Will Wilder's Film really weaken Islam?

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.

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.