Theo Van Gogh's Film Submission

Theo van Gogh’s film Submission is a controversial film, which explored on the various injustices many Muslim women face that have remained quiet due to strict religious regulations outlined in the Quran. Over the centuries, there have been many debates on the role of women defined by the Quran as well as the restrictions placed on women concerning the mandate of hijab, their role as wives and the conditions of purity. Although most debates have been between verses in the Quran and the various interpretations of different Islamic scholars over time, we come to realize that these debates are missing another important factor, which is the realistic approach in Islam. Although Submission may seem to be a biased interpretation by portraying …show more content…
The young women reported the deed to her mother and father but the father told her to remain quiet or she would ruin his family’s honor. In this situation, there is no justification of the horrible deed that paternal uncle had committed against his niece even though he should be punished for committing incest. It’s intriguing to see that there is no type of punishment mentioned to the men who commit incest where as the women are commit the act of zina even if it is against her will, she will have the most serious punishment of all. Theo Van Gogh’s critique of the injustices women face in Islam is different than Kecia Ali’s critique of the various practices within the Quran. Whereas Theo van Gogh’s film directly criticizes the practices of Islam against women using the narratives of women who have been treated unjustly, Kecia Ali’s critique is more complex. “ Ali locates three key intentions for pursuing constructive interpretation: the need to acknowledge complexity within the Muslim tradition, the need to take responsibility for one’s interpretive choices, and the need to take theological issues seriously.” (Laury Silvers.