October 28, 2012
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 28 — An influential Muslim youth group said
today that Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s “My Name Is Khan” movie
confuses Muslims as it promotes liberal Islam and religious pluralism,
and warned Malaysian broadcasters not to air the hit film.
The Muslim youth group’s statement comes after the Malay right-wing group Perkasa’s call last week for Muslims nationwide to boycott award-winning singer Jaclyn Victor for singing the Malay-language Christian song “Harapan Bangsa”, which she has said is meant for Christians.
“Angkatan
Belia Islam Malaysia (ABIM) strongly protests the screening of ‘My Name
Is Khan’ on TV3 on the second Hari Raya Aidil Adha.
The Muslim youth group’s statement comes after the Malay right-wing group Perkasa’s call last week for Muslims nationwide to boycott award-winning singer Jaclyn Victor for singing the Malay-language Christian song “Harapan Bangsa”, which she has said is meant for Christians.
Shah Rukh Khan’s “My Name Is Khan” was aired by TV3 during the second day of Aidiladha. — Reuters pic
“Films that carry confusing messages clearly shouldn’t (tidak wajar)
be screened by a main Malaysian television station,” the group’s
vice-president Ahmad Saparudin Yusup said in a statement today.
He questioned the timing of the film screening, saying that it raises the question of where the “media’s care and responsibility in their broadcasting materials” went.
Ahmad also said the main character played by Shah Rukh Khan showed that the director, scriptwriter, and actor’s level of understanding towards Islam is “shameful”.
He gave examples of scenes in the film such as the Muslim hero marrying a Hindu heroine, saying that it is “clearly against Islam’s teachings”.
He also pointed out that the depiction in the film of acceptance and mixing of other religions’ worship methods with Islam’s, as well as giving zakat or alms to non-Muslims were “confusing”.
While acknowledging that the film’s producer intended to address the issue of “Islamophobia” in the West, Ahmad said that this was done without a deep understanding of the teachings of Islam and appreciation of the root problems, adding that it caused the religion to be dragged into embarrassment.
Ahmad criticised the film’s message of liberal Islam and pluralism of religion, adding that there is an attempt to align it with Western tastes while leaving out the essence of Islam’s teachings.
“Therefore, ABIM urges for a stop of the screening of this film in the future. ABIM also reminds the broadcasting stations in this country to be more sensitive towards content and broadcasting times to avoid controversy in society.
“ABIM also urges that the distribution of this film’s CD be blocked immediately.” Ahmad said.
He questioned the timing of the film screening, saying that it raises the question of where the “media’s care and responsibility in their broadcasting materials” went.
Ahmad also said the main character played by Shah Rukh Khan showed that the director, scriptwriter, and actor’s level of understanding towards Islam is “shameful”.
He gave examples of scenes in the film such as the Muslim hero marrying a Hindu heroine, saying that it is “clearly against Islam’s teachings”.
He also pointed out that the depiction in the film of acceptance and mixing of other religions’ worship methods with Islam’s, as well as giving zakat or alms to non-Muslims were “confusing”.
While acknowledging that the film’s producer intended to address the issue of “Islamophobia” in the West, Ahmad said that this was done without a deep understanding of the teachings of Islam and appreciation of the root problems, adding that it caused the religion to be dragged into embarrassment.
Ahmad criticised the film’s message of liberal Islam and pluralism of religion, adding that there is an attempt to align it with Western tastes while leaving out the essence of Islam’s teachings.
“Therefore, ABIM urges for a stop of the screening of this film in the future. ABIM also reminds the broadcasting stations in this country to be more sensitive towards content and broadcasting times to avoid controversy in society.
“ABIM also urges that the distribution of this film’s CD be blocked immediately.” Ahmad said.
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