Harry Potter, Black Magic, Bizarre forwards and email wars

The subject of “religious” forwards from various busybodies who feel they can cowardly proclaim from their invisible internet pulpits their worldview and threaten with damnation those who disagree with them has been a continuing issue with me.

Usually I ignore these messages- angered that my email could be abused in this way. Occasionally I make a polite request that they refrain from using my email in this way. Sometimes in my more angry and creative moments it provides an opportunity to exchange with very interesting mindsets.

Recently this occurred with a series of emails declaiming Harry Potter as “unislamic.” I publish these exchanges here because it gives an indication of the kind of mentalities that progressively minded muslims are up against when they are raising concerns about women’s rights, human rights and reform.

This is a mindset that sees things in black and white, that believes all form of entertainment, music, art and film- regardless of being aware of its content- is “haram” and imposes itself on others using various doomsday tricks to silence the opposition.

Whether it’s rants against “joos”, “infidels” or crazy conspiracies- every muslim worth her salt has heard the most outrageous of every kind of prejudice. Can you blame the media when it is provided with such a delicious range of ammunition?

This is why however minor- if you are confronted with anti-semitism, misogyny or racism- say something. These kind of ideas need to dealt with internally- with vigorous dissent. Whether its through satire, articles or an email response- take up the challenge to make a stand.

The only thing I regretted was telling the fellow to run-off to Saudi Arabia if he didn’t agree with me. It was the equal of him threatening I will be “outside the folds of Islam” and “displeasing Allah” for disagreeing.

Voltaire’s “I may not agree with what you say but I’ll defend to the death you’re right to say it” clicked in again. Then you laugh at the irony of all your hard work with civil rights and anti-discrimination may come down to defending people like this who basically think you’re devil’s spawn.

• EMAIL 1- “Questions Muslims should be asking.”

Harry Potter – Questions Muslims should be asking

Is not Harry Potter indicative of a larger deterioration of the moral fabric in man? Why does entertainment and fun draw millions of people and why does worship and spirituality lead to boredom?

Do the Harry Potter books not glorify magic and sorcery? Is the evil of sorcery and magic not being sugar-coated? Why are the non-magical people in the books despised and portrayed as boring and narrow-minded?

Does the Quran and Sunnah not regard the practicing of sorcery as kufr?

Does not Harry and his classmates cast spells, learn to tell the future, communicate with ghosts, study astrology and crystal gazing? Will you as a Muslim parent allow your child to engage in such actions?

Is it acceptable to fight “evil magic” with “good magic”, as Harry does? Are not both evil?

Don’t the main characters in the story unapologetically lie, steal, bully, break rules and disrespect their elders, like the professors at Hogwarts? Does this not teach children that unruly behaviour is acceptable?

Has not mankind sunk to the lowest ebb when baseless fantasy controls society, considering that the release of every new edition is anxiously awaited by millions of children (and even adults!)?

Can such extreme devotion and fanaticism to a book glorifying the occult be justified?

Are not young minds impressionable? Would it not be a better world if reading material for the young mind promotes morally sound content?

Should we turn a blind eye to the content of the Harry Potter books and allow them to continue controling our childen, our homes and our pockets?

• Email 2-My response.

Actually i must proclaim an adverse opinion.

This kind of thinly veiled moralising boasts of the worst kind of self-righteousness.

It is also a dangerous mentality which occurs in very fundamentalist type mindsets- which no doubt never have even read the book which they are condemning as “anti-islamic”.

Harry Potter is a work of FICTION. Literature improves the mind, and allows the flowering of the self and the spirit through the power of the imagination. It allows us to see different worlds and different points of view- that might challenge our narrow world view and perhaps even confront us.

This is why literature and art is always banned and censored by fascist regimes- because it is subversive.

This mentality which pretends it is “islamic” to be anti- book and dresses its intellectual mediocrity in religious garb is disappointing and really is a great reason why the Islamic world is so backward today- because it is afraid of books- of light, imagination and knowledge.

Anyone who condemns this book obviously falls to see it as a modern morality parable – it advocates the power of kindness, of love, of family and the power of the orphan child to triumph over power, darkness and greed which corrupts.

It is intensely old-fashioned and allows children and adults to enjoy a thriller which is also has very good moral message.

The magic in the book- is the magic of the imagination to create a different world.

It encourages children to become literate who have never read before. When so many of our people are illiterate this is only a good thing.

The book also reflects the author’s own christian beliefs and as a poor single woman who shot to stardom when this book sold millions- its fame should not be declaimed but celebrated as a triumph of the spirit.

If the people who wrote these kind of messages spent more time protesting against corruption of corporations or imperialist wars instead of spending time condemning a mere book the world would be a better place.

(and muslims would not have such a bad name as book-burners and fatwa orderers.)

To free speech!

• Email 3- X’s response
  Assalamu Alaikom
  I am truly happy for you that you are a fan of Harry Potter and that it means so much to you in your life. However, the fact remains that Magic is and will always be forbidden in Islam.
  Nowhere was it mentioned that FICTION was forbidden in Islam. I for one am a big fan of fantasy books and movies and have grown up on them and even exposed my 2 year old to them. The benefits which you mentioned are undeniable and I find the imagination of the producers/authors fascinating. So all the blah blah blah of fiction that you mentioned is something I agree with also.
  But not magic.
  You speak of modern morality parable? What about all those accused of witchery in the good old times in England burned at the stick? Poor souls, they just missed out on this one. Who knows, if they lived today, they would be singing ‘we could be heroes’ and made millions of dollars. Had they waited a few centuries they could have been as popular!
  You have to be careful, if you had said this passionate and flowery talk during that time, you would have been called a heretic and accused of witchery yourself!
  Another fact: Islam’c perspective on what is and what is not acceptable does not change, even if Hollywood updates it’s graphics and marketing.
  Creativity is good, but not in magic. Imagination is powerful but it ought to be used for more beneficial purposes.
  While others deduce their priniciples from movies and are comfortable maintaining them through fiction and imagination. I prefer to have something which is more concrete and so real it will literally hit me in the face on the Day of Judgment.
  It is very important that Muslims know the severity of Magic. How can we even contemplate tolerating something which Allah and His Messenger detest so much? This is a crime that will take you out of the fold of Islam and displease Allah! Would we rather agree with a FICTIONAL character and ‘feel’ with him and his little friends rather than feeling for the Messenger and what he thinks of us?
  This is absurd.
  I apologize for all those not interested in this debate who are still getting these emails.

• Email 4- My response

The concern and prohibition on magic is shared by most religious groups. This is not what i am disputing. I am disputing the mindset which sees fit to decide and impose thier views on others without seeing the world in subtletly. Without seeing the causes and consequences that flow logically from their viewpoint.

If you will be logically consistent with your viewpoint- then perhaps you would not use television (depiction of women), cartoons (depiction of the human form), working in a western society (dar-al-harb), working with women (haram).

THE QUESTION IS- What is the reason for the prohibition? would the said thing lead to the threatened danger? we know cartoons do not lead you to idolatry- to worship mickey mouse. Magic may be prohibited but has the book led to an increase in practise of “magic”?

JK Rowling has been quoted as saying “I believe in God not magic.”

“I absolutely did not start writing these books to encourage any child into witchcraft. I’m laughing slightly because to me, the idea is absurd. I have met thousands of children and not even one time has a child come up to me and said, “Ms Rowling, I’m so glad I’ve read these books because now I want to be a witch”

No. The book does not encourage magic. it does not advocate its use. Muslim scholars have themselves argued the benefit of the encouraging reading far outweigh the books “dangers.”

If you dislike it and object to it on religious grounds.that is your right in a free society. you have no right to impose that on others and condemn them to “doomsday” because they disagree with you. It’s called DEMOCRACY. If you feel your islamic beliefs are incompatible with your environment then perhaps you could live in a society which is more compatible with your beliefs. Perhaps Saudi arabia which treats bengali migrant workers appallingly and only outlawed slavery in the 1962 (but you don’t see muslims writing email protests about that.)

I only wish these arguments become defunct one day and we can start talking about the things that really matter in the world. Islam is a religion of great spirituality and mysticism- to denigrate it by being so petty is a disservice.

Salaams and remove my email from these lists kindly.

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