Jordan Official Urges Muslim Scholars Not to Respond to Anti-Islam Provocation
Text of report by Linda Hindi in English published by privately- owned Jordan Times website on 30 March
Amman: Muslims and religious scholars should not fall into the trap of anyone who tries to provoke reactions by insulting Islam, an awqaf [endowments] official said while referring to an anti-Islamic film which was released on the Internet late last week.
The 15-minute film entitled “Fitna”, an Arabic word for “sedition or disturbance”, portrays Islam as violent and a threat to the Western world. It includes old images of the US September 11 attacks with Koranic verses imposed on top.
The film was released by Geert Wilders, the Dutch MP who has an anti-Islam history. He has previously called for banning the Koran.
The film begins with the Danish cartoon image of Prophet Muhammad with a fuse in his turban. The film ends with the same image but the fuse is lit during a countdown, the picture goes black then depicts flashes as if something exploded.
“This film is only a continuation of provocation like the disturbing cartoons which have misrepresented the prophet (pbuh). As Muslims, we should not fall into this trap by reacting emotionally,” Awqaf and Religious Affairs Ministry Secretary-General Abd-al- Rahman Ibdah told The Jordan Times.
Ibdah explained that this type of “ignorant” film which tries to prove that Muslims are violent or insane should only be countered by clarifying the true meaning of Islam.
“Islam is a moderate, balanced and peaceful religion that strikes a balance between the mind, body and soul,” Ibdah said. He urged anyone who does not understand Islam to read about the life of the Prophet Mohammad and the “Amman Message”.
The Amman Message is a detailed statement released by His Majesty King Abdallah in 2004, the document is designed to portray the true image of orthodox Islam and its stand on other cultures.
He added that it would be un-Islamic to react violently, swearing or insulting another religion to make a point.
“I am certain of one thing,” Ibdah said. “Whoever took part in the making of this film has no clue about the life and teachings of the Prophet Mohammad.”
Mahmud Shami agrees. The general manager of a large optical company told The Jordan Times that what upsets him most are these persons who undermine religion while “they have no idea what they are talking about” or take information from distorted sources
“The misconceptions are tiring but you cannot force anyone to see things the way you do… I feel sorry for people who do not understand Islam, which is a religion of peace.”
His cousin, Akil Shami, also working in the business sector, said: “It is not the Dutch government’s fault, they have their own laws. It is mandatory that a UN resolution should be created that stipulates no prophet or religion can be insulted, like the anti- Semitic law… governments should push this,” he said.
The “Messenger of Allah Unites Us” campaign, launched originally as a “civilized response” to the Danish cartoons, has sent an open letter to the Arab League summit currently taking place in Syria, urging this same notion.
“Support efforts [should be developed] to enact a universal law that prohibits the defamation of any of the prophets and any religion. This could be similar to the international legislation that bans anti-Semitism…,” the letter reads.
Addressing the Arab leaders, it added: “If we fail to unite by virtue of the language that we speak, the region that we reside in and the common destiny and grave dangers that we face, then one single issue must unreservedly provide a compelling reason to bring us together and that is the blatant attack on the Prophet (pbuh) and Islam.”
It has brought together tens of media outlets, professional associations, parliamentarians and thousands of volunteers to urge others to boycott Danish products and sever ties with Denmark.
Heading the campaign, Zakaria Shaykh, chairman of the board of the Fact International Media Group, vowed “this time would be different”. He said the movement is working swiftly and effectively, “not the type of emotional reaction that easily loses steam”.
On the film, he said that people like Wilders are “fear-mongers who should be stopped from spreading hatred”.
Distancing itself from the Wilders film, earlier this month the Royal Netherlands embassy in Amman released a press statement from Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen.
“Mr Wilders does not represent the opinion of the Dutch government on this issue. All people in the Netherlands have the right to express their opinions without the prior consent of the authorities. This is one of the most valued rights in Dutch society. The person exercising this freedom, however, has the responsibility for how it is exercised,” the statement reads.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon condemned the movie.
“There is no justification for hate speech or incitement to violence. The right of free expression is not at stake here,” he said in a statement released in New York.
“The real fault line is not between Muslim and Western societies, as some would have us believe, but between small minorities of extremists on different sides, with a vested interest in stirring hostility and conflict,” the UN chief said.
An expatriate visiting Jordan, Nazir Yusuf, thinks the only reaction this film needs is no reaction.
“Why all the publicity about this ridicules and poorly made film?” Yusuf asked.
“Too bad, all we have done is to make this silly man, famous and rich: Just what he wants,” he added
Originally published by Jordan Times website, Amman, in English 30 Mar 08.
(c) 2008 BBC Monitoring Middle East. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.