Cartoon Capers

Cartoon Capers

Oh you who believe! Take not into your intimacy those outside your ranks: They will not fail to corrupt you. They only desire your ruin. Rank hatred has already appeared from their mouths, but what their hearts conceal is far worse. We have made plain to you the Signs, if you have wisdom.
[Surah al-Imran, verse 118]

The Danish newspaper that has published cartoons seeking to ridicule the Prophet of Allah, Muhammad (SAW) has sparked worldwide furore amongst Muslims, and rightly so. Aside from the many details and controversies this matter has thrown up, this political comment seeks to focus on two of the key themes that have emerged from this incident.

A European Psychological Operation?

The timing, content and wider reaction to the Danish action is quite striking. The lay-man may argue that the motivation of the newspaper in seeking to ask the general public in Denmark to provide a caricature of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) as one solely born of malice. One can readily concur with this sentiment as the aforementioned verse clearly attests to this. However, there is a lot more to this incident than the usual hatred towards Islam that we are accustomed to. European elites are cognisant that Islam is rising fast. As with all elites in power around the world they are seeking to try and halt the rising tide of a revived and rejuvenated Muslim Ummah. Thus one can actually view the incident as being a premeditated psychological operation or “psy-op” designed by the enemies of Islam in order to fulfil a number of objectives:
Try and blacken the name of Islam and Muslims
Through trying to depict of the Prophet (SAW) as nothing more than an individual with a turban that is a bomb, the instigators have sought to pass the message that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) and Islam are associated with, and simply stand for, violence and terror – May Allah curse them for this. The Muslim Ummah is engaged in a titanic resistance against the forces of Shaytan the world over. Every continent has become a battlefield in this global struggle and the front in Europe is being waged on an intellectual plain.

Gauge the depth of the public understanding of Islam
It has been noticeable throughout the debates in the European media that the public, by and large, know very little of the actual substance of Islam. Often the public reaction has been aware that offence has been caused, but has not been able to appreciate the depth of offence – since Europe has been insulting Christianity for centuries. The Danish editors have sought to reinforce one image in the public perception – that Islam means violence and destruction, seeking play upon base human fears – thus contributing to the wider global campaign against Islam.

Test Muslim public reaction
As far the Europeans are concerned the Muslim public reaction has been predictable. Though this is not a point of contention for them, the real test has been to see how many of the Muslim community in Europe are sitting on the sidelines with no reaction to the events, and more importantly, how many will come out to defend the ‘right’ of the paper to publish the despicable images. On this front the operation has only slightly succeeded. Muslim reaction has on the whole been good as our imaan has been provoked by the vile hatred that is displayed towards our beloved Messenger Muhammad (SAW).

Subtly outline the true meaning and expression of integration
Newspaper editorials and programmers in the European continent have been unequivocal regarding their stance towards Muslims in this event. They have quite openly stated that the cartoons are the produce of a free society. ‘Freedom of expression’ and liberal values in general are the values which European society cherishes, so if Muslims wish to continue residing in Europe and be counted as equal citizens, then these are the values they must also embrace. To stress this point the media has wheeled out the most rotten and uncouth Munafiq’s who love liberalism more than Islam and cherish the freedom of others to insult our Prophet (SAW) and Islam generally. These maggots feast upon the rotten vices that the enemies of Islam hold as cherished values and are tirelessly working to try and instil them in the minds of as many Muslims as they can.

‘Free Speech for the Dumb’
The negative side of this campaign as far as the wider interests of Muslims are concerned has been our understanding of what liberal values really are. Muslims generally must adopt a more astute attitude towards understanding the conceptual underpinnings of liberalism and how far it contradicts the tenets of Islam. European media outlets have been quick to point out that the debate is regarding freedom of the press and freedom of speech. Unfortunately though, many Muslims understand the concept of ‘freedom’ as the dictionary definition and not as its political definition.

The disbelievers hold a distinction between what they consider ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ freedom. Negative freedom as a concept is largely the legacy of classical liberalism. In theory it seeks to protect the individual from the arbitrary coercive power of the state. A notable tenet of this concept was developed by John Locke in the seventeenth century. Locke famously argued that the state’s prime responsibility was to protect life, liberty and property, and that it had no affair in interfering with ‘men’s souls or their salvation.’ Hence the ‘liberal state’ is neutral towards religion and is fundamentally secular in its political outlook. Positive freedom is different in that it seeks to affirm the rights an individual possess. In modern liberal parlance this is expressed through freedom of speech, religion, thought and person. European society has historically defined this “freedom” in opposition to organized religion generally, and Christianity specifically, and it is under this rubric the liberal press, as well as other institutions and personalities, assert their right to try and ridicule our Messenger Muhammad (SAW).

A Time to Hold Firm
With a large percentage of Muslims now residing in Europe the liberals have turned their attention towards Islam and how best they can water down, twist, and even alter its practice and understanding. The Danish ‘cartoons’ have put the onus upon the Muslim community in Europe to stand forthright in its rejection of liberalism in both its classical and modern forms, and assert the primacy of Islam - despite the maggot hypocrites and establishment retractors.

Our voice in Europe will not be cowed by the tricks and machinations of a warped elite. Nor for that matter will the elite’s Munafiq advocates give any aura to the liberal values they hold so dear in tandem with their masters. Islam will continue to rise as a bright clear light to the darkness of liberalism and its variants even though these rotten peoples detest it.

Again and again will those who disbelieve, wish that they had bowed (to Allah's will) in Islam. Leave them to eat and enjoy, and let them be preoccupied with (false) hope. They will come to know!
[Surah al-Hijr, verses 2 / 3]

8 February 2006

Freelance Activist