Vejam só. Revistas em quadrinhos estão sendo distribuídas de graça para jovens árabes vítimas da guerra. Quem dá o recado é de Naif Al Mutawa, criador do THE 99, a HQ que circula no Oriente Médio desde o ano passado. São vinte mil exemplares grátis, fruto de uma parceria entre a editora kwaitiana Teshkeel, a transportadora Aramex e a Unesco.
“Quando criança, livros e quadrinhos eram minha maior proteção contra os problemas. Me ensinaram que a verdade, justiça e amizada são admiráveis qualidades. Acredito que as crianças de nossa região que foram atingidas pela guerra, desapropriação e pobreza precisam desta mensagem mais do que nunca”, diz Mutawa.
THE 99 é o nome dado ao grupo de super-heróis islâmicos concebidos nos moldes da americana Marvel Comics. O agrupamento é formado por jovens do mundo todo (tem um brasileiro na parada), que desenvolveram poderes especiais concedidos por Alah, e previstos no Alcorão.
O uso da estética Marvel em The 99 não é mera coincidência: Mutawa, através de sua editora, a Teshkeel, detém os direitos de publicação de personagens como o Homem Aranha, Super-homem e X-Men nos países de língua árabe. Todos estes títulos fazem parte do pacote concedido à Unesco, onde Mutawa acumula prêmios como escritor de livros infantis.
Militante do diálogo pacífico entre os hemisférios, Mutawa não vê conflito algum em conciliar super-heróis muçulmanos e norte-americanos na mesma editora. Pelo contrário, é justamente neste cruzamento de culturas que sua busca se realiza: diminuir o preconceito em torno do islamismo.
No ano passado entrevistei Naif Al Mutawa para o Diario de Pernambuco (nunca publicada), em virtude de sua primeira visita ao Brasil, durante a edição 2006 do FIHQ-PE. Não traduzi (preguiçoso), mas vale a pena gastar o inglês. Tá bom, traduzi apenas uma frase, que considero bem importante. "O cristianismo não deve ser reduzido ao nazismo ou à membros da Ku Klux Klan, assim como o islamismo não deve ser reduzido à Al-Qaeda". Salam!
What is The 99 most important quest?
The most important quest is showing the readers-both Muslim and non-Muslim-the many wonderful attributes of Allah that need to be emulated. Attributes like compassion and mercy and wisdom and creativity, etc... Their most important quest is that they teach readers the many wonderful attributes and not think of Islam as kidnappings in Iraq or Al-Qaeda. Equating Islam to these terrible agendas is like linking Christianity to Nazism. The 99’s most important quest is to win the readers-both Muslims and non-Muslims- into believing in the good in Islamic culture.
Did you define how´s going to be the brazilian hero?
Not yet. But we will be running a competition on our website for the ones that we have not defined yet. This competition will run on www.the99.org
How does THE 99 can reduce prejudice against Islam?
I certainly hope so. Both from without and from within. Extremists are not Islam’s fault. They are the fault of extremists. Christianity should not be reduced to Nazis and members of the Ku Klux Klan and neither should Islam be reduced to Al-Qaeda. I have taken it upon myself to go into the Quran and mine it for positive elements that can be used in creative storylines. I firmly believe that what you put into a text has a lot with what you get out of it. If you look at a text with hate, you will see hate. And if you look with compassion and love and tolerance...you will have ideas like The 99.
Why the Muhammed cartoon incident between Dennmark and Middle East is, in your opinion, fundamentalism in both parts?
Because both parties are pointing to a codified law to support their actions which were deplorable on both counts. The Danish newspaper (and other Western newspapers) somehow felt it was their God given right to publish images of the prophet as a terrorist and cited Freedom of Speech and the Moslems who reacted violently somehow felt it was their right to react violently to protect the prophet. The Danish paper could have easily used another person to get the same message across, not the prophet and the Muslims who jumped on the bandwagon could have easily reacted the way the prophet himself acted when his legitimacy was challenged 1500 years ago. He did so with political acumen, a smile, and formed alliances with the strongest of the strong. He didn’t act like a helpless rioter shouting in the streets. I think people’s emotions were manipulated and they rightly felt offended but there are ways that one can address these violations.
And the biggest loser was the Danish government. The Muslims wanted the Danish government to apologize for a private sector violation because they are used to the press being controlled by their own governments. And the poor Danish government, the biggest supporter of Human Rights and Political Torture Survivors worldwide (which incidentally happens disproportionately in the Islamic World) were being forced to apologize for something outside their control.
My favorite reaction which perhaps was the most absurd was some nobody Belgian philosopher who was quoted as saying that the Muslims should be exposed to such comics every week so that they could get used to them. Such arrogance only comes from the lips of a true fundamentalist.
Is there any explicit political orientation in your work?
None whatsoever. My only concern is to mine Islamic religion and culture for themes and archetypes to speak positively to both Muslims and non-Muslims alike. I believe very strongly that what you put into something has a lot to do with what you get out of it. I am putting my education and passion into the Quran and emerging with positive messages that are being woven as archetypes. I keep away from religion and politics in the books. But the ongoing conceit is of two poles fighting to gain control of The 99 stones..each of which has a divergent agenda. One wants to destroy and dominate-one wants to heal and unify. I do not judge the characters. I only present them.
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