Al Bhatti
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January 9, 2015
Why depicting the prophet angers many Muslims
Attack in France follows years of controversy over such caricatures
Depictions of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) such as the cartoons published by the French satirical magazine reeling from a deadly attack are banned in Islam and mocking him angers many Muslims.
Although images poking fun at the prophet have repeatedly infuriated Muslims, Arab and Muslim leaders and clerics were quick to condemn the attack. Sunni Islam’s most prestigious centre of learning Al Azhar said “Islam denounces any violence”.
The two masked gunmen who killed 12 people at the Charlie Hebdo weekly on Wednesday claimed to be on a mission to “avenge” its cartoons of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).
It follows years of controversy over such caricatures.
“This is a prophet that is revered by some two billion people... Is it moral to mock him?,” prominent Iraqi preacher Ahmad Al Kubaisi said, explaining the violent reaction of Muslims to cartoons of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).
“France is the mother of all freedoms, yet no one said this [depiction] is shameful,” he said.
Outspoken former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad said Charlie Hebdo had shown disrespect towards Islam on numerous occasions.
“Is there a need for them to ridicule Prophet Mohammad knowing that they are offending Muslims?” state news agency Bernama quoted him as saying.
“We respect their religion and they must respect our religion,” he added.
Violent protests broke out after Denmark’s Jyllands-Posten newspaper published 12 caricatures of Prophet Mohammad in 2005.
Charlie Hebdo and other European publications reproduced the cartoons the following year, including one which showed him wearing a turban shaped like a bomb.
The French magazine’s offices were fire-bombed in November 2011 following the publication of an edition renamed “Charia Hebdo”, (Sharia Hebdo), with a caricature of the Prophet on the front page.
At the core of the problem is the “lack of respect for others’ right to freedom of expression” in Arab and Muslim countries, according to Hassan Barari, professor of international relations at Qatar University.
Some people “do not understand the Western context of free speech, where you can easily make a movie that is critical of Jesus.”
Barari pointed to a history of “animosity between the West and Muslims”.
“We cannot deny that anti-Western feeling in the region is related to the West’s policies. This is related to past colonialism, policy on Israel, and support to dictatorships,” he said.
The majority of Islamic scholars ban drawings of all prophets revered by Islam, and reject the depiction of the companions of the Prophet, even when it shows them in a positive light.
“We should not open the door to people to draw the Prophet in different forms that could affect his status in the hearts of his people,” Kubaisi said.
The ban also applies to depictions of prophets and companions of the Prophet in movies and television programmes.
Even the 1970s epic “The Message”, which chronicled the life of the Prophet and starred Anthony Quinn, did not impersonate the Prophet.
“Depicting the prophets of Allah would cast doubts about their status and might include lies, because actors could never match the characters of the prophets,” said a fatwa, or edict, by the Makkah-based Islamic Fiqh Council.
Why depicting the prophet angers many Muslims | GulfNews.com
Why depicting the prophet angers many Muslims
Attack in France follows years of controversy over such caricatures
Depictions of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) such as the cartoons published by the French satirical magazine reeling from a deadly attack are banned in Islam and mocking him angers many Muslims.
Although images poking fun at the prophet have repeatedly infuriated Muslims, Arab and Muslim leaders and clerics were quick to condemn the attack. Sunni Islam’s most prestigious centre of learning Al Azhar said “Islam denounces any violence”.
The two masked gunmen who killed 12 people at the Charlie Hebdo weekly on Wednesday claimed to be on a mission to “avenge” its cartoons of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).
It follows years of controversy over such caricatures.
“This is a prophet that is revered by some two billion people... Is it moral to mock him?,” prominent Iraqi preacher Ahmad Al Kubaisi said, explaining the violent reaction of Muslims to cartoons of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).
“France is the mother of all freedoms, yet no one said this [depiction] is shameful,” he said.
Outspoken former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad said Charlie Hebdo had shown disrespect towards Islam on numerous occasions.
“Is there a need for them to ridicule Prophet Mohammad knowing that they are offending Muslims?” state news agency Bernama quoted him as saying.
“We respect their religion and they must respect our religion,” he added.
Violent protests broke out after Denmark’s Jyllands-Posten newspaper published 12 caricatures of Prophet Mohammad in 2005.
Charlie Hebdo and other European publications reproduced the cartoons the following year, including one which showed him wearing a turban shaped like a bomb.
The French magazine’s offices were fire-bombed in November 2011 following the publication of an edition renamed “Charia Hebdo”, (Sharia Hebdo), with a caricature of the Prophet on the front page.
At the core of the problem is the “lack of respect for others’ right to freedom of expression” in Arab and Muslim countries, according to Hassan Barari, professor of international relations at Qatar University.
Some people “do not understand the Western context of free speech, where you can easily make a movie that is critical of Jesus.”
Barari pointed to a history of “animosity between the West and Muslims”.
“We cannot deny that anti-Western feeling in the region is related to the West’s policies. This is related to past colonialism, policy on Israel, and support to dictatorships,” he said.
The majority of Islamic scholars ban drawings of all prophets revered by Islam, and reject the depiction of the companions of the Prophet, even when it shows them in a positive light.
“We should not open the door to people to draw the Prophet in different forms that could affect his status in the hearts of his people,” Kubaisi said.
The ban also applies to depictions of prophets and companions of the Prophet in movies and television programmes.
Even the 1970s epic “The Message”, which chronicled the life of the Prophet and starred Anthony Quinn, did not impersonate the Prophet.
“Depicting the prophets of Allah would cast doubts about their status and might include lies, because actors could never match the characters of the prophets,” said a fatwa, or edict, by the Makkah-based Islamic Fiqh Council.
Why depicting the prophet angers many Muslims | GulfNews.com
