The attack on the Paris based satirical magazine
Charlie Hebdo has left 12 people dead and the trail of destruction that has
been left behind is colossal. The repercussion of their brutal and terrorist
attack will reverberate in the hearts of people for decades. This is a
despicable act of cowardice and grotesque attack on all our freedom. Firstly,
my heartfelt sympathy goes out to the families and friends of those who were
brutally murdered. As a Muslim I would like to reach out to the families of the
deceased with my prayer, love and sympathy, .
The murderers of the journalists and cartoonist have
claimed that they were murdering in the name of protecting the honour of the
Prophet. The truth is the actions of these attackers have nothing to do with
Islam and is a grave insult to the sacred principles of Islam. I as a Muslim
personally feel insulted and attacked. Their actions are a clear violation of
what the Prophet of God has taught and exemplified.
Throughout his life he was taunted, insulted, names
called and mocked. God reminds us all about the exact nature of those hurtful
insults and mockery in the following verses:
“EXHORT, then, [O Prophet] by Your Sustainer’s
grace, you are neither a soothsayer nor a madman.
Or do they say, “[He is but] a poet - let us wait
what time will do unto him?” (Quran 52:30)
“And would say, “Shall we, then, give up our deities
at the bidding of a mad poet?” (Quran 37:36)
These were regular insults at the blessed prophet
but what was his response to his critiques? He observed utmost patience under
tremendously hostile and verbally abusive circumstances. He did not retaliate
nor did he call them names in response. He did not ask his companions nor did
his companions organize any response to their insults. God advised the blessed
prophet to be patient under all these taunts and mockery in the following
verse:
“And endure with patience whatever people may say
[against you], and avoid them with a comely avoidance.”
(Quran 73:10)
What gave these murderers the right to take lives of
people in the name of avenging in the name of Prophet? What gave them the right
to take the honour of the blessed Prophet of God as hostage and use it as a
political tool for their twisted political game? If they truly understood the
words of God and followed the Prophet properly they would listen to the words
of God and examples of the life of the prophet.
There is a fundamental misunderstanding about how
the honour of the Prophet should be protected amongst the Muslims and
non-Muslims do not appreciate the sensitivity or sanctity Muslims offer to the
prophet. I would like to leave my non-Muslims friends to their own
sensibilities and conscience. Islam does not bind them as they do not subscribe
to the faith and therefore if they wish to insult or mock the prophet it is up
to their own judgment.
However to my Muslim friends, I have both a set of
suggestions and a stark warning. The warning is do not become blinded by your
love of the Prophet – for blind love is misguidance. Love of the Prophet must
be managed in the right way and expressed in the right way. Death and
destruction in the name of his honour is totally unislamic.
I would like to propose the following ways we should
protect his name and honour:
1. Love the Prophet and display your love by loving
your fellow human beings around you. Remember the prophet was most loving to
his neighbours whether they were Muslims or non-Muslims.
2. Follow the Prophet and demonstrate your loyalty
to the prophet by showing leniency and compassion to your fellow human beings
like the Prophet did even to those who intended harm on him.
3. Become the shining example of mercy like the
Prophet was to everyone, Muslims, non-Muslims and even to his enemies. Remember
God’s words about the Prophet, “We have not sent you except to be mercy to the
entire universe”.
4. Emulate the Prophet by showing that you care
about people around you. It was the Prophet’s sense of care for his people and
the entire humanity that made his enemies call him “the trust worthy”
(al-Amin). Become the trusting friends in your society!
5. Be the giver of good news like the Prophet was.
He always reminded people about the great reward that awaits for people in this
world and in the next if they lead a decent and morally sound life. Your duty
is to share the good news and not compel anyone to accept your way.
6. Instill hope in people just like the Prophet did
to the most dispirited person around him. His words soothed the hearts of those
who felt pain and his inter personal skills won the harshest of people around
him. He was a beacon of light even to those who saw absolute darkness around
them.
7. Be the wise person Islam requires you to be.
Remember the blessed prophet was the wisest man around, Islam teaches wisdom as
the currency of human relationship and interaction. It is your actions that
would speak louder than your words. Beautiful conduct is the hallmark of a true
Muslim.
8. Win the hearts and minds of people around you by
showing Islam in your life – become the enlightened, rationale and
intellectually sound person like the Prophet and his companions were. Remember
the first word of revelation was to read – take up the intellectual challenge
like the Quran requires you to do.
9. Get involved in your society, if what is around
is not working for you show an alternative way by engaging through the existing
systems. People of the world deserve constant improvement. If you have a better
alternative, no body will ever listen to you if you show it to them through
fire and brimstone. Remember the blessed Prophet worked with the people and
created a society based on dignity and honour for all people.
10. Become the champion for peace justice and
fairness at all cost. Ultimately the blessed Prophet’s message was all about
creating a harmonious society based on justice and fairness so that peace in
the world would prevail. Your duty is the same; spread peace on this earth, not
violence and hatred.
There is no peace in violence. There is no mercy in
murder. There is no justice in mischief and bloodshed. The true honour of the
Prophet would be realized if Muslims of the world returned to the true examples
from the life of the Prophet.
In conclusion, to all those who are hell bent on
causing death and destruction the Islamic message is clear – there is no Islam
in terrorism, there is no God in oppression, no true Muslims would ever support
terrorism and oppression, and certainly there is no paradise awaiting for the
oppressors or terrorists
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