9-25-12: Local Muslims Respond to Controversial Film

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"Innocence of Muslims,"  the anti-Islamic film that was produced in the United States, has sparked international outrage for its condemnation of Islam and mockery of the Prophet Muhammad.

The Associated Press reports more than 50 people have died in several protests to the film. That tally includes the four Americans killed on Sept. 11 in Benghazi, Libya. Christopher Stevens, the U.S. Ambassador to Libya, was killed in that attack. 

U.S. officials now say those Americans died in a planned terror attack, and the film was not to blame for the four deaths.

Dr. Syed Haque, president of the Frederick County Muslim Council takes this stance as well. In a Sept. 13 statement sent to the Frederick News-Post, Dr. Haque wrote:

“The Muslims of Frederick County along with all the Muslims Maryland condemn the attack on the American embassy and the killing of the American Ambassador and three other diplomats, which had nothing to do with the production of this intentionally inflammatory film.”

Most take issue with the accusations the film makes against the Prophet Muhammad, including the questioning of Muhammad’s heterosexuality and the suggestion that Muhammad was a pedophile. 

Naveed Shah, the president of the Cecil County Muslim Council, argues that Muslims are not just offended by the negative depiction of Mohammad, but are offended that the alleged filmmaker Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, depicted Muhammad at all. 

“We don’t make images of the prophet. It’s not just the negative image; any image of the prophet is not allowed,” Shah said. “We have never seen any [images of the prophet.] There were a couple movies Muslims made about the Prophet and they didn’t even show him. Just making the image is offensive.”

Shah criticized the intention of the film, arguing that it was meant to cause fractures.

“If that many people get offended, why do that? This is something that is offensive-why do anything that is further dividing us, showing hate and bringing distance between the cultures, religions and people?” Shah said. “Why not work on something that can bring us together?  Give us an opportunity to understand each other. We already have too many problems.”

One problem that Towson University professor Dr. Mubina Kirmani cited is what she sees as the few opportunities present for non-extremist Muslims to speak against the film and the violence that it has spurred. 

“The voices of the moderate, the calm are often not heard and the Muslims can draw from this religion of peace,” Dr. Kirmani said. “These are a few people who are responding in that way and it’s regrettable.”

In addition to her early education classes, Dr. Kirmani teaches a course dedicated to guide students’ learning in diverse societies. 

In this interview with Sheilah Kast, Dr. Kirmani and Dr. Haque stress the importance of educating individuals on cultural and religious differences.

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Dr. Haque explains how some can't understand that the U.S. can't control media

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Dr. Kirmani describes efforts to bridge cultural and religious divides in a collegiate setting.