-received by the public.16 Due
to the popularity of these novels, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, a
governmental authority on Malay language and literature, organised a
special workshop in 2006 to study contemporary popular novels. 17 The
majority of the 16 papers presented at the workshop concluded that the
popular novels published in the 2000s revolved around male-female love
stories, a lot of which were erotic—which was considered to be in
adherence to the public appetite for such themes.
This in itself underlines the significance of the phenomenon of popular
Literary Contribution of Shahnon Ahmad and Abdullah Hussain to Malay
Literature”, Manu 14 (2008): 25-43. Also see Mohd Zariat Abdul Rani,
Seksualiti dalam Novel Melayu, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Press, Bangi,
2011.
14
Mohd. Zariat Abdul Rani, Seksualiti dalam Novel Melayu.
15
Zulkifli Zainal Abidin, “ Novel Popular Antara Komersialisme dan Intelektualisme:
Teks Kajian Arjuna Hati, Getaran Rindu dan Zuriat Karya Norzailina Nordin”,
academic exercise, Jabatan Persuratan Melayu, Fakulti Sains Sosial dan Kemanusiaan,
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 2008, 20.
16
See Noriza Binti Saberi, “Novel Popular di Malaysia: Satu Penilaian”, academic
exercise, Pusat Pengajian Bahasa, Kesusasteraan dan Kebudayaan Melayu,
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 2008.
17
Bengkel Novel Popular di Malaysia, organised by Section of Modern Literature,
Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, Kuala Lumpur on 14-15 December 2008, at Seminar
Hall, Menara DBP, Kuala Lumpur.
A Love Blessed by God:
Narratives in the Popular Islamic Novels of Malaysia 109
Islamic novels that has flooded the Malaysian literary market of late. As
evident in the studies and observations above, the market trend for popular
novels was pointing towards themes of love, sex and erotica until the mid2000s. But with the emergence of the phenomenon of popular Islamic
novels, the trend then shifted towards Islamic romantic themes, such as is
manifested in the external features of popular Islamic novels. The strategy
of these novels calling attention to themselves as Islamic novels through
the use of these external features is clearly effective, with these popular
Islamic novels now dominating the market. In other words, the marketing
strategy of popular novels in Malaysia has changed, from showcasing
erotic love stories to Islamic love stories. This would indicate a significant
change in the public appetite for popular novels. Despite the significance of
this change, however, little attention has been paid to the phenomenon in
terms of academic and/or critical studies. What exists to date are general
commentaries and personal views on the phenomenon itself, and not
studies examining the content of these popular Islamic novels from a
critical perspective.18
And in relation to that, the very fact that there has been an observable
shift in readers’ tastes and market trends gives rise to a number of
questions. Firstly, is it true that these popular Islamic novels present
Islamic romantic themes within, as indicated by their external features?
Secondly, if this is true, how are these Islamic romantic themes addressed,
18
Among these is Nisah Haron’s “Novel Pop Islam Cair?” Utusan Malaysia, 11
January 2009, http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2009&dt=0111&
pub=utusan_malaysia&sec=Sastera&pg=sa_01.htm&arc=hive; Zahiruddin Zabidi’s
“Fenomena Novel Cinta Berunsur Agama”, Mingguan Malaysia, 7 August 2011,
18; and Hafizah Iszahanid’s “Novel Islam Perlu Nilai Komersial?” Berita Harian,
23 February 2012, http://www.bharian.com.my/bharian/articles/ NovelIslamper
lunilaikomersial_/Article/print.
110 東南亞硏究 23 권 3 호
especially in terms of the manipulation of narrative devices? Thirdly, and
in the context of romantic themes, what role does Islam play in the
narratives of these popular Islamic novels? The three questions above are
important in that they can provide valuable insight into the phenomenon of
popular Islamic novels that is flooding Malaysia today, especially in terms
of the shift in the tastes of reading public towards Islam. As such, the
discussion will not be limited to general observations on the phenomenon
in itself, but will also explicate the above questions critically by analysing
the content of contemporary popular Islamic novels in Malaysia. This will
be carried out by examining the manipulation of narrative devices in these
novels, so as to identify the themes presented within, and summarise the
role that Islam plays in their narratives. To that end, the study chooses two
popular Islamic novels of Malaysia as study texts, namely Melakar Cinta
Firdausi by Nurul Aini K. Azhari and Aimi Nabihah Mohamad (PTS
Litera Utama Sdn Bhd, 2009), and Ya Fattah; Cinta Sakti by Noorfadzilah
(Buku Prima Sdn Bhd, 2009). Both these novels are chosen as study texts
based on the Islamic imagery apparent in the outward aspects of the novel,
such as their titles, covers, and subtitles. With such outward features, both
novels have largely been met with a positive reception from the reading
public, who can be said to have accepted the premise that these novels were
Islamic. The question of these novels’ inclination towards Islam, as well as
their general acceptance as Islamic novels, will be discussed further in the
analyses below. Suffice to say at this stage that both novels are chosen as
study texts based on their inclination towards Islam, in line with the focus
of the study, that is popular Islamic novels.
A Love Blessed by God:
Narratives in the Popular Islamic Novels of Malaysia 111
Love Conflicts and Jihad in Melakar Cinta Firdausi
by Nurul Aini K Azhari and Aimi Nabihah Mohamad
Melakar Cinta Firdausi (henceforth MCF) was written by two novelists,
Nurul Aini K Azhari and Aimi Nabihah Mohamad, and was published by
PTS Litera Utama Sdn Bhd in 2009. The inclination of MCF towards Islam,
for instance, can be seen from the very title of the novel—in Islamic
epistemology, the Arabic term firdausi refers to the highest heaven
promised by Allah SWT to humans as a reward for their good deeds on
Earth. Additionally, the biodatas of both novelists, which are printed on the
front cover of the novel, also seem to be inclined towards calling attention
to the Islamic nature of MCF. Nurul Aini K Azhari’s biodata states that she
received an Islamic education since her preschool days at an ABIM
(Malaysian Islamic Youth Movement) kindergarten, while Aimi Nabilah
Mohamad studied in an Islamic secondary school before going to
university. What also reinforces the Islamic nature of the novel is the
reputation of the publisher itself, PTS Sdn Bhd, as a publishing house that
is fully oriented towards Islam. Moreover, MCF is part of PTS Sdn Bhd
‘Islamic Novel Project’, a publication project which was launched with the
aim of exploring the potential of the Malaysian market for Islamic novels.19
The inclination towards Islam is most apparent in the front cover
illustration of the novel, which shows a woman in prayer wearing a
19
In the middle of 2009, PTS Sdn Bhd launched an official ‘Islamic novel’
publication project, that was aimed at the wide-scale marketing of popular Islamic
novels in Malaysia. Through this project, PTS Sdn Bhd placed a target to publish at
least four to six new Islamic novel titles every month. See Ainon Mohd. “Pasaran
Novel Cinta Popular Islami Makin Berkembang”, 20 October 2009,
http://universitipts.com/index.php/site/comments/ pasaran; and “Penggunaan
Wajah Perempuan Pada Desain Kulit Novel Cinta,” 14 June 2010,
http://universitipts.com/index.php/site/comments/feedback_tentang_penggunaan_w
ajah-p...
112 東南亞硏究 23 권 3 호
telekung (prayer clothing used primarily by Islamic women in Southeast
Asia) against the backdrop of the well-known historical monument, the
Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. As is well-known, Jerusalem is the ancient
city that bears great significance to the three Abrahamic religions, namely
Islam, Judaism and Christianity, in terms of historical monuments, artefacts,
and stories.20 Today, of course, the city of Jerusalem is now the locus of a
conflict between Palestinians and the Zionist regime of Israel, which arose
with the United Nations’ partition of Palestine to form the state of Israel in
1947. Many people today consider the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to be less
a religious issue, and more a humanitarian crisis, due to the continual loss
of civilian life, including children and aged.21 This information is indeed
relevant to the analysis of the novel, since the land of Palestine and the
attendant Palestinian-Israeli conflict forms the setting of the novel, as
stated in one of the blurbs on the front cover of MCF.
Besides this information, the cover of MCF also provides a simple
synopsis of the novel, which states that it revolves around the Palestinians’
struggle against the Zionist regime to reclaim their homeland. Although, as
noted above, the international community sees the Palestinian-Israeli
conflict as more of a humanitarian crisis, it is nevertheless framed in the
synopsis of MCF as a religious conflict, or more accurately, an IslamicJewish conflict. This is in keeping with the Islamic imagery in the other
external features of the novel that signify MCF as an Islamic novel. What
this means is that the title of MCF, the information in the novelists’
biodatas, the illustrations and blurbs on the front cover, as well as the
20
For more information, see Bernard Wasserstein, Divided Jerusalem: The Struggle
for the Holy City, Yale University Press, New Haven, 2001.
21
Mark Tessler, The History of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, Indiana University
Press, Bloomington, 1994.
A Love Blessed by God:
Narratives in the Popular Islamic Novels of Malaysia 113
synopsis inevitably create the expectation that an Islamic story will be
presented within—or more specifically, a story concerning a jihad to
defend the dignity of Islam. It must be noted, however, that the Arabic
word jihad means “struggle” or “effort”, or “to strive” or “to exert” or “to
fight”. In Islam, the word jihad is not limited to meaning a holy war to
defend Islam, but can also refer to a spiritual, intellectual and moral war
against personal weakness and evil desires.22 The understanding of the term
jihad here is vital, as it is manifested in the story within, as indicated by the
external features of the MCF.
Besides the Islamic imagery, there are also unmistakable nuances of
romance in the outward appearance of MCF, especially with the usage of
the word cinta (love) in the title, and the romantic conflicts faced by the
protagonist alluded to in the blurbs. This is further reinforced with the
subtitle printed on the front cover, which states that MCF is: “Sebuah
rencah perjuangan dengan bumbu-bumbu persahabatan, pergorbanan dan
percintaan” (“A tale of a struggle laced with friendship, sacrifice and
love”). Put simply, the external features of MCF strongly indicate that a
tale of jihad and love will be offered within. Even its readers proclaim as
such. A commenter with the username Elix Sorent states in an online forum
that: “Buku ini sangat bagus. Ia memaparkan perjuangan seorang wanita
Malaysia di Palestin” (“This is a very good book. It depicts the struggle of
a Malaysian woman in Palestine.”)23 Another reader going by the username
Iman Abdullah, meanwhile, that:
22
Ahmad Sita, The True Meaning and Implications of Jihad, Iuniverse Inc.,
Lincoln, 2002, 103-34.
23
“[Buku] Melakar Cinta Firdausi,” ILuvIslam, 4 January 2010, http://komuniti.
iluvislam.com/topic/19144-buku-melakar-cinta-firdausi-aiminabihah-dan-nurulaini/
114 東南亞硏究 23 권 3 호
...Ana pernah baca novel ini. Bagi Ana, novel ini amat menarik sebab
pasal perjuangan seorang muslimah di Palestin. Semoga ramai lagi rakyat
Malaysia termasuk Ana dapat berjuang seperti dia. Demi agama Allah
yang tercinta.
(I have read this novel. To me, the novel is interesting because it depicts
the struggle of a Muslim woman in Palestine. Hopefully more Malaysians,
including myself, will fight in the way she does.)24
Clearly, both responses show that their praise of MCF is premised on it
being Islamic in nature. Another matter that cannot be overlooked in this
context is that due to its high sales figures, a weblog dedicated to MCF was
created. Among others updates, the authors have used this blog to record
their thanks to readers for their support of MCF, and their demands for
more reprints.25
An initial reading finds that the story begins with the introduction of
Aima Insyirah, the protagonist. Aima Insyirah is presented in the story as a
highly educated Malay-Muslim woman, who has a graduate degree in
psychology and counselling. One special characteristic of the protagonist is
her religious awareness, which is manifested in her dream—fostered since
her schooldays—to help her Muslim brothers and sisters in Palestine. This
is complemented by descriptions of her courageous and determined nature,
which provides her aforementioned awareness with agency. Accordingly,
the novel then explains how Aima Insyirah’s courage and determination
24
“[Buku] Melakar Cinta Firdausi,” ILuvIslam, 16 February 2010, http://komuniti.
iluvislam.com/topic/19144-buku-melakar-cinta-firdausi-aiminabihah-dan-nurulaini/
25
“Melakar Cinta Firdausi,” 29 September 2010. http://melakarcintafirdausi.
blogspot.com/
A Love Blessed by God:
Narratives in the Popular Islamic Novels of Malaysia 115
help her realise her goals of living in Palestine, and aiding in the struggle of
the Muslim fighters there. These traits make Aima Insyirah special, and
unsurprisingly, she is admired by a few men.
In relation to this, the introduction of Naufal Mustaqim, a devoutly
religious and highly educated Malay-Muslim man, at the beginning of the
novel is also significant. Naufal Mustaqim is described as a nuclear
technology graduate from Tokyo University, and now serves in the
Malaysian Institute for Nuclear Technology Research. Naufal Mustaqim is
also someone who is very aware of issues pertaining to his religion, and
this is evident in his involvement with My’C, a voluntary organisation in
Malaysia that attempts to remedy the moral collapse among young
Muslims. He is also someone who stands for what he believes in, which is
shown in his courage in facing critical issues affecting Muslims, as well as
organising a demonstration on the invasion of Palestine by Zionist regime.
Reading at this stage finds that the novel employs a strategy that is
inclined towards displaying similarities in the natures and interests of Aima
Insyirah and Naufal Mustaqim. These similarities are significant because
they then create a sense of compatibility in both Aima Insyirah and Naufal
Mustaqim. The novel’s intention to pair these two characters together the
becomes clear with a description of Aima Insyirah and Naufal Mustaqim’s
history of friendship from their schooldays. The novel then describes how
Naufal Mustaqim had always been amazed by and attracted to Aima
Insyirah’s determination and spirit to go to Palestine. Given his admiration,
it is not surprising when Naufal Mustaqim, after graduating and coming
back to work in Malaysia, seeks out Aima Insyirah in Palestine.
116 東南亞硏究 23 권 3 호
In this matter, it is interesting to observe how the parallelisation of spirit
and interest render both characters easily compatible, and enables both to
be mutually attracted to and love each other. And this compatibility is what
ties Aima Insyirah-Naufal Mustaqim in a strong bond. The strength of this
bond is evident in both being determined to be loyal to each other in the
face of a number of challenges. Their love is not even threatened, for
instance, after Aima Insyirah finds out that she is admired, and even
proposed to, by the charismatic Palestinian General Rifa’il Zanki, whom
she admires. Likewise, Naufal Mustaqim remains devoted to Aima Insyirah,
despite being introduced to another girl by his parents. It can be said that,
in terms of compatibility and loyalty, the love affair of Aima InsyirahNaufal Mustaqim is unthreatened in the face of conflicts and challenges.
The only thing that stops both from being together in wedlock is the
distance between them, with Aima Insyirah being in Palestine, and Naufal
Mustaqim in Malaysia.
This issue of distance and location, which forms the only “barrier” to the
full expression of their love, is very significant, because it ties in closely
with the goals of each character’s respective struggle of jihad. As noted
above, Aima Insyirah’s jihad is expressed in her mission to help
Palestinian-Muslims fight their enemies, a dream she had nurtured since
her schooldays. While Naufal Mustaqim’s own jihad is to address the
moral failings of Muslims in Malaysia, which as he notes, is reaching a
critical stage. In the context of the plot development, this difference of
location is significant because the plot branches out onto two different
backdrops (Palestine-Malaysia), both of which represent the individual
stories of the protagonists (Aima Insyirah-Naufal Mustaqim).
A Love Blessed by God:
Narratives in the Popular Islamic Novels of Malaysia 117
With reference to the Palestinian story arc, this reading finds that the plot
is filled with descriptions of Aima Insyirah’s jihad in helping Palestinians
regain their homeland. It is for this reason that the novel introduces a
number of Palestinian-Muslim characters, all of whom are representations
of a singular narrative, namely the struggle in their lives under the
occupation of Zionist regime, or the courage and strength they display in
resisting this occupation. It is interesting to note that the descriptions of
their suffering in the face of the violent Zionist regime are voiced through
female, adolescent and elderly characters, such as Ammar, Humaira,
Azzahra and Fatimah. In creating unfortunate characters from these groups,
that are stereotypically taken to be weak and helpless, the novel displays a
strategy to foreground the violence of the Zionist regime violence on the
one hand, and inject emotion and sympathy in the reader on the other. And
more importantly in the context of plot development, is the role that the
protagonist plays in facing the religious and humanitarian conflicts in
Palestine. To that end, the novel describes the relationships between Aima
Insyirah and these unfortunate characters (especially, Ammar, Humaira and
Azzahra), and the ways in which she is able to help them. As a psychology
and counselling graduate, Aima Insyirah is described as assisting these
unfortunate characters in overcoming their war-induced traumas, as well as
helping them restore their spirits to carry on living their lives. In fact, the
relationships that are forged between the protagonist and these Palestinian
characters are described as being familial. And the strategy of the novel to
reinforce the role of the protagonist in Palestine becomes even more
apparent when, besides acting as a counsellor, Aima Insyirah is also
depicted as being involved in direct resistance against the Zionist regime.
In this context, the novel describes the formation of As-Soff, a
Palestinian militant movement aimed at fighting Israelis, and Aima
118 東南亞硏究 23 권 3 호
Insyirah’s involvement in the left wing of As-Soff. This involvement is
what causes Aima Insyirah to be captured by the Zionist regime in a Tel
Aviv prison, during an As-Soff raid to liberate Palestinian fighters held
captive by the regime. While in the prison, Aima Insyirah keeps her wits
about her, and is willing to face the pressure and torture inflicted upon her
by Zionist regime, without revealing any secret information about As-Soff.
All of these stories, as well as descriptions of the acts of violence
perpetrated by the Zionist regime upon Palestinians, effectively showcase
the purity and seriousness of the protagonist’s fighting spirit in her jihad
against the enemies of Islam.
It is also interesting to note that even as the novel is busy relaying stories
of the protagonist’s jihad, romantic elements are not ignored. This
inclination becomes very obvious when the novel conjures a love triangle
between Aima Insyirah, General Rifa’il Zanki and Azzahra. This conflict
begins when General Rifa’il Zanki’s asks for Aima Insyirah’s hand in
marriage; this causes great disappointment in Azzahra, who has admired
the general for a long time. For a brief period, a misunderstanding between
Aima Insyirah and Azzahra arises; but this is then resolved when the
protagonist firmly states the she has no intention of marrying the general,
and rejects his proposal. The romantic element rears its head again with
Aima Insyirah’s capture in the Tel Aviv prison. The novel describes how
the torture of Aima Insyirah incites sympathy in an Israeli general named
Karl Smith, who then decides to protect her. When his superiors find out,
however, Karl Smith is suspended. In his last communiqué to Aima
Insyirah, Karl Smith admits being attracted to Islam, and falling for the
protagonist. The presence of the conflict, and the tale of one Palestinian
and one Israeli man falling for the protagonist is a clear indication of the
novel’s strategy to spice up the jihad of its protagonist with love stories.
A Love Blessed by God:
Narratives in the Popular Islamic Novels of Malaysia 119
Turning to the Malaysian background, this reading finds that the story
arc is filled with descriptions of Naufal Mustaqim’s own jihad in his
homeland. As previously stated, he is actively involved in a voluntary
organisation, My’C, which is geared towards overcoming the moral decline
of Muslims in Malaysia. This story arc is filled, among other episodes, with
stories of Naufal Mustaqim’s (through My’C) dealings with the moral
decline of Malaysian-Muslim society, the pressure that he and his friends
face in doing so, the unease of certain quarters towards their mission, and
individual depictions of this moral decline. But no less striking are the
descriptions of Naufal Mustaqim’s own romantic conflict. This conflict
arises when his parents are determined to wed him to the daughter of their
friend, Dr Nurul Hannan. Naufal Mustaqim is described as being overcome
by feelings of guilt from going against his parents’ wishes, because he has
already chosen Aima Insyirah as his future wife. The conflict is
nevertheless resolved when Naufal Mustaqim holds his ground on his
choice to wed Aima Insyirah when she returns from Palestine. In doing so,
both his and Dr Nurul Hannan’s parents grow to accept his decision. To put
a definite stop to the conflict, the story then pairs Dr Nurul Hannan with
Naufal Mustaqim’s good friend, Izuddin, and both get married happily.
And the conflict of Naufal Mustaqim-Aima Insyirah’s union, which was
previously only challenged by their distance from one another, is also
resolved when Aima Insyirah returns to Malaysia after her escape from
detention in the Tel Aviv prison. With Aima Insyirah’s return to Malaysia,
the story ends on a happy note with her marriage to Naufal Mustaqim, and
the pair being blessed with a child.
This reading unearths a few interesting conclusions. First, it is clear that
romance is the real motive driving the story from the very beginning. This
is clear when the novel equips its plot from the beginning with elements—
120 東南亞硏究 23 권 3 호
namely character and characterisation— that can be manipulated to forge a
love story. And the development of the love story in turn creates an
opportunity for a number of challenges to be placed in the path towards
fruition. In this context, the novel renders the protagonists’ respective
jihads as obstructions in the path leading towards their eventual union. This
choice enables the novel to split the couple apart and place them in two
different settings. The plot develops accordingly along two arcs, which are
then fleshed out with descriptions of the protagonists’ respective jihads.
Nevertheless, these two jihad arcs still do not shift the novel’s focus away
from romance, which is clearly proven with the inclusion of romantic
conflicts such as Aima Insyirah-General Rifa’il Zanki, Aima Insyirah-Karl
Smith, Naufal Mustaqim-Dr Nurul Hannan, Izuddin-Dr Nurul Hannan, and,
of course, the love story of Aima Insyirah-Naufal Mustaqim itself, which is
the essence of the novel. Given this focus, it is not only clear that romance
is the main element, as opposed to the secondary jihad, but that jihad is
manipulated as a narrative device to further complicates the love story of
the protagonists. With this mixture of the love story and jihad, this analysis
finds that MCF does indeed consist of the two major ingredients of the
popular Islamic novels that preceded it, namely romance and Islam.
The Mysticism of God and Seeds of Love in Ya
Fattah; Cinta Sakti by Noorfadzillah
Ya Fattah; Cinta Sakti (henceforth YCFS) by Noorfadzilah was
published by Buku Prima Sdn Bhd in 2009. The expectation that YCFS is
inclined towards Islam is raised by the title of the novel itself, which is a
combination of two important phrases: the Arabic Ya Fattah—which in
Islamic epistemology means “O Great Opener,” a reference to one of the
A Love Blessed by God:
Narratives in the Popular Islamic Novels of Malaysia 121
99 names of God or Allah SWT—and the Malay cinta sakti (mystical love).
Additionally, the front cover of the novel is bathed in a greenish hue, with
green being the colour most commonly associated with Islam. This is
further reinforced by the reputation of Buku Prima Sdn Bhd as an active
publisher of Islamic novels since 2007.26
More obvious still is the caption printed on the front cover of the novel:
“Aku mencintaimu kerana agama yang ada padamu, jika kau hilangkan
agama dalam dirimu, hilanglah cintaku padamu”(“I love you because of
the faith that is in you, and if you lose that faith, you will lose my love for
you”). This caption connects two ideas: the love between two people (“aku
mencintaimu”) and faith (“agama”), by making the latter the sole
prerequisite of love. In other words, the love denoted in the caption above
is a love between two people that is hinged on faith. And given the Arabic
phrase in the title, and the Islamic associations of the front cover
illustration, it is safe to say that the “faith” referred to in the above caption
is Islam. This interpretation is supplemented by the blurb on the cover of
the novel, where the author explains her motives behind the writing of
YFCS: “Tercetusnya idea karya ini kerana ingin…menyuntik novel ini
menjadi novel berunsur Islami. Mengekalkan kisah cinta antara
watak…Akhirnya lahirlah Ya Fattah; Cinta Sakti” (“The idea to write this
book arose from the wish to...write an Islamic novel. Preserving the love
between the characters...and [from that] Ya Fattah; Cinta Sakti was born”).
26
Unlike PTS Sdn Bhd, who exhibits their corporate Islamic image quite explicitly,
the image of Buku Prima Sdn Bhd is more neutral, in the sense that they have not
declared any official Islamic publication policy. The objective of their operation
is to bring the Malaysian publishing industry to life, and provide aspiring writers
with a chance at leaving their mark in the literary world. Nevertheless, behind
their seemingly neutral stance, Buku Prima Sdn Bhd has been actively
contributing to the phenomenon of popular Islamic novels. See the company
profile of Buku Prima Sdn Bhd at http://www.bukuprima.com.my/bground.asp.
122 東南亞硏究 23 권 3 호
This explanation clearly exhibits the author’s own admission that Islam and
the love story are the two main elements used in the construction of the
novel.
Both these elements have also been noticed by readers. For instance, a
blogger named Gobokairina notes that although YCFS weaves in Islam and
romance into its narrative, the former causes a dilution of the love story;
without this dilution, she believes, YCFS would contain a sweeter storyline.
It is for this reason that she does not recommend the novel to romance
novel enthusiasts:
Diingatkan yang novel ini bukan ceritera penuh cinta. Jadi kalau kamu
dah terbiasa dengan cinta, rasanya ini bukan pilihan kerana cinta yang
diselitkan hanya sedikit cuma sekadar penyeri sahaja bukan intipati
keseluruhan cerita.
It must be kept in mind that this novel is not a romantic story. So if you
are already familiar with romance, this novel may not be to your liking,
since it only uses romance as a filler, and not the heart of the story.27
Another reader calling himself Fahar adds that: “Ceritanya best. Ala-ala
Islamik. Jalan cerita fresh. Menariklah” (“The story is great. Very Islamic.
The story flow is fresh. Interesting.”) 28 With such an overt display of
elements linking the novel to Islam, YCFS clearly has the potential to
attract the attention of general readers, which is clear from the high sales
figures and reprints.
27
Airina, “Ya Fattah Cinta Sakti,” Gobokairina, 17 May 2010, http://gobokairina.
blogspot.com/2010/05/ya-fattah-cinta-sakti.html
28
“Novel Ya Fattah; Cinta Sakti,” Cari, n.d., http://mforum.cari.com.my/forum.
php?mod= viewthread&tid=453281.
A Love Blessed by God:
Narratives in the Popular Islamic Novels of Malaysia 123
The initial reading finds that the story revolves around the family of Nik
Daud, a Muslim professor, his wife and their two children, a stepson named
Fattah, and a biological daughter named Zuleikha. Professor Nik Daud and
his wife are described as never differentiating between their two children,
and consider Fattah to be their own flesh and blood. Fattah is older than
Zuleikha and is considered the eldest child. On the whole, Professor Nik
Daud is described as having a loving family. The only familial conflict to
rear its head is with Professor Nik Daud’s siblings-in-law, who are afraid
that their father’s (that is, Professor Nik Daud’s father-in-law) company
will fall into Fattah’s hands. This is because his father-in-law is a teacher of
the ancient Malay martial art silat, who loves Fattah dearly because of the
latter’s passion for the art form. At this stage, the novel is very much
focused on Fattah, who is singled out as the protagonist around whom the
rest of the story will be based. This is confirmed when the novel expands
upon Fattah’s personal life; he is described as a good-looking Muslim
teenager, and an excellent student, the latter of which is evident in his
acceptance into a prestigious university to study nuclear and atomic physics,
a field of study which the novel claims is rarely chosen by Malay-Muslim
students like him. Besides that, Fattah is also depicted as being very
religious and of a dignified personality; he is honest, patient, calm, modest,
and always respectful of those around him.
These traits are evident in the way that Fattah deals with the problems in
his life. For instance, due to being the darling of his maternal grandfather,
as described above, Fatah becomes the victim of his uncle’s envy; however,
he deals with this calmly, and never loses his respect for his uncle. This is
also evident in his encounter with Adzmir, a fellow student who has
intentions on Zuleikha; Fattah remains calm and does not let emotions of
anger take over. It can be said that unlike Fattah, most people are not
124 東南亞硏究 23 권 3 호
exemplars of these traits as much as he is, which marks him as unique and
special. And this inclination to elevate Fattah as a unique and special
character becomes infinitely clearer with the novel’s revelation that he is
gifted with superhuman foresight, in that he can receive premonitions of
unfortunate events that will befall those around him, as well as a telekinetic
ability, that enabled him to manipulate objects with his mind. Both of these
abilities are inherited from Fattah’s biological father, who was, in fact,
attacked and killed by jealous individuals envious of their abilities. In the
attack, Fattah manages to escape, and is eventually found by Professor Nik
Daud’s family. With his superhuman abilities, Fattah is described as
encountering would-be thieves and murderers. In these incidents, Fattah
manages to defeat all of these criminals, by using the abilities that he
possesses. It is clear from the depiction of these events that Fatah’s abilities
are of a mystical nature, and that they are powers that others do not possess.
This in itself shows that the novel wishes to single out Fattah as a unique
and special protagonist. And more significantly still, in the context of these
mystical powers, are his aforementioned natural traits, that of being
devoutly religious, and of an upstanding personality. This is because these
traits provide an outlet for mystical powers, which leads into the next plot
development. With the combination of his mystical and natural
characteristics, the novel clearly outlines the character of Fattah as noble
superhero, who uses his powers to serve society. In other words, Fattah’s
natural characteristics ensure that he never abuses his mystical powers to
commit evil and immoral acts.
And in the context of the hero’s traits, it is interesting to observe how the
novel makes an effort to place his mystical abilities in the clear and
authoritative moral framework of Islam. To that end, the novel explains
how the protagonist’s mystical abilities are directly bestowed upon him as
A Love Blessed by God:
Narratives in the Popular Islamic Novels of Malaysia 125
an extension of Allah’s will. This means that his mystical abilities are not
acquired through immoral means that run afoul of the framework of
Islamic morality, such as the summoning of evil forces or a worship of the
occult. Rather, these advantages are inherited by the protagonist from his
biological family, and are accentuated by his determination to undergo
training that is not opposed to Islam. It cannot be denied that the issue of
mystical
powers
actually
existing,
what
more
mystical
powers
acknowledged by Islam, can be called into question. But the novel takes the
easy route by opting to explain the legitimacy of the issue in passing, when
Fattah delivers the following monologue:
Aku adalah hamba Allah…aku bukan ahli silap mata apalagi pengamal
ilmu hitam. Ilmu yang aku miliki adalah ilmu dari Maha Suci Allah. Hanya
Dia yang aku sembah dan junjung. Peganganku ialah agama Islam.
Syahadahku tetap percaya kepada keesaan Allah dan Nabi Muhammad
S.A.W. sebagai rasul-Nya.
(I am a servant of Allah...I am not a magician, nor do I practice black
magic. The knowledge that I possess is from Allah, the Glorious. It is only
He whom I worship and revere. What I believe in is Islam. I proclaims that
I still believe in the oneness of Allah and the Muhammad SAW as his
prophet.)29
In this context, the upstanding personality traits of the protagonist that
are in line with Islam are significant—by way of association, these traits
allow the mystical abilities to legitimised as something not opposed to
Islam. To that end, the novel shows how Fattah’s mystical abilities do not
29
Noorfadzillah, Ya Fattah; Cinta Sakti, Buku Prima Sdn Bhd, Shah Alam, 2009,
372.
126 東南亞硏究 23 권 3 호
make him arrogant or conceited. Instead, the novel describes how the calm
and patient Fattah goes to great lengths to keep his mystical abilities a
secret. Fattah’s mystical abilities are only further legitimised by the
depiction of how those around him react to his mystical powers. What this
means is that the novel never introduces any conflict between the
protagonist’s mystical abilities and Islam. This absence of conflict is
significant to the next plot development, as will be discussed below.
Moreover, the absence of conflict in terms of Fattah’s mystical abilities
effectively renders Islam’s acceptance of mystical abilities as something
that cannot be questioned in the novel. Thus, in making the protagonist
religious and bestowing upon him mystical powers, the novel effectively
defines Islam from a different perspective—as a religion that does not deny
the existence of mystical powers, and furthermore, considers them a
manifestation of Allah’s will.
As noted above, the noble traits that influence the protagonist’s mystical
abilities play a role in determining the direction of the next story. This
refers to the protagonist being a noble superhero, who uses his mystical
ability to contribute to society. The reading finds that the superhero’s traits
are what shape the development of the plot. This is because the
protagonist’s very positioning as a noble superhero necessitates the
creation of certain events, that describe how his abilities contribute to
society. And thus, in an effort to expand upon these instances of Fattah’s
powers being used, the plot structure of the novel is constructed with two
subplots: one concerning Fattah’s superhero traits, as explained above, and
the other concerning the family conflicts of a girl named Karina. It is
important to state that both these subplots take place in two different cities:
Fattah’s subplot in Kuala Lumpur, and Karina’s subplot in Jakarta. As
explained above, there are no long-standing conflicts afflicting the subplot
A Love Blessed by God:
Narratives in the Popular Islamic Novels of Malaysia 127
of Fattah in Kuala Lumpur. However, in the case of Karina, the
manipulation of a conflict is the very substance of her subplot. The conflict
refers to Karina’s family in Jakarta receiving multiple death threats from
criminal elements. This threat becomes more real with one of Karina’s
maids being murdered in cold blood. At this stage, the novel does not offer
any visible clues on how Karina’s conflict will eventually be resolved.
The novel then further intensifies the conflict with the death of Karina’s
father in a planned accident. This drives her to leave her home town and
seek refuge in Kuala Lumpur, knowing that her life in Jakarta is in danger.
This move is important in the context of the plot construction, because with
Karina’s move to Kuala Lumpur, the story in itself creates an overlap
between her subplot and that of Fattah. This strategy becomes even more
apparent with Karina being placed in a few coincidental situations that
make her path cross with Fattah’s, such as being protected by a policeman
who happens to be Fattah’s cousin, or choosing to study in the same
university as Fattah. At this stage, the novel quite obviously intends for
Karina and Fattah to meet, which would, simultaneously, merge the two
previously independent subplots. The novel’s inclination to do so is evident
when the story eventually introduces Karina to Fattah.
It is significant to note that the novel introduces the two so that they can
be paired up in a relationship. This strategy becomes clear with both Karina
and Fattah described as falling in love at first sight. The novel then
introduces a series of incidents which enable both to meet more regularly,
so much so that Karina learns the secret of Fattah’s mystical powers. This
knowledge is important because it is a sign that a more intimate
relationship is about to begin, which enables the novel to present romantic
scenes involving the pair. It is important to note that Karina and Fattah’s
128 東南亞硏究 23 권 3 호
intimate relationship is a harmonious one that occurs without any conflict.
This means that the existing conflict of Karina’s safety is in no danger of
being overlooked or eclipsed. Moreover, the analysis also finds that the
Karina-Fattah love story is, in fact, not too significant to the next plot
development. This is not only because their relationship is conflict-free, but
also because it is largely unnecessary in terms of the conflict of Karina’s
safety being resolved. If Fattah’s presence is necessary to provide a
resolution, then their mere introduction would suffice. This is evident when
Karina’s conflict is indeed resolved with Fattah’s help after their
introduction. By using his mystical powers, Fattah is described as foiling a
number of events on Karina’s life, and even uncovers the criminal
mastermind behind the assassination plot. It is clear from the ending of the
story that the formation of the Fattah and Karina subplots are based on two
entirely different motivations; however, both motivations complement each
other to conclude the overarching story, that of Fattah being present to
solve Karina’s conflict. The question of Karina-Fattah’s love affair being a
largely insignificant addendum as the story becomes clear when they are
only paired up at the end of it, after the conflict of Karina’s safety is
resolved. The novel concludes with Karina wishing to return to her life in
Jakarta, after she and Fattah promise to stay loyal to each other.
With the ending of the story, a few conclusions can be extracted from
this reading. First in the inclination of the novel towards the love story,
which is clear in the introduction of two separate subplots for the main
characters. These subplots are then merged into a singular romance
narrative. More importantly, Islam is made into the moral scheme that
underpins this love story, evident when the main characters’ relationship
accords to Islamic mores and ethics—which renders the love story in the
novel Islamic. With this manipulation of narrative strategies, it can be
A Love Blessed by God:
Narratives in the Popular Islamic Novels of Malaysia 129
concluded that YFCS is clearly inclined towards the manipulation of two
major elements: romance and Islam. In terms of narrative building, the
issue of the male protagonist’s superhuman abilities functions to solve the
conflict, such as when he rescues his partner from danger. It is also
interesting to note that an Islamic moral scheme is used to legitimise the
mystical and superhuman abilities of the male protagonist. This is clear in
that the mystical powers presented in YFCS are explained as being a
manifestation of God’s will. But aside from this, the representation of
Islam as a moral framework in itself provides a clue on the intended
readership of the novel. By representing Islam as a moral framework that
legitimises the story and underscores the sensitivity of its target audience, it
is clear that the novel is aimed at Muslim readers.
Conclusion
The analysis of both novels addresses the questions raised earlier in the
discussion. The results show that both studied novels utilise a male-female
love theme, which is highlighted through the manipulation of narrative
devices, such as character and event. With reference to character, both
novels are found to introduce a pair of male and female protagonists who
have the potential to form a romantic relationship, in that they are wellmatched in terms of their characteristics. And more importantly where
narrative development is concerned, both protagonists are motivated by a
similar life mission. This then enables the following plot developments to
create opportunities for these protagonists to meet, get to know each other
better, and overcome a number challenges before they can fully express
their love. In short, based on the choice and manipulation of character and
characteristics, both novels seem to have a singular motive, that is to
130 東南亞硏究 23 권 3 호
introduce a male-female love story.
Secondly, the analysis also finds that both novels also manipulate a few
narrative devices such as setting, conflict, and event, to complicate the
protagonists’ love lives. In this context, MCF manipulates the dual settings
of Palestine and Malaysia to introduce a series of conflicts to flesh out the
love story of Aima Insyirah-Naufal Mustaqim. YCFS, meanwhile, fully
manipulates the protagonist’s superhuman traits to resolve a number of
conflicts related to the safety and the migration of Karina to Kuala Lumpur,
so as to enable the union between herself Fattah to occur unhindered. The
manipulation of these narrative devices in this way clearly show that both
novels are inclined towards introducing a love story in their respective
narratives.
Thirdly, the analysis also identifies that Islam functions in both novels as
the moral framework underpinning the narratives. The usage of Islam as
the moral framework is clear when the protagonists’ respective missions,
which are related to Islam, drive the narratives in both novels forward. This
means, in short, that the missions in both novels adhere to Islamic values.
This is clear, for instance, in the jihad of the female protagonist in Palestine,
and the aim of the male protagonist in YCFS to give back to his community.
Both of these can be seen as blessed activities, and are thus considered
noble from an Islamic perspective. More importantly, the love stories
around which both novels revolve are also built upon an Islamic moral
framework. What this means is that the love stories of the protagonists in
both novels are constructed in accordance to Islamic ethics and values, and
free of any behaviours that are opposed to it. Moreover, since the love
stories between the protagonists in the two novels are tied to their
respective missions to obtain God’s blessing, their relationships are
A Love Blessed by God:
Narratives in the Popular Islamic Novels of Malaysia 131
therefore sanctified in the eyes of Islam. Thus, given the Islamic moral
framework and the nature of their relationships, the love stories in both
novels are built around the behaviours, speech and psychology of
protagonists who are conscious of and understand what is decreed by Islam.
And for the same reason, any issues or manifestations related to sexual
desire remain wholly untouched. In short, this renders the love stories in
both novels Islamic. In other words, both studied novels feature Islamic
love stories as their main theme. This is itself answers the question posed at
the beginning of the study.
The above findings address a singular issue that is at the root of the
present study. This refers to the shift in popular appetite for, and the market
trends of popular novels in Malaysia, after the emergence of the
phenomenon of popular Islamic novels. If both novels are merged into one
case study, it can thus be said that the popular Islamic novels of today are
still using the same recipe for success as the popular novels of old, namely
the love story. Distinct from the popular novels of old, however, the
popular Islamic novels of today explore the love story in accordance to
Islamic ethics and values. It is also clear that this narrative style adheres to
the tastes of the reading public, which can be seen in the extraordinary
reception that these popular Islamic novels have received—which in turn
has attracted even more authors to publish popular Islamic novels, to the
extent that they now constitute a genuine literary phenomenon that cannot
be overlooked. In other words, there now exists a hitherto unseen situation:
the reading public now favours popular Islamic novels that address malefemale love stories based on an Islamic moral framework. This in itself
proves that there has been a significant change in the popular fiction
industry, in terms of readers’ tastes and market trends, which at the present
moment are unmistakably inclined towards Islam.
132 東南亞硏究 23 권 3 호
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136 東南亞硏究 23 권 3 호
ABSTRACT
A Love Blessed by God:
Narratives in the Popular Islamic Novels of Malaysia
Mohd Zariat Abdul Rani
(Universiti Putra Malaysia)
This article departs from a current development in the Malaysian literary
scene, namely the emergence of what is known as the ‘phenomenon of
popular Islamic novels.’ The phenomenon is marked by an overwhelming
public reception towards novels that outwardly display Islamic
characteristics, such as in their titles, cover illustrations, and blurbs. The
development is interesting because these bestselling popular Islamic novels
were preceded by teenage romance novels which were imbued with erotic
nuances. This would indicate a significant shift in the popular literary tastes
of Malaysian readers. As such, the present study aims to observe this shift
from a critical perspective, by focusing on the content of these popular
Islamic novels, so as to identify the themes contained within, as well as the
role Islam plays in their construction. To that end, two popular Islamic
novels will be analysed, namely Melakar Cinta Firdausi by Nurul Aini K.
Azhari and Aimi Nabihah Mohamad (PTS Litera Utama Sdn Bhd, 2009),
and Ya Fattah; Cinta Sakti by Noorfadzilah (Buku Prima Sdn Bhd, 2009).
The study finds that both novels present romantic themes that are Islamic,
that are addressed through the manipulation of narrative devices and the
usage of an Islamic moral scheme. The foregrounding of Islamic romantic
themes goes against the trend of preceding popular novels that were more
inclined towards erotic themes.
A Love Blessed by God:
Narratives in the Popular Islamic Novels of Malaysia 137
Key Words: phenomenon of popular Islamic novels, popular Islamic novels,
Melakar Cinta Firdausi, Ya Fattah; Cinta Sakti.
▸ 논문접수일 2013. 09. 25
▸ 논문심사일 2013. 12. 19
▸ 게재확정일 2014. 01. 13
138 東南亞硏究 23 권 3 호