“Yeh Hum Naheen - This is not us.” A song by Muslims denouncing terrorist acts in the name of Is
I posted this music video over at Wordpress in July 2007 and it has received many positive comments including one from the creator of this project (Waseem
Mahmood), the latest comment was today from Canada from a teacher who had used this song as part of her literature class. So I have decided to give it another airing here.
The song was the brainchild of Waseem Mahmood whose children asked him to do something about the rising radicalization of Islam -something they as young Muslims did not feel that represented the religion that they were brought up to believe in. They wanted to get a message to young Pakistanis like themselves that all that was happening around them in the name of Islam was not them - thus the song was born. Assembling the star cast and trying to arrange everybody’s diaries for the recordings and the video proved to be a challenging endeavour.
The song was recorded during a three month period from November 2006 to January 2007 at Sound of Speed studios in Karachi.
The video was shot on HD by Khurrum Mahmood, Waseem Mahmood’s elder son and edited by his younger son, Khaiyyam both of whom are attending film school in UK. The studio footage was shot by award winning DOP, Imran Ali. The graphics and animations were designed by Rashid Saeed, Aamir Khan and Aamir Yousuf.
Waseem, veteran award winning director who has worked with some of the biggest names names in the industry, describes the video as “consciously simple” emulating similar videos made in the West like “We are the World” and “Band Aid” where the message is more important than making a glamorous, all sing - all dancing production. “For me the glamour of the video was in assembling the biggest star cast ever seen in Pakistan in one single shot, something that had never been achieved before. Mahsallah, the response to the video has been amazing - I have been inundated with messages of support and congratulations from young Pakistanis around the world who have thanked me for standing up and giving voice to their sentiments. The response from the international music industry has been equally humbling - major stars, many of whom I have idolized myself have contacted me to say how much they loved the song and video and would like to collaborate with us on an English version… I guess that we must have done something right!”
The Lyrics By Ali Moeen
Hamarey Naam Say Phali Howi Jhoti Kahani Ha
This story that is being spread in our names is a lie
Yeah Mohrein Mouat Ki….. Mathay Pay Gharoun Ki Nishani Hey
These stamps of death on our forehead are the signs of others
Hamein Jis Naam Say Tum Jantay Ho….Woh Hum Nahien
The name by which you know us - we are not that
Humein Jis Ankh Say Tum Dehktay Ho….Woh Hum Nahien
The eyes with which you look at us - we are not that
Yeah Hum Nahi, Yeah Hum Nahi, Yeah Hum Nahi, Yeah Hum Nahi,
This is not us - this is not us…
Jaisay Sham Atay hi Koi Rasta Bola Bathay
As with the coming of night one loses one’s way
Andhairo Say Daaray Itna Kay Hum Ghar Hi Jala Bathay
We are scared of the dark so much that we are burning our own home
Yeah Kya Charo Taraf Urti Howi Ryigani Hey
What is this rising all around us…
Hamarey Naam Say Phali Howi Jhoti Kahani Hey
The stories that are being spread in our names are lies
Yeah Hum Nahi. Yeah Hum Nahi, Yeah Hum Nahi. Yeah Hum Nahi,
This is not us…
Gira Bathay Ha Rastay Mein Sabak Hum Sath Rahnay Ka
We have lost on the way the lesson of living togeather
Humay Ek Dosray Say Isliya Bhi Lag Raha Ha Daar
we are now even scared of each other.
Who Koi Aur Hain Jin Kay Taray Hataoo May Chehray Hain
They are others whose faces are on your hands
Tumhara Duokh Sumandar Hey….Hamaray Zakham Ghairay Hey
Your hurts are a deep sea - our wounds are deep.
Hamarey Naam Say Phali Howi Jhoti Kahani Hey
The stories that are being spread in our names are lies
Yeah Hum Nahi. Yeah Hum Nahi, Yeah Hum Nahi. Yeah Hum Nahi,
This is not us…
I figured this video was worth posting again as well.
Comments
Great clip and post Chezz.
It always puzzles me wonder why my Muslim friends are not like the monsters constantly portrayed by the media. I grew up with many of them and one of my best mates actually comes from Pakistan. He's the biggest ratbag I know, but in a fun sort of way. So, it's good to hear and see that there are other Muslims out there who'd stand up and say "that's not us".
And it would also be good to see the rest of us refrain from tarring all Muslims with the same brush.
But you know what Paikea, many of the Islamic faith are to be congratulated for taking steps to try and address the misconceptions, speaking out against terrorism and accepting that there are people in their religion who are a problem to world peace and they are trying to do something about it.
I think it is time that some other religions had a close examination of their behaviour and start to accept some responsibility too when it comes to their actions and world peace.
I was raised as a Christian and as you know in recent times I have struggled with my faith and I have decided to go it alone so to speak and not be tied to organised religion. However having said that, I now know that I will always have strong Christian values and I will try to live by them as best as I can.
I accept that there will always be some people in religions who do not represent their religion well and that is a fact of human nature, but that doesn't mean that all who represent their respective religions do so in a bad way, and in fact quite often the opposite is true.
But it is wrong for people to condemn another religion and at the same time totally ignore their own religion's faults. It is also absurd when people claiming to be a member of their religion go "bad" and the general response from the other members is just to say, "Yes but they are not really one of us, so that doesn't count" and then have the audacity to tell another religion that it does count when one of their members does a bad thing.
In Christianity I thought we were all supposed to be "sinners" and therefore we did things which weren't always so nice. I thought that was the whole purpose of Jesus dying on the cross was to save Christians from their sins. So it makes no sense to me when it comes to Christianity, to deny a person is a Christian when they do something that isn't right. Yes by all means say, "What you did is not the right thing according to Christian teachings", but to deny they are a Christian when they say that they are, and in some cases are actually proclaiming they are a Christian when they are doing the bad deed, that seems totally wrong to me.
Sorry for the sermon but it needed to be said and your comment did give me a chance to say it.
i agree - i think that members of all the world's religions need understand that they must become "part of the solution" and not contribute to the "problem" by simple saying "but, that's not OUR -insert religion here-" - because at some level, it is - all these religious factions - they're all spawned from these religions, whether people want to admit it or not - so, it is all religious participants' global responsibility to keep this world in one piece - by no means am i saying they're the ONLY ones who can help - but, they are the ones "closest" to these factions whether they like it or not, so they should be an integral part of the process to mediate, regulate, etc. such factions - instead of hiding behind their lame excuses of "they're not REAL Christains" or "they're not REAL Jews" or "they're not REAL Muslims" or "they're not "REAL Hindus" or "they're not REAL Buddhists" - as you said in one of your replies on another post - there are good bits and bad bits in all the religious texts - it's just a matter of interpretation - which is subjective - so, in my opinion - they're ALL what they say they are
i hope that's somewhat clear at least...my screen is blurry and i can't see a damn thing
I totally agree with you.