A Graphic Film of Protest, and Cries of Blasphemy

The assimilation of Europe's many millions of Muslim immigrants dominates public discourse in the continent today. Many critics of Islam see Muslims as carrying a set of values at odds with the European identity, calling for internal reform within Muslim communities. Even some Muslims also approach the contentious issue from this angle. Ayaan Hirsa Ali, a Somalian-born refugee, now a member of the Dutch Parliament, wrote a film broadcast on Dutch national television that controversially critiques Muslim scriptural attitudes towards women. Called "Submission," the film has been labeled blasphemous by some for its depictions of verses of the Qur'an written on bare female flesh. Ali has also won the support of many Muslim women who believe that domestic abuse is intensifying silently in their communities. "Submission" promises to be the first of a series of films drawing attention to the position of women in scriptural Islam and within immigrant communities in Europe. – YaleGlobal.