Geert Wilders, known for his anti-Islamic rhetoric, is a 47 year old Dutch politician and leader of the Freedom Party in the Netherlands. He considers Islam as a conservative religion which instigates violence amongst its followers. In 2008 he released a 17 minute long film called 'Fitna', in which images of suicide bombings were juxtaposed with the verses of Quran. Dutch television companies refused to air this short film, so it was released on the internet. He supports the banning of Quran, Burqa and the immigration of Muslims into the Netherlands.
In January 2009 Dutch judges decided to try Wilders for inciting hatred and discrimination against Muslims. These judges noted that by attacking religious symbols of Islam he 'insulted Muslim believers," and that "In a democratic system, hate speech is considered to be so serious that it is in the general interest to draw a clear line". On Monday, October 4th, 2010, Wilders was brought into the court where he was charged with five instances of inciting hatred and discrimination against Muslims. The ruling is expected around November 4th. If found guilty, he could receive a prison sentence of up to one year.
Wilders' trial offers a multi-dimensional message to Muslims in general, and Pakistanis in particular. It is a unique example that a prominent Dutch politician, who was enjoying the role of kingmaker in parliament, is held answerable in the court for his hate-mongering activities. This trial reflects Dutch commitment to basic human rights, which includes the right of religion too, and it also indicates prevailing misunderstandings amongst European people about Islam. He successfully perceived public mood and, as a politician, vigorously portrayed their worries. Thus his Freedom Party, which had only nine seats in 2006, scored 24 seats in the 2010 elections, and emerged as the third popular party in the Netherlands.
Another important fact which needs to be noticed is that although many Dutch politicians and social leaders feared that Wilders' words could incite violence in society, no-one considered his thoughts about Islam were unfounded. Not a single voice amongst Dutch people was raised to say that Islam actually promotes love and peace. Whether one agrees or takes refuge from facing the fact, it is true that there exists a long list of misunderstandings and erroneous apprehensions between Muslims and Western people.
Whatever the nature of these misunderstandings regarding Islam and Pakistan, in European minds, we must consciously analyze if our actions are largely responsible for this. After the bloody events of nine-eleven, when Islam's image was slowly being associated with terrorism, our Islamic scholars did not express any serious interest in painting the real picture of the religion. On the other hand, our fellow Muslims, who continuously fail to integrate in host European states, also exhibited the same behaviour, and on occasions provided reasons to make this association permanent.
Two main factors can be held responsible for the ever-growing rift between Muslims and their host Western societies. First of all, most of the Muslim immigrants generally do not take any serious interest in the language and culture of the host society. While they work and live in the West, they behave as if they are still in their own country. The behaviour of our compatriots has made local people assume it is Islam which prohibits Muslim immigrants from integrating. Jose Luis Roberto, president of a relatively small political party in Spain, observes, "We don't want Muslims here who don't integrate and whose religion is incompatible with Spanish culture."
Secondly, in the recent past, large waves of immigrants from Muslim countries have caused a demographic shift, which is a matter of concern for some. This demographic change in European countries, which have low fertility rates, has also created some friction and fears. Islam is also thought to be too conservative to fit into secular European tradition. Some also fear that one day Muslims, who feel uncomfortable in adopting our values, may try to impose their culture. As crime rates are generally higher in areas where the Muslim population is in the majority, some people tend to associate transgression with Islam. Misrepresentation of Islamic teachings - by people like Geert Wilders - also adds fuel to the fire, and makes the common man think that Islam incites violence amongst its followers. Current alerts of terrorist attacks in Europe will not enhance our image in the West.
Amid alerts of terrorist attacks in Europe, Germany's president Christian Wulff warmly accepted Islam as a part of Germany. Speaking at the 20th anniversary of the country's reunification he said that alongside Christianity and Judaism, now 'Islam is also part of Germany'. In return he called for only three things which have nothing to do with the religious affiliations. He demanded that Muslims who prefer to stay aloof from the host society, 'adhere to the country's constitution, respect its way of life and learn the language'.
Dialogue can help to reduce differences. Our intelligentsia, religious leaders and media personalities need to understand that a great communication gap exists between East and West. There are mutual misunderstandings which demand a quick fix. Our religious scholars should play their role in denouncing terrorism, explain the true image of the religion and encourage immigrants living in the West to adjust to Western values. While seeking out the usual doom and gloom, our media should also notice whenever there is a good occurrence in the West. Instead of allowing the gulf to grow, bridging East with West is by far the better option.
