UK-based anti-Sharia campaign group will host an exhibition featuring cartoons of the Prophet of Islam in September
News:
Muslim organisations in the UK have condemned a move by an anti-Sharia campaign group to host an exhibition featuring cartoons of Prophet Muhammad in London in September.
Azad Ali, chair of the Muslim Safety Forum based in London, told Al Jazeera on Friday the proposed “Muhammad Cartoon Exhibit” by UK-based Sharia Watch was an attempt to taunt the tolerance levels of British Muslims, and described the move as a cheap attempt to create disharmony in the UK.
“They keep on pushing the boundary, testing the levels and always upping the ante… this is what this is about: getting a reaction from Muslims and looking for a justification to demonise us,” Ali said.
The exhibit is set to feature controversial Dutch politician Geert Wilders as a speaker. Wilders is known to be vehemently anti-Islam.
Depictions of Prophet Muhammad are banned in Islam and many Muslims say they are being continuously provoked and taunted with demeaning depictions of the prophet that are often seen as “vile and racist”.
Anne Marie Waters, director of Sharia Watch, said in the statement that the event was about freedom of expression. “The outlook for our democracy depends on the actions we take today. We owe it to future generations to pass on the freedom we have enjoyed,” Waters said. (Source: Al Jazeera, 03 Jul 2015)
Comment:
No one with any sense of honesty and decency can no longer believe that taunting, insulting caricature and hate-motivated actions are manifestations of ‘free speech’. Particularly when a minority community is being victimised in the name of ‘freedom’.
Every nation has a red line beyond which they would not suffer any insult, the French with their flag, Germany and Europe with their holocaust. Would the demonisation that the Jews in Nazi Germany be acceptable today? Would the attack against their culture or prophets or God in the name of free speech be tolerated?
The truth is freedom of speech does not exist in Europe or the West – everywhere there are limits, except when it comes to attacking Islam.
The duplicitous hide behind this abstract ‘ideal’ to taunt, goad, insult, oppress and attack voiceless minority communities in Europe and the West. These ‘enlightened’ people incite the feeble and narrow minded to racism and irrational hatred and fear of Islam.
Constantly being assailed and under threat of arrest for terrorism in the UK, Muslims are pressured into submission and silence, and fear so much so they cannot speak out against this hatred and bigotry, even though it is the most natural reaction to defend the Noble Rasulullah ﷺ. How far removed is this from Nazi Germany? Has Europe truly changed since 1939?
Although secularism purports to believe in the freedom of belief, it does not respect it, nor accord the dignity to the people of Islam who chose to adhere to their faith. 1400 years ago, Allah سبحانه وتعالى revealed to the Believers the nature of those who hate Islam:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ لاَ تَتَّخِذُواْ بِطَانَةً مِّن دُونِكُمْ لاَ يَأْلُونَكُمْ خَبَالاً وَدُّواْ مَا عَنِتُّمْ قَدْ بَدَتِ الْبَغْضَاء مِنْ أَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَمَا تُخْفِي صُدُورُهُمْ أَكْبَرُ قَدْ بَيَّنَّا لَكُمُ الآيَاتِ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ
“O you who have believed, do not take as intimates those other than yourselves, for they will not spare you [any] ruin. They wish you would have hardship. Hatred has already appeared from their mouths, and what their breasts conceal is greater. We have certainly made clear to you the signs, if you will use reason.”
(Ali Imran: 118)
Mohammad Hamzah