Sleeper Cell
Any time that the entertainment industry tries to tackle the issue of Islamic terrorism, I cringe. It usually goes one of two ways: a politically correct interpretation where the script bends over backwards trying to keep groups like CAIR from being offended, or it goes the other way and portrays a simplified “white guys vs. Muslim-looking guys” struggle. Showtime’s new miniseries Sleeper Cell is a breath of fresh air.
The show is well scripted, with many twists and turns, so I don’t want to give anything away. I’ll just make some general comments. The major theme of the show (four episodes out of ten have aired) is the answer to the question “what is the greater Jihad?” The answer is that the greater Jihad (struggle) is not about Muslims against infidels, but that it exists within one’s heart. It becomes clear in Sleeper Cell that there are two conflicts, one between Islamic extremism and the infidels, and one between Islamic extremism and Islam itself. In a powerful series of scenes, one of the terrorists is confronted with verses from the Qur’an which, try as he might to twist them out of context, he cannot refute… verses that condemn him for his actions. You can see his internal Jihad as his hatred does battle with what he knows to be true.
The show seems to be getting very little press, which is a shame… it’s the best take on the issue that I’ve seen yet.
I agree! I recently added the Showtime channels, and I DVR every new episode of Sleeper Cell. For a channel with overtly left-of-center political viewpoints, it’s pretty dead on, devoid of stereotypes and excellent writing.
I’ve been seeing web advertisements for this, and I was pretty worried about it. What we don’t need is some show engendering a bunch of sympathy for murderous head-choppers. I’m glad to know that it isn’t about that.
As an Amercian Muslim, Sleeper Cell left me rather disturbed, shaken, and livid. They rattle religious text left and right, while practicing the exact opposite. I guess in a sense it shows that those behind terrorist plots cloak themselves under a religious facade, in order to hide their hypocritical characterless souls.
My greatest concern is that my fellow Americans will interpret their immoral behavior (especially with regards to sex) as acceptable Islamic practices. The only character I’m satisfied with is Zaid Abdul Malik (the Yameni cleric).
Muslims struggle everyday to explain ourselves and our Islam to non-Muslims in hopes of placing a human face upon a villainized people who strive to fulgurate the slightest bit of light. We’ve all stopped ourselves from doing or saying something just because we didn’t want Islam to be defamed. Then shows like this poison the brains of Americans and effortlessly invalidate our endeavors.
Keep in mind, Atifa, that while in the United States several of the 9/11 murderers frequented strip clubs. I’m not sure if that was an attempt to blend in or whether they just enjoyed seeing nude women, but I know several of them did.
Conversely, several of them took down or covered over paintings in their apartments because they showed women’s faces, arms etc., so I suppose they covered both ends of that particular spectrum.
…also, keep in mind that the show has an Islamic advisor that goes over the scripts and ensures that terrorism and radical Muslims, not Islam itself, is what’s villified. Notice, also, that there is a blond-hair, blue-eyed terrorist who has bought into the radical’s agenda, and that the hero is himself a Muslim.
The entire point of the show is that terrorism isn’t a black and white issue, that Islam, its followers and people of Arab descent are not the enemy.
Episode 3: Did I hear Farik correctly?! They use PayPal to transport drug money?!
It may be that they are hypocrites, or that they are willing to sin in order to blend in and accomplish their bloody goals. At any rate, I absolutely do not think that this depiction in any way suggests that all Muslims are hypocrites, or that terrorism is at all justified by the Qur’an.
Agreed. Darwyn is a character who is really trying to do the right thing by his country and by his faith, but finds himself having to compromise one for the other. Plus, having a slightly flawed protagonist makes him more believable. Zaid Abdul Malik was absolutely portrayed as the model. It sounds like your biggest beef was with the terrorists, who defame Islam with their selective reading of the Qur’an, and the hypocrisy in their actions. I don’t think people are going to see that as a blight on Islam, but as a condemnation of the emotionally driven illogic of the terrorists.
I was very much inspired by the character of Zaid Abdul Malik. In fact, I found myself wishing that I had a copy of the Qur’an, after hearing him quote from it.
[...] Heisann,Har dere hørt om serien Sleeper Cell? Jeg vet ikke om den kommer til Norge, men den har gått i USA og har blitt en kjempesuksee. Det jeg ville si at de av dere som bruker Bittorent eller lignende MÅ laste ned alle de 10 episodene av denne serien, dere kommer til å takke meg. Det må være en av verdens beste serie jeg noen gang har sett etter min mening. Den handler om Islam og terrorister. Noen linker dere kan titte på : http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0465353/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr/reviews/review_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001612404http://www.tv.com/sleeper-cell/show/28827/summary.htmlhttp://txfx.net/2005/12/09/sleeper-cell/http://www.metacritic.com/tv/shows/sleepercell Jeg anbefaler denne serien på det sterkeste. Det handler om en undercover FBI agent (hovedperson) som joiner en gruppe med 4 menn med planer om angrep på amerikanske sevile. MUST SEEN![Redigert av Selectah] [...]