Comments | writinghawk: The trees they grow so high

writinghawk

The trees they grow so high

Oct 20, 2010 19:25

I am going to Ken'dhikulhudhoo for the weekend tomorrow, so I SMSd a few people there earlier, including some of my students. I had a phone call from Fazleem just now. He wasn't actually one of my students but had classmates who were, and since the two A-level years in this country run from June, out of step with the other years, he is no longer a ( Read more... )

Comments 7

kalypso_v October 20 2010, 15:58:29 UTC

How old are they?

writinghawk October 20 2010, 16:24:42 UTC

18ish. I could have made this clearer rather than leaving it to be deduced from his having just finished A-levels.

He wanted to go to Medina two years ago, on finishing his O-levels, but his mother said he should do his A-levels first, so out of filial piety he did. I expect she hoped he would change his mind in the meantime.

kalypso_v October 20 2010, 16:30:34 UTC

Well, I thought probably 18ish, but I wasn't sure whether the schooling system would work quite the same way. (I suppose it doesn't really, if we've got rid of Levels ourselves.)

3c66b October 20 2010, 18:09:41 UTC

10/10 for the folk music reference, but now I've got the blasted tune stuck in my head...

writinghawk October 21 2010, 01:09:13 UTC

I refer the honourable gentleman to my reply last time he made a similar complaint.

gareth_rees October 21 2010, 10:47:18 UTC

So what are the opportunities for a bright student who doesn't want to go study Islam in Madina?

writinghawk October 25 2010, 06:09:20 UTC

Actually I gatecrashed his wedding party on Saturday and it seems that the Medina plan, though not abandoned, is sliding towards the long grass. He 'didn't apply this year', but is going in the new year to start a 2-year imam-ery course in Male', after which he can get a job as an imam in a mosque somewhere. The course isn't absolutely necessary, indeed he's already done some temporary imam-ing at home in Kendhikulhudhoo. He has a really beautiful voice when singing the recitation of holy Qu'ran or call to prayer - you really notice this when the air is normally filled with cacophonous calls to prayer five times a day - a pity that these very religious types have convinced themselves that music of any other kind is forbidden. His wife will stay at home with her parents while he is studying and he will be able to visit every couple of months or so ( ... )