Koran By Heart - Documentary

[ElPunto]

A young child sits in a modest seat in front of a computer and a room full of expectant people. He presses a button, and the computer tells him where to begin reciting from and where to stop.

 

What happens next is an incredible string of intonations and harmonious poetry that sail out with eyes closed. It’s a stunning feat of memorization, and a testament to the beauty of an ancient language and text.

 

This is the world’s oldest Koran memorization contest, and in Koran By Heart, director Greg Barker tells a sweetly compelling story about three of the youngest competitors.

 

There are few documentaries that get every element right, but this is certainly one of them. It takes the base of a competition film and uses the space to tell rich, vibrant stories about a group of talented young people who (in almost all cases) are shining examples in communities that struggle to support potential. More than that, it’s an introduction to another side of one of the world’s largest religions that seems to see Western headlines most whenever a bomb goes off in a public place. However, it’s not a defender of the faith by far, because any political or social commentary that emerges is straight from the people on screen and never from those behind the camera.

 

The three children in the spotlight here are all ten years old – an impressive feat considering that they’re competing against much older children. Nabiollah is from Tajikistan, and he’s trying to get into a private school in Dushanbe after the government shut his rural school down in an effort to crack down on religious extremists. Rifdha excels in all of her studies, but her father wants her both to be perfect and to be a housewife when she grows up. Djamil has traveled to Cairo for the event on his own, leaving family in Senegal behind.

 

All have memorized the 600-page Koran. None of them speak Arabic.

 

What’s at the center of this fantastic film is a coming-of-age story that takes place halfway across the world (at least from where I’m sitting). The success of it all rests on the ingenious way in which Barker and company have told those stories in both a familiar and a foreign way. These children could very well be headed to the National Spelling Bee, but their futures (both familial and societal) are contentious and not at all in their hands. The complex underpinnings of each story are never lost on the production, and neither are the opportunities for postcard-esque shots of Cairo, Maldives, Senegal or Tajikistan.

 

Somehow, a careful balance was struck, and nuanced moments win the day over the kind of ham-fisted politicking that might have infected the event at the hands of a different documentarian. Even though there are many different religious and societal viewpoints at work, none of them loses momentum or is given the short end of the stick – Barker lends even time to Rifdha’s encouraging mother and to her rigid, traditional father, for example. There’s a sense in this film of a world community which continues to disagree with itself, but all of those debates are silenced at the sound of a young child’s voice singing its most holy scripture.

 

That glorious recitation punctuates the movie with soul-cradling excerpts from the children in the competition. One child brings tears to the judges’ eyes, and it’s easy to see why. At the heart of the story is an incredible art.

 

After all, no matter the deep thinking that’s present in this compelling flick, the truth of it all is that the children are just so damned talented and adorable. It’s like watching Alvin and the Chipmunks lose themselves in the word of God. What they’re doing is amazing both for the hard work involved and for the beautiful, melismatic result.

 

The same stomach-sinking moments that exist whenever children compete in movies are present here, but there’s a touch of magic to the rest of it simply by engaging these extraordinary kids and their families. Plus, the look of the film is sleek and professional, propelled by interesting cinematography that’s been edited together with serious skill.

 

Political commentary, theological lesson, and coming-of-age story all calmly wrapped up together, Koran By Heart is a kind piece of filmmaking in a weary world.

 

Trailer - http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xk756o_hbo-documentary-films-summer-series-koran-by-heart-hbo_shortfilms

[STOIC]

Thanks for posting..... I'm watching it now on HBO on demand....interesting

[Blessed]

Sounds great, shame that I can't watch it..

[Mayaani]

Blessed, you can watch whole movie at vimeo.com. Just type in 'Koran By Heart'

[Manahel.fatima]

JAZAKALLAH khair i will watch that on the site.

[Blessed]

Nice one, Mayaani,. Thanks.

[Baarqab Qooqay]

shukran akhi its great Documentary

 

for those who want to Download the entire Documentary

[Alderman]

All have memorized the 600-page Koran. None of them speak Arabic.

What's the point in memorizing it if you don't understand it?

[Blessed]

^Reciting the Quran is an act of worship, regardless of one's understanding. Mass memorisation of the Quran preserves it. You don't have to speak Arabic to understand the Quran. Although, it is better to understand and implement the message of Quran, there is a huge reward in what these children have achieved, tajweed being a science in it's own right. Insha Allah the learning of tafseer will follow, I think the Tajik child did say that they were thought the meaning also by their teacher. May Allah increase them in knowledge make the Quran their guide I'A.

 

 

I finally found the time to watch the documentary, it was nicely done, I must say. I cried with little DJamil.

[Malika]

^Amiin..The Tajik child had a beautiful voice - but what stood out to me is their inquisitive minds, clearly very intelligent bunch.

[Blessed]

Indeed. Just hope that the adults around them don't break them by imposing their own agenda.

[Garnaqsi]

Alderman;743822 wrote:

What's the point in memorizing it if you don't understand it?

Reminds me of this (note that the voice-over says the kid doesn't understand the meaning of what he's reciting):

 

 

 

The case of the boy above might be unique, of course, but I really don't think this is healthy endeavour in general.

[Valenteenah.]

Masha'Allah, what bright and beautiful children. But I found the competition heartbreaking, especially when the judges gave that young 7yo Egyptian boy and the South African kid such low marks. I think they tried so hard bless them, and their turns came later in the night and you know how kids get tired by 6pm....fartaan wadnaha ku hayey when it was Rifdha's turn at, what was it 2.45am?, but she aced it bless her.

 

Blessed, I haven't got to Djamil's part yet...but I was rooting for him most. I hope he did well!

 

Excellent documentary.

[Manahel.fatima]

Well great voice but what the judges do at end heart break....

[Sensei]

I luved it cousin!