On the cartoon controversy

(* This post is dedicated to my hubby, who had expressly asked me to write my take on this issue despite knowing full well that I normally refrain from making public comment about current issues.)

Frankly I must admit that I feel that those who published the offensive cartoons have crossed the line between practicing freedom of speech and spreading hate. Right from the very beginning, the offence was not entirely unintended by the Danish newspaper editor. That's why most of the 40 cartoonists invited to send in their interpretation of the Prophet by Jylland s Posten refused to do so. They had wisely foreseen it as an intentional provocation act, what with the editor writing that Muslims in Denmark “must be prepared for insult, mockery, and ridicule”. And yes, I think the ‘support’ shown by other Western publishers could be considered as calculated act of provocation and insult, hidden behind ‘freedom of speech’ as a blanket defense. After all, the right to free speech does not exist in isolation from other values, such as respect, empathy and self-censorship.

Having said that, personally I don’t support violent reaction. Like many, I believe in more effective, peaceful acts of protest such as boycotting which at least got the Arabs an apology (albeit an insincere one) from the Danish newspaper. Nevertheless I can understand those who feel offended so strongly that has led to violence.

Consider this - how would one feel if people make fun of their loved ones? Say if one draws your parent or your child resembling a detestable figure – how would that make you feel? Remember those fights some kids have at school when others taunt them for their loved ones’ shortcomings – real or imagined?

So the display of such cartoon depicting our beloved Prophet Muhammad, the last Messenger of Allah, who we have been taught to love more than ourselves – in another writer’s words – “was nothing less than emotional torture, untamed verbal violence and intellectual terrorism.”

While we can understand that western societies do not believe in Islam, and some do not believe in God, we feel that at least they should know how to respect others. If it had been any other figures – yes we have seen Osama and other Muslim clerics been ridiculed – but it wasn't the same. We are talking about the Muslim's Rasulullah here. Rasulullah through whom Muslims learned about Allah, the One Almighty God. The chosen Messenger who had been allowed to descend up the heaven to meet up with Allah in person. Rasulullah who had then went up and down the heavens to plead for lesser quantity of mandatory prayers a day to make things easier for his followers. Rasullah who had worried about his “ummat’, his followers, till the end of his time on earth. It has been written in history that each time he came back from battles defending Islam, mothers would not asked about their sons but rather checked on Rasulullah’s condition first.

So yes - it's a very emotional issue. And as emotional creatures, people tend to be less rational when they are insulted. What more when their beloved one is insulted. And despite our weakness to live the life as good Muslims in strict adherence to the Quran and Sunnah in this modern time, apparently many still rushed blindly to do anything, even putting their own lives at risk, in order to defend Rasulullah's honor.

Some have questioned the Muslim’s sense of humor, comparing this incident with cartoons unfavorably depicting other religious figures. Still, to Muslims, insulting any prophet is a great sin – that’s why despite some daring to draw numerous anti-Semitic or anti-Christian cartoons, no Muslim will publish anything mocking Moses or Jesus, as they are also revered as prophets of Allah in Islam. One cannot attack the prophets of Allah without attacking Allah, that’s why such cartoons are unheard of among Muslims, because it’s a serious matter to Muslims.

There is no compulsion in Islam. We are not forcing others to believe what we believe in – but we do want others to respect what we believe in. Muslims could not accept any type of defamation or humiliation of any prophet and messenger. This is why we are disturbed and angry at what the Danish newspaper had published. It is Muslim’s duty to react to such denigration, as our just and fair right of defending our beloved Prophet.

But it is also Muslim’s duty to invite others to understand us, to invite others to study the life and history of our Prophet, and learn why an attack on Him is considered as an attack on Muslims, on who we are and on what we believe. That is why I feel that more dialogues and discussions should be encouraged, and for violence acts of protests to be subsided under control.

I don’t condone violent. But I can understand the rage and violent felt at those cartoons – just like I would have understand a kid punching another who insulted not him, but someone he loved dearly.