By: M. Imran Hayee
Source: Duluth News Tribune
Let me begin with a history lesson. About 1,400 years ago, Prophet Muhammad was sitting in his Mosque with his companions. A nomadic non-Muslim entered the Mosque and urinated in the place of worship. Companions of the prophet rushed to beat the intruder for his grave offense of blasphemy. Prophet Muhammad stopped them. Instead, he let the nomadic blasphemer walk away, and he cleaned the Mosque himself.
In doing so, Prophet Muhammad taught the Muslims a valuable lesson. Respond to ignorance and mockery with peace and wisdom.
The extremist reaction within the Muslim countries in the wake of the film, “Innocence of Muslims,” has shown that many Muslims have forgotten the teachings of their prophet. Instead, they have reacted in completely the opposite way.
The irrational mayhem within the Muslim world against the film already has taken a toll of the precious lives of four American diplomats in Libya and many more innocent citizens in other Muslim countries, including 30 in Pakistan. The toll also includes massive property damage and several closed foreign missions and businesses throughout the Muslim countries.
The senseless and violent reaction of the extremist fringe within the entire Muslim world — not the film itself — also has caused immense damage to Islam by tarnishing the true image of Prophet Muhammad.
The film seems a despicable and amateurish attempt to play with the sensitivities of Muslims by smearing the image of the holy founder of their religion. The film hardly seems worth the attention of any sensible human being, whether Muslim or non-Muslim.
The film was first released earlier this year but did not catch much attention. A 13-minute trailer was uploaded on YouTube in early July as a second attempt to ignite a fire of provocation. Still, it went unnoticed for two months before it caught the eyes of a popular Egyptian TV host, Khaled Abdullah, who aired it on his show with Arabic subtitles on Sept. 8.
The airing aroused Muslims’ sensitivities by emphasizing the blasphemous nature of the film, giving extremist groups within the Muslim world abundant ammunition with which to fire. This sparked the beginning of a series of violent riots across the Middle East and the entire Muslim world — exactly as the filmmaker no doubt intended.
Sadly, the violent reaction not only advertised the film to the whole world but falsely depicted Islam and its prophet as violent. Read more.
This is insane and even shame for true muslim brother to say sumtin like that they abuse our prophet the best of living thing mohammad peace be upen him terrably and u still care about a precious american lifez what about the life of million innocent muslim dat they brutally killing in afganistan iraq and palastine including women and children 2.7 million women and children have been kill and yet you thinkin about three precious american lifes what about the dignity and honour of our prophet, you have to change your statement immediatly or you can depent it in the day of judgement and also is shame for this side or magazine or what ever you call it to published this nonsence
I disagree with the comments of your reader Mohammed.
What kind of love of Prophet Muhammad (saw) is it if we openly disobey him or put the image of his religion Islam in bad light in the world? Prophet Muhammad (saw) taught us to show utmost respect to a diplomat, let alone to hurt him or kill him. Where does Islam teaches us that if someone attacks our prophet we go out and kill any nonbeliever we set our eyes on? What kind of justice is this? Did any of the diplomats who were killed, had nything to do with that disgraceful inulting film ? Besides two wrongs do not make it right. Does Islam teach us that if some stupid ignorant people insult our beloved Prophet (saw), in our outrage we go out and kill innocent people including Muslims and wantomly destroy any property we set our sight on.
Allah says in the Holy Quran that He has created Muslims as the best people to serve humanity. Allah also says in the holy Quran that if you kill one innocent person it is as if you killed the entire humanity. Allah also teaches us to act wisely.
We have to ask ourselves why there are people who insult our Prophet (saw)? The answer is very simple IGNORANCE. It is therefore our duty and responsibility that we tell the world who our noble Prophet (saw) was, his noble deeds and about his beautiful peaceful religion ISLAM. The insulting film was sent round the world by the Utube. We should counter it by using the same Utube medium to tell the world what an honourable, kind and man of super moral qualities Hadhrat Muhammad (saw) was.