Arabic Theatre Night by CYAT delivers heartfelt performances

By, Shaireza Jaafar

GOMBAK, 10 June 2024: The Council of Young Arabic Teachers (CYAT) organised an Arabic Theatre Night, featuring two interrelated performances concerning the conflict in Palestine on Saturday night (8 June 2024) in IIUM’s Wadi Budi.

The three-hour event took the audience back to the past and then to the future, based on the premonition of the destruction felt by Khalifah Umar bin al-Khattab R.A. to the contemporary plight in Palestine, making it not merely a form of entertainment but also as a means to raise awareness of the brutality endured by the Palestinians.

Program Manager, Liyana Yusoff, emphasised in an interview with IIUMToday that the two performances were adjusted to the issue of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with the aim of unveiling to the audience on the Palestinian transition from tranquillity to catastrophe.

“Arabic Theatre Night is an annual event held by CYAT as an assessment requirement for students who are taking the Islamic literature course, particularly students who are majoring in Teaching Arabic as Second Language (TASL) and Islamic Education (ISED),” explained Liyana.

The first performance, titled, “Zaitun Town,” delved into the past when Khalifah Umar bin al-Khattab R.A. had a dream about the destruction of Jerusalem, the demolishment of Al-Aqsa mosque and the sacrifice of many Muslim lives. In response to this vision, Umar took action to preserve and protect Jerusalem.

Subsequently, the second performance captured how Palestine had become Umar’s “dream-come-true” state, as it tapped into the devastation of Gaza in Palestine.

When asked about the event, one of the actors, Muhammad Na’im Zaris, said, “I believe this event has turned out successfully from the planning process, to rehearsing, to the execution of the theatre as each bureau was able to give their best efforts in realising the event.”

“I hope that this theatre performance will expand in the future and include more participants, not only from amongst IIUM students but students from other schools and universities as well, showcasing our talented students,” said KOED lecturer, Dr. Erfan Abdeldaim.

The event also featured an interactive activity like a quiz to make it more engaging and to obtain feedback from the audience on both performances.

The event was also attended by invited guests, Editor, Mohamad Yazid bin Abdul Majid and students from Sekolah Berasrama Penuh Integrasi (SBPI) Rawang.***