Abd Al Malik , a singer, a caliph

I was in Senegal when the extreme right party was on the last round of the 2002 presidential election in France. That’s when I decided to go back to Paris but also where I learnt to shut up. It got me ready for the Parisian art scene in a way. Keeping silent can actually be quite relaxing. You don’t get into conversations. It’s less tiring - that is when you don’t have to go through the effort of shutting up anymore.
With a bit of practice you avoid thinking altogether. Or at least you avoid being caught in someone else’s conversation.
During my stay in Senegal I also went to Guinea Bissau. When asked about my religion for the visa I was told that “without” was not an option. I had to write Christian. It’s quite a bit later that I understood that asking “do you believe in it” was not an option either. You can’t ask that. It’s weird at first but you get used to it. Some women later explained to me that hey had been told not to doubt.
Back in Paris, I bought the Koran and was spellbound. De Sade is literature. I mean we know that but the Koran, man, it is something else. It is NOT literature, believe me.
When you’re told about a hundred times that you are damned, that you will burn in hell, forever, that you deserve severe, painful and never-ending punishment and that will suffer during eternity, you do end up hearing the threat, I’m telling you. This is performative speech. I mean it is difficult not to identify a little bit with the non-believers. But hey, maybe you are a believer.
I read it all, and re-read and re-read it. I couldn’t believe it – I don’t mean I couldn’t believe what it said, I couldn’t believe this was actually what some of my friends believe in. When I tried to speak about what I had read, I couldn’t find anybody who actually read the Koran. I was just told I was a simplistic “anti-Muslim”. So you see; it can be nasty to quote.
I then got threatened when I wanted to publish extracts of the Koran about slavery. I got scared. I’m not anymore.
In printed editions as well as on the Internet, you’re informed you can’t really get the Koran without faith. I only had language a certain sense of logic and curiosity going for me. I did what I could. As early as the second Surah you’re notified: “As for the disbelievers, whether thou warn them or thou warn them not it is all one for them; they believe not. Allah hath sealed their hearing and their hearts, and on their eyes there is a covering. Theirs will be an awful doom.”
Shall I re-play it for you? Where are you blindfolded and punished because you can’t see if not in an S&M club.
A French rapper called Abd Al Malik claims in his song  “12th September” that one shouldn’t mix up faith and politics. The singer got three music awards (in France of course) the Constantin price, the Raoul Breton price, the Charles-Cros Académie price, the Edgar-Faure political litterature price, the Césaire trophy and on top of it all he was knighted in the order of Arts and Letters by the minister of culture at the MIDEM (French music fair).
Official art? For sure.
Political art? Of course not!
Faith art? well...
There maybe is a religion which isn’t in the sociology, ethnology and history of religions books I read. There might be out here faith without its rules and its practical organisation of life. One that wouldn’t stipulate what you should and shouldn’t do. From the precise lows of monotheisms to Buddhist precepts, from Animists cults to Hinduism, I never heard of such a faith. But it’s maybe I missed out on something. Let’s go back to why the singer got decorated. I'm so nasty I'll quote again: “When the sacred months have passed, slay the idolaters wherever ye find them, and take them (captive), and besiege them, and prepare for them each ambush. But if they repent and establish worship and pay the poor due, then leave their way free.
Not political!
“O ye who believe! Choose not disbelievers for (your) friends in place of believers. Would ye give Allah a clear warrant against you? Lo! The hypocrites (will be) in the lowest deep of the fire , and thou wilt find no helper for them”
Not political! Of course not!
“Now when ye meet in battle those who disbelieve, then it is smiting of the necks until, when ye have routed them, then making fast of bonds; and afterward either grace or ransom till the war lay down its burdens. That (is the ordinance).”
Not political!
“And all married women (are forbidden unto you save those (captives) whom your right hands possess. It is a decree of Allah for you”
Not political.
 “O ye who believe! Observe your duty to Allah, and give up what remained (due to you) from usury, if ye are (in truth) believers. And if ye do not, then be warned of war (against you) from Allah and His messenger. And if ye repent, then ye have your principal (without interest).”
Not political.

If you google Abd Al Malik in English, you’ll first learn about a caliph who ruled from 685 to 705, re-conquered Mecca and Iraq and submitted the Berber people. French rapper born Régis Fayette-Mikano could not have mixed up faith with politics when he adopted this name.
His wife, she’ll never be a knight because her audience is mainly in the suburb. And I’m talking French suburb here. She sings: “I’m the one who says no. They want something that will be successful. But I don’t belong to the ones who sell out.  They want me to collaborate, but I choose the camp of the trenches. My identity against success. I prefer singing with my heart broken. One and indivisible. Incorruptible  (…) I joined the maquis. Indivisible, incorruptible. When the run for money is distracting us, each one us passes by the truth. Do like Malcolm, my brother (yeah) to have a better life. Don’t kowtow unless in front of God.” (see the video)
Imagine for a second she’d sing: “I shut up, I only do what I’m told. I swear I will not surprise you with any new idea.”

Can I just add another quote? Men are overseers over women, by reason of that wherewith Allah hath made one of them excel over anot her, and by reason of that which they expend of their substance. Wherefore righteous women are obedient, and are watchers in husbands absence by the aid and protection of Allah. And those wives whose refractoriness ye fear, exhort them, and avoid them in beds, and beat them; but if they obey you, seek not a way against them; verily Allah is ever Lofty, Grand. (4/34)

By the way, let me just add: "I'm against hatred, poverty, lies, sickness and suffering. "
... and also, I should add that all this is about art. I just like sides tracks...

(sorry about my spelling and grammatical mistakes...)