Defending Honour of Prophet Muhammad(PBUH)
14 February, 2006
By Syed A. Mateen
Muslims are protesting against publishing of twelve blasphemous cartoons, which despite severe protests in Muslim countries, has not been removed as yet by Denmark`s largest newspaper Jyllands-Postenthe from its website.
The blasphemous cartoons are reprinted three months later in solidarity with the Danish daily newspaper by several other western dailies in the name of "freedom of expression", that has added fuel to the fire, which in fact, is an expression of the West of extreme hate towards Muslims and their Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
The Denmark`s daily Jyllands-Postenthe took the lead in publishing the blasphemous cartoons and then other Scandinavian and European countries joined the rat race to uphold their so-called right of freedom of expression. A newspaper from Norway republished the cartoons last month and then it was published in French daily France Soir, Germany`s Die Welt, and newspapers from Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland.
Another continent became involved in the dispute when two newspapers in New Zealand, namely The Dominion Post, Wellington, and The Christchurch Press, both owned by Australia`s Fairfax group, reprinted the blasphemous caricatures.
The Secretary General of Council of Europe Terry Davis in his statement has described the violence that accompanied protests across the Muslim world against European blasphemous cartoons as "unacceptable". Terry Davis has said that "freedom of opinion and expression is protected by European human rights law, even in cases when the views expressed were offensive".
In his opinion, the violence, destruction and hate which marred the protests are totally "unacceptable", as "having the right to cause offence does not make it right to do so". Terry Davis is confident that they are not supported by the vast majority of people of Islamic faith, regardless of how offended they feel by these caricatures.
The cartoonists and the publishers of the newspapers are the opinion-makers and cannot be termed as responsible citizens of the West when they have intentionally pursued the course of action which was a deliberate act of provocation that has hurt the sentiments of 1.5 billion Muslims around the world and has become a possible source of clash between the civilizations.
The newspapers repeatedly published the blasphemous cartoons one after another are totally responsible for the loss of several human lives and destruction of properties during the protests in different countries. If they have not provoked the sentiments of millions of Muslims by publishing the blasphemous cartoons, there would have been no question of demonstrations by the Muslims.
To make clear to the blasphemous cartoonists and the publishers of the newspapers, let me remind them that Jesus Christ (PBUH) was the second-last prophet of Al-Mighty Allah. He foretold the coming of the last Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
I would request the Muslims in the world to follow the example of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), even in the worst of circumstances and defend the honour of Prophet Muhammad without reacting violently on the blasphemous cartoons, that are published in several newspapers in the West.
Such blasphemous cartoons cannot shake the belief of 1.5 billion Muslims in the world, as Muslims are connected with each other in the world through belief in one Al-Mighty Allah and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as Allah`s last Prophet.
"You do not do evil to those who do evil to you, but you deal with them with forgiveness and kindness". (Sahih Al-Bukhari)
SYED A. MATEEN
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