A right-wing Dutch politician, Geert Wilders, has made a 15 minute long film called Fitna (Arabic term for strife, chaos). The film largely consists of archive footage showing the acts of terrorism that bloodied the streets of New York (9/11), London (7/7) and Madrid. The horrific images are set against passages from the Quran which are distorted, deliberately misinterpreted and taken out of context. Further, the film is interspersed with sermons by Muslims, and Dutch newspaper headlines reporting. The film also shows Muslim demonstrators in a variety of different countries holding up placards making statements, such as "God bless Hitler". It depicts the beheading of a white Caucasian man by a group of so-called Muslim terrorists dressed in black, reciting verses from the Qur’an. Towards the end of the film, the following message appears: "The government insists that you respect Islam, but Islam has no respect for you. Islam wants to rule, submit, and seeks to destroy our Western civilization".
The film seeks to project the Quran as a scripture that justifies and legitimizes terrorism and violence perpetrated against innocent civilians. Its aim is to demonstrate that Muslims wish to exterminate people of other faiths and therefore that Muslims should be dealt with harshly.
The official response, although not going far enough, has been a welcome first step. Speaking immediately after the release of the film on Thursday, 27 March 2008, Dutch Prime Minister Balkenende said that the cabinet regretted the showing of the short film whose only aim is ‘to upset people’s feelings’. The EU was, however, more outspoken in its criticism. In a statement it issued, the EU presidency said that the film’s only purpose was to ‘incite hatred’. It pointed out that the EU stood ‘fully’ behind the Dutch government. Dutch law-makers have concluded that the film does not go as far as inciting hatred and as such is within legal boundaries. Since the release of the film does not break the law of the land, the Dutch government cannot prevent the release of the film. The film, since its release, has been roundly criticized in the media as"cheap," "empty" and "bourgeois." "It’s old, already years old news, and tells nothing new or exciting," remarked one news editor on Dutch television.
Muslims in different parts of the world have been holding demonstrations to protest against the release of the film. There has also been a proposal from some Muslim scholars and politicians, such as the former Malaysian Prime Minister, Dr. Mahathir Mohammad, to boycott Dutch products around the globe. Others have simply decided to ignore the film maintaining that the image it portrays is far from true and it does not make any revelations other than the ill-intentions of Geer t Wilders. It seems that the film has been a stunt to gain publicity. Muslims have been protesting against the film because it presents a distorted image of their holy scripture and it will encourage hatred and violence. Freedom of expression is a right and Muslims respect that but it is not an excuse to upset fellow human beings. Freedom of expression should never be allowed to be used to instigate hatred, racism, insult and discrimination. Each right has to be checked with a responsibility.
The claim made by Geert Wilders that the Qur’an promotes violence is not accurate. Wilders has tried to depict this distorting picture of Islam and Muslims by using verses of the Qur’an out of context. Common sense dictates that when selecting a sentence from a text, the background to that particular text, the preceding and succeeding passages should not be ignored.
In the context of the Qur’an, interpreting each sentence in its accurate context is even more paramount. The Qur’ān was revealed in fragments and therefore it is all the more important that a reader is aware of the background to the revelation of a particular passage in the Qur’an since the Qur’an deals with a wide range of issues including family affairs of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), customs prevalent in Saudi Arabia at the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), the situations faced by Muslims during the time of the Prophet (e.g weddings, battles etc.) and guidelines for spiritual, social, political and economic issues affecting the Muslims. Therefore, the context in which a verse is revealed is important. In addition to the circumstantial evidence relating to a particular revelation, it is crucial that a reader reads the preceding and succeeding verses of a particular passage as there is a strong relationship between verses of a particular passage. Further, each passage of a particular chapter is linked, supporting the central theme of a particular chapter, or surah.
The Qur’ān has stated universal, individualistic and historical arguments on various fundamental principles in different surahs. These arguments have been stated in an extremely wise arrangement and order. When a person who is well-acquainted with the arrangement and order of the verses of a surah and recites the sūrah intelligently and thoughtfully, he feels that he has read a very comprehensive, logical, rational and appealing oration. On the contrary, the person who is unaware of this well-arranged order or decides to ignore the theme of a particular passage(s), though he may become familiar with parts, he remains completely devoid and deprived of the hikmah and wisdom described in the surah as a whole. This method of picking and choosing verses out of context can lead to a distorted picture of the message of the Qur’an. Many of the questions which may arise out of a certain passage of the Qur’ân have their explanation in other parts of the very same book. For instance, one verse in the Qur’an states that the Qur’an was revealed in a blessed night. ‘We sent it down during a blessed night’ (44: 3). This begs the question, which was the blessed night in which the Qur’an was sent down? Surah 97 informs us that ‘We have indeed revealed this [Qur’an] in the night of Power (97: 1)’. Night of Power is usually considered to be one of odd-numberd nights in the last ten nights of the month of Ramadan.
Having understood the importance of context to obtain the true meaning of a verse, it is important to examine the opening verse that Wilders has used in his film. It is verse 60 of Surah 8 (al-Anfal), which reads as follows:
“ Hence, make ready against them whatever force and war mounts you are able to muster, so that you might deter thereby the enemies of God, who are your enemies as well, and others besides them of whom you may be unaware, [but] of whom God is aware; and whatever you may expend in God’s cause shall be repaid to you in full, and you shall not be wronged.”
The theme that revolves around Surah 8 is the Battle of Badr which occurred in the second year after the Hijra of the Prophet from Makkah to Madina. This was the first battle that took place between Muslims and non-Muslims after they had been driven out of their homes from Makkah. After having discussed the issue relating to battles and having outlined the rules of engagement, verses 55 - 59 highlight the sanctity of treaties and the Muslims are commanded to observe them as long as the other party does not break them. Then verses 60 - 66 go on to state that if the other party to a treaty or covenant is in breach of a covenant, Muslims should always be prepared for war. However, Muslims should also be ready to make peace if the other party is inclined towards it after having breached the treaty. For the benefit of the readers, the full translation of verses 56-59 is set out below:
“As for those with whom thou hast made a covenant, and who thereupon break their covenant on every occasion, not being conscious of God-(56) if thou find them at war [with you], make of them a fearsome example for those who follow them, so that they might take it to heart; (57) or, if thou hast reason to fear treachery from people [with whom thou hast made a covenant], cast it back at them in an equitable manner: for, verily, God does not love the treacherous! (58) And let them not think - those who are bent on denying the truth -that they shall escapee’ [God]: behold, they can never frustrate [His purpose] (59).
In the forgoing verses, the principal elements of international relations between Muslims and non-Muslims are set out. Unlike the alleged claim that the Muslims wish to annihilate people of other faiths from the world, the Qur’an states that the Muslim community can enter into agreements with other communities. However, if the other party manipulates the agreements and uses them as a shield to cover up its deceitful designs, the Muslim leadership can terminate the agreements, making the other side fully aware of the termination before taking any steps to launch an assault on the other party for breaking the terms of the agreement. The context of verse 60 indicates that the Muslims are told to prepare themselves with whatever force and war weapons they are able to muster against those who have violated the peace treaty. It is not an open-ended command to wage a war against non-Muslims and massacre them.
The verse immediately succeeding the aforementioned verse 60 (verse 61) makes it clear that if those who have broken the peace treaty with you show an inclination to peace then do not ignore their offer despite the fact that they may be entering into a peace agreement because they realize that this is their only option otherwise they will be crushed in the battlefield. Verse 61 reads:
“But if they incline to peace, incline you to it as well, and place you trust in God: verily, He alone is all-hearing, all-knowing!”
Muslims are commanded to take up the offer of peace for the sake of establishing peace in society. It is regrettable that Wilders fails to include the verse that immediately follows the verse that he has made a focus point of his short film. His selective quoting from te Quran in this manner shows malice and ill-intentions at best, and an attempt to provoke violence and hatred for Muslims at worst.
The whole passage from verse 55-61 indicates that Islam wishes to establish peaceful co-existence between communities by urging each party to honour and respect the treaties made in this effort. However, if one community keeps violating the terms of a treaty when the circumstances are in its favour and uses the treaties as a cover-up to design treacherous plots against the Muslims, the Muslims should not ignore them, rather they should teach them a lesson so that they do not manipulate others and disturb the peace of a community. In Islam, the main aim of the war is not to obtain revenge or exterminate non-Muslims but rather in most cases, it is an act of self-defence and not an act of aggression. If the aggressor ceases to fight then Muslims are obliged to stop as well for the sake of peace, as is indicated by verse 61. Islam encourages peace even against those who may have destroyed a peaceful society in the first place.
In other words, Muslims are to respond to peace, and maintain it as far as possible, but they should also be ready to fight those who destroy peace. If, however, those who wish to destroy peace subsequently wish to revert to it, Muslims are not to hesitate if peace is a real prospect. Those who destroy harmony and upset the balance of a society, those who disturb the peace of a community, the peace of a city, the peace of a country or the peace of the world –whether it is an individual or a state – are not following Islam. Their actions are not driven by the faith of Islam but by their own desires.
Wilders uses four other verses, namely, surah 4, verses 56 and 89; surah 8, verses 39 and 60; and surah 47, verse 4. Rather than analysing each verse, we urge the readers to pick up a commentary of the Qur’an and read the passages before and after these verses together with an understanding of the historical context in which they were revealed. Wilders has used these verses not only in a manner which cuts them off from the rest of the Quran, but he also removes them from their historical contexts.
It should also be borne in mind that there are references to violence in most holy scriptures —the Torah and the Talmud; the old and new Testaments; the Quran and the ahadith; the Ramayana and the Mahabharatha. Giving instructions relating to battles or dealing with those who are guarding their faith is not something new in the Qur’an or unique to it. Similar commandments relating to killings and shedding blood are found in the Old Testament. For instance, the command to utterly destroy the Canaanites reads:.
“And when the Lord your God delivers it into your hands, you shall strike every male in it with the edge of the sword. But the women, the little ones, the livestock, and all that is in the city, all its spoil, you shall plunder for yourself; and you shall eat the enemies’ plunder which the Lord your God gives you. Thus you shall do to all the cities which are very far from you, which are not of the cities of these nations. But of the cities of these peoples which the Lord your God gives you as an inheritance, you shall let nothing that breathes remain alive, but you shall utterly destroy them: the Hittite and the Amorite and the Canaanite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite, just as the Lord your God has commanded you, lest they teach you to do according to all their abominations which they have done for their gods, and you sin against the Lord your God rules of engagement o in the Qur’an is nothing new.” (Deutronomy 20:12-18).
However, it would be unjust and inequitable not to mention the preceding passage to the aforementioned passage, which encourages the attackers to offer them a chance to make peace.
“When you go near a city to fight against it, then proclaim an offer of peace to it. And it shall be that if they accept your offer of peace, and open to you, then all the people who are found in it shall be placed under tribute to you, and serve you.”(Deutronomy 20:10-11).
It is therefore important that we study all religious texts in their proper context. When these texts are not read in their proper textual and historical contexts, the result is that they are manipulated and distorted. Taking the Qur’anic verses out of their historical context to defame Islam is an outmoded method of trying to undermine the fact that Islam is a religion which advocates peace and harmony and not acts of terrorism, and it is a shame that even in this day and age, this method of promoting hatred and violence has not yet ceased.
Indeed, even in today’s modern age, there are numerous international agreements which govern the rules of engagement and set out acceptable practices during wartime. These include the UN Charter and the Geneva Conventions. Therefore the fact that the Quran sets out the rules on war applicable to Muslims is not something which should come as a surprise, given that the Quran is a complete rule book for Muslims to follow in all aspects of their lives, whether social, ecomonic or political.
In conclusion, the 15 minutes “Fitna” is not a film in the true sense. It is rather a slideshow, which uses five verses from three chapters of the Quran, that are distorted, taken out of context and interspersed with horrific footage of terrorist acts. As for the response of the Muslim community “Fitna,” is no more than a fitna. The second meaning of the word fitna is a test and trial. Muslims should pass through this fitna by showing patience and promoting greater understanding of their faith.
