Treatment of Terrorism: Four Lions and Kindness of Enemies

Treatment of Terrorism: Four Lions and Kindness of Enemies

There is a big difference between blowing people and going to heaven. When terrorist blowing people as a ticket for heaven is idiocy. An only stupid person would blow himself to get there sooner, after all, heaven is there for us why the hurry. One of the worlds challenges that most of the countries experience is terrorism. Currently, there is a high rate of terrorism, especially in the Islamic nations, and this is based on their beliefs. Terrorist acts occur in various forms and may involve suicide bombers, gunning people down and use of chemical weapons. In many occasion, a terrorist kills many innocent people, including men, women and children believing that they will go straight to heaven. In many countries, terrorism is the theme and so do the film four lions and the book kindness of enemies by Leila Aboulela. The “four lions” film written and produced by Chris Morris is a 2010 British satirical dark movie that talks about terrorism (Labidi, 410). The plot follows a group of terrorist jihadis who planned to kill people for the sake of going to heaven. On the other hand, Leila, in her book, examines Muslim in a post 20^th century. The books highlight the lives of some of the most influential Muslim leaders such as Imam Shamil and Osama and their relationship to terrorism. Perhaps a critical analysis of the “four lions” film and the kindness of enemies reveals how terrorism if treated across the globe. This paper will, therefore, analyze the theme of terrorism in the two sources and conclude on how acts of terrorism are handled worldwide.

The lion is an interesting jihad satire comedy dominated by five radicalized Muslims. Known as Omar, the British men deeply criticize Western culture and their imperialism. They are bad-tempered and naïve willing to use suicide bomber to blow up people. A group believed to have Pakistan origins are all Muslims and are trained in Muslim believes, and they plan to strap bombs in their bodies and blow the entire community. Lead by a new covert Barry, and the group even scheme to attack their fellow Muslims by blowing a mosque to radicalize many Muslim youths to join them. Barry being a white western, is chosen for the Mosque job (Labidi, 410). The film is a dark comedy that is fuelled by merriment and anger between the Muslims and the westerners. Morris presents a group of a radicalized Muslim society that shows no care for the present life as they prospect the future one. For example, Omar, known as Riz Ahmed, has a job and work as a security guard. He has a wife and a seer child and lives in a comfortable flat. However, Omar is not interested in his lovely family or present life. Omar discusses with his family whom to be the suicide bomber. All the other characters show no concern for the current life as each plan to be suicide bombers. They believe that by killing as many people as you can, you will enter the gates of heaven with a smiling face. The film “four lions” has a lot of relevance to the topic of terrorism as well as the book the kindness of enemies by Leila.

Idris (n.d) pointed out that Leila follows the history of Muslim religion and its doctrine of jihad. Her central argument in the entire book is that jihad is a spiritual struggle that most of the Muslim believer have replaced with terrorism. Leila being a Sudanese-Russian origin writers her book based on personal experience with terrorist activities. As Leila research about Imam Shamil, an early Muslim leader, she realizes that one of her subjects is Osama. Leila learns that Osama has an origin of Imam and practices his legacy. In this perspective, Leila provides complex progress of Muslim faith. In her stay with Osama, the protagonist Natasha realizes Osama messages such as “weapons for jihad” and sword (Idris, n.d). This emails and words affirm Natasha’s thoughts that jihad is about terrorism. One day early in the morning, Natasha witnessed Osama, allies Oz being arrested for participating in terrorist activities. Oz being the Muslim figure, points out that jihad is a spiritual cult meant for terrorism. Series of actions prompts the protagonist to conduct more research about the Muslim and believed to understand jihad.

From Leila’s point of view, jihad believed have brainwashed the five Muslim youths who had replaced it with terrorism. The author uses Natasha to show how serious the authorities treat terrorism activities.  In the morning, Natasha witnesses the police officers arrest Oz of involving in terrorist acts (Idris, n.d). They seize his weapons laptops, CD and other belongings. From this, Leila tries to pass a message to every government that acts of terrorism should not be tolerated by all means. Those who get involved in terrorist acts should be dealt with according to the law. In the film four lions, Morris also points out that any system of government does not tolerate terrorist acts. He shows that it is the responsibility of every government to ensure the safety of all people. The four men find it difficult to bomb places and people due to tight security. At some point, they are noted to be fugitives and are on the run. Both in the film and the book, terrorism acts are taken as a serious offence, and those involved should face the full force of the law.

Labidi (412) pointed out that both Morris and Leila have a similar perspective that radicalization and brainwashing of the Muslim youths in the times of Osama lead to replacing jihad with terrorism. Morris in the Four Lions shows that the five men had been taught wrong concepts of Muslim believes which they strongly believed. It is noted that the five Pakistan men were willing to kill themselves with bombs to go to heaven earlier. According to their knowledge, they are killing as many people as you can earn you a ticket to heaven before others. They did not believe that their actions while still alive matter a lot in the life to come.

For this reason, despite the right jobs, family and friends they had in their present lives, they were still willing to die for their faith. Idris (n.d) noted that Leila provides a similar representation when she uses Natasha’s research to reveal how radicalizations of the youths about jihad begun a long time ago. Leila forwards that terrorism started from the very beginning of Muslim. Starting from the first Muslim leaders, Imam to the last known terrorist Osama. It is noted that acts of terrorism started when jihad was replaced with acts of war in the for the sake of religious beliefs.

Labidi (410) argue that the youths get involved in terrorist acts because they do not want to face reality on earth. He points out that suicide bombers are fanatics and afraid of dealing with real-life situations.  The film director provides that terrorists are groups of individuals who are unsatisfied with what they have in life. For example, Omar and his wife prepare a plan to install suicide bombers in society.  A father and a mother of one beautiful child want not only to kill others but also to kill themselves in the process. This is acts of idiocy, according to Morris. He notes that terrorism is a sign of lost hope and fantasy. Leila, in her book, takes a chance to reflect on the damages and pains that terrorism acts put people through. The protagonist Natasha had personal experience with terrorism, and she had felt the pain of losing someone close. The wife and a daughter to Natasha’s friend Yasha had been killed in a plane crash years ago. The plan crush was linked to a group of terrorist who attacked Khartoum. Natasha’s friend was just an example of many people who suffer pain and loss of property due to radicalized terrorists in society.

Throughout the four Lions film, Morris presents a Muslims religion with doctrines that support and encourages terrorism. By analyzing the five men from Pakistan in the British, the film writer identifies that poor relationship between the two societies which are the western and the Muslims. The five men show intolerance to western cultures and religions which they believe to be oppressive.  Muslims feel that westerners are invading their territory by importing foreign cultures and religious practices.  For the youths, the only way to stop them from overtaking is to kill them by bombing. The group do not care even if they also die in the process because they believe there is a reward.  The strategy is to put on suicidal bombes and try to kill everyone involved, including innocent civilians. Besides, the Natasha is also seen as a foreigner in the book. She faces a lot of problems because of her different cultural and religious beliefs. By learning and revealing more about jihad practices, Natasha invited challenges into her backyard. Natasha also noted that Osama Raja is one of the leaders of the resistant groups that kills people. After a series of discoveries, Natasha notices that the entire world is at risk of terrorism, and these groups need to be stopped. Actions are required by the governments and law enforcing agencies to stay vigilant to capture terrorists. Society must be made better by preventing the bomber from passing away with the loves of our loved ones.

Despite the adverse depiction of jihad radicalization among Muslims, Leila uses Natasha to reveal how vital some Muslim practice and leaders are to the world. She gives away forward on how to stop acts of terrorism and solutions.  For terrorism acts to stop, law enforcement agencies must be vigilant all the times to keep suicide bombers away. In many occasion, a terrorist kills many innocent people, including men, women and children believing that they will go straight to heaven. In many countries, terrorism is the theme and so do the film four lions and the book kindness of enemies by Leila Aboulela.