Comments on: Dunya: Living Our Own Avatar

By: ya3ni

ya3ni — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 02:32:33 +0000

good analogy masha Allah.

I agree with R. I wanted it to end more realistically. In history and in current day the “aliens” rarely win.

By: O. Tawil

O. Tawil — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 20:18:36 +0000

Great article Masha’allah, I haven’t seen it yet, but it’s not hard to guess what happens/what it’s about.
However, one small correction if I may; the root meaning of ‘Dunya’ doesn’t mean to reach out for grapes, rather, it means to reach out for grapes (or fruits) that you will NEVER grasp.
It’s closer to the reality of what the Dunya is, unreachable. It will always leave you wanting more, so it’s best to not get ‘caught up’ in it.

By: sam2meast

sam2meast — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 12:53:30 +0000

Salaam,
(May contain some spoiler)
I think most of the people did not the get the real message or the analogy that was intended by James Cameron in this movie. When I first watched the movie the thing that struck me immediately was that these Na’vis were none other than – Muslims of today. And humans were Americans in Middle east who are there for the sake of precious rock “oil”.
Most of the Americans have compared Na’vis to the Native americans or the Africans just based on how they look and dress. But you have to look past the looks and their dresses.
The Na’vis are spiritual people like Muslims who try to live in accordance with nature. For example, whenever they hunt an animal for eating they do it with honor and thank “their Lord”. Muslims do the same thing – Halal way of slaughtering animals.
Also the Na’vis referred to each other as brothers.
The Americans in the movie accuse the Na’vis of living and behaving like animals and are not “civilized” like them. In real life the West does the same thing to Muslims and consider them as downtrodden with medieval beliefs.
Also the Americans in the movie boast of their military power and assume that they can never lose a war to these backward people (Navis) who just use bows and arrows. This is the exact pride that US is suffering from right now.
The movie also hints that if the different Navis tribes unite and fight then they can defeat the invaders with the help from “their God” Aiwa.

Overall, I think it was a fantastic movie! Also I liked the analogy that sister Aziza did with soul and Navi. It was quite interesting.

JazakAllah Khayr

By: brina

brina — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 10:31:53 +0000

v interesting analogy. and well if we’re going to watch them, we may aswell draw out useful meanings to us… at the same time i think we can also appreciate the immense technology and thought that went into this film – i was really just thinking subhanAllah.

By: jamshed

jamshed — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 18:57:58 +0000

thanks everybody for your kind comments, i prefer to stick to U certificate pixar/disney movies with my toddler daughter, the best way to entertain us in this “big freeze” and tons of snow! jazakallah khair

By: sabirah

sabirah — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 00:41:06 +0000

astaghfeerullah for my ignorance, but who chose the picture for the article? is that symbolic? I HAD to laugh out lout when i saw it

By: sabirah

sabirah — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 23:55:09 +0000

ok… i personally think this movie is fiction, and should be treated as that. It’s nice, and full of glitter, but that is what sells it, and brings the hard bucks in (for someone with an unheathly lifestyle I suppose, lol).
On the other side, what’s happening in Palestine , is very real (in this dunya). Just the more incomprehensible that most of the world just looks on while they are going to a movie like that and identify with aliens and cry or are happy in the end. Kinda double faced. But – I’m not sure if I wanna go down the political road here

By: R.

R. — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 20:32:09 +0000

I watched the movie and yes i thought of Native Indians in America but also couldn’t help myself but also think of Palestine and Israel. A big part of me wanted the movie to end in a different way where the humans (occupiers) win because I just wanted the audience to feel the disappointment and be upset because this is how i feel about the current situation in our world, yet another part of me saw other things in the movie. I saw many of the things Islam teach us… I saw what unity can achieve when differences are put aside… i saw how in terms of spirtuality what prayers and true belief can do… yes it maybe a science fiction movie where somehow ppl pray to entities and beings, but in my mind i was thinking as a Muslim I believe in Allah and I believe that if the umma comes together holding one flag, that every person gives it his best and truly believe that God will not leave them as long as they hold on to their faith and the teachings of Islam things will be totally different.
I may have read too much in the movie but i know this is what was going inside my head at the time.

By: sabirah

sabirah — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 20:08:52 +0000

@ abu majeed, lol – true. and i also wondered why hollywood assumes that aliens would copulate like humans (or so at least it seems)

By: Hanaa Hamad

Hanaa Hamad — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:43:17 +0000

Mash Allah these articles are fantastic. I’m a senior in Creative Writing at UC Riverside, is there any way I can contribute? These types of articles are my specialty. If so contact me through facebook, or the email I have given.

Jazak Allah