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'Muslims'
With Anisa Mehdi
Executive Producer, Frontline, "Muslims"
Friday, May 10, 11 a.m. EDT
Sept. 11 left many Americans questioning how such atrocities could be perpetrated in the name of
religion: specifically, the religion of Islam. Yet even as U.S. opinion polls reflect a collective sense of mistrust toward a religion few Americans know much about, Islam continues to be the fastest growing religion in the United States today. What is Islam? What do Muslims believe in? And how does their faith shape their lives, their identities, and their political ideologies?
FRONTLINE's "Muslims," a special two-hour report that aired Thursday, May 9 on PBS (check local listings) explores the fundamental tenets of Islam and the causes behind its current worldwide resurgence. Producer Anisa Mehdi was online to talk about the film and her religion on Friday, May 10.
The transcript follows.
Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control
over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.
Silver Spring, Md.:
I'm not trying to be negative or facetious or anything, but I was wondering -- what exactly are the Islam teachings about peace? Is peace only for Islam believers under the Koran? Are there Islamic peace songs? Frankly I am curious because I never hear Islamic greetings like the Catholic "Peace to you" or the Jewish songs of peace.
Anisa Mehdi: The Muslim greeting is "Peace be with you." And the response is "Peace be with you too." And in Arabic, that's asalaamu alaikum, and the response is wa alaikum salaam. That's the way Muslims greet each other and everyone else. It is most often said in Arabic, so you may not have realized that the greeting is indeed about peace.
Peace is an extremely important concept in Islam. In fact, the root of the word "Islam" in Arabic is "peace." There are some songs being produced by a Canadian singer named Daoud Waharnsb-Ali, which are children's songs, very singable. They are about peace. You can find them at soundvision.com.
Chicago, Ill.:
I would like to commend your work on this show. It was an impressive journey throughout the Muslim world. I DO believe as many of those on the show did, that there does need to be significant introspection by Muslims and that we need to take command of the portrayal of our religion to prevent extremists from defining Islam to the world.
Anisa Mehdi: In many parts of the Muslim-populated world, now that colonialism is a thing of the past, people are able to begin to revive their intellectual queries, and part of that means reviewing the role of religion in their lives. That's what we found.
College Park, Md.:
Why aren't any Muslim countries democratic? Why are all poor?
Anisa Mehdi: First of all, there are tremendous natural resources in a lot of these countries. In the Arab states, there is a lot of oil. In the African states there are a lot of metals. In the Far East, they have tourism opportunities, rubber, and have become the place where computer chips are being manufactured. So the potential is there for some kind of economic improvement. Again, I return to the notion of a post-colonial era. These are countries which, in general, when the colonialists were defeated, there was no tradition of democracy. Democracy was invented in 1789 with our constitution. So who comes into power? A strongman, essentially, who controls the resources, which results in a great economic disparity. My intuition says that in the next century or so that will change as people become more aware of the opportunity of democracy and demand it for themselves.
Looking historically at various parts of the world and in the interviews we have done, this is what I imagine.
Mountain View, Calif.:
Why in your documentary is the perjorative "strict" applied to shar'ia (in the segment on Nigeria)? Despite your film's attempt to see Muslims as they view themselves, this, and images of the late Ayatollah Khomeini of Iran whenever the word "authority" or "hardliner" (another pejorative) are used perpetuate a negative estimation of Islam, based on secular assessments of law, politics and freedom.
Anisa Mehdi: Astute observation. I found it interesting to report on religion for a predominantly secular nation. This nation, although we have many persons of faith in this country, we pretty much as a society take a secular stand. And this includes some of the members of my team. For those who are not members of a faith, "strict" has a perjorative sense, and I think you picked that up.
The other half of the question is that we need pictures to go with our words, and sometimes you have to choose an image and use your best judgment.
Dubai, United Arab Emarates:
Thank you for this rich review, please allow me to direct the folowing questions:
First: You called the subject in the Frontline "Muslims," but you ended up talking about "Islam as a Faith" or "How Islam is." Why? I think Muslims differ from Islam today.
If yes, then please show Muslim people and tell us please, are Muslims today side-tracked from their religious doctorine? If they are not sidetracking why do they hold such violent attitudes? Is it Islamic?
Anisa Mehdi: We knew that in two hours on television, we couldn't possibly tackle the subject of Islam. So we chose to show the people who practice the religion and how the religion is present in their lives. So as a result we do talk some Islam. But we hoped that the focus would be in the individuals whom we profiled.
The first character we profiled, Sheik Muawith Abbas of Egypt, says very bluntly that he believes Muslims are not taking the time and making the effort to study their religion. And as a result, he says, there is "emptiness."
In our reporting all around the world, people we interviewed were very comfortable saying they felt Muslims did not know enough about their religion, that they certainly did not know how Muslims in other countries felt about or practiced their religion. They were curious to know, and wanted to see the film. Most of them did know that you couldn't commit violence in the name of Islam -- that was the mark of someone who really didn't know his faith. At the same time, people also very adamantly defended the rights of oppressed people to fight for independence. So there's a big difference between fighting for your independence and blowing up a building with unrelated people in it.
Lewisville, Tex.:
Why is the ongoing misunderstanding by Americans so prominent, and what do you think will allow Americans see Muslims in a different light compared with the information that the mainstream populaton receive every night on the television?
Anisa Mehdi: One of the things I think: Americans know a lot more about Islam than they give themselves credit for. Because the story of Adam, the story of Abraham, the story of Moses, Jonah and the whale, Job and his miseries, the story of Mary and the birth of her son Jesus. All of that is in the Koran. All of that is in the scriptures of Islam. The part that Americans may know less about Islam is the life of the prophet Mohammed, and his contribution. And there's going to be another PBS film in the fall called "Mohammed: Legacy of a Prophet."
That's the place I think would be most useful for non-Muslim Americans to study Islam. To study how familiar the ethical principles are. To understand how much people of other faiths and principles, of Christianity, of Judaism -- they share in common with Muslims. I think that's a far more nourishing place to start than with the notion of how different are Muslims and how different is Islam. There's a wonderful interfaith discussion in the film in Illinois, where these things are discussed, and you can see how close people are.
Washington, D.C.:
Your show was a half-denial, half-apology for a totally genocidal "religion." Your ethical duties as journalists were compromised by your performance. The truth is that: (1) The dominant tenet of Islam is the global genocide of all Infidels, which includes all non-Islamic people; and (2) The Qu'ran explicitly endorses lying to Infidels to achieve any goal. And, of course, you are members of the Islamic genocide cult.
Anisa Mehdi: Let me say that in three and a half years of reporting for this documentary, I never came across that particular "truth." What I think our film points out is that there are many truths -- possibly as many truths as there are Muslims. And you will find similar parallels in Christianity, in terms of diversity of opinion and diversity of actions in the name of Jesus.
People are people, and we are flawed. Some people do terrible things. And it is not a product of being Muslim, per se. And as we point out in the film, there are just so many different ways lines from the Koran may be interpreted, may be taken out of context, perhaps. And people with other agendas may use religion to achieve their goals. It's the practitioners, not the practice.
You know, I suppose "Infidel" means someone who doesn't believe in God. The peoples of the books, Jews and Christians, are not considered "infidels," because they are believers. In an ideal Islamic system, Jews and Christians are expected to follow the rules of their own faith.
Bronx, N.Y.:
In the Koran it says "The people of
Moses (the Jews) and the people of
Jesus (the Christians) were given
revelations, But Alas! they play false with
their own lights, and in their selfishness,
made the narrow God's universal
message. Their progeny having been
found unworthy, their place was taken by
a new people looking towards Mecca."
How can trust be established between
Islam and ANYONE who seems to be
outside of the Islamic faith when in fact
the Islamic faith is full of phrases like this
in the Koran? I myself am non-religious
but find phrases like this in the Koran very
disturbing because it carries a strong
sense of intolerance. Can Islam truly
ever understand democracy?
Anisa Mehdi: One of the things that's important when you read the Koran is to know the exact historical circumstance within which a particular revelation is given to the prophet Mohammed. I've heard that one before, and I would suggest that in order to understand the particular situation better, you go to a mosque and go the scholars there to help interpret the historical context of that verse to understand it properly, rather than literally. Because if you take it literally, that passage would be frightening.
New York, N.Y.:
The escalation of violence cannot be a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian problem, although there must be resistance to political occupation. Is there anything in the Koran which could encourage the Palestinian people to utilize Gandhian passive resistance, which has demonstrated its effectiveness in its use by a unarmed populace against a stronger occupier?
Anisa Mehdi: I think there are efforts underway. But not being on location there, and not living that life, I find myself at a loss to interpret how it must feel, and why people are doing what they're doing, I can only guess. The parallel I try to draw is the American Revolution, when in the name of getting independence, people did some pretty horrible things. Read the biography of Henry Lighthorse Lee, who ended up governor of Virginia, who resigned his commission as an officer in the continental army because he could not abide the atrocities American rebels were perpetrating against British loyalist.
Tacoma, Wash.:
Are all Muslims required to submit to Shariah? What penalties would members face if they declared their independence from Shariah?
Anisa Mehdi: Muslims are required to follow the laws of the lands in which they live. If Shariah is the law of the land, that's the legal system they need to follow. When American Constitutional law is the law of the land, that's the law you follow.
Arlington, Va.:
Jesus Christ, as presented in the Bible, preached meekness, humility, and poverty -- it was many centuries before his followers managed to reconcile warfare and Christian faith.
Muhammed, on the other hand, was a warrior -- as well as a wealthy merchant -- who encouraged his followers to take up the sword against Islam's enemies.
I know that this was long ago, but it should not be forgotten when we hear unqualified assertions that "Islam is about peace."
Anisa Mehdi: The historical truth about the prophet and his military expeditions is that they were in defense of the Muslim community, which was being attacked repeatedly by the powerful clans of Mecca.
Chicago, Ill.:
The program last night was very engaging, but I can't say that watching it left me with a more favorable opinion of Islam. Islam as you portrayed it seems to be inherently anti-Western -- the emphasis on the collective over the individual, the rigid aherence to rules and doctrine, the apparent suppresion of dissent or critical thinking. Sure, the American Muslims (and especially the young Saudi) differed in this regard, but I'd argue that that's precisely because they're Americans. Outside of the U.S., the Muslim on your program I most connected with was the Malaysian woman seeking a divorce from her abusive, polygamist husband. Yet even her modest request for some dignity in her life is apparently controversial, and she's been charged with "insulting" Islam. What am I missing here? Thanks.
Anisa Mehdi: It was the human rights advocate who is facing these charges, not the woman who is seeking a divorce. It still is a terrible shame for this poor woman who is trying to get a divorce.
I think the problem with permission for critical thinking and for peaceful political dissent lies more with post-colonial power struggles and structures than it does with Islam. That's certainly what our reporting leads me to believe.
Minneapolis, Minn.:
Could you talk about the concept of "the individual" in context of Islam? In addition, would you address the idea of "community" in Islam. It also may be interesting to address whether moderates and extremists differentiate in viewpoints on individual/community. shukra'an.
Anisa Mehdi: There's a great deal of respect for individual rights and self-expression, so long as they do not harm or damage someone else's rights or well-being. So that looks like the public sphere takes precedence over the private sphere of life. When we were working on this documentary, the phrase that came to mind was "Star Trek's" Mr. Spock reminding us that "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." But Islam also emphasizes the terrific importance of the individual -- men and women -- being educated, and contributing to society, behaving appropriately and modestly. It's almost like a version of society that the "West" appreciated last century, where we didn't have everything out on the table all the time -- including all our emotions, all our body parts, all our angers. People spoke with discretion, they were polite. There's a sense of being withheld, but what's the sense of blowing up? What's the point of road rage?
Columbus, Ohio:
Hello. I am a descendent of Muhammad originally from Iran. The descendents of Muhammad have the prefix of "Seyyed" attached to their name and that is how people know of their background. I was wondering if any one knows the approximate total number of "Seyyeds" in the world. I have not been able to find this statistics and appreciate any help in this regard.
Anisa Mehdi: In Iran, which I was fortunate enough to go to three times working on this documentary, the male religious scholars who are descended from the prophet on their father's side wear black turbans. There are lots of black turbans. But I don't know -- I'd suggest you might look online for any Iranian or Shaiah Web sites.
Teaneck, N.J.:
1. In your Turkey segment you mentioned about the Parliamentary women who wore the headscarf and was kicked out, and had her citizenship revoked. Do you know what she is doing now, and did you try to interview her for the program, why or why not?
2. In your Malaysia segment, I was curious if the wife Anwar Ibrahim (former deputy prime minister) is active on women's issues -- if so, was there any reason why you did not interview her?
By the way, I really enjoyed the program and thought it was very well done.
Anisa Mehdi: Marve Kavakci (of Turkey) is now living in the United States. She has been aware of this documentary all along, and we decided not to interview her specifically for the documentary because we agreed we should be discussing the current situation in Turkey with people who are there now.
Wan Azizah, who is the wife of Anwar Ibrahim, is very active in Malaysian politics, which includes but is not exclusively involved in women's issues. We were interested in talking with people who are more involved at the grassroots level in the discussion of reinterpreting Islam.
Anisa Mehdi: Thank you all for your very intelligent questions, and for staying up so late watching the show. We are initiating ongoing community engagement and educational outreach projects to take the germs of ideas that may have been planted by the documentary, and see how they can grow in terms of discussion and integration of the American social consciousness.
The Web site is www.theislamproject.org. I'm aware that you can't do it all in two hours, but I'm hopeful that this is a good beginning to bridge some of the understanding gaps to keep watching and reading other sources of information. There's a suggested reading list on the Frontline Web site.
washingtonpost.com:
That wraps up today's show. Thanks to everyone who joined the
discussion.
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