International Islamic university Islamabad

Topic: Among the Believers – Malaysia

Submitted to: Mam rubia

Submitted by:

Fatima gul

Abida parveen

Maryam tariq

Siatara ayaz

Date 7th May. 2103

Conversation with Shafi

The Journey out of Paradise

In the conversation with Shafi, Naipaul has demonstrated the religion of Islam. He has discussed

about Islam by presenting negative picture of it. He has discussed that Islam reached to Indonesia

and Malaysia, not by armies or colonist; rather it spread through merchants and priests. He has

further discussed that Islam spread as an idea—a Prophet divine revelation, heaven and hell, a

divinely sanctioned code—and it is mingled with older ideas. For Naipaul Islamic missionaries

come to different parts of the world to purify the mixed religion. These missionaries are only

concerned with Islam and the enemies of Islam.

Moreover, while demonstrating the preaching system of Islam; Naipaul has narrated that,

every Muslim is a missionary to Islam. And this was the idea of the brotherhood assembled in

the waterlogged desert of the Punjab. In this area people spent four days tent life and in these

days they are being taught about Islam. Naipaul has asserted that a simple man, after spending

four days in this area go out intoxicated by their vision of a world about to change. And these are

the people who go to Malaysia to preach Islam.

Naipaul in his book Among the Believers has given the geographic imagery of Malaysia.

As Malaysia is a state which is a hybridization of different cultures, hence there are a few

Indianized architectural remains in far north of Malaysia. Joseph Conrad, through his stories

portrayed the image of Malay large group of islands; Archipelago. He has also demonstrated the

European coasting vessels, their trading or administrative settlements, in his stories. He has also

narrated about Chinese peasants and laborers. They established their roots in Malay. Conrad has

asserted the theme of outer edge of darkness, about Malaysia in his works. He argued that, after

when Malaysia has got independence, and after when Malaysia become a developed country;

Islamic revolutionaries in Malaysia have emerged. After discussing geography of Malaysia,

Conrad comes to the point of Malaysian economy; and highlights that Malaysia is a rich state. It

produces more precious things like thin, rubber, palm oil, and oil, rather than coconut and rattan.

Besides this, Conrad’s stories also depicts about the population of Malaysia. People of Malaysia

have come out of the ‘edge of darkness’ due to education. They become literate and have entered

into a new world of civilization.

Naipaul has also drawn imagery about the natural scenes of Malaysia, in his book Among

the Believers. He has also given detailed description about the construction of colonial era, in

Malaysia. Next to this he has also narrated about the public places and gardens of Malaysia. He

has depicted the ways of living of Malay’s uprooted village people. They dressed up themselves

like Arabs. They wear turbans and gowns. Malay girls wear gloves and socks and they also cover

their face with veils. Naipaul has claimed that this veil is a symbol of aggression.

Despite of education, the young generation of Malaysia is still in confusion about their

country. They consider their country as ‘remade’ by British and Chinese colonizers; in a way that

both of these colonizers have worked for the development of Malaysia. British have developed

mines and plantation and along with them Chinese and Indians have also played their part in this

development. Still Malaysian thinks that they have lost a lot because of Colonialism.

Naipaul has also narrated about the state affairs of Malaysia. Its official religion is Islam,

and State is also governed by Islamic rules or laws. Naipaul has asserted that Malaysian have the

weapon of Islam; which serves for them to get even with the world. He has also viewed Islam as

a religion of impending change and triumph. It is a part of world movement. Moreover, Naipaul

has also presented Islam by comparing it with other religion. He has given reference of a

missionary magazine, ‘Reading in Islam’. In this magazine the author has claimed that ‘the west

is eating itself up with its materialism and greed’; whereas, in Islamic state materialistic world is

to be pulled first. The instance of this can be observed in the states of Pakistan and Iran. Islam

continues to spread in this way from Pakistan to Malaysia and Indonesia, as well. Moreover,

Naipaul has asserted that Islam has a discrimination system for non-believers. He has mentioned

that Islam discriminates non-believers on the basis of their living style. Islam claimed about non-

believers that they spend the major part of their wealth on ostentation living and demonstrates his

pomp and show by wearing of silk and brocade and using vessels of gold and silver. Due to this

Naipaul claimed Islam as a ‘Malaysian Disease’.

The chief concern of Naipaul in the chapter ‘Conversations in Malaysia’ is to share his

conversation with Shafi, to his readers. Shafi is a man who has worked for the cause of Muslims.

He, in his conversation with Naipaul has discussed his experience of the world, outside of his

village. He has demonstrated that when he has visited the world he become attracted towards

materialistic world. But despite of this, he has not indulged in immoral acts.

While Naipaul’s conversation with Shafi he has investigated his visit to Kuala Lampur.

Discussing this experience shafi has elaborated the idea of freedom, that freedom must be

defined within a certain framework. Shafi’s primary aim to visit Kuala Lampur was education.

But a conflict developed between his freedom and aim, due to the religious restrictions.

Furthermore, he has drawn comparison between village and city life. He claimed that village life

is simpler than city life. He has asserted the luxuries of city life as ‘wastefulness’.

Moreover, while discussion Shafi has also pointed out government discriminated favor

for Malyas. They were given loans to bring them up economically to the level of Chinese.

Furthermore, he has also discussed about the comparison of Muslim and Chinese village. Hence

through this conversation Naipaul has given the detailed image of Malaysian state.

BRAVE GIRLS

V.S. Naipaul so far a traveler in the land of Malaysia specifically Kuala Lumpur is now at this

state of moment agitated because of sleepless nights and the unfamiliar environment around him.

Not only he was alienated to the city, environment was also alien for him .In the room held

across to the racecourse ground, he had chosen living in the Holiday Inn in Kuala Lumpur.

Looking outside the window was his sole hobby that kept him motivated .He explicitly presented

before his readers an overview of racecourse ground which was to greater surprise was filled

with all human ,not a single horse. The purpose behind over population of humans in grounds on

especially Saturday and Sunday was to watch television and gamble. Under Malaysia’s Islamic

laws-gambling was permitted in Kuala Lumpur only on the racecourse grounds.

The weather especially nature which include dense plantation include made him realize that if he

could be more alert, he could enjoy more of what he saw. He went downstairs to talk about

cables; the girl at desk referred him towards the door bearing Sign for Authorized Personnel

Only. Malay girl who was an operator was not able to speak English well ,as checking her files

V.S. Naipaul read some of the staff notices which were in English and Malay “irresponsible

staff” had been “urinating and purging” on the floor of the locker, and on canteen plates and in

canteen glasses . He wished he hadn’t read them.

V.S. Naipaul is of the opinion that ritual cleanliness had nothing to do with cleanliness for its

own sake, nothing to do with regard for the other man. Now he went to Equatorial Hotel for

buffet lunch. There he met a Muslim who told him that the town was not built for Muslim people

because Muslims were suppose to wash ritually five times a day before they offered their

prayers. The travel, V.S. Naipaul was excited to hear Shafi’s story which partly kicked off this

dullness. Shafi came to see him in afternoon in his everyday office clothes along with his friend

of small size. His friend’s father was a village mullah. The friend himself was specialized in

Islamic studies, went to Birmingham in England for his doctorate. Now was a high official in

ABIM.

The travel rhetorically asked him “you are just like Shafi. You don’t try to cover up

anything”. The counter attack was also a question “what do we have to cover up? What do we

have?” while talking to them guests V.S. Naipaul asked about his yesterday question that what

you thought of white people around the pool ,was it the first time you was to think of such a

thing ? The answer was “I never see those people”. He meant in both ways: he had never

occasion to meet white people, and when he saw them he took never took them in. Caring of

Shafi for his crippled friend reminded Naipaul of Behzad and his girl friend on the platform of

Tehran station. Shafi had promised to take Naipaul to the ABIM School and even to find some

“brave girls” there who could talk to him.

At the school Naipaul met an Australian, a big middle aged man, sitting by himself. Shafi told

that he was trying to learn about Islam. Shafi was to go for work so he left the traveler with

Nasar, whose ancestors were sheikh, Malay who lived in Arabia and shepherded Malay’s

pilgrims to Mecca. Now in modern Malaysia he belonged to “a lower –middle class family”.

Nasar told him that he was able to learn through his experience that big powers were not

interested in peace; they cared only about their spheres of influence; they sold arms. They are too

individualistic .They always try to be together with others, but not with your family. Discussing

about the threats to modern Malaysia Nasar told that free mixing and alcoholism were the great

dangers. The people also believed that unemployment today was due partly the philosophy of

“female liberation”. Shafi also said that “when the girls come from the village s to Kuala

Lumpur, they don’t want to be protected by the law”.

Finally meeting the female of Malaysia who were the most important yet controversial area for

traveler to accomplish .the girls were of different racial types .they both wore long dresses and

had covered heads .they both were little nervous and had been working at the ABIM school for

two years and they had come there because the hadn’t done well enough in government school.

The first question raised by Naipaul was about their head covers to which they call in Malay tu-

dong. The answer was purely religious “not a single piece of the hair must show”. On

inquiring about the reasons the girls answered “some girls have very nice hair and sometimes

men are sexually attracted to the hair”. Girls further told that for a girl it is sinful to make men

attracted to you .discussing more about their religion the other girl told that “the hair is aurat”.

The feet are aurat and for men aurat from waist to the knee.

The girls also told that the main aim of those philosophies is to preserve the beauty and

gentleness of women, were can preserve our beauty .It is not for showing off. It is very bad. The

girls also told Naipaul that they don’t know Arabic but Koran is in Arabic so they can read it

only. Discussing the educational systems the girl told that right now in the government school

the educational system is more towards academic. The other girl raised another idea of Science

which is now predominant in government school. The whole discussion was led to a point where

the girls were of the opinion that we cannot forever chase materialistic things, because of their

firm in life after death. So in this life we must balance ourselves between life on earth and life

after death.

As the girls were Muslims contradictorily Naipaul who was not a believer of life after death,

both the parties had a hearty discussion on the topic. After theology they shifted their discussion

towards literature. The girls told that they had Read Barbra Cartland, Perry Mason, James

Hadley Chase, Denise Robins, and Harold Robbins. One of the girl was of the outlook that book

of Harold was dirty. On probing about the book named the Mills and Boon Naipaul was

answered with melting, soft voice of girl “whenever we read, the love is nice because it’s all

fantasy.” The girl also told that she don’t want to have any such sort of thing happened to her

because then she will lost her charm.

Comparing village life and life in town one girl is of the opinion that “the village is more

peaceful and, I would like living in village” but the other girl held a bit rational yet

contradictory idea “I would like to be in the town because it is also the center of the e

religious movements.

Problems caused by the immigrants were also discussed during their conversation. “We have

too many immigrants” mainly Chinese .the girls further told that immigrants cause trouble. It is

the British who brought them here. The British introduced the British system. Before that it was

all Islamic system. Malay was much known as the best business people before the Chinese

prowler. Concluding their discussion the girls firmly said To Be Malay Was to Be Muslim

which was written in the law of new state.

BETWEEN MALACCA AND THE GENTING HIGHLANDS

Among the believers is a detailed account of Islamic journey as the title suggests. In this

chapter rather throughout the whole novel he has been explicitly biased in his writings because

society is made up of both positive and negative elements but he was only able to trace the

negative ones with his preconceived notions in his mind about Muslim society.

In this chapter, the narrator is talking about his journey between Malacca and Gentling

Highlands. He talked about the weather of Malacca and its harshness. There he met character of

Shafi and taxi driver through he told the life of Malaysians. Through these characters he explores

the faults and materialistic thinking of Malaysian people.

In his work, he has mixed or vulcanized history with fiction, anthropology, ethnography,

geography etc. Different techniques are used by Naipaul like imagery, historical references,

indirect critique etc.

Imagery technique is used by V.S Naipaul. Imagery is a fictional technique used by the

narrator V.S Naipaul .In this chapter of Malaysia he has used harsh, hot and dry imagery for

example:

“The heat which is in the town was hard to bear. Thetrees, cattle which would

have now suffered in the sun.”

He also used black imagery and animal imagery for the land of Malacca by saying:

“Black mud was dotted with holes of small crabs and marked with the trails of

amphibious creatures, little leaping minnows and the finned black creatures that

wriggled.”

He always associated a dusty and rotted image with Malacca land. As when the author

visited Malacca he forms disgusting image of the land. He referred the soil as black mud having

filthy creatures in it and the land not having any worth of any vegetation or cultivation as Shafi

had told him about the richness as: “You can throw a seed andit will grow”

By using historical references he showed his knowledge of historical information. He

read many books and includes minute details and dates in order to convince the reader.

“I went to Malacca for the sake of its historical name: the Malacca straits, Malacca cane,

and Malacca pepper.”(254)

“Portuguese conquered Malacca in 1511 eight years before on the other side of the world

the Cortes marched on Mexico, twenty two years before Pizarro went to Peru.”

And he showed his biasness and prejudice in explaining religion Islam:

The west after it many mutations, had remained new, prompting change, prompting

disturbance, as it was doing even now. Islam had aged, had appeared to have become part of a

self-contained.

He has chosen a character Shafi through his voice he showed dissatisfaction of people with their

religion. For example

Why marriage I even proposed that there should be contract marriages. In the sense that if you

long to have a descendant, you marry the person on the understanding that after you has a child

the contract is over. And the character of Shafi also showed the backwardness of Islam. He said

the thing I could not find in the person with the same religious background as I am.

The theme of chapter is decay, stagnation and pessimism he has used a very sarcastic tone by

using the character of Shafi. We don’t have technical men, professionals then he depicted bound

and restricted society where people are bound culturally religiously,

My parents did not allow me to come to Kuala Lumpur with someone unknown to the family.

Then he showed the theme of confusion through confused state of mind. First we see he is not

satisfied with religion talking about girls and drinking but now talking about honesty.

I tried to start up on my own in the construction business, trying to be honest. It does not pay to

be honest. I got a contract and tried to be honest.

But at the very next stage he is devoid of humbleness and said: I accept that there are dedicated

people there and good people but I cannot compromise.

In short by using two characters in this chapter, he has tried to explore all the evils and negative

image of Malacca and Genting highlands. Naipaul’s narrative is not a mere piece of travel

writing but a pure political activity as Naipaul by sticking to the journalistic details, caricaturing,

stereotyping and historical perspective has tried to authenticate his work but on the bigger level it

constructs a negative image of the Muslims.

ARABY

There was an Islamic community in Kuala Lumpur, especially of young Malays who were sassed

to have rejected modern ways and were living like Arabs on farming a little piece of land. They

did not welcome visitors. Shafi was sympathetic to this idea but never interfered. For many days

nothing happened. At last Khairul telephoned V.S. Naipaul. He was a sharp, clipped member of

commune. His first question gave goose bumps to Naipaul on asking that “how do I know you

are not KGB or CIA?” After a small conversation on his identity Khairul said that he will bring

three men tomorrow.

Another burning question raised was “what aspect are you interested in?”The travel reply was

straight forward “spiritual, economic” but afterwards he realized he must have said just

economic. But the worry about the choice of subject was needless because Khairul and his men

dint come. Instead there was message to meet outside parliament building at ten.

One evening some days later, about half past seven Khairul was downstairs of the hotel along

with his three men. Three of them –including Khairul himself –were quite startling with the

turbans and long green gowns .Naipaul was still startled by their appearance that he completely

forgot about the Islamic economy once again. The only thing he was able to say was “you are all

different people” to which Khairul answered “we’re all different.”

One of the three men was Baji, who had made the pilgrimage to Mecca. Naipaul asked him

whether he had any romantic feeling for village life. He said no “village life was not Islamic”.

the doctor from the three men brought by Khairul said “there are animistic and Hindu

traditions” discussing politicians of material world and the one described in Koran ,Baji told

that he was taught about Napoleon “napoleon evolved simple and effective laws” . He

withdraws his forces in order to meet his love. So he cannot be compared to an Islamic political

leader Khalid.

Reviving their memory Naipaul asked them another question “what was it about village life

you disliked as not Islamic?” the answer was Usury .conversing about Chinese and Malays the

men said “if the Chinese community became Muslims, the Malay would become

Buddhists”.

Literature was another significant part of their thrash out. The book the mentioned was “under

the flag of revolution”, was read by them. Naipaul took some stuff, explaining that it was

tobacco to which Khairul responded as “tobacco is not encouraged in Islam”. Baji interrupted

the conversation sands said most of the tobacco manufacturers’ are Jews, they are the enemies

of God and in order to destroy them we must not consume their product.

The discussion took to a higher aspect of reality; the evolution theory .the writer felt himself lost

in the desert of Holiday Inn, when Baji told him more about history of Jews that “Jews are

genius race.” Cooling down their hot banter the writer told us that “we’ll have a bottled

drink.”Sterilizing the dense fumes of history they shifted their direction to an incident of

African who was helped by a taxi driver. For Naipaul it was something miraculous but for Baji

and all Muslim it was very normal. Baji remarked “it happens every day in Islamic countries.”

The Baji further told about the history of Jews during the reign of Moses and about the wrath of

God upon them. You are not a Muslim if you don’t believe in the book and the old testaments

was another significant information added in the knowledge of Naipaul. As result of wrath of

god for disobeying their prophet and driving him angry the tribe was converted to apes for seven

days. According to Professor Abu Daud, as a result of being turned to apes, the moral

prestige of the Jews declined …they are already degraded. The Jews are now pulling down

the whole society with them. They are dirty and they want others to be dirty.

Baji asked the question from Naipaul do you believe that your great -grand fathers were

apes? And the answer was of course no to which Baji smiled and said “that proves the

wickedness of Jews”. Telling more about the situations before and after the advent of Islam,

giving brief account of Caliph Omar “the best of men”, Baji again asked him another question

“do you believe in creator? –no was the usual answer to which he justified as “it is too

difficult for me,”after we had some discussion “I feel lost if I think too much about the

universe”. The Baji said “that feeling of loss I would describe as contentment”.

Joining more pieces in the picture of Islam, Baji explained that there are five principles that

govern our dress, green and white colors are desired of our Prophet so we prefer them.

Differentiating the difference between mandatory and encourageable, the travel appreciated their

wide range of vocabulary. Men told Naipaul that Islam is a complete code of conduct to govern

life even it tells us the rules of coughing and sneezing.

When the men finally left and rain had turned the dirt street to mud, Naipaul came out of his

room to buy sweet potato.

The Spoilt Playground

During his visit in Malaysia Naipaul went to Shafi’s village Kota Bharu which according

to Shafi was “once unpolluted, the people were pious, dignified and not materialistic” unlike the

present situation. When he enters Kota Bharu he designates savage imagery to the place. He

describes the village as a rubber estate, a place covered with jungle and with a fusion of nonstop

downpour. The village has “little low shops, little low houses, tiled roofs, and corrugated iron”.

There he meets Rehman who is a government employee and three head teachers. Among the

three men there is a lecturer who is a professor of philosophy, a registrar and an Arabic teacher.

During their conversation the lecturer shares his experience with Arabs at the Al-Azhar

University in Cairo which becomes quite intriguing for Naipaul for his further study on Arab

people. The lecturer says that the Arabs were undisciplined and unreliable. While soon after

making this statement he himself becomes an object of study for Naipaul as he wants to hear

more about The Al-Azhar.

Another man who is a registrar shares his three days experience that he spent in England.

He builds a negative picture of people living in England. According to him they have absence of

manners in their lives, no ethics and morality and no sense of decorum. He gives example of

three things which he finds immoral in England and compares it with people in Malaysia.

Registrar says that people in England travel underground; there is a speaker in Hyde Park which

announces that 60 percent of men are homosexual and men and women don’t feel ashamed while

embracing in public. For Rehman people in Malaysia don’t mix their private life with their

domestic life. There private life in secret and sacred for them. They feel that people living in

West are lost in their own world. During their conversation they are joined by an Arabic teacher

who claims that people are turning to Koran as they are tired of novels because novels are also

written by lost people who themselves have no sense of direction in their lives and thus provides

no immediate cure to their problems.

Naipaul assumes through their discussions that these people are happy and satisfied with

their lives as they used the word “content” again and again during their conversation. Naipaul

says that here at this part of Malaysia people are optimists, they have a strong belief in their

religion and they know that God will provide for their sustenance no matter how large their

families are or how poor their condition is. Naipaul says that “Islam for these men is part of their

contentment” unlike Shafi’s Islam which was “revolutionary, serving no cause”.

The next stop during Naipaul’s visit in Malaysia was Penang on the West coast. Unlike

Kota Bharu the West coast was more developed with the British plantations and factories

working under energetic Chinese. Penang being more advance in nature also had an international

airport. Here Naipaul meets Abdullah, a man of thirty four and Muhammad. They both are unlike

Kota Bharu’s people not at all content with their present situation. Abdullah talks about the city’s

dissolute condition and says that there are ‘international companies but low wages, the

casualness of Malays, their inability to compete and the need for Islam” is what Malaysia is

nowadays facing.

Emphasizing more on the colonial past Naipaul asserts that the people living in Malaysia

with Chinese feel like strangers in their own land. There is a constant rift between Chinese and

Malay people which is quite visible in their faces. Naipaul when ask Muhammad about his

colonial past, Muhammad, says that there has always been a Christian and alien atmosphere.

Living under colonial dominance Islam was never been taught to us. Having a Muslim

background their present was quite unIslamic and their identity fragmented. They were confused

between the two schools of thoughts, things which were taught in Christian school and things

which they believed throughout generations. Their ideas about life, death, society and nature

were a mixture of Christian and secular beliefs. For instance their idea of conquering nature was

based on Western concept of ecology and environment. During this process they used to find an

easy solution in Islam and their faith in God which for Naipaul is an abstract belief. These people

are living their lives with no sense of reformation, they are dependent on other people’s ideas

and thoughts and it is hard for them to get themselves out from these ideas.

Naipaul has shown that the Malay people have no account of their history they are

aimless people living in a limbo with no sense existence and direction. Their faith has made them

an abstract man living in a vague idea of utopian world. To be civilized for them is a matter of

correct religious beliefs. The only difference between old and new Malay was the difference

between Chinese and Malay people. Chinese people were more humble towards modern life

realities. They were more powerful and energetic unlike Malays. Naipaul believes that religion is

diverting Malay people from their true purpose of life, it is the reason they are still retrograde.

And for this reason they despise Chinese and call them commercial lovers while they are

aesthetic devotees.

Analysis

A critical perspective of ‘Conversations in Malaysia’ from Among the

believers by V.S. Naipaul in light of the article ‘V.S. Naipaul Vulcanization of

Travel and Fiction Paradigms’ by Serafin Roldan-Santiago. Travelogue and

fiction are two domains of writing. The former throws light on an objective

description of people, landscape, geography, ecology, economics, and social

details of an area. While the latter accounts for subjective narration of a

story or an event by employing a fictional or creative style in matters of

characterization and themes. However, in some writings the features of both

travelogue and fiction are mixed together in order to make these works more

valuable.

Among the Believer by V.S. Naipaul is book in which the technique with

that of element of fiction writing and strategies of travel writing are

vulcanized underlined by Seranfin Roldan –Santiago in his article V.S.

Naipaul’s vulcanization of travel and fiction paradigms. On one hand it

blends different form sof travel writing such as information oriented,

experiential and intellectual analytic. Time and again, the writers own

assumptions about any phenomenon can be observed . the tools of

journalism , ethnographic details , historical accoyunts , biogra[phical

features and philosophical inquires have been employed in order to gain a

narrative authority . on the other side various themes such as sense of order

and unity , poverty, isolation and decay apparent in his fictional work also

appear In this book . different images have been used that provide a glimpse

of his satiric , humorous, ironic, serious and sometimes mockery tones .

there are numerous characters belonging to a number of fields who are

conversing with each other. In short it is difficult to determine that whether

this book is a piece of fiction or it is an account of travel writing; rather it can

be termed novelouge and travelon.

‘V.S Naipaul Vulcanization of Travel and Fiction Paradigms’ by Serafin

Roldan-Santiago Malaysia have been portrayed by selecting a separate

section for each country. Conversation in analysis gives an over view of

V.S. Naipaul’s travel throughout the country .here he visits different

places such as Kotabharu, Kuala Lumpur, Malakaand so on. He meets

various people including Shafi, Nasar, Anwar Ibrahim, the leader of

ABIM, Rehman, government servants, two girls of government schools,

registrar, the hajji, doctor, philosophy lecturer, Muhammad and Abdullah.

Through various conversations with people of different fields, he gathers

information about Malaysian religious, economics, political, social,

geographical and historical affairs. Thus, where ever he goes he analyses,

comments on a particular situation and provides his own judgment by

textualizing the reality with a fictional mask.

To the article, there are three types of travel writing. One is information

oriented in which objective representation of ethnography of any area is

given. The other one is experiential which focuses the emotional aspects of

the life of people that are signified in whatever way the traveler or author

perceives them. The last kind is of intellectual analytic where the author

performs the role of an intellectual commenting on different matters and

drawing his own conclusions. Generally V.S. Naipaul writing belongs to the

third category of travelogue. There are numerous features employed by

Naipaul in his travel writing.

One of the main features of Naipaulian writer is his assumptions about

various domains of the life of people. These assumptions can be clearly

observed in Malaysia .according to him Malay people are ‘the people of river

and forest’. The development of Kuala Lumpur is the result of British

colonization; for they have worked to build factories and mines. Islam, for

Naipaul is a ‘passion’ with which people are ‘intoxicated’ by its way of

‘getting with the world’. It is a ‘weapon’ without any constructive purpose .it

is a vehicle that appears the ways against the ‘shabbiness of

materialism’ and ‘east western imitation’. Islamic principles have been

interpreted in negative light. The veil has been called the ‘mask of

aggression’. In short at different places he observed the reality buit after

deep analysis paints this reality with a fictional color.

In order to obtain a narrative authority for his text, Naipaul; employs in

numerable strategies and techniques. One of the fundamental tools used in

‘conversations in Malaysia’ is journalism. Over and again he uses

references from articles, magazines, books and newspaper and so on. While

discussing about Islam he mentions the reference from a local magazine and

he gives a reference of Hadith in which Muslim are forbidden to eat in silver

pots and to wear silk brocade. While conversing with hajji, doctor and

Khairul, the story about Jews and Moses have been highlighted in light of the

views of the holy Quran. It has demonstrated that Moses ordered the Jews to

play on Saturday. But they ignored his commandments and they went to go

for fishing on this day. As a result, the wrath of god was imposed upon them

and as a punishment they were turned in to apes . Similarly it has been

denoted that in old testaments, the news about Muhammad saw arrival is

given. The references of book written by Benjamin who later became a

Muslim and got the name of Abu Daud, about Islam have been mentioned.

are report from news paper has been provided in which African , on airport

had lost his ticket, money and other necessary papers. Than a taxi driver

showered mercy on him by arranging ticket and money for him .the news

coming from the other parts of the world in Malaysia has also been given

some place. The preparation of martial law in Pakistan, the crash of an

airplane coming back from Mecca to Pakistan and the fight in the holy land of

Mecca are some instances of news. In addition Muhammad and Abdullah,

after their meeting with Naipaul, leave behind two scripts. One is about the

Islam as a perfect religion while the other provides an outline for

restructuring a society in light of Islamic views. So, by taking support from in

numerable sources, he convinces his readers to

On one sides his explanations and interpretation and genuine, valuable and

authentic on account of giving an eye witnessed experiences, vivid

descriptions with a rhetoric style. In this way achieving narrative authority

becomes a crucial writing for his travel writing. Another recurrent theme

applied by Naipaul for the depiction of Malaysia is ethnography. A vivid

portrayal of the customs and traditions of Malaysian people have been given.

Malaysia is a Muslim country but there are Chinese and Indian too. Its main

areas are Kuala Lumpur, Kampong, Kotabharo, and Malaka and so on.

Holiday Inn hotel Gardinium coffee house, Muslim college, ABIM, Muslim

youth organization, mosques, and air ports are some of the Malaysian

beauty. In view of agriculture, it is a land producing rubber, tin, palm oil,

banana trees and so on. This country is governed by Islamic laws in all

spheres of life. Through the eyes of different people, Islamic rules have been

portrayed. Men usually wear long gowns and turbans while the women are

fully covered except their hands and feet. These people go to mosques to

say their prayers five times a day. They read holy Quran and the prayer has

great value for them. Cleanliness is considered to be important. They have

strong faith in ones of god controlling the whole universe. Economically they

try to earn their living with halal means; for in their view, god never leaves

any creature unprovided. Socially, these people live in union with their fellow

beings by sharing their joys and sorrows with each other. Family life is a

source of protection for people .men women are not allowed to be involved

in a wrong relationship publically, rather they have a sacred and secret

relationship after being properly married. Even by ABIM, separate schools for

boys and girls have been constructed. However, as a result of scientific and

industrial development and due to British colonization this country has been

evolved a lot particularly cities like Kuala Lumpur where people have luxuries

of life tv , refrigerators and so on .

Another factor that has gained some voice in this chapter is a picture of

various historical accounts. In the beginning it has been signified that

religion went in this country with the help of sub continent. First Hinduism,

Buddhism came to this land. Later on, Islam was brought here by Pakistani

people who have been trained by Islamic institution if Punjab. Different

wonders such as Angkor and Borobudur of Malaysia have been mentioned

especially Malaka is famous for its historical background. it was colonized by

Portugese in 1511. In 1753, a red painted church was built there. There is

also a museum. Around 1970’s, the ritual of idol smashing was dominant in

this country these historical account give a flavor of history to this book.

In conversations in Malaysia, biographical details of some people have been

highlighted. It has been denoted that Anwar Ibrahim’s grand father used to

run a small restaurant. Than his father sent him in school for education, he

became aware of Islamic laws. at the age of 16 or 17 he was a ‘fiery

orator’ who used to deliver speeches in village. In this way he introduced

ABIM Muslim youth organization that has offices and staff at different places

in Malaysia and even it is guiding people beyond this country like in

Indonesia. Similarly, biographical data about Shafi’s life has been underlined.

he ,for the first time , moved to Kuala Lumpur in company of some of his

fellows in 1963 for educational purpose . Later on , he graduated and he

became connected with ABIM . These biographical accounts become a major

factor through which Naipaul convinces his reader. Again and again in

conversations in analysis certain philosophical issues have been raised by

Naipaul. He inquires about Islamic philosophies. While conversing with ‘brave

girls’, investigates about the value of veil. he asks a number of questions

about the purpose , importance and the benefits of the veil. Similarly during

his conversation with Rehman, registrar , Arabic and [philosophy teacher in

Muslim college , he questions about God as the soul creator of the universe.

At the end, when he is having a meeting with