What
Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) Would Have Done?
By Dr. Mohiuddin Waseem
McAllen, TX
One of Denmark’s largest selling newspaper,
Jyllands-Posten, has finally issued an apology
to the “honorable citizens of the Muslim
world” after publishing a series of funny
cartoons of Prophet Mohammad that provoked violent
protests across the Muslim world. In a few of
those 12 cartoons, Prophet Mohammad is shown wearing
a bomb-shaped turban, looking for virgins with
his companions and guarding veiled females with
a dagger; which clearly reflects not just post-
9/11 Islamophobic mentality but a contempt to
the world’s second largest religion for
which the newspaper was rightly ashamed of either
by choice or submission, whatever the case might
be.
But this is not just an isolated event which we
have witnessed here. A few months ago it was the
issue of the desecration of the Holy Quran at
Guantánamo Bay by a few US soldiers and
that too led to many violent protests in the Muslim
world. As the pattern is a recurring one it is
predictable that we should anticipate similar
events in future as there will be new ideas and
methods to stir up new controversies. Like a learnt
behavior two obvious patterns of Muslim reactions
have emerged so far and a little discussion is
essential so as to adapt a rationally nobler among
them. Or do we have other alternatives?
The first is of course the typical violent, emotion
filled, slogan raising, ‘flag burning’
attitude which we have seen many times in the
past and the second relatively new approach adopted
by Saudi clerics is to give a peaceful call of
economic boycott of the responsible country and
apparently that economic pinch became the reason
why the newspaper was made to apologize. Though
post-9/11, Saudis clerics with their Wahabi brand
Islamic ideology have gained a reputation of being
inherently intolerant for obvious reasons as many
of the hijackers were Saudi nationals; the wisdom
with which Saudi clerics have peacefully defended
Islam in these perilous times is commendable.
Clearly registering ones protest by boycotting
is more ‘democratic’ than destroying
ones own country and property which does not make
sense to me at all.
I happen to remember an interesting lesson which
I learnt from a Christian friend of mine. In the
year 1998 a stage drama was presented at one of
the theatres at Broadway, New York in which Jesus
Christ was shown as a homosexual. Enraged with
the idea I called up that friend of mine with
whom I also used to involve in interfaith discussions
and inquired about his reaction. I even expressed
to him ‘proudly’ that if such a thing
would have happened in Pakistan, people there
would have gone to any extreme insinuating as
if our love for Jesus is more than Christians.
But to my dismay he remained totally calm and
replied that Christians will definitely protest
this but in America there are many forums and
venues which can be utilized for this purpose
excluding the possibility of violent protests
because according to him that only cause further
unrest. And he was absolutely right about it as
during the subsequent few weeks I saw many newspaper
columns, TV shows and radio programs condemning
and showing disgust to the idea and many Christians
even called their elected representative to record
their protest but all refrained from disturbing
the civil order. I think Muslims too should start
utilizing the services of their elected representatives
and make use of them (who are in fact good for
nothing) and their governments instead of bringing
such sensitive matters to the street.
Lastly, I feel it is important to ask one simple
question to ourselves and that is what Prophet
Mohammad would have done if such cartoons would
have appeared in his own time or what would be
his response seeing the Holy Quran being desecrated?
Would he have reacted any differently? I doubt
if he would have resorted to any kind of violent
agitations not even the economic boycott for that
matter, because we know that during the early
period of his prophet-hood, Prophet Mohammad himself
was constantly subjected to offences both verbal
as well as physical, but his own reaction to his
opponents was always a very tolerant one, praying
to God to be merciful and show guidance to those
who were ignorant. It was his love and well wishes
for others, including his enemies, that actually
changed the hearts and minds of thousands towards
Islam. It is high time that we follow his noble
example. May peace and blessings be upon him forever.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
