Last September, the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten printed a series of cartoons that claimed to be a depiction of the Prophet Muhammad. More recently, numerous newspaper editors throughout Europe have republished the same cartoons. These cartoons mocked the Prophet and used symbols relating the Prophet to terrorism.
Since then, I haven’t stoned anyone, I haven’t attacked policemen, I haven’t set fire to media outlets, nor have I searched for the Danish embassy. But make no mistake – as a Muslim, I was offended beyond words. The media circus surrounding the reaction from the Muslim world has offered us a battle between freedom of speech and Islamic beliefs. And the American public has, to an extent, accepted this picture.
However, I believe we haven’t been exposed to enough in order to understand that this debate is deeper when considering the context.
The first issue with respect to religion is that Islam prohibits these images to protect the worship of the Oneness of God from idolatry, but another aspect that may shed light on this situation is the love that Muslims hold for their faith and Prophet. Through the Quran and teachings of Muhammad, Muslims are asked to love the Prophet more than their families and more than themselves.
Thus it would have been less offensive to personally insult every Muslim alive today than to insult the religion’s Prophet.
So is it wrong for certain issues held sacred by many to be respected by others?
It is important to remember that these published cartoons were not simple pictures, but they actually ridiculed the Prophet and Islam as a religion. The cartoons make the point that the Prophet was a terrorist, and thus so would all of those who follow his example. In this case, freedom of speech was used in a racist manner poking fun at a religion and inspiring doubt on the intentions of Muslims as good citizens by their fellow countrymen.
Muslims are not (at least should not be) intending to impose their beliefs to restrict freedom of speech, nor are they attempting to convince non-Muslims into believing what we believe.
The Quran covers this point numerous times with verses that encourage us, Muslims, to avoid abusing those who don’t follow Islam (ch6. v.108) and also advising Muslims that it is okay for the people of other faiths to keep their religions (ch.109). I think the underlying theme we understand from this is respect for one another.
With that said, I believe this conflict has resulted from the simple abuse of freedom of speech; using it as an outlet to insult, incite hatred and ridicule on the basis of racism.
Considering the Danish prime minister’s refusal to meet an Arab delegation protesting the newspaper’s printing back in September, and the fact that numerous European newspapers republished the offensive material later, I beg the question “why was this comic strip so popular in Europe?”
We should consider that Denmark’s government is currently strongly supported by an anti-immigration party, which stands strongly behind prohibiting Muslim immigrants from entering and integrating into Denmark. We also know there is a huge gap in social status between Muslim immigrants and natives throughout Western Europe, a region whose history with diversity has been more tumultuous than our own country’s.
And what about the hypocrisy behind the usage of this freedom? In 2003 the same Dutch newspaper refused to print cartoons depicting Jesus (peace be upon Him) because the editor, Jens Kaiser, declared, “I don’t think Jyllands-Posten’s readers will enjoy the drawings.”
Freedom of speech is great, is needed in society and is a sign of liberty, but we would be wrong to assume that freedom of speech in the West is, or should be, absolute. There are limitations that consider libel, hate and other factors.
I believe freedom of speech must be defended, and it must withstand the objections of an insulted audience, but the people who have access to the public must show good judgment and responsibility with respect to this freedom.
What the Dutch newspaper did, and the European newspapers that copied it, was purely a disrespectful and insensitive attack on the Muslim world. Their motives, I assure you, go beyond exercising their freedom of speech.
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