By Febriyanti Lestari

Though Abderrahmane Sissako does not mention in the film that his Timbuktu (2014) is “based on a true story,” it is obvious that he was inspired by the actual crisis in Mali in 2012. Between March 2012 and 2013, Timbuktu, particularly, was controlled by the extremist group Ansar Dine, which is part of al-Qaeda, forcefully imposing the sharia law on the local people. Being both a Muslim and native Mali-Mauritanian himself, Sissako plays out his insider’s perspective when addressing the recent chaos—or some might call it “fitnah”—propagated by the fundamentalists that claim to be “Muslims” but generally do not share the same “humanist” values held by the Muslim majority. During a critical period when Muslims continue to be misrepresented and demonized in the aftermath of 9/11, I find the way Sissako presents his story in the village/town of Timbuktu very interesting.

Sissako draws an explicit line between the native Timbuktu and Ansar Dine. In this film, the extremists are depicted as “invaders”—alien, unwanted, disliked—despite the fact that they declare themselves to be Muslims who supposedly become “brothers” for the local Muslim residents. Sissako points out the internal issue within Islam itself, in which even some Quranic verses and hadith are subject to various interpretations by different scholars. In the absence of a single correct Islamic lifestyle guide that all Muslims agree upon to deal with modern life, the majority Muslim “ordinary” focus on their own soul purification. In Timbuktu, the contrast is articulated through the Timbuktu’s respected leader who can speak Arabic fluently. He is depicted as a calm man with great piety, wisdom, Islamic knowledge and reasoning, as opposed to the Ansar Dine leaders who contradict the message of Islam as a religion of peace. This local leader courageously criticizes and advices the Ansar Dine leaders and members several times. For examples, he tells them that he does jihad for himself, not for other’s jihad, to use head instead of weapons, to treat women respectfully, and to put forward consultation instead of force when solving problems. It is ironical that Ansar Dine’s barbaric conduct creates frustration to the native Timbuktu who are apparently practicing Muslims. I would say they represent the silent Muslim majority, the moderate Muslims in general who have been victimized by other self-claimed “Muslims.” They do show resistance, but they are helpless in front of the extremist military style.

In short, this film calls into question what the true face of Islam is, how the Islamic lifestyle should be, which guiding principle should the Muslims look up to, etc. Are the ancient models of punishment such rajm and jald still relevant? Is smoking, singing, or playing football really haram? Who has the authority to decide? In the midst of this confusion, again, the “ordinary” or the powerless become the victims, like the native Timbuktu Muslims, of the military fundamentalists. This is a huge message, but Sissako could present it artistically. The dead cow named “GPS” does symbolize the loss of direction in Islam. (FL)

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