A bunch of Muslim fanatics is protesting about something. Nothing new there, but what is it this time? A teacher daring to show a cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed? A pig farm in the middle of Bradford? A string of sex shops opening in predominantly Muslim areas, or has someone else written a book suggesting The Prophet occasionally got things wrong theologically. Well, strangely, no. This time it’s a film, The Lady of Heaven, written by a Muslim cleric. It tells the story of the Prophet Muhammed’s daughter Fatima, through the eyes of a small boy in war torn Iraq who becomes devoted to her.
Just the ticket, you’d think, for a bit of Sunday afternoon Islamic family viewing over a green tea and a puff on the old shisha, but no. A bunch of self-appointed guardians of the true faith have decided it is blasphemous, because it fleetingly depicts The Prophet (I know, I was shocked too) and, of course, the star of the show Fatima herself. How have they shown their offence? By writing considered letters putting across their point of view or handing out leaflets at cinemas, like fundamentalist Christians did over the Life of Brian? Not exactly. In many cities across the UK, they stormed the foyers of Cineworld cinemas threatening blue murder, and prevented cinemagoers enjoying a night out. Worst of all, Cineword have caved in and pulled the film.
This kind of nonsense always raises the same question in my mind: “just who do these people think they are?” At one level they are Sunni as opposed to Shia Muslims. Shia are in the minority internationally, with countries such as Saudi Arabia being predominantly Sunni. But the Sunnis are the ones who are over excitable, overzealous and, sadly with some of them, over here. Sunnis predominate in India and Pakistan from whence hails most of our own Muslim immigrant community in the UK. It must be said (virtue signal alert…) that most of our Muslim population live here peacefully and, whatever they think of minor theological infringements regarding their faith, they do the ‘immigrant thing’ and—as well they should—they fit in. They appreciate the benefits of living in our society and, of course, contribute to it. But in their midst, there is a substantial and fanatical minority who consider that our society should revolve around their beliefs and pussyfoot around those things that may cause them offence. Strangely, Muslims can deny the divinity of Christ with impunity.
The solution seems remarkably simple to me. If they don’t like it here and cannot bear the vicissitudes of living in our open society where freedom of speech is largely tolerated and, remarkably, blasphemy is no longer against the law, then there are plenty of places where they would feel more comfortable. Oh but, let me think, that would mean returning to countries where there are few jobs, poor health services and no social security. Furthermore, if they covet their neighbour’s wife’s ass, they will end up under a pile of rubble hurled at them by their co-religionists.
They just don’t get it. I cannot be alone in thinking I would never have heard of the film had these protests not taken place, and even the film’s producer claims the protests have been great publicity. The film looks quite interesting, and I fully intend to see it. In fact, I am determined to see it as much to stick it to these narrow-minded loonies as out of curiosity.
Roger Watson is a retired academic, editor and writer. He is a columnist with Unity News Network and writes regularly for a range of conservative journals including The Salisbury Review and The European Conservative. He has travelled and worked extensively in the Far East and the Middle East. He lives in Kingston upon Hull, UK.
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correction, the ones protesting like animals are Sunni Muslims.
the film is made by Shia Muslims which is why extreme Sunnis do not like it, as it links their roots to terrorisim
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