The wedding of the year...

Was watching Katherine and Williams' wedding today and apart from the choir singing, sermons and mentions of trinity which is not part of my belief, I think everyone can agree that we all enjoy watching a happy wedding. It was indeed a happy wedding, a significant event during a time of economic crisis, possibly a closure to the rather tragic and unhappy years of Charles and Diana.

What really struck me was how the British have always shy away from overt expressions of patriotism and nationalism...unlike America, waving of flags, singing of national anthems on normal daily occasions is so...unlike the British and having lived in Britain for a while, I personally find the drowning of national anthem, the nationalistic songs being repeated again and again on TV and speeches and national day parades that is held in Malaysia rather distasteful, a bit cringey and of course not to mention haraam in the first place.

The British establishment has achieved today something that possibly have not been achieved so successfully by any other nation...this event was so timely, and the mood was so beautifully orchestrated, a memory that will probably be ringing national anthems in people's minds for the rest of their lives, a stronger impact than having to stand up and sing the song every morning during school assembly. Well, you start to wonder if there are side gains to this event than just two people professing their love to one another.

I have no doubt that these two individuals genuinely wanted to get married but...with a very anticipated wedding, a silver jubilee on the way and the Olympics next year...I have no doubt that nationalistic and patriotic feelings will sweep over Britain like a hurricane without people knowing it; despite over 5 decades ceasing to be an empire, they have managed to capture the world's attention with simply a wedding. No other royal family in the world has that much publicity.

Like I said, everyone enjoys a happy wedding and I certainly love weddings...the clothes, the food, the festive atmosphere and the gathering of families. It was a great feeling to see two people tie the knot...and in Islam, when a woman is given away by her father (or wali) and forms a marriage contract with a man, it is legally binding...marriage is a good thing so don't get me wrong...I'm not criticizing the wedding as such but this is not just another ordinary wedding. We need to be careful and to pose certain questions, not to be swept away by cheering crowds...not to become part of a wandering herd.

Patriotism is a feeling shared by the common people in defending a land, a country...and nationalism is a feeling shared by a group of people, bonded by pride of their tribe, race, skin-colour or nationality. It is a superficial bond, one that can often lead to feeling of superiority above others. It is clearly a feeling rebuked and warned by our Prophet Muhammad (saw) because he (saw) was once asked about asabiyyah (nationalism) and he replied """  leave it! it is rotten."

Nationalism and patriotism has gained its momentum and will soon sweep across the British isle like a tsunami. In some ways...I am glad I'm not there to witness it.