I had received this comment from one of my website visitors. I made an attempt to answer, but on a second thought, I decided to post the comment on my blog and let people, perhaps, tell me what they think.
Here it goes:
Dear Mrs. Hend,
I am wondering why someone who mentions Islam in her Artist Statement, as if it is something she actually embraces, has to produce some really disturbing, clearly un -Islamic art and publish it? I find your screen prints particularly appalling. If something like ‘ Dark Lovers’, which is just unnecessarily graphic and morally completely unacceptable (again, from an Islamic perspective) represents you -and presumably, your art does- then why even mention the religion the Holy Prophet Muhammad sws. has brought us? Why not just distance yourself, become ‘modern’ altogether and produce the most repulsive art your escaping mind can envision, which will surely be referred to as ‘ provocative’ and ‘pushing the boundaries’ by atheist critics and journalists, and gain popularity that way? Artists, like all other human beings, need to make a choice -every single day of their lives. Every single second they draw air into their lungs, they must decide who they belong to. If their decision is ‘nobody’, then they may act as they please, produce, promote and proclaim as they like. Believing everything will end when the drawing of the breath comes to an end. If, however, they decide they belong to the One who created their soul, created their body, gave them life, promised them sustenance and will order their return one day – then one must at least accept His Word, His Rules, His Guidance through the Holy Quran as well as the message of His Prophet, in all its reality. Then one must, even among all the flaws and weaknesses that we as human beings possess, at the very least try and follow the Righteous Path as transmitted to us in the most secure way. Whatever that may mean for the individual. But spreading pornography and images of homosexuality are clearly, undoubtedly not among the deeds of one who even mentions the word ‘Islam’ in its personal statement. No one will reproach you for not believing -at least not where you live now. But some may be deeply confused and disturbed by your blatant hypocrisy. I followed the link to the other website, finding the artwork deep and moving, before discovering in your biography that this art was something you produced before emigrating. It is a shame. It doesn’t have to be like this. Freedom of expression does not necessitate sanctimony, nor does it have to lead to falling out of the clouds completely.