These pseudo-defenders of Islam who caricature the Prophet Muhammad

On the occasion of the commemoration of the attacks against Charlie Hebdo and Hyper Cacher, which occurred 10 years ago, we are republishing this enlightening text published 13 years ago which already denounced with force and lucidity the violent reactions of certain Muslims to to caricatures. Entitled “Who are the caricatures of the Prophet?”, this article by Dr Al Ajamî remains relevant in the current context. Through an in-depth analysis based on Koranic texts and prophetic tradition, the author already demonstrated how violent reactions to caricatures in reality betray the very spirit of Islam and the teachings of the Prophet.

Storm in a glass of media water, undoubtedly the cloudy water intoxicates. Would responding to provocation be a sacred duty? Would imbecility be elevated to the rank of quality? In a hyper-media world, would silence be an obscenity?

A caricature is “an exaggeratedly distorted image of reality”. It is not Muslims who react with violence and injustice to these provocations, but an extreme fringe. Caricatures of Muhammad shouting in the streets while looking at the camera. Muslims, because they suffer from the insult made to their Prophet, unconsciously support these violent and inappropriate reactions. These extremes of Islam are however at work in Somalia and Mali as they were in Sudan and Afghanistan. If you think that these barbarians for whom the “divine law” consists of flogging, amputating and stoning represent you, then you can believe that they are defending the honor of Islam and Muslims by claiming to wash away the affront done to them. our Prophet.
A provocation is “the action of inciting someone to violent and reprehensible action”this is its explicit definition. When the provocateur has the force, it is also the art of dragging the other to their doom. In an eternally repeated fable, the Lamb, whose arguments were just and rational, saw fit to respond to the Wolf’s provocation, we know the rest. By their grotesque reactions, by the injustice done to the victims, some caricature the Prophet just as others caricature freedom of opinion.

The very people who claim to defend the honor of the Prophet, and therefore of Islam, are in reality flouting the principles taught by the Prophet. These self-proclaimed lynchers, pseudo-justices of God, flout the justice of the just Word of God; Are these not the true caricatures of the Prophet? These oil dictatorships which finance the war between Muslims; Are these not the true caricatures of the Prophet? These fattened Bedouins prostituting themselves for a football; Are these not the true caricatures of the Prophet? These powers which organize spontaneous demonstrations to better betray their people; Are these not the true caricatures of the Prophet? These black shirt fans who burn their favorite fast food; Are these not the caricatures of the Prophet? And the list is long!

The Wolf, always him, was of course wrong, have we ever seen a provocateur who was right! But was the Lamb, again, who threw himself into his mouth, right? We remember a pale writer propelled into the spotlight of fame by the Mephistophelian maneuver of the Imam. How many have read this poor book, and how many have seen this piece of film? It doesn’t matter, it seems, when honor is at stake, the clan spirit mobilizes; archaisms are a matter of bodily reflex. If stupidity and wickedness were the characteristics of Islam, then Charlie Hebdo would be Muslim.
However, reacting is not acting, just as thinking is not bending. Pleading for sanity in a world of madness makes you look crazy, that’s for sure. Noise also makes you deaf, that’s for sure. So for those who wonder what the Prophet’s response would have been in such cases, perhaps we should try to hear the Quran in this din:

– The Prophet, we all know, is a model for believers: “There is, indeed, for you in the Messenger of God an excellent model for those who hope in God and the Last Day and call upon God abundantly.” S33.V21. By model, is it a question of imitating the length of his beard or his magnanimity? The spirit of caricature begins there.

– It is in the image of this prophetic nobility that it is said: “The worshipers of the All-Merciful tread the earth humbly, and when the ignorant call upon them they answer: Peace! » S25.V63.

– Thus, believers intelligently stay away from provocation: “And when they hear reckless words, they turn away from them and say: Our actions are ours, yours are yours. Peace be upon you, we are not looking for the ignorant! » S28.V55.

– The Prophet had to endure insults, bullying and provocations from his many detractors, and God said to him: “We know what they say affects you. In reality, it is not you that they deny, but it is the verses of God that the unrighteous deny. Certainly, before you there were messengers who were proved wrong, who then patiently endured being called liars and doing harm to them until help from God came to them. There is no change in the words of God, and news has come to you about the prophets.” S6.V33-34.

– All the prophets had their slanderers, God advised Muhammad not to respond to this hostile people: “Do not obey the deniers and the hypocrites, abandon their wickedness and place your trust in God, God is sufficient as a guarantor. » S33.V48.

– Muslims are called to the image of the Prophet to the best of relational behaviors: “And call in the way of your Lord with wisdom and good exhortation, and dispute with them only in the best way…” This because in no way do men have to replace God, He who directs the world according to His will: “…Surely your Lord knows well who strays from His path and who is rightly guided. » S16.V125-126.

– Wisdom and intelligence are the appropriate response and respectful behavior. No one can reasonably hope to be respected if they themselves are not respectful of others and themselves: “Do not insult those whom they call on besides God, for then they will insult God out of animosity and ignorance” Do not behave as the other behaves, because: “this is how We have embellished its actions in the eyes of each community” Understanding this is a process of faith because in the end: “Then they will return to their Lord and he will inform them of those they worked” S6.V108.

– Faith is a high ethical degree: “Good is not equal to evil, respond with what is best so that the one who harbors enmity towards you may be like a warm friend. » S41.V34. This is not the easy way, that of insult and vociferation: “but this is only given to those who endure with patience, it is only given to those who benefit from a great grace. » S41.V35.

– We only reach the summit when we master the base: respect and love of life “… He who killed an illegal being is as if he had killed humanity, and who respected a life is as if he had saved humanity…” S5.V32.

– We are far from being worthy of our religion and taking it easy, responding to offense with offense, to stupidity with stupidity, certainly condemns us, because: “…God does not change the state of a people until he has changed what is in them…” S13.V11. And to better understand where we are currently, we need to know that no community on this earth benefits from God’s grace as long as it deviates in its behavior: “This is because God does not change the grace that He had granted to a people as long as they did not change themselves…” S8.V53.

– So why have the Muslims who are the custodians of this Word not heard this warning: “Would you command piety to people and forget it yourselves, while you recite the Book! Don’t you think?!” S2.V44.

Dr Al Ajami