DEALING WITH VILE CARTOONS

 

Perversion in Europe?

Charlie Hebdo is a French satirical newspaper and its cartoons represent a certain, virulently racist brand of French xenophobia. What they publish are intentionally anti-Islam and  incredibly racist. They provoke France's incredibly marginalized, often attacked, Muslim immigrant community. As Vox said, white men punching down is not a recipe for good satire, and needs to be called out. Hook-nosed Muslim caricatures and turbaned wretches are published for no purpose beyond antagonizing Muslims in a country where Muslims are a poor and harassed minority. A community maligned by a growing ultra nationalist movement that has used liberal values like secularism and free speech to expout bigotry.

Blasphemous, mocking religious images cause pain in marginalized communities. The murders in Paris and the widening perverse conflict between extremists, Islamophobes, and provocateurs are happening in Europe awaiting a terrible outcome. Racist and Islamophobic attitudes are a huge problem in the everyday lives of Europe's Muslim population. Mainstream parties are co-opting Far right agendas. European Muslims are pushed between the actions of a tiny group of terrorists and the prejudicial response of the European majority.

Google, The Guardian and France's government has pledged millions of Euros for Charlie Hebdo. This encourages and promises cover for anti-Muslim backlash. But free speech is not supposed to have to cheer everything said. Racist cartoons should not be published. There has to be politeness and common human decency advocating intelligence, reason and civility. It is a matter of recognizing the morally correct path to tread and the prudent path to follow. The cartoons and the Danish ones that preceded it are hardly worthy as they offer little ideas of value, scoffing instead of debate, and nobody should have been killed over those cartoons.

How does the Muslim respond?

Many irresponsible societal leaders and many in the media continue to disrespect and ridicule Islam, Muslims and even the Prophet that seem to be intended only to hurt the feelings of the Muslims. No one can doubt that images and stereotypes presented in the media are very powerful. Those who engage in the practice of defaming Islam or the Prophet have claimed that they are simply exercising their rights of freedom of speech.  Within a certain Western framework, their argument is that law protects life and property but need not protect  feelings or personal dignity.

Many Non-Muslims feel that there is something unacceptable in Islam and it is be expected that they would have thoughts that Muslims would not share. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) himself debated with Non Muslims and even after discussions with the Prophet  himself they remained true to their own faiths. Thus, no one, Muslim or otherwise, should be surprised if a non-Muslim has a lesser opinion of Islam than a Muslim has.

Here it is vital to distinguish between defamation versus critique. The objection is not to non-Muslims expressing their view on Islam or its symbols if what they state is sincere and rational. In reality, such discussions are best for Islam and provide opportunities for Muslims to clarify, because, to this day, most of the people in the West have distorted views of Islam. This may reduce the tension and discord that exists between non-Muslims and Muslims. One can respond to rational arguments with an honest and straightforward rational discussion. However, there is no real response to something that is meant only to ridicule, insult or harm.

Jurist Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr  said "The most stringent protection of free speech would not protect a man in falsely shouting fire in a theatre. . ." and "The right to swing my fist ends where the other man's nose begins." Morally as said by Jamaal al-Deen Zarabozo, it means My freedom of speech ends where your personal dignity begins.

Muslims are indeed upset and deeply distraught by the ridicule and mockery of their beloved Prophet (peace and blessings Allah be upon him). In a world of unbelief, many may not know how connected and how close the Muslim community and the faithful are  to their Prophet. Whenever the Prophet is slandered and insulted, the faithful are profoundly hurt and troubled. The faithful are then being made to apologise and atone by what are obviously hypocritical actions and of double standards. It is as if Islam and Muslims who have to be accountable and to pay for the terrible wars, insecurity and terrorism existing in the turbulent world today.

Ridicule, mockery and hatred of Islam's message and messengers are not new in human history. Some make mockery because they detest truth; some because of money and some because of politics  or other vested interests. The Qur'an says that the response of the Prophets was always patience. They faced off the challenges by increased devotion to Allah and they responded in calm, cool and calculated manner. Finally the enemies were defeated and truth prevailed.

As Allah the Almighty reassured the Prophet in the Qur'an, We do indeed know how thy heart is distressed at what they say. 15:97

In essence Allah says, We have spared you those who ridicule you. So do not take matters in your own hands, rather, God will take care of those who mock the Prophet  which is exactly the issue that we are dealing with today.

The Qur'an enjoins to dismiss the people of ignorance and not to give a lot of attention to them.  It asks not to engage with them in any conversation. On the other hand,  the Qur'an encourages to engage with the people of reason and to debate them if they have a different point of view:

Call people to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good teaching, and argue with them in the most courteous way [16:125]

Islam encourages debate and healthy arguments.  But people who mock a religions are not interested in engaging debate and so they resort to mockery.

Respect

Do not revile those they call on beside God, so they, in their hostility, revile God, without knowledge [6:108]

Reviling, insulting, or cursing other religions  is prohibited because in turn it is  causing  one's religion to be reviled, insulted or cursed.  No matter how much it is disagreed with them, one cannot mock, insult, or curse idols, idolaters, or idol-worship.  There are always consequences to these actions.  Just like one holds religious symbols very dear to one's hearts and consider them holy or untouchable, people of other faiths will feel the same towards their religious symbols, no matter how ridiculous those symbols may seem to be.  There should be mutual respect for religious symbols in order to live together in a civilized manner. People should respectfully disagree.

Like the people of ignorance in the past, today those who pride themselves to be civilized have lost this treasure trove of how to deal with each other's religious symbols and sacred things. It is important that Muslims respect their own religious symbols as well those of others and also keep reminding humanity about this noble etiquette.

Islam a Mercy and Blessing for Mankind

After studying the history of the Prophet's life, we come to the conclusion that if Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was alive today he would not respond to these mockery and defamation except in the same calm manner that he responded in the past. This is because of his great and noble personality. Surely the Prophet would not accept the reaction of agitated Muslims, who attempt to defend his honour, by causing the injury and killing of innocents and damaging property. (Mohamed Baianonie, Friday Sermon in Raleigh USA)

The mockery of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) does not lessen him in anyway from his noble position in the sight of Allah or the ummah. Allah Almighty is the One who raised him to his position and stature in this life and the Hereafter. The Prophet's name is oft repeated in the testimony of faith - Shahaddah. Blessings and salutations shower upon the Prophet whenever his name is mentioned.

The mockery of the Prophet is a test from Allah Almighty for Muslims. Will they react in the proper way by controlling emotions and anger, or will they overreact and commit mistakes?

The proper way would be to:-

• ·         Learn and study the personality and biography of the Prophet Muhammad, his sayings and actions, and  teach it to their children, to the Muslims, and non-Muslims.
• ·         Live their lives and make him the best example in all aspects of religious and worldly lives.
• ·         Strengthen belief in him and believe in what he conveyed  from his Lord and obey him in all his commands.
• ·         Truly love him deeply from their hearts; a love that is more special and stronger than love for wealth, self, families, and all other people.
• ·         Truly carry his message and convey it to all of mankind until it becomes a mercy for them as Allah Almighty wants it to be.
• ·         Truly honour him by invoking our prayers, blessings, and salutations on him.

Learning and Following the Footsteps of The Prophet from the Pages of his Biography

When the Quraysh in Mecca persecuted the Prophet, he sought assistance from the tribe of Thaqif. He was hopeful that they would accept Islam. He went to the hilltown of At-Ta'if and approached a group of the leaders. He sat down with them, and called them to Islam. However, they received him in a very disrespectful manner. Their harshness and ugly words took him utterly by surprise.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) then asked them, at very least, not to inform the Quraysh of his visit, but they refused. They then stirred up their slaves and children against him, and ordered them to curse and shout at him. They threw stones at him until his feet bled. The Prophet eventually reached a garden and after resting under a shade of a tree supplicated to Allah Almighty with great humility:

"O Allah it is to You that I bring my weakness, my helplessness, and my humiliation. O Most Merciful of the merciful, You are the Sustainer of those who are deemed weak, and You are my Sustainer. On whom but You shall I rely? On some distant personage who regards me with displeasure? Or on a foe to whom I have surrendered? So long as You are not displeased with me, then I have no cause for dismay. I take refuge in the light of Your face by which the darkness is illuminated, and in which both this world and the next are set aright. The well-being which You bestow upon me is too all encompassing for You to pour out Your wrath or displeasure upon me. To You I shall continue to turn until I have won Your favour, and there is no power or strength except in You."

The angel Gabriel appeared calling to the Prophet saying, "Allah Almighty has heard the words spoken to you by your people and the manner in which they responded to you. Moreover, He has sent you the angel of the mountains, for you to give him whatever command you so desire."

Then the angel of the mountains called out to the Prophet with a greeting of peace, saying, "O Muhammad, Allah has heard the words spoken to you by your people, and I am the angel of the mountains. You Lord has sent me to you, for you to give me whatever command you wish. What then do you command?  If you want me to bring the two great mountains of Mecca down upon them, I will do so."

But the Prophet said, "All I wish is for Allah to bring forth from their offspring those who worship Allah alone and associate no partners with Him."

The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) always used to supplicate to Allah Almighty by saying, "O' Allah forgive my people because they do not know."

The response of Muslims is by educating and re-educating themselves, their children, Muslims, and non-Muslims about Islam and the true life of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him). It will be the greatest benefit to all mankind.

Sources:

Mohamed Baianonie, Friday Sermon, Islamic Center of Raleigh, NC

Anas Hlayhel,  muslimmatters.org

Jamaal al-Deen Zarabozo, islamicawakening.com

Dr Muzammil H. Siddiqi, ISOC Friday Sermon

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