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How should Muslims respond to such provocations. The best response is silence. Ignore the movie and it would die on its own. The second best response is to produce films that would highlight the true normative ethical framework of the Quranic teachings.
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Will Wilder's Film really weaken Islam?
1/26/2008
- Political Social Opinion - Article Ref: IV0801-3496
Number of comments: 20
Opinion Summary: Agree:12 Disagree:2 Neutral:6
By: Dr. Aslam Abdullah
Iviews* -
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Geert Wilders' ten-minute film attacking
Prophet Muhammad, and the Quran has become the talk of Muslim circles. Some are
suggesting an intellectual response and others are saying that a entire Friday
Khutbah be dedicated to the subject to scientifically refute the allegations.
Wilder is a member of the Dutch parliament and a leader of a far right party
that views in the growing hostility between Muslims and Christians in Europe an
excellent opportunity for its success in the coming elections.
Wilder's accusations against the Quran and Prophet Muhammad are not different
than those raised by many Europeans backed by religious and political groups in
the last five hundred years. What is new is the way Muslims have chosen to
respond to the issue.
Europe has produced more than 10,000 anti-Islamic and anti-Quran books in its
long relations with Muslims. One can at least count more than 131 movies
produced by various European filmmakers ridiculing Islam and the Quran. The
passion play in Spain mocking Muslims and celebrating the victory of Christians
over Moors is an annual reality. Yet, Islam has survived all the negatives
spreading over a few centuries. Islam, can certainly survive the 10 minute movie
degrading the Quran. Muslims must never consider that their religion is so weak
that its foundations can be demolished by a hate monger's 10 minute film.
How should Muslims respond to such provocations. The best response is silence.
Ignore the movie and it would die on its own. The second best response is to
produce films that would highlight the true normative ethical framework of the
Quranic teachings. The third best response is to live the Quranic message of
love and compassion. It is this response that can counter all the negatives
reproduced by anti-Islamic forces. We must realize that we have many people in
the world who hate others for no reason. Don't some Muslims in different parts
of the world hate Americans because they are Americans? Don't some Muslims hate
the Jews simply because they are Jews. Similarly, among Christians, Jews,
Hindus, and secularists there are many who hate Muslims simply because they are
Muslim. This does not mean that a majority of people belonging to different
faiths have an inherent inclination to hate others. What is important is to
realize that despite the hate mongers, people of different ethnic and religious
and political groups have learned to live in peace and harmony with each other.
The web of complex relations that exist among nations of the world in all
aspects of life clearly demonstrate that.
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Muslims should also realize that they do not enjoy a favorable reputation in
most parts of the world. Because of the actions of a few of them, they are
subject to all sorts of ridicule, biases and wrongs. Some among Muslims feel
that by condemning anti-Muslim propaganda, they would win over the masses to
their side. However, mere condemnation does not resolve any issue. What helps
overcome the negatives is a consistent effort to change the perception by
changing the reality.
If Muslims are seen by people around them as compassionate, kind and caring
people, no matter how many films are released against the Quran, people would
have a hard time to believe them. If Muslims are seen as part of campaigns to
eliminate environmental hazards, nuclear arsenals, homelessness, poverty and
other social ills of the society at all levels, there would not be many who
would buy the anti-Quran propaganda.
Blowing up fellow Muslims inside mosques belonging to opposite sects is also not
unusual in countries like Pakistan and Iraq. These and similar incidents like
these may reconfirm some of the stereotypical images that anti-Quran movies
often tend to project.
The responsibility of improving their image lies upon Muslims and not others. By
convincing themselves that they are a compassionate people, they would not be
able to change the perceptions of others. They have to carry out a discourse
with others and through action prove that their love and compassion are not
confined to their religious texts but are reflective in their actions too. That
is the only way films such as Wilder's will become meaningless.
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