Tomorrow we will begin our fourth week at the IFC with two new showtimes: 3 45 and 6:45. Please show up in large numbers this weekend-we need to prove that this film has longevity at the US Box Office, so that more films like this one you love can follow behind our example!
Here are two new emails:
Parvez,
I thoroughly enjoyed watching "A Jihad for Love" this last weekend and have been thinking about it ever since. One of the points I have been coming back to is that it is a portrayal about the diversity of Islam itself. From the outside, I think many of us lump all of Islam into one homogenous entity. I imagine that similarly, many non-Christians view all Christianity as the same, non-Jews Judaism, etc.
In your film, I saw first-hand how different Islam can be from country to country, and thus by extension how different the experiences of gay Muslims can be from one country to another. While I knew Turkey was a secular state, it still amazed me that gay Iranians could find sanctuary in another Muslim country.
Which brings me to the sad and angry emails you have been getting. What they seem to have in common is a sense that there must be a single right way to be a Muslim (which seems to include a 'death to all gays' line item) and that all other paths must be wrong. To me, the fact that Islam is interpreted so differently in so many different places around the world suggests that there are in fact many right ways to be a Muslim and that some of those approaches might involve tolerance towards gays and lesbians.
I don't expect that your film will change the most closed-minded people out there, but I do believe that as more people see it, more will begin to understand the complexity around reconciling an individual's sexuality with their religion and culture. What our all-too-often violent world needs is more understanding, not less.
Wishing you all the best,
L. James
And this rather tongue-in-cheek email from Indian gay rights activist, Ashok Rowk Kavi (who I love but whose Hindutva rhetoric sometimes escapes me!):
Honourable Imam Muhsin Hendricks,
I read your comments to my posting which first appeared on the SAJA list. I am a bit surprised that you insist on calling Allah by the female gender. The word Allah is the male version of Lat, one of the three Holy Virgins of Arabia, Al-Lah being the male term of her name LAT. The three Holy Virgins being Lat, Ozza and Mannat.
The Prophet usurped their temples in Makka six centuries after the Jewish myth figure of Yesuha bin Yusef (Jesus, son of Joseph). So if you wish to use the female gender please use the correct one by saying LAT.
However, the Prophet DID try and revert to the cult of the Holy Virgins of Arabia in what are called the Satanic Verses, mentioning which got the Islamic apostate Salman Rushdie into trouble.
I recommend you read Al-Kindy to know about the damage caused by Islam to the cults of the Three Holy Virgins of Arabia....
I am preparing a bigger version of my retort to you on my blog 'Gileri Uvacha', which means 'The Squirrel Speaks', after the legend of the blessed animal which contributed little pebbles in building the great Bridge Maryada Purshottam Sri Ram built from India to Sri Lanka in 3000 BCE to cross over and rescue his wife Sita from the demon Ravana.
There I will give you the historical context of the hatred for homosexuality that is a cultural indicator of the Semitic tribal cults of the Judaic group of Abrahamic theogonies.
I will not go further in talking to you on this blog as my friend Parvez Sharma calls it the Islamic "Universe" which I deny as there is more to humanity besides Islam -- or Hinduism!.
In the name of the Three Holy Virgins of Arabia, I bless you with the symbol of their mukut (crown) the Crescent and Star, which has been appropriated on the pendant of Islam.
-- Ashadevi Saundatti, devotee of Her Holiness Renuka Devi in South India, where the Dharma of Holy Temple Prostitution is still followed as in pre-Islamic Arabia (Ashok Row Kavi)
started this blog, 2007. today i am a guggenheim fellow, a much lauded filmmaker and author; creator of 3 world firsts: a jihad for love; a sinner in mecca (films) + 112,000 page book. visit parvezsharma.com but this blog is historically important; a partial on the road record; the world's first ever film on islam and homosexuality; fact = "islam trilogy" = 8 million plus eyeballs; yes, death, defying work, but re-taught me gratitude+ humility; karma backbones = dh; sd; at; hva; pa
10.6.08
9.6.08
KEEP A STRONG HEART
That is the title of an email I just received from "J" in Massachusetts. I reproduce it below
Dear Parvez,
So much has happened to all religions over the centuries. God has been reinvented as disapproving of His own creation, His own manifestations. Yet the great beings of all times have repeatedly assured us that God dwells within us as we are, in whatever form we take, and that we must honor and respect ourselves as living forms of God.
Your Muslim brothers who may condemn you are victims of forgetting these truths. I know some so-called Christians may also condemn you. I feel sorry for their ignorance of God's true nature, which is love for His entire creation, every one of us. Stay strong in the truth as you know it, no matter what. May we all know God's true nature of unconditional love one day.
Love to you, "J"
7.6.08
STONING ME?
I have just received the email below from someone who goes by "Bashar Abu Kwaik". Other than the abusive tone, the 'emailer' also needs a spell check.
"How can a fag call him self a muslim this fuckin queer butty boy fi fi man must be stonned to death, ur kind are doomed.Allahu Akbar wake up Muslims"
Today seems to be my day of abuse- Here is another choice email from someone who saw me on DN! I am 'this bastard'.
"This bastard has never read the Quran, otherwise he wud have heard of the people of Lut who were destroyed for this sin (gayness). This person has never tasted iman, and he is the furthest away from islam. He has no right to call himself muslim when he doesnt even understand islam. It because of people like him may people turn gay. Thats why he should be killed, to stop this disease spreading.Many lives can be ruined from letting him speak like the donkey he is.homo isnt biological, its mental"
And then someone else, who does not seem to get the nuance of my positions on Iran in these times- says
"By all means keep your opinion to yourself. Do u belive there is a competision between Mobarak and Ahmadinejad? Ahmadinejad said exacly what he said and he meant it. "we do have this(gay people) in Iran."
More emails that I have found and some of which have been sent to me directly- a couple use very offensive language but I find it necessary to reproduce them to try and make you, my dear readers understand why this film and this work is so important:
"Muslim and Gay can't go together! If Islam is "treating gays badly" then go to another religion GOSH! And just change religions quietly if you don't want people to know so Sharia Law won't kill you in Islamic Countries. Sharia law isn't even enforced in Iran and Afghanistan. So why would you"
"1. Why still be a "Gay Muslim" if the religion treats you bad? Why not become something else.
2. Allah says in the Quran that he flipped over a whole entire city of homosexuals. Why? Because he felt like it?
No, because in our religion and others such as Judaism, and Christianity, homosexuality is prohibited.
Be gay, just not Muslim or any other religion that prohibits it.
Think of it, you wouldn't go through all that "Jihad" if you just said you weren't Muslim."
"I have not seen this movie yet, although I want to. But with all due respect to the filmmaker, the best way to live your life openly and happily, and to be who you are, is to leave Islam behind. This is the same advice I have for any gays and lesbians who are religious, regardless of what your faith is. Until you leave all that superstitious nonsense behind you, you will not be able to live the way you want and truly be free."
"astagfriallah! Allah is going to throw all of these homosexuals in jahanem!"
"al-Tirmidhi (1456), Abu Dawood (4462)and Ibn Maajah (2561) narrated that Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever you find doing the action of the people of Loot, execute the one who does it and the one to whom it is done.". Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.
"And (remember) Loot (Lot), when he said to his people: 'Do you commit the worst sin such as none preceding you has committed in the 'Aalameen (mankind and jinn)?
81. 'Verily, you practise your lusts on men instead of women. Nay, but you are a people transgressing beyond bounds (by committing great sins).'
82. And the answer of his people was only that they said: 'Drive them out of your town, these are indeed men who want to be pure (from sins)!"
"Allah has created 2 paths in this world for us to follow...the good and the bad..and it is up to us to choose whatever path we want to be in...Allah also remind us that we have to be responsible on the path that we choose...but then again Allah is merciful..Allah says that if you commit sins, u can still ask for forgiveness from Allah..and with sincere apologies, insyaAllah, Allah will accept your taubah and with the condition that you have abandoned ur sins...allahu a'alam..."
"As a visitor to Kuala Lumpur, Oman, Dubai, Morocco and other Muslim countries, I respect and follow your conservative islamic traditions. In MY country, our values are not the same... England and much of Western Europe enjoys a non-religious society and the freedom and tolerance this brings. Increasingly I am sick and tired of Islam invading our Western libertarian values. If you don't like it here in the West, piss off back then. It has to work both ways!"
"How can a fag call him self a muslim this fuckin queer butty boy fi fi man must be stonned to death, ur kind are doomed.Allahu Akbar wake up Muslims"
Today seems to be my day of abuse- Here is another choice email from someone who saw me on DN! I am 'this bastard'.
"This bastard has never read the Quran, otherwise he wud have heard of the people of Lut who were destroyed for this sin (gayness). This person has never tasted iman, and he is the furthest away from islam. He has no right to call himself muslim when he doesnt even understand islam. It because of people like him may people turn gay. Thats why he should be killed, to stop this disease spreading.Many lives can be ruined from letting him speak like the donkey he is.homo isnt biological, its mental"
And then someone else, who does not seem to get the nuance of my positions on Iran in these times- says
"By all means keep your opinion to yourself. Do u belive there is a competision between Mobarak and Ahmadinejad? Ahmadinejad said exacly what he said and he meant it. "we do have this(gay people) in Iran."
More emails that I have found and some of which have been sent to me directly- a couple use very offensive language but I find it necessary to reproduce them to try and make you, my dear readers understand why this film and this work is so important:
"Muslim and Gay can't go together! If Islam is "treating gays badly" then go to another religion GOSH! And just change religions quietly if you don't want people to know so Sharia Law won't kill you in Islamic Countries. Sharia law isn't even enforced in Iran and Afghanistan. So why would you"
"1. Why still be a "Gay Muslim" if the religion treats you bad? Why not become something else.
2. Allah says in the Quran that he flipped over a whole entire city of homosexuals. Why? Because he felt like it?
No, because in our religion and others such as Judaism, and Christianity, homosexuality is prohibited.
Be gay, just not Muslim or any other religion that prohibits it.
Think of it, you wouldn't go through all that "Jihad" if you just said you weren't Muslim."
"I have not seen this movie yet, although I want to. But with all due respect to the filmmaker, the best way to live your life openly and happily, and to be who you are, is to leave Islam behind. This is the same advice I have for any gays and lesbians who are religious, regardless of what your faith is. Until you leave all that superstitious nonsense behind you, you will not be able to live the way you want and truly be free."
"astagfriallah! Allah is going to throw all of these homosexuals in jahanem!"
"al-Tirmidhi (1456), Abu Dawood (4462)and Ibn Maajah (2561) narrated that Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever you find doing the action of the people of Loot, execute the one who does it and the one to whom it is done.". Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.
"And (remember) Loot (Lot), when he said to his people: 'Do you commit the worst sin such as none preceding you has committed in the 'Aalameen (mankind and jinn)?
81. 'Verily, you practise your lusts on men instead of women. Nay, but you are a people transgressing beyond bounds (by committing great sins).'
82. And the answer of his people was only that they said: 'Drive them out of your town, these are indeed men who want to be pure (from sins)!"
"Allah has created 2 paths in this world for us to follow...the good and the bad..and it is up to us to choose whatever path we want to be in...Allah also remind us that we have to be responsible on the path that we choose...but then again Allah is merciful..Allah says that if you commit sins, u can still ask for forgiveness from Allah..and with sincere apologies, insyaAllah, Allah will accept your taubah and with the condition that you have abandoned ur sins...allahu a'alam..."
"As a visitor to Kuala Lumpur, Oman, Dubai, Morocco and other Muslim countries, I respect and follow your conservative islamic traditions. In MY country, our values are not the same... England and much of Western Europe enjoys a non-religious society and the freedom and tolerance this brings. Increasingly I am sick and tired of Islam invading our Western libertarian values. If you don't like it here in the West, piss off back then. It has to work both ways!"
6.6.08
Gay Muslims Make a Familiar Point
Please read this review of the film on The Huffington Post
Gay Muslims Make a Familiar Point
Here is a quote:
In the end, Sharma is challenging us to understand God as all knowing and God as love. Such a spiritual commitment, disarming in its simplicity, would bring crashing down religious bullies and murderers all over the world.
WATCH this great interview with Muhsin, Sandi and myself with Laura Flanders on GRITtv
Laura says:
Ostensibly a film about lesbian and gay life in Muslim countries, this film is much more than a standard account of repression or intolerance. A Jihad For Love is as much about Islam as it is about sexual preference. In fact, it's a sort of coming out story for a culture.
Karin writes:
And we really need you all to show up in very large numbers this weekend! AGAIN-WE NEED THE WEEKEND BOX OFFICE NUMBERS TO CONTINUE PLAYING IN NYC-AFTER OR SMASH SUCCESS FIRST TWO WEEKENDS!
Gay Muslims Make a Familiar Point
Here is a quote:
In the end, Sharma is challenging us to understand God as all knowing and God as love. Such a spiritual commitment, disarming in its simplicity, would bring crashing down religious bullies and murderers all over the world.
WATCH this great interview with Muhsin, Sandi and myself with Laura Flanders on GRITtv
Laura says:
Ostensibly a film about lesbian and gay life in Muslim countries, this film is much more than a standard account of repression or intolerance. A Jihad For Love is as much about Islam as it is about sexual preference. In fact, it's a sort of coming out story for a culture.
Karin writes:
It was so nice to meet you at the IFC center. As sad as ''A Jihad for Love' is at times, it is also a beautiful and inspiring story about love and religion.
And we really need you all to show up in very large numbers this weekend! AGAIN-WE NEED THE WEEKEND BOX OFFICE NUMBERS TO CONTINUE PLAYING IN NYC-AFTER OR SMASH SUCCESS FIRST TWO WEEKENDS!
4.6.08
SOLD OUT!!!
YES! On a Tuesday night (yesterday) for the 8 pm show "A Jihad For Love" was sold out-out-performing every other film at the cinema. This is amazing and the momentum, buzz, word on the street about this film is HUGE!
We have been extended into a THIRD WEEK at the IFC which begins today with new showtimes. Joining us was an amazing panel of immigration and asylum activists and experts.
Check out their website and get your tickets NOW
We are also opening in Cities ACROSS AMERICA. Check out the website for First Run Features, our distributor to plan now and be there when THIS JIHAD ROLLS INTO YOUR HOMETOWN.
We have been extended into a THIRD WEEK at the IFC which begins today with new showtimes. Joining us was an amazing panel of immigration and asylum activists and experts.
Check out their website and get your tickets NOW
We are also opening in Cities ACROSS AMERICA. Check out the website for First Run Features, our distributor to plan now and be there when THIS JIHAD ROLLS INTO YOUR HOMETOWN.
A conference I highly recommend
MUSLIMS FOR PROGRESSIVE VALUES
2nd Annual National Conference
July 17 - 20, 2008
Sarah Lawrence College, Bronxville, New York
Muslims for Progressive Values cordially invites you to our second annual National Conference
Join fellow progressive Muslims from around the United States for two days of spiritual refreshment, strategizing for the future, and exploration of this year's theme, Establishing the Progressive Mindset.
Conference Highlights Include:
* Community Building and Media Training by KNP Communications, a
firm whose clients include Fortune 500 companies and Members of
Congress Artists and Authors Night
* An Artists Night showcasing some of the best work by progressive
Muslim artists, authors, and musicians
* The Prophet Muhammad and Social Change, a presentation on the
spiritual message of Islam by Sultan Hameed, co-founder and Director
of Education of the Muslim Reform Movement Organization
* Community in Twelve Houses, an exploration of astronomy and
astrology in Islamic history and the ways in which these lessons still
apply today by internationally-syndicated columnist Jack Fertig
* A Dinner and Evening Entertainment in downtown New York City
* New This Year! Progressive Muslim Youth Conference, a program to
begin a lifelong journey of spirituality, faith, progressive values,
and open, equal community for youth ages 14 and up (a select number of
scholarships are available)
For more information or to register online, please visit http://www.mpvusa.org/
Fee Table
Conference Registration Fee: $65*
Meals (does not include Saturday night dinner and outing): $88*
Lodging for two nights only: $110
Lodging for three nights: $165
* required payment for all participants
2nd Annual National Conference
July 17 - 20, 2008
Sarah Lawrence College, Bronxville, New York
Muslims for Progressive Values cordially invites you to our second annual National Conference
Join fellow progressive Muslims from around the United States for two days of spiritual refreshment, strategizing for the future, and exploration of this year's theme, Establishing the Progressive Mindset.
Conference Highlights Include:
* Community Building and Media Training by KNP Communications, a
firm whose clients include Fortune 500 companies and Members of
Congress Artists and Authors Night
* An Artists Night showcasing some of the best work by progressive
Muslim artists, authors, and musicians
* The Prophet Muhammad and Social Change, a presentation on the
spiritual message of Islam by Sultan Hameed, co-founder and Director
of Education of the Muslim Reform Movement Organization
* Community in Twelve Houses, an exploration of astronomy and
astrology in Islamic history and the ways in which these lessons still
apply today by internationally-syndicated columnist Jack Fertig
* A Dinner and Evening Entertainment in downtown New York City
* New This Year! Progressive Muslim Youth Conference, a program to
begin a lifelong journey of spirituality, faith, progressive values,
and open, equal community for youth ages 14 and up (a select number of
scholarships are available)
For more information or to register online, please visit http://www.mpvusa.org/
Fee Table
Conference Registration Fee: $65*
Meals (does not include Saturday night dinner and outing): $88*
Lodging for two nights only: $110
Lodging for three nights: $165
* required payment for all participants
3.6.08
Back on FaceBook
Yes!
Back with a cryptic message of my misuse-but Hallelujah! May my recent FaceBook travails serve as a warning to all of us to be extra careful in how we use the site.
Disability is just a mouse click away...
And yes there was a friend request waiting with the following note (from the Netherlands)-
I really loved this film-it fills me with hope-Can I please be your friend?
Also from the same country another message:
‘A Jihad for Love’ is one of the most touching movies I have ever seen. The movie about people who aren’t as other people want them to be. About people who didn’t do anything wrong then only are as they are. I admire them, also for the way they tell the people about their experiences!
It is a shame that what the movie shows, exists in real. It is a shame that there are countries with a very low standard of human rights for gays. It is a shame that in such countries gays can’t live in freedom and with respect and that they have to leave to have a life. To prevent for repudiation, torture or even worse. It is unbelievable hard to leave your country, your family, your friends because of the human that you are. Maybe you will never see them again.
I feel close to them, as I am one of them. I have luck that I am born in a country that has human rights that are equal for both gays and straights.
I am not a better person, so I don’t deserve to have a better life.
Back with a cryptic message of my misuse-but Hallelujah! May my recent FaceBook travails serve as a warning to all of us to be extra careful in how we use the site.
Disability is just a mouse click away...
And yes there was a friend request waiting with the following note (from the Netherlands)-
I really loved this film-it fills me with hope-Can I please be your friend?
Also from the same country another message:
‘A Jihad for Love’ is one of the most touching movies I have ever seen. The movie about people who aren’t as other people want them to be. About people who didn’t do anything wrong then only are as they are. I admire them, also for the way they tell the people about their experiences!
It is a shame that what the movie shows, exists in real. It is a shame that there are countries with a very low standard of human rights for gays. It is a shame that in such countries gays can’t live in freedom and with respect and that they have to leave to have a life. To prevent for repudiation, torture or even worse. It is unbelievable hard to leave your country, your family, your friends because of the human that you are. Maybe you will never see them again.
I feel close to them, as I am one of them. I have luck that I am born in a country that has human rights that are equal for both gays and straights.
I am not a better person, so I don’t deserve to have a better life.
My FaceBook remains disabled
A search through a friends account revealed that some other 'Parvez Sharma' had set up an account. Another friend thinks it could be because of some of the groups I had joined-one which supports the Palestinian cause. Someone else says it might be because I was sending emails to my friends lists promoting the film. Yet another theory is that I was adding and accepting too many 'friends'. I have requested the films publicists to take up the matter with FaceBook and we are trying many channels to get through their opacity. So if you are trying to reach me there, as of now I do not exist there. If I am re-instated with the mercy of those tireless facebook employees, nameless and churning out all that html code ; )-then I will let you all know!
I mourn the loss of more than a 1000 friends, many of whom had seen or wanted to see this film. But I also wonder if this is a unique kind of a freedom from a strange online parallel universe.
Most of all I mourn the loss of a young gay Muslim man who was communicating his immense personal struggle with his family to me via FaceBook. You all have read some of his communications.
I mourn the loss of more than a 1000 friends, many of whom had seen or wanted to see this film. But I also wonder if this is a unique kind of a freedom from a strange online parallel universe.
Most of all I mourn the loss of a young gay Muslim man who was communicating his immense personal struggle with his family to me via FaceBook. You all have read some of his communications.
2.6.08
How do we show this film in Yemen?
I just got this and I feel a little bit helpless. I know people like her really need to see the film.
And this email is from one of our panelists last week...
"I just wanted to say THANK YOU for including me on the panel last week. It was a really great event and it made me really happy that I could be a part of it.
Thank you for making an incredible film: so rich and nuanced, I can't wait to buy it for NYU and teach it. Parvez, I really loved the India section in particular. That material is just priceless (the class stuff, the
discussion about kothi, the persistence of queer desire/practices despite
state or religious sanctions, etc.)
Looking forward to many continuing conversations.
xoxo,
G"
Dear Paravez,
My name is "E" I am an Arab Muslim lady who leave in Yemen ( Yemen is Conservative country like its neighbors Saudia) I am lesbian and I am no freedom as I might be to killed at any time.
You film give a hope to open an eyes to our rights in the Muslim worlds, I have a wish and I will be grateful if you help me to watch and down load this movie, as this is the only way to see it.
Thanks.
"E"My name is "E" I am an Arab Muslim lady who leave in Yemen ( Yemen is Conservative country like its neighbors Saudia) I am lesbian and I am no freedom as I might be to killed at any time.
You film give a hope to open an eyes to our rights in the Muslim worlds, I have a wish and I will be grateful if you help me to watch and down load this movie, as this is the only way to see it.
Thanks.
And this email is from one of our panelists last week...
"I just wanted to say THANK YOU for including me on the panel last week. It was a really great event and it made me really happy that I could be a part of it.
Thank you for making an incredible film: so rich and nuanced, I can't wait to buy it for NYU and teach it. Parvez, I really loved the India section in particular. That material is just priceless (the class stuff, the
discussion about kothi, the persistence of queer desire/practices despite
state or religious sanctions, etc.)
Looking forward to many continuing conversations.
xoxo,
G"
A Beautiful Email
This is a very erudite deconstruction and analysis of the film from a Muslim audience member I know- with superb intellect. I expected him to have a profound response and I am not surprised that he sees some of the things I tried hard to achieve in this film. I consider this a uniquely Muslim response to a very Muslim film
Dear Parvez,
I didn't get a chance to talk with you much after themovie, so I want to tell you some of my thoughts (Ihope you will indulge me and read them!) before I lost them all.
I am very glad that thereis a film like this out there on this subject. For people who are curious about Islam, for people curious about LGBT people in Islam, and for people who want to enjoy a beautiful movie. I loved it.
I found it very touching, a very personal exploration for the different subjects of what it means to them to be Muslim and gay and how they reconcile the two (or for one - don't; it was sad to see her wish to be punished because she is so conflicted).
As I think I told you, I especially enjoyed the visual comments on political issues related to the subject, like how you raised an issue for lesbian Muslims ofthe secondary status that woman have in contemporary Islam through a variety of scenes, like the one wheremen insist they must be given a right of way through an area of a mosque that is reserved for women, and the sign at a mosque that prohibits women entry through the front door. These are just two of the many other commentaries I found in your film which were not made explicit, but filmically delivered.
I do wonder whether people who don't have even a basic understanding of Islam and the issues facing Muslims today would "get it." Would they understand that these are regional traditions not required by Islam? The same with the lesbian from an African country that practices FGM (Christians in those countries do it to- and Muslims from other areas don't). She does say"it's all nonsense," about those who say it is Islamic, but it's not an exposition or anything.
I am tired of meeting non-Muslims who think it is required by Islam. To someone who doesn't know this, it couldbe confused, but then again, I know, no one in themovie says of any of the practices depicted, "This is Islam" either.
I can only imagine the amount of work it took to findenough people who were devout and willing to be filmed, and I think you did a great job of trying to have gender balance. It's not a 1:1 ratio, but youhave a fair balance. I think it's great two of thefive women in the film chose to show their faces.Even better that they participated in the panel at the
film's premiere in Turkey (even more interesting because of the subject of faith within the one majority Muslim country that is a secular state).
I really like that the film showed a great part of the diversity within Islam without being an apology for Islam (and thank you for including parts of the sermon from the Turkish imam on the importance of love as the basis for all human relationships). Yet I do wish it had been more diverse (a southeast Asian country: Indonesia? and a majority Muslim Sub-Saharan African country: Mali or somewhere around there? Maybe Muslims from Guyana? Maybe I would have been satisfied with a slide at the beginning that showed a map of the Muslim world, members of the IOC?). I realize that as hard as it was to get the people you did get, doing more would have been that much harder.
Anyway, I don't think I realized some of the pain I carry around until I saw (and was moved to tears at some points) the real pain of the people you filmed. Pain from their inner struggles, but also pain that results from the persecutions of LGBT folk in different countries and the real fear that they live with -- and the consequences to their families.
I think your film will start (has started! must start!) a dialogue within Islamic communities and families about how we should be treating our brothers and sisters (and hopefully every part of Creation).
And for Muslims it has some important reminders: as the quote from the Qur'an carved into a mosque's walls that the two lesbians read warns, there are hypocrites and falsely pious people whose outward signs of piety cannot obscure their lack of Islamic ethics in how
they treat their fellow human beings, and the Turkish Imam and Muhsin Hendricks talking about loving God and stress the compassion and mercy of God.
ANYWAY -- that was a bit longer than I originally intended. Thank you again for making this movie. I would definitely recommend it to all my friends and family. And I have. :) I hope to see you soon. Let
me know in what way I can volunteer and help you with this project.
Love/Peace, K
Dear Parvez,
I didn't get a chance to talk with you much after themovie, so I want to tell you some of my thoughts (Ihope you will indulge me and read them!) before I lost them all.
I am very glad that thereis a film like this out there on this subject. For people who are curious about Islam, for people curious about LGBT people in Islam, and for people who want to enjoy a beautiful movie. I loved it.
I found it very touching, a very personal exploration for the different subjects of what it means to them to be Muslim and gay and how they reconcile the two (or for one - don't; it was sad to see her wish to be punished because she is so conflicted).
As I think I told you, I especially enjoyed the visual comments on political issues related to the subject, like how you raised an issue for lesbian Muslims ofthe secondary status that woman have in contemporary Islam through a variety of scenes, like the one wheremen insist they must be given a right of way through an area of a mosque that is reserved for women, and the sign at a mosque that prohibits women entry through the front door. These are just two of the many other commentaries I found in your film which were not made explicit, but filmically delivered.
I do wonder whether people who don't have even a basic understanding of Islam and the issues facing Muslims today would "get it." Would they understand that these are regional traditions not required by Islam? The same with the lesbian from an African country that practices FGM (Christians in those countries do it to- and Muslims from other areas don't). She does say"it's all nonsense," about those who say it is Islamic, but it's not an exposition or anything.
I am tired of meeting non-Muslims who think it is required by Islam. To someone who doesn't know this, it couldbe confused, but then again, I know, no one in themovie says of any of the practices depicted, "This is Islam" either.
I can only imagine the amount of work it took to findenough people who were devout and willing to be filmed, and I think you did a great job of trying to have gender balance. It's not a 1:1 ratio, but youhave a fair balance. I think it's great two of thefive women in the film chose to show their faces.Even better that they participated in the panel at the
film's premiere in Turkey (even more interesting because of the subject of faith within the one majority Muslim country that is a secular state).
I really like that the film showed a great part of the diversity within Islam without being an apology for Islam (and thank you for including parts of the sermon from the Turkish imam on the importance of love as the basis for all human relationships). Yet I do wish it had been more diverse (a southeast Asian country: Indonesia? and a majority Muslim Sub-Saharan African country: Mali or somewhere around there? Maybe Muslims from Guyana? Maybe I would have been satisfied with a slide at the beginning that showed a map of the Muslim world, members of the IOC?). I realize that as hard as it was to get the people you did get, doing more would have been that much harder.
Anyway, I don't think I realized some of the pain I carry around until I saw (and was moved to tears at some points) the real pain of the people you filmed. Pain from their inner struggles, but also pain that results from the persecutions of LGBT folk in different countries and the real fear that they live with -- and the consequences to their families.
I think your film will start (has started! must start!) a dialogue within Islamic communities and families about how we should be treating our brothers and sisters (and hopefully every part of Creation).
And for Muslims it has some important reminders: as the quote from the Qur'an carved into a mosque's walls that the two lesbians read warns, there are hypocrites and falsely pious people whose outward signs of piety cannot obscure their lack of Islamic ethics in how
they treat their fellow human beings, and the Turkish Imam and Muhsin Hendricks talking about loving God and stress the compassion and mercy of God.
ANYWAY -- that was a bit longer than I originally intended. Thank you again for making this movie. I would definitely recommend it to all my friends and family. And I have. :) I hope to see you soon. Let
me know in what way I can volunteer and help you with this project.
Love/Peace, K
1.6.08
"To a Real Muslim this is an Attack"
This from Egypt:
"i know that by now; all the western world considers the gays issue to be a normal thing; not only this but it also gays have organization to defend them and their rights.
but to Muslims; this will never be a normal thing to deal with, as Islam consider this kind of human behavior to be one of the greatest sins that can be ever committed.
the main idea of Islam is to make the world look more and more like a Utopia, and this can not be achieved by challenging nature or changing the way that GOD set things to be.
i mean what will happen if the majority of men became gays and the majority of women became lesbians; Human race will start to extinct, there will be now children no Love in way we always knew it and all relationships will be based on sexual needs only, what kind of world is that.
i am not saying that there are no gays or lesbians who still call themselves Muslims.
but according to Islam they can not be considered Muslims anymore, so you can not take this movie by any mean as a point of view of a Muslim.
i know that what is being said about Islam every time you open the news channel do not support what i am saying, but please remember what was said about Christians and Jesus in the days of the roman empire.
i just wanna say that not everyone grows a beard or says i am Muslim is a real Muslim."
But as I discover every night as I answer questions in the theater-things are not always as they seem. The discussions audiences are having with me and the 'subjects' in the film seem to be widening in scope and depth...so much, really-happens in that cinema every night. I feel that in some small way I have already contributed something to the world.
Here are some more emails (as always I dont reveal a persons identity unless they permit me to)
"i know that by now; all the western world considers the gays issue to be a normal thing; not only this but it also gays have organization to defend them and their rights.
but to Muslims; this will never be a normal thing to deal with, as Islam consider this kind of human behavior to be one of the greatest sins that can be ever committed.
the main idea of Islam is to make the world look more and more like a Utopia, and this can not be achieved by challenging nature or changing the way that GOD set things to be.
i mean what will happen if the majority of men became gays and the majority of women became lesbians; Human race will start to extinct, there will be now children no Love in way we always knew it and all relationships will be based on sexual needs only, what kind of world is that.
i am not saying that there are no gays or lesbians who still call themselves Muslims.
but according to Islam they can not be considered Muslims anymore, so you can not take this movie by any mean as a point of view of a Muslim.
i know that what is being said about Islam every time you open the news channel do not support what i am saying, but please remember what was said about Christians and Jesus in the days of the roman empire.
i just wanna say that not everyone grows a beard or says i am Muslim is a real Muslim."
But as I discover every night as I answer questions in the theater-things are not always as they seem. The discussions audiences are having with me and the 'subjects' in the film seem to be widening in scope and depth...so much, really-happens in that cinema every night. I feel that in some small way I have already contributed something to the world.
Here are some more emails (as always I dont reveal a persons identity unless they permit me to)
O jihadist of love,
I cried thru the movie, almost of all of it, from as soon as it starts.
It’s amazing how really it’s a movie about faith – despite all the odds and the terrible wrongdoings of clerics – the desperate clutching to hope, faith, god, book, rays of light is immensely touching and inspiring.
I can see how this film, like trembling, can have a serious impact on generating conversation and change in the Muslim world. This is incredible and if only a tenth of the impact trembling had – it is already enough. Amazing grace.
Thank you much....Love you for doing this and very in awe of the work you have done on this.
And one more:
Hello, Parvez!
It was a pleasure (and an unexpected surprise) meeting you at the screening of JIHAD at IFC last night. Again, congrats on the success of the film and my appreciation on the dialogue it is bringing up. Hope that you feel the six years were well spent.Please stay in touch. I look forward to hearing what is on the horizon for you...
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"This is sad in whatever way you look at it. It doesn't rightfully show what really Islam is about, and that "shiekh" or whoever he is. Homosexuality is not punishable. If you commit "homosexual sex" , that is punishable for, and its not nececcarily by death. Its true, ofcourse u can be a homo and still pratice Islam, its rude to say otherwise. Just a word of advice to you muslim homosexuals, go learn more about your religion. Then, you'll reach a level when ull realise how grave is ur sin is."
"You know what? If you're gay, FUCK YOU! If you're a leasbian, FUCK YOU! And who the fuck would nail someone from behind fucktards? That would get some shit and such on your cock that has a delicate membrane then the shit would get into your blood, then you'd be shitbloodded then I would blow your fucking chest with a rock if I saw you.. Homosexual cunts are against all religions and should be fucking killed and left for the hawks."
Finally here is a response someone posted after abusive emails (she was referring to one of my interviews and not the foul email above)
WORD!!! May Allah SWT protect this man, he speaks TRUTH!!!