Source & Credit: The Oregonion | March 13, 2010
By Harris Zafar | Portland, OR
Here we go again. Another controversy surrounding a European artist who drew an insulting cartoon about the Prophet of Islam. This time, it's Swedish artist Lars Vilks, who -- under the guise of freedom of speech -- depicted the prophet Muhammad with the body of a dog. Now, after receiving several death threats and having a $100,000 bounty on his head from an Al Qaeda-related group in Iraq, Vilks is back in the news after seven people were arrested in Ireland on charges for allegedly plotting to murder the artist. Three have since been released, but the other four are still in custody.
This reoccurrence of a Muhammad cartoon controversy sparks an interesting debate regarding why Muslims take offense to any depiction of their prophet. Some question why it is considered offensive to draw pictures specifically of the Prophet Muhammad. The truth, however, is that Islamic law generally opposes any depiction of any prophet, not just Muhammad.
Islam instructs its followers to respect all prophets. From Adam to Abraham, Noah, Jesus, Krishna or Buddha, Muslims oppose the depiction of any prophet since no drawing invented by any person can do justice to a prophet of God. Any illustration invented by man will fall short of representing the true respect that should be afforded to each messenger of God.
In some cases we have seen such depictions lead to idolatry where these prophets eventually were worshipped by their followers. Islam opposes idolatry or the deifying of prophets. For these reasons, Muslims do not create drawn or sculpted depictions -- even favorable -- of any prophet.
Lars Vilks has gone a step further from just depicting a prophet in illustrated form. He went out of his way to depict the prophet in an insulting manner by giving him the body of a dog. Vilks admitted this intention to insult when he expressed his belief that "there's nothing that is so holy you can't offend it." This is not an expression of freedom of speech. This is a malicious attempt to offend the sentiments of an entire religious body. After all, you can't falsely shout "fire" in a crowded theater and call it free speech.
As a Muslim, I wholeheartedly condemn any violent response from any Muslim individual or group to the publication of this cartoon. If the individuals arrested in Ireland were truly plotting to murder Lars Vilks, their actions are outside the teachings of Islam. The Quran protects freedom of speech in at least four instances and on five occasions prohibits any action be taken against any blasphemer other than refraining to be in such company.
Freedom of speech is an important part of our society and is protected by Islam. Such freedoms, however, are to be utilized responsibly. Actions that serve no purpose other than to cause civil unrest are not protected under the freedom of expression. Why must common respect for our fellow man be abandoned in order to express our freedom of speech? Certainly we should be able to protect our freedom of speech while still observing respect for people's beliefs. Why can't others exhibit the same respect for the founder of Islam that Muslims exhibit for the founders of all other faiths?
Harris Zafar, a freelance writer, is on the national leadership board of a Muslim Youth organization and attends a mosque in southwest Portland.
Read original article here: There is no freedom to insult or to kill
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