The Jihadist’s Wife

16 Oct The Jihadist’s Wife

The Jihadist’s Wife is a modern day telling of Romeo and Juliet; however, in place of the Montague’s and the Capulet’s, we have Islam at odds with Christianity.  In the film, Lestari, an Indonesian Muslim, is engaged, through an arranged marriage, to Mulyo, a Muslim man living in Miami.  However, Mulyo is already in love- with a Jewish woman (and she is pregnant with his child).  Mulyo hires Nathan, a poor African-American man from Miami who is a lapsed Muslim, to escort Lestari while she is in Miami (as per Muslim tradition).  Mulyo has further asked Nathan to somehow discourage Lestari from marrying Mulyo (and thus freeing him to marry his true love).  However, when Nathan and Lestari meet, they fall in love, setting up a the climax of the film; should each person follow their heart, or their tradition?

“The Jihadist’s Wife” reveals the human aspects of Islam as well as its relationship with non-Muslim cultures, thus exposing the true enemies of religion: Ignorance and tolerance!  Islam is a very sensitive topic in the West, as well as around the world at this time.  “The Jihadist’s Wife” handles the topic with respect, the purpose of the film being to show the human rather than the political sides of Islam’s relationship with the West.