The Stoning of Soraya M is Why Islam Customs and Nations Are Bashed in the West
Before You Say a Word
Watch the DVD, The Stoning of Soraya M.
A true story smuggled out by a French journalist in 1986. Gripping from the start. The factual story is why the West or non-muslim countries and most Islamic countries will never become close friends. In a sense, in this case, Iran's backwards way of Islam creates such a double standard and hypocrisy for women it is hard to watch from the Western perspective. In fact, it outrages you.
Soraya is married to a man. They have two boys and two daughters. The relationship has been in the dust for sometime. Her husband and the town's Mullah (who was once a convicted criminal) create this sick pact. Soraya's husband has been screwing a 14 yr old girl, he is 40-ish, that has the approval of the girl's father for money. Soraya knows this, yet remains silent. She is confronted by the Mullah and he suggests to her that "they" have a relationship. Soraya kicks him out. Angry, the Mullah and her husband now plant lies in the village that she is committing adultery with another man. This is not true at all, but it is a way for the husband to get rid of his wife. By getting rid of Soraya, he can then marry the 14 yr old. The man that Soraya is allegedly having sex with, is a simple man with a son. The Mullah and Soraya's husband threaten him with stoning or taking his son away unless he agrees to lie about the truth. He does.
Because women in most Islamic and muslim countries are treated as almost slaves to their men masters, Soraya and her Aunt cannot stem the wave of spite and hatred in the town. Ultimately, the men act as a jury and the Major and Mullah play God, convicting her to death by stoning. No women were allowed at the trial, basically a lynch mob like the KKK.
Throughout the movie, there are so many little things for any woman or man to get angry about. The total hypocrisy of that religious custom under the veil of "Islam", from the Mullah, who was a thug and in prison to the husband who drives an American Chevy Camaro convertible! The only one in town. The horrible life a woman leads in this religion is just not understandable with any sense of fairness. Worse, I am sure this sort of thing happens all the time in big and little cities in Iran and elswhere today. Men wield the power.
The final scene is so graphic, so upsetting. Soraya is stoned to death by the men of the town, from the Mullah, Husband, her two sons, the town major, and strangers. She is placed into a pit, bottom part of the torso is buried including arms, which are tied. At first, the stones miss, but the husband aims carefully and then smashes one into her forehead and blood spills onto the white dress. Soon, a barrage of rocks and boulders begin to smash her defenseless body. The white dress turns blood red. Soon, she collapses. Her husband checks for life and discovers she is still alive! He screams, "the bitch is alive!". The men toss another barrage of stones killing her. Her body is dumped near a stream. Wild dogs soon follow. Life returns to normal.
How any man in Iran or Muslim country can say this is "fine", is beyond me. How any woman would want to remain under this system, is incomprehensible! What possible reason would they defend this?
The story was smuggled out by the French journalist. Soraya's Aunt was in the thick of it, a product when Iran was free under the Shah and women were more equal to men. She told the story to the journalist and taped it on his recorder. It soon appeared in the Western press.
Fast forward to Saudi Arabia and its perverted customs towards women today in 2010, look no further than in Iran, a woman is forbidden to even go to a soccer game!
