The face-off between Zarnab and Faaris in the recent Gentleman episode was long coming. Seeing how principled our heroine is, we were expecting no less from her than to oppose the corrupt system that has crept into our everyday life choices.
Zarnab is calling out to the conscience of the people, but is she being too idealistic? On one end is the self assured, smooth, smart-talking eligible bachelor Faaris with a promising career – any girl’s dream come true. And on the other end is emotional, honest, upright and principled Zarnab. That’s the story.
The Haram vs Halal Debate
It’s all well and good to say one shouldn’t indulge in “Haram” (unpermissible or unlawful in Islam) activities but another thing when the challenge presents itself up close and personal, and also, when it asks us to choose between love and our ideals. But Zarnab’s dialogues seem to reveal her inner strength, patriotism and sense of duty to the nation, qualities we often save for independence day social media posts or idealistic rhetoric. They also reveal a deeper meaning of the term “Haram”.
Here’s the scene that caught viewers’ attention, intense, honest and not cutting corners, exactly what they expect of Zarnab:
“Haram Khaungi, Tau Haram Karke Dikhaungi”
Zarnab Schools Us On The Haram vs Halal Debate
Here’s why this conversation was important. Often we the people, absolve ourselves from the responsibility of engaging in corrupt activities by declaring that we are private citizens who work for a living and have no business with those who are plundering the country for their own benefit.
But Zarnab’s dialogue goes a step further, urging us to consider our life choices – even if we are not acting in a corrupt manner, we might be receiving benefits, financial or otherwise, that have been obtained through “Haram” activities. In this case, Faaris depositing money in Zarnab’s account is to allegedly cover a money trail that might lead him back to Rehmati’s bribe to the government that helped keep the gangster out of prison.
Zarnab was not a party to this underhand deal, in fact, wasn’t even aware of such a deal having taken place. But her demand to know where the money originated from, is a great message to all of us to not live in denial, and perhaps, irresponsibility. Just because we did not commit the action, does not mean we can enjoy the benefits of it, because:
1. This makes us guilty of the act in a way and
2. Once we have consumed of the gains from “Haram” activity, we end up corrupting ourselves and have already crossed a line, and hence, might at some point, go a step further and indulge in the same?
Zarnab, The Voice Of Conscience Or Too idealistic For The Real World?
Zarnab’s character serves as the voice of conscience in ordinary citizens. There is a very fine line between Haram and Halal, but the question is, that if one enjoys the winnings of a “Haram” activity, this might perhaps, take us one step closer to committing a “Haram” (corrupt) practice ourselves at some point.
After all, there’s always a first in life, which makes the second step easier to take. Zarnab is warning us not to take that first step, because, perhaps, there’s no turning back from there.
There is no grey in the world of Haram and Halal (permissible or lawful in Islam) practices, either you indulge in them, or you don’t. The Gentleman narrative is urging us to be more mindful of our life choices: once we accept a payment without a money trail in our account, we have already stepped into the world of the corrupt. It also makes us think of the multiple ways we might be using or benefitting from “Haram” activities without actually indulging in them. This is Zarnab’s premise for which she is willing to stake her relationship with the person she loves. Tell us if you agree with Zarnab’s reasoning or do you feel she’s being too idealistic in a very practical world?
Drop us a comment and tell us your thoughts.
Gentleman airs every Saturday and Sunday on Green Entertainment. It is based on a story written by the renowned playwright, Khalil Ur Rehman Qamar and directed by Haissam Hussain, produced by the dynamic duo Samina Humayun Saeed and Sana Shahnawaz of Next Level Entertainment. The cast includes Humayun Saeed, Yumna Zaidi, Adnan Siddiqui, Zahid Ahmed, Sohai Ali Abro, and Ahmad Ali Butt among others.
