Storytelling

The Qur'an is a book that is both very direct and subtle. It is poignant, allows one's imagination to come alive when reading it, by it's unique style forcing the reader to reflect on what it says. Think of the following ayat that tell the story of Musa's arrival at Madyan and subsequent marriage in Surat al-Qasas ayat (23-27):
وَلَمَّا وَرَدَ مَاء مَدْيَنَ وَجَدَ عَلَيْهِ أُمَّةً مِّنَ النَّاسِ يَسْقُونَ وَوَجَدَ مِن دُونِهِمُ امْرَأتَيْنِ تَذُودَانِ قَالَ مَا خَطْبُكُمَا قَالَتَا لَا نَسْقِي حَتَّى يُصْدِرَ الرِّعَاء وَأَبُونَا شَيْخٌ كَبِيرٌ
فَسَقَى لَهُمَا ثُمَّ تَوَلَّى إِلَى الظِّلِّ فَقَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي لِمَا أَنزَلْتَ إِلَيَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيرٌ
فَجَاءتْهُ إِحْدَاهُمَا تَمْشِي عَلَى اسْتِحْيَاء قَالَتْ إِنَّ أَبِي يَدْعُوكَ لِيَجْزِيَكَ أَجْرَ مَا سَقَيْتَ لَنَا فَلَمَّا جَاءهُ وَقَصَّ عَلَيْهِ الْقَصَصَ قَالَ لَا تَخَفْ نَجَوْتَ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ
قَالَتْ إِحْدَاهُمَا يَا أَبَتِ اسْتَأْجِرْهُ إِنَّ خَيْرَ مَنِ اسْتَأْجَرْتَ الْقَوِيُّ الْأَمِينُ
قَالَ إِنِّي أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُنكِحَكَ إِحْدَى ابْنَتَيَّ هَاتَيْنِ عَلَى أَن تَأْجُرَنِي ثَمَانِيَ حِجَجٍ فَإِنْ أَتْمَمْتَ عَشْرًا فَمِنْ عِندِكَ وَمَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَشُقَّ عَلَيْكَ سَتَجِدُنِي إِن شَاء اللَّهُ مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ
The translation of which is (Pickthall's translation):
And when he came unto the water of Midian he found there a whole tribe of men, watering. And he found apart from them two women keeping back (their flocks). He said: What aileth you ? The two said: We cannot give (our flocks) to drink till the shepherds return from the water; and our father is a very old man.
So he watered (their flock) for them. Then he turned aside into the shade, and said: My Lord! I am needy of whatever good Thou sendest down for me.
Then there came unto him one of the two women, walking shyly. She said: Lo! my father biddeth thee, that he may reward thee with a payment for that thou didst water (the flock) for us. Then, when he came unto him and told him the (whole) story, he said: Fear not! Thou hast escaped from the wrongdoing folk.
One of the two women said: O my father! Hire him! For the best (man) that thou canst hire is the strong, the trustworthy.
He said: Lo! I fain would marry thee to one of these two daughters of mine on condition that thou hirest thyself to me for (the term of) eight pilgrimages. Then if thou completest ten it will be of thine own accord, for I would not make it hard for thee. Allah willing, thou wilt find me of the righteous.

I was always particularly moved by this story for it's poignant detail. The subtle way in which the plight of the women is presented. Musa's instinctive generosity which is not mentioned as it is so obvious. The shyness with which one of the two women approaches this stranger who has helped without asking for anything in return. And particularly the subtlety by which the daughter indicates to her father that she is interested in marrying Musa: "O my father! Hire him! For the best (man) that thou canst hire is the strong and trustworthy". In Arabic, of course, the style is far richer, and the variable ways of reading -some words have more than one meaning, where you pause may change the way you understand the sentence, etc... - make the experience even more enriching.

So what would I deduce from this? Story telling is about subtlety. Just as Qur'anic storytelling is subtle, so should Islamic cinema be subtle. Unfortunately, as there is no Islamic cinema to talk of, I suggest looking at other cinema. For this subtlety and understatement I would recommend Japanese director Ozu Yasujiro's films, and particularly Late Autumn. Plus it's about arranged marriages.

You should read a review for an Autumn Afternoon and download the film.