This Beautiful Anger

During the past few days, Muslims have lived in a rare moment of truth. This moment has come about as a spontaneous reaction to offensive images of the greatest leader of the community, Muhammad ibn Abdullah, may Allah bless him and peace be upon him. This bold anger that pervades Islamic countries from end to end calls for pride and admiration. When it was no longer possible, the nation rose up and shook the ground from humiliation, roaring as one man and declaring its refusal of the offensive work. The truth is that this anger has placed us in an exceptional defining position by giving us moments of pride, which have only rarely occurred in the community’s life. Thus, extinguishing lanterns have been lit within the Arab people.

Millions of Muslims have turned into churning seas with no shore. This crowd must be seen and the roaring felt as a result of the heinous act. They have been granted moments of strength, which perhaps they have not had for centuries. We are not advocates of violence, but the offensive work resurrected hope for the new nation. More important, it seems, is that the Muslim community discovered that there are much greater reasons for unity among believers than for their fragmentation.

It is true that before the film incident, we — as Muslims — belonged to a family of cold reptiles that bit each other madly as the world watched us with boundless rapture. When Muslim revolutionaries revolted, they forced the world to respect them. There is no better example of this than the voices of condemnation and disapproval of this film’s contents, particularly those issued by the U.S. Secretary of State who described the film as “disgusting.” There is no doubt that the United States and the West in general have presented over 1,000 offensive images of our religion, particularly those which target our Prophet, peace be upon him and his family. Still, they accused Muslims of being barbaric at times and nomadic at others.

The fact that the United States allowed the production of this film and tried to tarnish the perfect image of the Prophet demonstrates that the U.S. does not actually support the beliefs of others. There is no end to the U.S.’ repeat offenses, which occur again and again; this time it is this coarse and gaunt film, which is based on fabrications, lies and the falsification of facts. It is naïve to attempt to convince those who hold grudges towards Islam to respect our faith.

For 1,400 years Muslims have tried to present the authenticity of their faith to the world — but they fail. For 1,400 years their constitutions were dictated according to Islamic rule. These served as the main source of legislation — yet these practices are violated. It is this sharp dichotomy between theory and practice that is the cause for their vulnerability when they are presented before the world. Nations collapse upon us, as our Prophet (peace be upon him) said, as all nations collapse on you like food in a bowl. Say: Few of us believe, O Prophet? Say: No, but you are the scum as the scum of the stream.

Indeed, Islam as a theory can be read in the great books of Islamic authority, which are numerous. Islam’s scattered principles and provisions with all the details and their reasons are in these legislative sources. But that is the easy Islam, while real Islam is difficult; the practice of Islam and the application of Islam are confrontational, first the spiritual struggle within oneself against sin; and secondly the struggle with the temporal world, such as offensive symbols. It is not enough to say the Shahada and be a Muslim; it is not enough to pray and perform rituals and fast during Ramadan; it is not enough to grow our beards in order to be worthy of this magnificent religion. The Islamic faith is not a costume we wear. Sometimes we are willing to wear it, and sometimes we don’t want to find these provisions to resonate in reality.

Since the beginning, I was convinced that what unites the sons of the Islamic nation is immeasurably more than what sets them apart. This crisis that has offended our Prophet came and reinforced my conviction. If only Muslims remained consistently prompt in responding to insults that affect their faith, whether the source is from the outside or from the inside. If only they invested these beautiful moments of anger in order to further a union with each other rather than missing opportunities on their enemies.