UK: Ahmadi Muslim youths take issue with offensives cartoons by Atheist group at UCL

The association has started an online petition drive entitles "Defend Respect & Tolerance of Religious & Non-Religious Beliefs" to convince ASHS to stop their use of offensive cartoons.

Click on image to complete e-Petition

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | UK Desk
Source/Credit: Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Assoc.
By AMYA | January 10, 2011

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association (AMYA) UK, an auxiliary body of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association, took issue with the use of offensive cartoons by the Atheist, Secularist and Humanist society (ASHS) at the University College London (UCL).

Reportedly, ASHS published images depicting the Holy Founder of Islam, Prophet Muhammad and the Holy Founder of Christianity, Jesus Christ consuming alcohol in a pub.

AMYA said the cartoons are distasteful and that both of the noble Prophets of God were exalted men, whose way of life serves as a model for personal and societal advancement for billions in the world.

AMYA in its statement reminded ASHS and its members of their ethical responsibility as citizens of a vibrant and multicultural society, which has always prided itself on tolerance and respect, to avoid insult by removing the image.


Adam Walker, AMYA national Spokesperson called upon the UCL to take necessary steps to protect the diverse values of its students.

“Perhaps what is most shocking is that at an esteemed house of learning intelligent people, fully aware of the offence that such cartoons have caused in the past, consciously chose to post them,” said Walker.

“I genuinely thought that … people … understood that there is a clear difference between freedom of speech and outright insult,” Walker added.

These cartoons are likely to hurt the feelings of Muslims within society, fears AMYA.

Although AMYA members do not agree with the notion that causing offence to others should be considered a crime, however, Walker says, in order to produce a cohesive and harmonious society all people should observe not only tolerance of each others’ way of life, but should avoid making others feel insulted.

“The AMYA prides itself in the fact that as a wider organisation it involves itself in regular interfaith and community activities with people of all faiths and of no faith at all,” Walker said. “And, so it is also a source of great hurt that the depiction of Jesus, a beloved Prophet of Islam and the holiest person to our Christian friends, is also treated with such disrespect.”

The association has started an online petition drive entitled "Defend Respect & Tolerance of Religious & Non-Religious Beliefs" to convince ASHS to stop their use of offensive cartoons.

“The purpose of this petition is to send out a clear message,” states the iPetition website, “that while some people support profanity and utilising their freedoms of expression to insult others, there is a large body of people, heralding from various backgrounds, who stand for tolerance and respect for all.”

“Freedom should never be taken as an excuse to exploit the sensitivity of others, especially in matters of faith,” the petition text pleaded.

Read original petition here: "Defend Respect & Tolerance of Religious & Non-Religious Beliefs"