Once again some idiot has gone and unleashed Muslim fury through an act most foul. The offending film is a sickening series of badly put together scenes, crudely superimposed on pictures of landscapes supposed to depict the desert sands of Arabia.
Bart, a colleague, who hails from a Christian family, said to me the day the despicable film went viral, “It is a gross, pathetic attempt of deliberately maligning Islam and enraging Muslims.”
That much is obvious. Like all previous issues of overt provocation, this one too was premeditated to create an uproar, start an anti-Islam spin and then to watch the ensuing circus. The reason? Well, there could be many. Primarily it was hate peddling, justifying occupation in Muslim territories. Though in my view, the upcoming US election should not be discounted either.
Double standards with regard to free speech have been the western norm for quite some time now. Anything anti-Semitic, anti-gay, anti Israel, anti-secular and so on is considered hate speech and is liable for legal action. But the consequence of anti-Muslim commentary is declared fanatic retaliation.
There is not much one can say about western hypocrisy — particularly American hypocrisy — which chooses to demonise whoever and whenever it wants. Saddam Hussain was a case in point. Unfortunately, we too are such ready candidates for potential militancy that western mischief-makers cannot desist from fuelling our fundamental passions. And when insidious messages creeping in from everywhere take over the psyche of the uninformed mobsters, they become blind.
At the time of the Danish cartoon controversy, Saudi Arabia had taken off Danish products from its shelves. It was the perfect diplomatic reaction aimed at the most sensitive spot — the financial gut. Seven years ago when the Danish controversy was shedding blood, a dialogue with western policy makers might have made a difference. Introspection by the Muslim world as to the reasons why we are so maligned and misunderstood would get some positive results.
Dialogue would be helpful if someone was listening. Introspection would work if it was just a case of misplaced views. In current times, this type of demonising is warfare with evil intent. And Muslims who in turn indulge in violent action do so knowing full well the consequences.
There is enough evidence that reasonable minds exist on both ends of the spectrum. If some of them see Muslims as terrorists, there are many others who know that such stereotyping is wrong.
Along with terrorism, the post 9/11 climate has also seen the rise of logical Muslim voices in the West, people who are doing their best to repel the increasing effect of fundamentalism. But media outlines on freedom of speech continue to be murky.
Currently, even the Royal British household is fighting the ‘free press’ battle to protect the virtue of its daughter-in-law. Prince William might have wanted to blast to smithereens the Italian newspaper — that published his wife’s indecent pictures while they were vacationing at a private resort — but he did not do so. Instead, having the clout and other wherewithal, he and his family dealt with it civilly.
Like Germany after the Second World War, Muslim nations, Muslim entrepreneurs, Muslim students, Muslim professionals, etc., need to work their way up at becoming successful. In countries like Pakistan, the work is tougher because the fight has to be waged against corrupt governments who practice their own devilry.
The world is full of all sorts of devils — racists, fundamentalists, bigots, blasphemers and mercenaries — against whom we will often be compelled to exercise self-control when provoked. The idea is to practice peace and spread it too so that we retain the dignity of Islam, which it deserves.
The best service we can do to our religion is to know how to keep a sound head on our shoulders when our mettle is tested. After all, it is the sanctity and image of Islam that we are worried about.