Source: thenorthernecho.co.uk

A moderate Imam at a Hartlepool mosque believes that newspapers should not show cartoons of Mohammed, but still defends the right to free speech. Here Tahir Selby explains his stance

Imam Tahir Selby of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hartlepool

DEPICTING the Holy Prophet and all prophets of God is offensive to Muslims and is forbidden in Islam.

We have wonderful rights of free speech in our country, rights which I sometimes feel English people take for granted, but I believe in totally.

But those rights don’t mean that because you can print something that you always should. That’s why I would advise The Northern Echo not to print the Charlie Hebdo cartoon, but to use wisdom and judgement. What good does it do to stir this up even more?

Showing any pictures, of the Holy Prophet is forbidden in Islam. There is a description of the Holy Prophet in the Ahadith (sayings of the Holy Prophet) but pictures were forbidden at the time by the prophet himself. He didn’t want to be worshipped but wanted his followers to worship God.

The community I represent, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, a sect of Islam, believe very strongly in free speech and we are totally against any blasphemy laws.

In Pakistan they have such a law and people can be imprisoned for… read more at thenorthernecho.co.uk