The aftermath of attack on Charlie Hebdo
By
Abida Rahmani
There is always a fine line in between Freedom of Speech and insult or mocking. It seems that the western world or media is unaware of these facts or they don’t value it when it comes to the sentiments of Muslims. Making and publishing satirical cartoons depicting Exalted Prophet Muhammad peace and blessings upon him.
However we condemned the killings of Charlie Hebdo cartoonist and editorial staff. Next day more people were killed by those alleged killers including three of them, 17 people got killed. It was of course a tragic episode. We have witnessed a lot more tragic and brutal happenings in recent times by the so called intimidating super powers, terrorists and murderers.
What we saw in Paris was a march of 1.5 million or some claim 3 million and 40 head of states gathered at a notice of only a few hours for such an unprecedented gathering. Those head of states demonstrating for two basic reasons: some were brainwashed by the media frenzy, others did so for political reasons.
I support president Obama’s decision for not attending this March Of solidarity in Paris and not sending any of his envoys. World has seen more severe catastrophes in recent times than this one in Paris.
No one cares about hundreds of thousands Muslims killed all around the world by certain forces! May it be by western superpowers, Zionists and violent Muslims themselves. What discrimination between human lives. You mourn few to such extent and are oblivious to millions killed every day.
We don't believe in killing people, but we hate Charlie Hebdo and all those magazines and newspapers that are mocking and insulting our religion.
I don’t believe in Je suis Charlie or I’m Charlie tweets and posters, because while I’m definitely not in sympathy with those killers, I have no feeling of solidarity with mockers and I would never say this.
It is really that simple. If we fear, hate and stop thinking – they win. If we refuse to fear, if we love and if we think – we win. Their entire Empire has been built on fear, hate and stupidity. Let’s bring it down by courage, love and intelligence!
What is the difference between freedom of expression and freedom to insult, humiliate, mockery and belittling our Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) and Islam.
Why do the Westerners feel quite acceptable without any remorse to insult the holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his holy progeny); a man who is respected, honored and venerated by millions and millions of Muslims and non-Muslims alike in the world around?
If anyone has any problem or any kind of disagreement with Islamic teachings or the holy Prophet, why don't they sit down with learned Muslim scholars who can clarify their misconceptions or misunderstandings?
It is time for Muslims to get united together against such hypocritical policies against Islam and the Muslims. Humiliating and insulting the holy Prophet of Islam is absolutely unacceptable. However all this should be done in a peaceful, civilized manner.
The cartoons of the Prophet in the Paris-based satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo are offensive and juvenile. None of them are funny. And they expose a grotesque double standard when it comes to Muslims. In France a Holocaust denier, or someone who denies the Armenian genocide, can be imprisoned for a year and forced to pay a $60,000 fine. It is a criminal act in France to mock the Holocaust the way Charlie Hebdo mocked Islam. French high school students must be taught about the Nazi persecution of the Jews, but these same students read almost nothing in their textbooks about the widespread French atrocities, including a death toll among Algerians that some sources set at more than 1 million, in the Algerian war for independence against colonial France. French law bans the public wearing of the Muslim women full face veil that has a small slit for the eyes. Women who wear these in public can be arrested, fined the equivalent of about $200 and forced to carry out community service. France banned rallies in support of the Palestinians last summer when Israel was carrying out daily airstrikes in Gaza that resulted in hundreds of civilian deaths. The message to Muslims is clear: Your traditions, history and suffering do not matter. Your story will not be heard.
“It is a sad state of affairs when Liberty means the freedom to insult, demean and mock people’s most sacred concepts.
Charlie Hebdo, despite its insistence that it targets all equally, fired an artist and writer in 2008 for an article it deemed to be anti-Semitic.
Those marching world leaders showed solidarity with Charlie Hebdo! They chanted chorus not only in Paris but also in all major European cities: “We are all Charlie”. What does that mean? It means, like hateful Charlie Hebdo they too declared that they are equal abuser and hater of our beloved prophet (saw). They are not ready to retreat an inch from that abusive path. The butcher of Gaza -the Israeli PM was cordially welcomed in their midst.
They talked about protecting western values and culture. Do we need any lecture to understand the western values and culture? Didn't they display those values and culture during the last several centuries all over the world? Is it not the values and culture of military aggression, occupation, colonization, imperialism, ethnic cleansing, slave-trading, genocide, World Wars, gas chambers, dropping atom bombs, water boarding, Guantanamo Bay, Abu Ghraib, Sabra, Shatilla and Gaza? They killed 75 million only in two World Wars! Who else can match their brutality? Their war machines are still not withdrawn from the Muslim lands.
It’s the time for Muslims to get united against a common cause. Stop genocides in their own lands of their own brethren.
واعتصمو بحبل اللہ جمیعا و لا تفرقو
Hold fast Allah’s rope tightly and do not disintegrate!
