Novel on prophet's wife pulled for fear of backlash

[slick_star]

A romantic novel about Aisha, the child bride of the prophet Muhammad, has been withdrawn because its publisher feared possible terrorist acts by Muslim extremists.

The Jewel of the Medina, a first book by Sherry Jones, 46, was to have been released on August 12 by Ballantine Books, a division of Random House. But the publishers apparently panicked after Islamic scholars objected to the work.

One of them, Denise Spellberg, who teaches Islamic history at the University of Texas at Austin, describes the novel as “soft core pornography”.

Jones told the Guardian: “It’s ridiculous. I must be a heck of a writer to produce a pornographic book without sex scenes. My book is as realistic a portrayal as I could muster of the prophet Muhammad’s harem and his domestic life. Of course it has sexuality, but there is no sex.”

The withdrawal of the novel, reported this week by the Wall Street Journal, triggered intense debate on the web among feminists, young Muslims and academics.

Many of the bloggers recalled the death threats and uproar 20 years ago following the publication of Salman Rushdie’s The Satanic Verses, and the worldwide protests that followed the publication in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten of cartoons deemed offensive to Islam, in which more than 100 people died. Spellberg told the Guardian yesterday that she had been receiving hate mail accusing her of acting as a censor for Muslim jihadis after the piece in the WSJ, which cast her as the sole academic critic of the novel.

The saga of the Jewel of the Medina began unspooling last April when the publishers sent out proofs for recommendations. Until then, they had raised no concerns about the novel, Jones said.

She claims to have spent two years researching the novel, and she suggested Spellberg for an endorsement because she had read Spellberg’s book on Aisha.

“It was my hope that my book would develop empathy for this other culture,” she said. “It has always rankled me the way history focuses on men and wars and men’s politics and leaves women out. I wanted to honour the women in Muhammad’s life by giving them a voice.”

Spellberg, however, was horrified by the end product. “It is not just that there were issues with historical accuracy. This was quite deliberately provocative. She objectified the wife of the prophet as a sex object and made her violent as well,” she told the Guardian.

The book’s marketing blurb and the prologue, both online, suggest Spellberg had cause for her fears.

The novel is a luridly written amalgam of bodice-ripper and historical fiction centred on Aisha, the favourite wife of the prophet Muhammad. “Married at nine to the much-older Muhammad, Aisha uses her wits, her courage, and her sword to defend her first-wife status even as Muhammad marries again and again, taking 12 wives and concubines in all,” the summary reads.

At one point the novel imagines the consummation of the marriage between Muhammad and Aisha: “The pain of consummation soon melted away. Muhammad was so gentle. I hardly felt the scorpion’s sting. To be in his arms, skin to skin, was the bliss I had longed for all my life.”

Spellberg called a colleague and the editor of a Muslim website to share her misgivings. The guest lecturer, Shahed Amanullah, told the WSJ that Spellberg had asked him to warn other Muslims about the novel. “She was very upset,” he said.

The novel became a topic of discussion on a number of Muslim websites.

Spellberg also aired her concerns with Random House. “Denise says it is ‘a declaration of war … a national security issue’,” said an email from Jane Garrett, an editor at another Random House imprint that was quoted in the journal. “Think it will be far more controversial than the satanic verses [sic] and the Danish cartoons.”

Random House would not comment on how the email came to be leaked.

On May 2, the publishers told Jones’s agent they were considering postponing publication. Three weeks later, Jones was told that publication was indefinitely postponed.

Random House said yesterday that it had been advised by a number of Islamic scholars and security experts that the novel was offensive to Muslims and that “it could incide acts of violence by a small radical segment”.

Jones was released from her contract to try to sell the book elsewhere.

lol. didn’t know criticizing …wait…i mean witting a novel…a romantic novel…

though, it is a good thing that the book wont be published. would’ve led to colossal consequences and probably WW3…over a book. lol

[teggy]

Re: Novel on prophet's wife pulled for fear of backlash

Firstly, please provide link.

Secondly that "someone" is a Holy figure in Islam. So i expect you to be respectful.

[slick_star]

@teggy

Firstly, please provide link.

Secondly that “someone” is a Holy figure in Islam. So i expect you to be respectful.

Novel on prophet’s wife pulled for fear of backlash | Books | The Guardian

didn’t know religious people were not up for criticism…in a respectful way (can criticism be respectful?) news to me.

[teggy]

Re: Novel on prophet's wife pulled for fear of backlash

Thanks for the link. There's a fine line between criticism and defamation. Just trying to keep that fine line visible, that's all. :)

[underthedome]

They were just humans Teggy, not gods. This idolization is a bit mad.

[MatineeSiren]

Thanks for the link. There's a fine line between criticism and defamation. Just trying to keep that fine line visible, that's all. :)

Teggy, you have no right to demand anyone to be respectful to someone who isn't here, nor someone who isn't alive. Just because you feel respect for that person does not mean everyone else has to (have some manners to those who are alive, please).

Secondly there was no defamation here by anyone in this forum. Please invest in a dictionary before trying to throw out baseless insults. If you're going to be a moderator, please hold yourself to a higher standard. I find your actions very disappointing.

[teggy]

Re: Novel on prophet’s wife pulled for fear of backlash

I am simply outlining the policy that clear states the following:

7. Posts containing defamation of, or insults to religious figures, holy books, beliefs and practices of any religion will not be tolerated. Any posts that contain these will be deleted outright and further action may be taken by Gupshup admin against members posting such material.

http://www.paklinks.com/gs/3058359-post1.html

Also, i do not let my personal opinion interfere with the role of Moderating this place. I contribute here just like any other member. Those who know me well, know that. So thank you for the keen observation.

Lastly, i did not feel the remark pre-editing was appropriate, so i took the discretion and edited it. Period.

Now that we’ve got that cleared, we can move to discuss the topic at-hand.

Personally, i’m indifferent to the decision to pull back the book because i’m not sure what was written in it. Perhaps it was pulled back for the lack of genuine sourceful information. shrugs shoulders

[Prince_Abbas]

MatineeSiren:

[quote]
Just because you feel respect for that person does not mean everyone else has to
[/quote]

Please don't confuse someone's asking to stop disrespect with someone asking for respect. While non-Muslims will not respect Prophet of Islam, they are required to be not disrespectful about him in front of Muslims.

No one has the right to mock religious figures just for the fun of it.

Otherwise this attitude is a recipe for conflict and hatred. No sane person will agree with it.

Whether anyone was/has been disrespectful in this thread is another question. I disagree with the principle you are establishing in the above quote.

[teggy]

They were just humans Teggy, not gods. This idolization is a bit mad.

My dear friend, i know that. It's a matter of policy and a show of respect. It's nothing personal.

[burqaposhx]

Yet another example of double standards oh so prevalent among Muslim leadership.

Books by Shia-Muslims openly mock sahaba and yet their Islam remains intact, and Muslim leadership is OK with that.

But heavens would fall, if the same type of things are printed in the Western Press.

When will be less emotional and more pragmatic on the issue of "blasphemy"?

[Prince_Abbas]

There are tens of Islamic countries in the world. So which “Muslim leadership” are you talking about?

If your concern is about who is Muslim and who is not then leave the world affairs section and go argue in religion section.

No one should be allowed to disrespect anyone else, regardless of their sect. It applies not just to shias, but ALSO TO PEOPLE WHO RIDICULE PROPHET OF ISLAM.

When will be less emotional and more pragmatic on the issue of “blasphemy”?

So you see people, this guy is actually supporting mocking of Islam’s Prophet by the West. He wants Muslims to be “less emotional” and “more pragmatic” when his brothers ridicule the private life of Islam’s Prophet.
At the same time, he is raising sectarian issues among Muslims.

These are the people who wish to see Muslims divided, so that the crusaders of West and Zionists of apartheid regime could keep their control of Islam’s holiest sites.

These are the people with fitnah in their hearts.

Are you dragging shias in this discussion because you could not prove your point about Iran provoking shia militancy in Pakistan?
There is a discussion going on on this subject. Remember?
http://www.paklinks.com/gs/pakistan-affairs/292028-pakistan-iran-form-joint-religious-body.html

[MatineeSiren]

Re: Novel on prophet's wife pulled for fear of backlash

"Mocking," the prophet is completely subjective. Many people would view the book itself to not do anything of the sort. They were human, and it's a book written about human practices. Do I like it? No. Do I have the right to bash someone for not hating it? No freaking way. No one here can establish an objective set of standards which decide what is "respectful," and what isn't. Try all you like, but it is 100% subjective.

Hence my issue with all this blasting around of accusations.

Get over it. No one cares except for you.

[Prince_Abbas]

[quote]
Get over it. No one cares except for you.
[/quote]

I was not the one who started the thread.

[quote]
Many people would view the book itself to not do anything of the sort.
[/quote]

And many Muslims would consider it 'mocking'.
So what's the point?

[deedawar]

Re: Novel on prophet's wife pulled for fear of backlash

I think whoever made the decision to pull back the book did the right thing...if it did contain material which would cause fuel to the fire.

Its time show sensible attitude from all sides. Why don't people have sense not to write 'novels' on religious figures??

I think its cheap publicity and deliberate incitement which should be discouraged.

Write all you want on any fictional character..why play with people's emotions???

Some people just don't think when it comes to making money on others expense.

[teggy]

Re: Novel on prophet's wife pulled for fear of backlash

Guys, lets please get back to the subject at hand.

[slick_star]

Re: Novel on prophet's wife pulled for fear of backlash

i agree that it was a good idea not to publish the book. But the bigger picture is muslims think its ok. By the same notion i should be allowed to do the same in arabia.
Muslims infact hide this issue. I grew up in a conservative muslim family and this issue was never mentioned to me or my brother i actually read it about it a few years ago on another pak forum

Whats there to hide? I think we should iimbrace it. Sell the idea to the rest me the world.

[underthedome]

Let's keep in mind it was the 7th century. Is it fair to judge actions of that time period with our norms of today?

[deedawar]

Re: Novel on prophet's wife pulled for fear of backlash

Again we are discussing irrelevant and tangential topic.

The book was pulled before it was revealed to any of the people here.

So all we can talk about the decision to pull and was it good or bad. What it MAY or MAY NOT contain is irrelevant.

All it means that writing an inciting 'novel' on religious people is not a great idea.

World needs peaceful attempts from all its citizens.

[Mirch]

Re: Novel on prophet's wife pulled for fear of backlash

Does Sherry Jones not live in this world ? Does she not know that Muslims are sentimental when it comes to writing or publishing something which is blasphemous to their religion ? People have made movies on Prophet (SAW) no hell was raised on that issue because those people who made those movies did their research and were careful to make those pictures in a manner which will not incite any negative emotions of Muslims. Sherry Jones could write the same novel making sure that it does not provoke any negative reaction from Muslim world. She had the choice to be a hero or a villain of Muslim world . Why did she not choose to write a book based on Kama sutra , that has more of the kind of material she seems to be interested in writing about ?

[X2]

Re: Novel on prophet's wife pulled for fear of backlash

where talent fails... shock jock tactics work..I think that was her strategy.