Film Fitna

2008-04-02T06:25:00.001-07:00

Fitna is a 2008 short film by Dutch parliamentarian Geert Wilders. The film explores Qur'anic motivations for terrorism, Islamic universalism, and Islam in the Netherlands. The film's title comes from the Arabic word fitna which is used to describe "disagreement and division among people", or a "test of faith in times of trial".[1]

On March 27, 2008, Fitna was released to the Internet on the video sharing website Liveleak in Dutch and English versions. The following day, Liveleak removed the film from their servers citing serious threats to their staff. On March 30, Fitna was restored on Liveleak following a security upgrade, but was promptly removed by Wilders promising a second edition without the copyrighted Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons.

Release

The exact nature of Fitna's release had been uncertain up until its official launch. This was due to concerns of the legality of its content and anticipated acts of terrorism. The Dutch press centre Nieuwspoort offered to release the film, on the condition that Wilders would pay for the increased security required during the press conference and the weeks after it. Wilders declined to do so, citing prohibitive costs.^[2]^[3]

Having failed to successfully negotiate a transmission of the film with any Dutch television station^[4]^[5]^[6], Wilders created a website, www.fitnathemovie.com, on March 5, 2008 with the intention of releasing the film.^[7]^[8]^[9] However, this was subsequently suspended.

On March 22, the Dutch Muslim Broadcasting Association (NMO) offered to air the film, on the proviso that it could be previewed for any possible illegal material and that Wilders would take part in a debate with proponents and opponents afterwards.^[10]^[11] Wilders declined, quoted as saying "No way, NMO."^[12]

Wilders released the film on March 27, 2008 at 7 p.m. CET on the video website Liveleak.^[13] The following day, Liveleak removed the film from their servers after receiving threats which they described as being "of a very serious nature".^[14]^[15]^[16] Liveleak reinstated the film on March 30, after security upgrades offering increased protection to its staff had been implemented.^[17]

Soon after the film was restored, Wilders withdrew the film^[18] to make some minor edits, such as removing the copyrighted Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons^[19] and the photograph of Salah Edin, a rapper wrongly identified as Mohammed Bouyeri, in response to lawsuits.^[20] Kurt Westergaard, the cartoonist, was pleased with the news and believed the lawsuit would be dropped.^[19]

Plot

The movie shows a selection of Suras from the Qur'an, interspersed with newspaper clippings and media clips^[21] with The Arabian Dance^[22] and Åses død^[23] as an underscore.

Themes

Wilders has said the 15-minute film will show how verses from the Qur'an are being used today to incite modern Muslims to behave violently and anti-democratically based on those verses.^[24]^[25]^[26] He later described the film as “a call to shake off the creeping tyranny of Islamization,”^[27] and a push for a Leitkultur, a culture that draws on "Christian, Jewish, humanistic traditions and that poses a challenge to the Islamic problem.”^[28]

The Qur'an and Terror

Wilders holds Qur'anic inspiration responsible for modern terror attacks, most notably the attacks of September 11 and the July 7 London bombings.^[29]

The movie starts with a warning to the viewer that the movie contains "very shocking images".^[30] The opening contains a cartoon from the Danish cartoonist Kurt Westergaard, showing the Islamic Prophet Muhammad with a bomb on his head. Next to it, a timer starts counting down from 15 minutes.^[31]

Suras are juxtaposed to video clips of Imams stating Islamic teaching, and videos of violent atrocities committed in the name of Islam, including major terrorist attacks.^[32]

The first Sura of the film, Al-Anfal verse 60^[8:60], is translated as:

"Prepare for them whatever force and cavalry ye are able of gathering, to strike terror, to strike terror into the hearts of the enemies, of Allah and your enemies."

Footage of the September 11 attacks are shown, followed by the Madrid train bombings. An unidentified Imam rises above the smoke and declares "Allah is happy when non-muslims get killed." Stills taken from the 7 July 2005 London bombings show an exploded bus and the underground train.

The next Sura, An-Nisa verse 56^[4:56], is shown as a justification for Islamic antisemitism. Sheikh Bakr Al-Samarai is shown raising a sword while declaring: "A Jew is hiding behind me, come and cut off his head. And we shall cut off his head! By Allah, we shall cut it off! Oh Jews! Allahu Akbar! Jihad for the sake of Allah!"^[33] An auditorium of several hundred people respond with approving chants and fist shaking.

Following this, a three year old Muslim girl, says that Jews are "apes and pigs"^[34] because "Allah" said so "in the Qur'an"^[35] in an interview on Iqraa TV.^[36] More antisemitism is shown by an unidentified Imam, who says: "The Jews are Jews. They are the ones who must be butchered and killed."^[37] Child soldiers are shown holding guns in uniform.

Sura 47, verse 4^[47:4] is shown in relation to the murder of Dutch film director Theo Van Gogh, committed by Mohammed Bouyeri. Bouyeri is reported as saying: "If I had the opportunity to get out of prison, and I had the opportunity to do it again, what I did on November 2nd, Allah I would have done exactly the same."^[38] Protesters are shown supporting Van Gogh's murder, warning others to heed the lesson or "pay with your blood".

Dutch newspaper headlines are reproduced, outlining intimidating threats of murder to prominent questioners of Islam, followed by footage of Eugene Armstrong's beheading. Armstrong's decapitated head is shown held up by Al-Qaeda terrorists.^[39]^[40]^[41]

The Qur'an as a Means for Islamic Universalism

Ayatollah 'Ali Meshkini speaks at a Jumu'ah, declaring "Islam is a religion that wants to rule the world. It has done so before and eventually, will rule it again".^[42]

Sura 4, verse 89^[4:89] is heard, and translated here as:

"They but wish that ye should reject faith, as they do, and thus be on the same footing as they, so take not friends from their ranks until they flee in the way of Allah. But if they turn renegades, seize them and kill them wherever ye find them, and take no friends or helpers from their ranks."

This is shown through a Vox pop: "If someone converts to Christianity, he deserves the death penalty," which refers to the punishment of death for apostasy in Islam. An unidentified Imam declares: "Islam is (more) superior than the Jews, than the Christians, than the Buddhists, than the Hindus. The only (law) Allah accepts is Islam.^{[citation needed]}" A short video clip shows ethnic Albanians attacking a Serbian Orthodox Church in Kosovo during the 2004 unrest.^[43]

Headlines concerning assaults and death threats to former Muslims Ehsan Jami, Salman Rushdie and Hirsi Ali are shown.

The final Sura used in the film is Sura 8, verse 39^[8:39]:

"Fight them until there is no dissension, and the religion is entirely Allah's."^[44]

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran is quoted as saying:

“

The message of the Revolution is global, and is not restricted to a specific place or time. Have no doubt... Allah willing, Islam will conquer what? It will conquer all the mountain tops of the world.^[45]

”

Ibrahim Mudeiris is seen speaking to a congregation. He says: "We have ruled the world before, and by Allah, the day will come when we will rule the entire world again! The day will come when we will rule America. The day will come when we rule Britain and the entire world!"^[46] Abdul Rahman Saleem speaks in English: "You will take over the USA! You will take over the UK! You will take over Europe! You will defeat them all! You will get victory! You will take over Egypt! We trust in Allah!"^[47] Demonstrators outside the Danish embassy to Britain are shown holding signs that read: "Islam will dominate the world" and "Freedom go to hell".^[48]^[49]

Islam and the Netherlands

Wilders uses footage of Islamist atrocities to depict a dystopian Netherlands ceded to Sharia Law and unable to prevent capital punishment for gay men or adulterous women, female genital mutilation, and child abuse.^[50]

The final segment of the film deals with issues related to Islam in the Netherlands, under the heading: "The Netherlands under the spell of Islam".^[51] These issues include Islamist opposition to democracy, Islamic views on homosexuality and women's treatment in Islam.^[52]

An unidentified person claims that "The mosque will be part of the system of the government of Holland", in an apparent refusal to accept liberal democracy. Wilders' political ambitions may be found more readily here, as shown through his use of juxtaposing a newspaper headline "Cabinet: no ban on burqa" against a Muslim woman fully covered up. A graph illustrating the number of Muslims in Holland since 1909 is shown against a background of Muslim women.^[53] Dutch police are shown removing their shoes before entering a mosque. A Dutch Muslim expresses his desire to enact an honor killing if his mother or sister commits zina, the Islamic concept of extramarital sex. Another condemns homosexuality, saying "Islam considers something like that a crime."

A postcard is shown, ostensibly from Holland, with pictures of mosques in place of visitor attractions, with the words "Groeten uit Nederland" (Greetings from The Netherlands) superimposed.^[54]

Audio recordings that are said to have been taken from mosques in Holland show Imams denouncing political parties, "worldly concepts like liberalism [and] democracy." Another states that adulterers must be "stoned" to death. A graphic image of gays being hanged, under Sharia law^[55] is a depiction of a possible future dystopian Holland. Children of Shia muslims are shown with blood covering their faces,^[53]^[56]^[57] having been cut with knives by older people as per the tradition of the Day of Ashura. A series of clips show female circumcision,^[58] a decapitated woman's head lying on a floor,^[59] and a woman dressed in a burqa being shot through the head by a man.^[60]

Finally, a succession of newspaper headlines are shown, containing stories related to Islam in the Netherlands, their views, actions, ambitions and politics.^[61] Some verified headlines are:

"Sudanese demand execution of British 'miss teddy bear'" (see Sudanese teddy bear blasphemy case)
"Almost half of young Moroccans anti-western"^[62]
"Moroccans throw gay in water"^[63]
"Throw gays from tall buildings"^[64]
"Al-Qaeda proclaims death penalty Jihad against Wilders"^[65]

The movie ends with a hand seen gripping a page of the Qur'an and a call to action from Wilders to defeat “Islamist idealogy”, likening it to Communism and Nazism.^[66]^[61]

Suras

An-Nisa 56 translated here as: "Those who have disbelieved our signs, we shall roast them in fire. Whenever their skins are cooked to a turn, we shall substitute new skins for them, that they may feel the punishment; Verily Allah is sublime and wise."

Parts of the following Suras are mentioned in Fitna, in order of appearance^[67]

Sura	Title	Verse
8	Al-Anfal (The Spoils of War)	60 ^[8:60]
4	An-Nisa (The Women)	56 ^[4:56]
47	Muhammad (Muhammad)	4 ^[47:4]
4	An-Nisa (The Women)	89 ^[4:89]
8	Al-Anfal (The Spoils of War)	39 ^[8:39]

Salah Edin

When referring to the murder of Theo van Gogh, a picture of the Dutch rapper Salah Edin is displayed instead of the murderer Mohammed Bouyeri.^[68]^[69]^[70] The picture was shot for the rapper's album 'Nederlands Grootste Nachtmerrie' (Netherlands' Worst Nightmare), which according to the singer's website, was shot to be 'exactly like the mugshot of convicted killer Mohamed B'.^[71] A 2007 article by Dutch newspaper De Dag had captioned an article about the killer with the shot. On that occasion, Salah Edin's received an out-of-court libel settlement for the publication.^[72] The photo was said by the rapper to be intended to depict "the way the average white Dutch citizen sees me, as a young Moroccan Muslim radical. That's why I chose to do this picture and use it for the front cover of my album. It is in no way supporting the deeds of Mohamed B".^[72]

Reactions prior to the release

It was feared that the film would lead to violent demonstrations by Muslims much like the organized protests against the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons that were published in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten in 2005.^[73] This previous violence resulted in the burning of the Danish embassy in Syria and other acts of violence around the world, including the murder of a Catholic nun and people from several different religions, including Muslims.^[74]

In the Netherlands

The movie was first mentioned in the Dutch media on November 27, 2007. The Dutch government almost immediately expressed great concern about the film release.^[75] It made evacuation plans available to all its consulates and embassies worldwide, in case an emergency should arise in light of the forthcoming film, and it tightened security measurements around certain military installations abroad.^[76]

The Prime minister of the Netherlands, Jan Peter Balkenende, worried about possible repercussions for Dutch citizens and economic interests.^[77] In response Wilders accused Balkenende of capitulating to Islam.^[78]

Wilders had been warned by Dutch National Counterterrorism Co-ordinator Tjibbe Joustra that his film may "lead to reactions that endanger public order, security and the economy".^[79]

In one opinion poll, 54% of Dutch people still believed that the film should be released, despite any possible negative effects.^[80]

The publication of the film was investigated by the Dutch Ministry of Justice to find out whether the release of the film could be prevented, but this could not be done.^[81]

On March 6, 2008, the Dutch government raised its national terroristic threat level from the status 'limited terroristic threat' to 'substantial terroristic threat' because it fears Muslim terrorists will launch attacks against European targets, citing the film as justification.^[82]^[83]

Public protests have occurred on Dam Square, in Amsterdam, on March 22, 2008.^[84]

In response to concerns, Dutch broadcaster Radio Netherlands Worldwide created a multi-language website to detail the film, the surrounding controversy, its creator, and the nation of its origin.^[85] The Dutch newspaper De Pers printed a reconstruction of how the concerns came about and who was responsible for them.^[86]

The film also caused severe reactions in newspapers. In one issue of de Volkskrant, it stated that if Wilders had said the things he has said about Muslims, about Jews, he would have been prosecuted for antisemitism.^[87]

In other countries

The European Union alerted its diplomatic missions around the world to expect a reaction to the release of the film.^[88]

NATO said it feared that the consequences of Fitna would affect the safety of troops in Afghanistan.^[89] Indeed, Zabihullah Mujahid stressed that the Taliban would probably increase their attacks on Dutch military and humanitarian peacekeepers in Afghanistan, if the film were released.^[90]

Syria's Grand Mufti, Ahmad Badr al-Din, said that if Geert Wilders pictures the image of a burning Qur'an in his film, the Dutch people will be held responsible and possible attacks against Western public interests are not out of the question.^[91]

Wilders is the subject of a fatwa, allegedly associated with Al-Qaeda, calling upon Muslims to assassinate Wilders in the name of Islam.^[92]

Iran has threatened to review its diplomatic stance with The Netherlands, should the film be aired.^[27]

Public protests occurred in Kabul, Afghanistan.^[93]^[94]

Egypt is closely monitoring the situation.^[95]

French President Nicolas Sarkozy officially declared that France would provide every necessary support to aid the Netherlands in the suppression of any Muslim violence that would result from Fitna's release.^[96]

Pakistan YouTube ban

In February 2008, Pakistan internally banned YouTube for several days due to a video clip one report claimed to be a trailer for Fitna. Google eventually complied with the Pakistani protest and the material was removed.^[97]^[98]^[99] As a result of the block, Pakistan accidentally caused YouTube to be unavailable worldwide for two hours.^[100]^[101]

Network Solutions website suspension

On March 5, 2008, a preliminary version of the movie's official website, fitnathemovie.com, was put online.^[102]^[103] The only page on the site consisted of a picture of the Qur'an accompanied by the text "Geert Wilders presents Fitna" and "Coming soon". On March 22, the hosting provider of the website, Network Solutions, replaced the page with a message stating that the company “is investigating whether the site's content is in violation of the Network Solutions Acceptable Use Policy.” and that “Network Solutions has received a number of complaints regarding this site that are under investigation.”^[104]^[105]^[106]

On March 24, Network Solutions issued a press release saying the company asked Wilders for a copy of the film to review to gauge compliance with the Acceptable Use Policy, and it was only after they received no response from Wilders that they suspended the website.^[107]^[108] Wilders responded saying he has other options available and his film will be made public before April 1.^[109] The shutdown was followed by extensive criticism of Network Solutions' alleged hypocrisy in hosting the domain of Hezbollah, an entity that the United States and the Netherlands (along with four other countries) designate as a terrorist organization.^[110]^[111]^[112]^[113] On March 26, Network Solutions shut down the hizbollah.org domain as well.^[105]

Reaction after the release

The reaction was partly mild in comparison with what was expected, with some Muslim delegates describing it as “not as jarring as anticipated”, saying they were “extremely relieved”.^[114]^[115] A worldwide violent reaction is not expected by several sources, in stark contrast with threats made by Islamic leaders in the months before the release of the film.^[116]^[117]

In the Netherlands

In a televised reaction following the release, Jan Peter Balkenende, Prime Minister of the Netherlands came with a reaction on behalf of the Dutch government.^[118]

Amongst other things, it stated:

"The film equates Islam with violence. We reject this interpretation. The vast majority of Muslims reject extremism and violence. In fact, the victims are often also Muslims... ...We therefore regret that Mr Wilders has released this film. We believe it serves no purpose other than to cause offence."^[118]

Dutch parliamentarians of the largest political parties, Pieter van Geel (CDA), Mariëtte Hamer (PvdA) and Mark Rutte (VVD) stated that it is sad that the film does not present any solutions to current problems in the Dutch society - integration of Muslim immigrants and Muslim extremism - and invited Mr. Wilders to discuss possible solutions in the parliament.^[119]. In a later parliamentary debate to discuss Balkenende's televised reaction, they expressed further opinions, calling the film 'cunningly made with evil intentions' (CDA), 'a message of fear beyond compare' (PvDA) and 'paranoid' (SP). Wilders was described as a 'political pyromaniac' (VVD) and a 'fearful man' (D66).^[120]

According to Der Spiegel, a speaker for the Muslim organization Contactorgaan Moslims en Overheid (CMO), Yusuf Altuntas, said that Wilders "is obviously looking to push the limits, but he resists crossing them." For instance, in the film a ripping sound overlaid with imagery of the Qur'an is said to be the ripping of a page from the phone book, and thunder sounds are replacing what might otherwise be perceived as bomb explosion sounds. The Arabic expert Leo Kwarten on the other hand is quoted to have said that "these subtleties may however be lost in the Arabic world."^[69]

The Centraal Joods Overleg (Central Jewish Committee) released a statement on 28 March 2008, condemning the film for reinforcing prejudices by implying that all Muslims are terrorists. The Committee said that the portrayal of Muslims in this manner is counterproductive, and that the Dutch Jewish community, along with the Dutch Muslim community and all of Dutch society, has a duty to combat all religious-based terrorrism, and to protect everyone against those who wish to overthrow democracy or promote religious hatred.^[121]^[122]

In the United Kingdom

David Miliband, British Foreign Minister, stressed the importance of freedom of speech but said it should be combined with “respect for religious and racial diversity”.

Shaykh Muhammad Imdad Hussain Pirzada, on 30 March 2008, delivered a short lecture in Bradford (UK) in which he responded to the film from an Islamic persective. The lecture was delivered in Urdu and has been released as a video with English subtitles on Shaykh Pirzada's website.^[123]

In other countries

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon issued a statement on March 28:

I condemn, in the strongest terms, the airing of Geert Wilders’ offensively anti-Islamic film. There is no justification for hate speech or incitement to violence. The right of free expression is not at stake here. I acknowledge the efforts of the Government of the Netherlands to stop the broadcast of this film, and appeal for calm to those understandably offended by it. Freedom must always be accompanied by social responsibility.^[124]^[125]

Iran, Pakistan and Indonesia have condemned the film.^[126]^[127] Pakistan has called for a discussion of Fitna at the next Organisation of the Islamic Conference summit.^[128]

53 Jordanian parliamentarians have signed a petition, calling on Prime Minister Nader Dahabi to expel the Dutch ambassador and sever all diplomatic ties with Holland.^[129]^[130]

Southeast Asia

Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has banned Wilders from entering the country, and has prohibited the film from being broadcast.^[131]^[132] About 50 members of a hardline Muslim group demonstrated at the Dutch embassy in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, throwing eggs and water bottles to the embassy compound,^[133]^[134] before being dispersed by riot police with water cannons.^[135]^[136] Protesters held signs saying "Death Sentence for Humiliating Islam", amid images of guns aimed at his head.^[137] and "Kill Geert Wilders"^[138] Indonesia has blocked access to Youtube,^[139] after its demand that copies of the film be removed from Youtube servers was not implemented.^[140]

According to the official news agency of the government of Indonesia, ANTARA, the Dutch ambassador Dr Nikolaos van Dam had sent a letter on April 1. In it, he says how Dutch society is one of peaceful co-existance, with respect for the law, which guarantees safety and freedom of speech and freedom of religion. He says that Holland has a tradition of respect, tolerance and responsibility, and that offending others is not part of that tradition. van Dam said that "the Dutch government will abide by its tradition, and calls upon everyone else to act in a similar spirit". van Dam also expresses his government's desire to remain in open contact with everyone who wishes pecaeful dialogue, to build a society "more firmly grounded in mutual understanding and respect". He says that there is an ongoing criminal investigation, which will determine whether a criminal offence has been committed.^[141]

Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, a member of the Cabinet of Malaysia government, has urged Muslim intellectuals and youths to "take advantage of their resourcefulness and skills which they had used against the establishment, this time to defend Islam" through the internet.^[142]

The Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, an opposition policial party, delivered a letter to the Dutch embassy warning that the film would "invite vengeance", and, along with former president Mahathir bin Mohamad, called for a worldwide Muslim boycott of Dutch goods.^[143] The Muslim Consumers Association of Malaysia, the Consultative Council, and the Muslim Restaurants Association of Malaysia released a joint statement referring to Fitna as having "openly insulted the Quran", and called on Muslims to boycott Dutch goods.^[144] Malay supermarket Mydin has marked Dutch goods in red, indicating their country of origin.^[145]

Europe

The Norwegian government (Labour Party) sharply distanced itself from the movie.^[146] Secretary of state Raymond Johansen from the Norwegian Foreign Ministry said in a statement to the newspaper Dagsavisen that "Wilders attempts to promote a content which contributes to hatred and suspicion. I profoundly disagree with the content, and I sharply distance myself from it."^[147]

The European Union’s Slovenian president repudiated the film, commenting that it served “no other purpose than inflaming hatred”. The EU foreign ministers also condemned the film. “The film equates Islam with violence and this view is sharply rejected”, the ministers said in their statement, released after a meeting in Brdo, Slovenia.^[148] Europe’s highest human rights authority, the Strasbourg based Council of Europe, called the film “a distasteful manipulation which exploits ignorance, prejudice and fear”.^[149]

Kurt Westergaard, the cartoonist from one of the Jyllands-Posten cartoons of Muhammed, has expressed concerns because his cartoon is used in the film without his permission, a violation of copyright.^[150] The Danish Union of Journalists has said it will file a lawsuit on Westergaard's behalf as he is still in hiding from the death threats against him.^[151] Westergaard says his cartoon was aimed against Islamic terrorists, not against Islam as a religion.^[152] Similarly Dutch director Rob Muntz announced to file a lawsuit because of the uncredited use of his interview with Theo van Gogh.^[153] Westergaard drew a new cartoon showing Geert Wilders with a bomb on his head and a sign saying "Danger! Freedom of expression".^[154]

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Blog Film Fitna By Geert Wilders

Photo Geert Wilders

Cover Film Fitna

Video Streaming Film Fitna

Download Film Fitna

Film Fitna

Release

Plot

Themes

The Qur'an and Terror

The Qur'an as a Means for Islamic Universalism

Islam and the Netherlands

Suras

Salah Edin

Reactions prior to the release

In the Netherlands

In other countries

Pakistan YouTube ban

Network Solutions website suspension

Reaction after the release

In the Netherlands

In the United Kingdom

In other countries

Southeast Asia

Europe

References