Misunderstanding
Al-Risala (English), October 1991, p. 6
By Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan is named as the default author of the periodical; a piece that carries another writer’s byline is credited to that writer.
Misunderstanding
1991 10 October 6-7 Misunderstanding (478) One of the sequels to the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq was the flight of Kuwait’s ruling family to Saudi Arabia. It was only after the liberation of Kuwait that crown prince Saad Al Sabah returned to his homeland on March 4, 1991. As he got down from his aeroplane at Kuwait airport, something happened which was’ considered worthy of being captured on film by the photographer of Associated Press. This photograph was published on the front page of The Times of India and The Hindustan Times of March 6, 1991. (It is reproduced here on the opposite page).
The caption reads;
“The Crown Prince of Kuwait, Saad Al Sabah, returns from his exile after the Gulf war on 4th March. After disembarking from the aeroplane, he is kissing the ground of his country.”
What the representative of the American News Agency saw was Saad Al Sabah putting his forehead on the ground at the end of a seven month exile. His guess was that the prince was so overjoyed at recovering his land that he wanted to kiss the ground as soon as he got off the plane. In reality, however, the prince was prostrating himself before God to express his gratitude for His mercy. For Saad Al Sabah it was an act of bowing before the Almighty, but for the press it was “kissing the ground.”
Misunderstandings are often created in this way as a result of a misinterpretation and subsequent misstatement of the facts. We hear about something, or we witness an event, and then we give our own version of it according to our own perceptions and mental make-up.
The correct thing to do in such circumstances would be to make a more thorough investigation of whatever has been seen or heard. Only then, and after due consideration, should we form an opinion. But this seldom happens. We proceed to broadcast views based on the most superficial information-an act of irresponsibility if ever there was one. This can create the most serious misunderstandings of which we ourselves can become the victims. If we interpret prostration before God merely as an expression of joy on the re-possession of land, we are turning an act expressing belief in God into a ritual of polytheism.
If such an allegation is made it is viewed as a serious crime by God. And even if the culprit is not acquainted with the reality, he is still held guilty. The Shariat has made proper investigation mandatory. Before uttering a single syllable, one must find out the truth. If one is unable to investigate and is, therefore, not in possession of all of the relevant facts, one should simply remain silent.
[pic]
Crown Prince Saad al-Sabah of Kuwait kisses the ground after alighting from the plane at Kuwait City international airport on Monday as he returned from exile following the war. – AP/PTI
