Whose Side Is God On?A Christian and Muslim talk frankly about the Crusades epic Kingdom of Heaven, and what impact it may have on Christian-Muslim relationsby Steven Gertz | posted 5/10/2005 12:00AM
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My friend Inamul Haq rarely goes to theaters to see movies. In fact, he could probably count the number of movies he's been to on one hand. So when he agreed to go with me to see Kingdom of Heaven, the new historical epic about the Crusades, I knew he considered this movie of some consequence—particularly to his fellow Muslims.
Yet whether it was the weighty matters Kingdom of Heaven handled, or the sheer—and exhausting—spectacle of war we sat through, neither of us was in much of a mood to meet right afterward to discuss what we'd seen. So we decided to meet for breakfast the following morning at a restaurant, once we'd had a chance to rest and collect our thoughts.
Haq, as some of his friends call him, was ready to talk. "You know," he started off, "every movie has an element of drama in it, and maybe some exaggerations. It has to, in order to attract people. But this is the first movie I've seen where Muslims are not depicted as evil terrorists, traitors, or womanizers. The movie really shows both noble and ignoble men, particularly on the side of the crusaders. I can imagine most Muslims will be happy with the film."
"Do you really think so?" I ask. "Isn't there a chance that the spectacle of Muslims dying in Kingdom of Heaven will lead some Muslims to hate Christians even more?"
Haq looks down thoughtfully. "Yes, perhaps so—especially among radical Muslims who see the Crusades as merely the first attempt to colonize Islamic lands, an attempt that was followed up successfully by European powers in the 19th century. These Muslims look at the Anglo-American invasion of Iraq through the same lens. This movie may tell such Muslims that their struggle against the West—what Americans call terrorism—is justified."
"Then do you think that this movie will actually aggravate relationships between Christians and Muslims?" I press Haq.
Haq looks me square in the eyes. "No, I don't. The movie shows how complex people's motives are, that they may express their conviction in religious terms, but they're doing so with base political and economic motives. You say you're doing something for God when you're really doing it for yourself. I think this movie will force people to see that what they thought was an act of religious faith on their part was not really religious at all."
I lean back in my chair. "I wonder, though, Haq. This movie may lead some people to re-examine their motives, yes. But it may just as well make many others that much more cynical of religion. I got that feeling when we were watching the movie in the theater, and the people behind us basically voiced their opinion that anyone going on Crusade was a fool and that the whole 'religious thing' was just a bunch of nonsense."
"Yes, you are right," Haq admits. "Yes, that's quite possible. But then remember that Muslims are not simply individuals who believe; they are a community that finds it very hard to separate religion from politics. Islam is their identity. Theologians can better separate the moral and spiritual dimensions of Islam from the national politics. But the common person probably can't. Certainly the radical Muslim won't."
I decide to bring the discussion back to the movie. "Haq, was Saladin an example of radical Islam? I mean, after all, he made war on the crusaders. One of his warriors reminded Saladin of his promise to retake Jerusalem."
"No, I don't think Saladin was radical," Haq says. "Radical Muslims are obsessed with power."
"And Saladin wasn't?" I ask.
"No. Remember he only attacks Jerusalem when he receives notification that Muslim women have been attacked," Haq points out. "If Muslims are living freely without restrictions in non-Muslim lands, Islamic law does not obligate you to attack non-Muslims. You don't kill innocent people, or burn down their churches or synagogues without provocation."
"Haq, what if Saladin had not succeeded in recapturing Jerusalem?" I ask. "Would that have meant God was not on their side after all? Can we really know the will of God when it comes to these wars?"
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