Muslim ‘Bond Girl’ idea shakes and stirs reaction 

I’m terribly disheartened to read the article posted on the InFocus web site about a Muslim actress’ goal of becoming a "Muslim Bond Girl." Does InFocus truly believe this is newsworthy and important to the Muslim community? I certainly hope not. Allah and the Prophet (PBUH) have clearly related to us the significance and importance of a Muslim woman. Potentially starring in a film as a sex object of a fictional character is clearly not the role that Allah designed for us as Muslim women. Nor is this something that should be supported and encouraged within the Muslim community.

Miss Admans is quoted as saying, "To be on a James Bond film as a Muslim Asian woman would not just open up doors for me but break down barriers for other people as well. That would be the biggest thing I could achieve." Unfortunately, this couldn’t be farther from the truth. The biggest thing Miss Admans could achieve is success in this life and the hereafter through the obedience of Allah and the Prophet, not through starring in some film. Yes, we must all choose our own paths in this life. I pray that Miss Admans chooses the path of righteousness and reconsiders her purpose in this life. I would highly recommend you not publish such nonsense in the future. This article is nothing more than affirmation that we are more interested in imitating the West and Hollywood as opposed to imitating the Prophet.

I am shocked, to say the least, to see this article appearing in your publication. I am a Muslim woman, a convert of nine years, and a native of Southern California, and I have seen your publication many times, but never have I seen something that has offended me like this article did. As a Muslim publication, you should be striving to be a good example to the Muslims you serve, and especially to the Muslim youth, who are particularly at risk of being swayed away from Islam by pressures from the corrupt society we are trying to live in. The image of the Bond girl is, to say the very least, an image of a woman whose body is being exploited for the gain of men (James Bond, in the movies, and the director/producer of the films in real life). A Muslim woman should know her value is much greater than any of that. She is a wife, a mother a daughter – not some whore to be used and thrown away. Subhan’Allah, the last place we need this kind of trash coming from is the Muslims themselves

As a Muslim, I am really shocked that your newspaper, which seems to want to portray itself as "a Muslim newspaper," is publishing this story as if it was something we should be proud of. I think it is obvious that the Bond movies treat women just like sexual objects and beautiful bodies to spice up the movie and make it more entertaining to men. This goes against moral values of not only Islam, but all other religions. I think this actress should be ashamed of herself to aspire to be a "Bond girl," and you should be ashamed of yourself for spreading such things among our youths.

Halim Fadil, MD

Editor’s Note: Whether or not we agree with what Muslims around the world may be doing, we do feel it is important to report on them objectively and let our readers form their own opinions. This sheds light on certain people, events and topics, allowing for discussion. Rather than avoiding unpopular or controversial topics, we hope our readers take these articles as an opportunity to begin a dialogue within their communities. As unfortunate as they may sometimes be, sweeping the realities of the world we live in under a rug would be biased journalism. Using these articles to teach the youth in your communities, for example, that "a Muslim woman should know that her value is much greater" than being a Bond girl, would be much more beneficial. Perhaps Ms. Admans lacked that type of dialogue during her upbringing. Whatever the case, we hope that reporting on such topics will inspire dialogue to help ensure, in this case, for example, that a young Muslim girl has more to strive for than being a Bond girl.

School should have supported woman presenting about Eid

I just read the article in the April 2008 issue of InFocus about how Mrs. Kanan was harassed after she was invited to talk to young children about the Muslim holiday, Eid. I am sorry she had to deal with this situation – how ugly, ungracious, closed-minded and paranoid. The school shouldn’t have sold her out either, especially since they were the ones to have invited her to give the presentation, which seemed like a very nice one. We lived in Iran in the 70s, and I was a young girl then and had my own set of prayer beads from some Iranian friends. We called them worry beads, and I thought they were fun. My good thoughts and prayers to Mrs. Kanan. I am sorry she is being treated so poorly.