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Happy or not so happy Muslims
7-25-2014
In April 2014 a group of young “Anonymous” British Muslims, identifying themselves only as “Honesty Policy” released a video, where men and women, boys and girls, singing and dancing in streets of London to Pharrell Williams song “Happy.” They called it “Happy Muslims.” Let us be clear there is nothing being “Honest” about this group, except controversies and question marks.
Since the day it was released until now it has nothing but attracted controversy, and rightly so. It will continue to attract controversy especially in light of what's happening in Gaza, Palestine. While the Israeli Defence Force indiscriminately serves Bullets for Breakfast and Bombs for dinner during the month of Ramadan, there should absolutely be nothing “Happy” about it.
As the PLO Executive Member, Hanan Ashrawi told ABC News, as she broke down and cried during the interview, “There is not a single human being on earth who is not affected by this, unless you have lost the last restages of humanity … You cannot allow this to go on.” Meanwhile bunch of young “anonymous” Muslims running around in London, singing and dancing to show Muslims are Happy to be Muslim is nothing but disgusting and deplorable.
We have an issue with this video as do so many other people not only due to its contents and presentation. It is so controversial that the producer of the video has disabled an option for comments on its youtube channel.
We are not scholars so we are not going to pass a verdict whether it is “halal” or “haram.” However, anyone with an ounce worth of basic Islamic knowledge would be able to pass a judgment whether it is “halal” or “haram?” It is not our job. That being said, we totally disagree with number of things about the song, in particular about the group, and overall condition of the Ummah at this stage.
Most important of all, no one knows who exactly is behind this is video and the group, “Honesty Policy” supposedly a group of young Muslim Brits who exist only in cyber space.
Even British Newspaper, have raised concerns over the anonymity of the group.
Independent reported, regarding the group, “which closely guards the identity of its members.”
Guardian went step further raising concerns, “Who exactly are the Honesty Policy? Well, we don't really know. They have chosen to remain anonymous. "Anonymity is a symbol of integrity, and integrity doesn't need a face," they state on their website. "We want to empower the previously disempowered individual. To give him/her the platform to feel as though he/she can positively plug into their community."
Therefore, it raises a question, Who produced it, who publicized it, who is promoting it, why is it attracting so much media attention, including CBC, when there are more pressing issues, just top of our head, shouting, like innocent helpless children being massacred in Gaza, a War crime being committed. Especially in light of the fact that this absurd and controversial video has only attracted 1.8 Million hits on youtube, which is a measly amount, especially when compared with others. Such as Pakistan’s fish vendor in London, “One Pound Fish” original video has attracted almost ten times more hits, 13 million, than this cheap attempt by an anonymous Young Muslims whom no one knows and are familiar with, trying to show Muslims are happy.
“We Brits have a bad rep for being a bit stiff, but this video proves otherwise. We are HAPPY. We are eclectic. We are cosmopolitan. Diverse. Creative. Fun. Outgoing. And everything you can think of.” The group had claimed to be reporting to Huffington Post.
Undoubtedly, it is catching, when taken into consideration the every so popular background song and music, who could resist being drawn into it. Is this video trying to divert our attention from the real issues which the Muslim Ummah faces? Is this video supposed to detract non-Muslims, false sense of understanding, away from issues affecting and impacting Muslims?
Whatever the case might be, its pointless, because besides few two-minute sound byte in few British newspapers, and CBC, it has not truly taken off as one night have hoped for.
What is really needed this Eid-ul-Fitr for Muslims locally and around the world to come together and pray for peace, especially in Gaza. Pray for peace and unity among Muslims. We do not need to produce videos with musical background, a cheap attempt towards integration. We are Muslims and history is testimony to the fact that Islam and Muslims have integrated in every culture. In China, Islam is Chinese, and in Europe, Islam is as European as it can get.
We have issues of home grown terrorisms, our children being attracted by such anonymous groups, who like to keep their identities secret, for whatever reasons, influencing our younger generation into believing and feeling passionate about it, whatever it might be it is not Islam. Our younger generation being attracted by people overseas to fight a war – “Jihad” – in some far away land, or the other extreme trying to fit into the society; whatever the case might be it is misleading our younger generation something towards which is not Islam and if we do not commit ourselves to address these concerns. We will end up with greater problems and issues which we would not be able to resolve.
This Eid, as we always we call out our community leaders, activists, elderly, concerned community members to put our heads together and try to find a solution to keep our younger generation from being detracted and influenced by wrong people, and find a way to keep them on track with the proper teaching of Islam.
At the end, the AlAmeen Editorial Board would like to thank and extend Eid Mubarak to our advertisers, our readers, contributors, our supporters, and everyone who have assisted us in serving the local Muslim Community. Thank you and Eid Mubarak to all.
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