Syed Emran Hossain :
The whole world once again got shaken with the recent massacre that took place on 7 January 2015 when two masked gunmen forced their way into the offices of the French satirical weekly magazine Chirlie Hebdo in Paris. They killed 12 people, including the editor Stephane Charb Charbonnier, 7 other Charlie Hebdo employees, and 2 National Police officers, and wounded 11 others. The massacre was instigated form the controversial depictions of our Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) that was published in the magazine. The killers at Charlie Hebdo in Paris shouted they had avenged the Prophet Mohammed against the insult, the blasphemy, of Charlie Hebdo’s cartoons.
Before going to give my view regarding this massacre, I would like to shade some light regarding the status of our Prophet (pbuh). Our Prophet (pbuh) is the single greatest human being who has ever walked on the face of the earth. Believing him, loving him, following him is an integral part of our faith. Allah on numerous occasions in Quran explicitly says about the high status of our Prophet. He is the embodiment of perfection. He is the one who is blessed with best manners and characteristics. He is worthily of being praised by the entire humanity and he is the most praised person of all time and shall always remain. However, our Prophet (pbuh), on the other hand, faced worst kind of insult and attack during his life time from the disbelievers. Allah quoted the words of the disbelievers in the noble Quran and guided our Prophet to deal with such attacks.
At present, what should be our reaction if we see someone is insulting our Prophet (pbuh). For this purpose the understanding of two radical concepts is important. They are (i) propagation of hate speech in the name of freedom of expression and (ii) fanaticism and Islam.
I will deal with the issue of freedom of expression first. In today’s world, under the umbrella of freedom of expression, some people want to say that they have right to say everything they want. They claim that it is their fundamental right. But those who are claiming this are actually maintaining a double standard. Let me say about the double standard of Charlie Hebdo itself. In 2009 a journalist of the said magazine was fired from the job for his anti-Semitic cartoons mocking Jews and he faced charges of “inciting racial hatred” for the column he wrote. And today the same magazine is publishing cartoons of our Prophet and claiming freedom of expression. This is an example of blatant double standard.
In more than 15 European countries including France there are laws against holocaust speech. Saying anything against holocaust is crime and many people were jailed and persecuted for doing the same. On the other hand there is no such law in those countries to punish who are insulting the Prophet of Islam. Such countries will not allow anyone to say anything about holocaust but there will be no objection if anyone says things against Prophet of Islam. This is double standard. This one eyed and arrogant behaviors of the west instigated the recent violence to some extent.
Now let’s focus on the issue of Islam and fanaticism. A Muslim must feel offended with the attack on our Prophet (pbuh). We must feel the anger and agony in the face of such blasphemous, futile and useless attempt to degrade our Prophet (pbuh). At the same time we must remember that they neither can take honour of our Prophet (pbuh) nor they can harm him. No cartoon, no article, no hate speech can take his honour. It is from Allah. Despite that Muslims around the globe are reacting towards the issue of blasphemy in different manners. Firstly, one can reply against the blasphemy in the media and try to remove the misconception by writing articles, giving lectures etc. Secondly there can be a peaceful demonstration of protest like making rally, giving written complain to the concerned authority. Thirdly, legal action can be brought. Fourthly, using economic pressure, which is not very practicable in the present world. Fifthly, taking political action i.e. leader of Muslim countries can pressurize the concerned leaders to take action. And lastly, demonstration with force.
Chances of problems are very less if anyone reacts in the first five ways. But the questions and controversies arise when there is a demonstration by force. It can be legitimate to some extent depending on the level of blasphemy e.g. burning effigy or flag can be acceptable. However, killing the person involved without lawful authority or killing of innocent people in retaliation is not Islamic. Allah says in the Quran “whoever kills a person not in retaliation for a person killed, nor for spreading disorder on earth ‘is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one – it is as if he had saved mankind entirely.” (Quan 5:32).
We have as an individual no right to kill someone. However we have our right to be angry with such activities and as a Muslim we should be angry and express our anger in the legitimate way. We must follow the Islamic way to retaliate. Because doing something harmful in the name of Islam is also a matter of grate sin. Such fanatics have a very narrow thought process. They are trying to rely on one or two incidents of Prophet’s biography without understanding his entire legacy. Such people are unaware of the entire message of the Quran and Sunnah. The Quran says “You will surely be tested in your possessions and in yourselves. And you will surely hear from those who were given the Scripture before you and from those who associate others with Allah much abuse. But if you are patient and fear Allah – indeed, that is of the matters [worthy] of determination.” (Quran 3:186). Allah also says “Therefore, be patient (O Messenger) with whatever they say, and glorify your Lord with praise…” (Quran 20:130). Allah further says “And be patient over what they say and avoid them with gracious avoidance” (Quran 73:10). Therefore such emotional reactions of some overzealous Muslims are actually non Islamic and causing more harm to Islam than the cause of their reaction. Initially maximum fifty thousand people knew about the cartoon but now, because of their action, billions of people came to know about this and the western media is propagating Islam as a religion of militancy and radicalism.
Another issue needs to be discussed that why these people make fun of Islam? Why they hate Islam so much? Why they now-a-days talk about Islamic militancy, radicalism and fanaticism? Some Muslims will generally say it is their phenomena. They are the enemy of Islam. They used to hate Islam and still they hate it. This is somewhat true. But there is a difference between the reason of hating Islam during Prophet’s time and today. The reason of hating Islam during the Prophet’s time and the early generation was because of the true ideology of Islam. Islam is the religion of truth. Muslims were of excellent character and just. But today the reason is not identical. Today’s Muslims are not the same. To some extent we are responsible for destroying the image of Islam. Our moral values are dilapidating. We are corrupt in our family life, social life and political life. All the Muslim counties are most corrupt and running far away from the true blessed teachings of Islam. Hence manifold questions raised and controversies ignited against the Muslims around the world.
Therefore we need to rectify our own faults before raising finger towards others. We are the people of true religion. We have Allah with us. We had the magnificent teachers. We should be the best among others. Even after that there will be a group of people who will hate Islam but at that time we can say that we are giving them the right reason to hate.
(Syed Emran Hossain, a practicing lawyer at Supreme Court of Bangladesh)
