Daily Times

As always, as the act of
defaming the Prophet (PBUH) or any effort distorting Islam is heard from the west, Pakistanis prepare for battering their own country to ‘show love to Mohammad (PBUH)’. Why are they offended too soon and protest with an irrational enthusiasm? It is because being Muslims, we have lost our religious centrality to real Islam a long time ago. We are incited on disrespecting of Mohammad (PBUH), the last prophet of God on account of our conventional devotional spirit, but in reality, all sects of Islam imperceptibly spend all their lives disrespecting Mohammad (PBUH) by disobeying and deviating from the core of the Islamic doctrine.

Since this is another issue whether a Muslim in loving Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) the way he does, in fact, defies the Prophet’s (PBUH) teachings or not, I would keep myself to the point to see if Muslims from around the world are tolerant when their prophet is disgraced by anyone. And to see if freedom of speech is allowed to such an extent that a majority of people, class or society may be enraged. To become an extremist in forming an opinion or action is not what Islam teaches its followers. Such violent public demonstrations and harsh behaviour can be expected only from those communities whose ideologies do not present the perfect set of instructions in every matter and for every system of life such as Islam does. Islam and the traditions of Mohammad (PBUH) suggest that when someone disrespects Mohammad (PBUH) by verbal, gesture, or making grotesque works of art, it is the main responsibility of state officials that such blasphemer must be declared wanted and then they propose the punishment, which should be according to the Islamic punishment system. In Islamic society, no common man is allowed to adjudge anyone as a blasphemer. Thus he has no right to kill others or protest violently.

The recent anti-Islamic and defamatory movie has created so much unrest in the Islamic u

Ummah but for me, the reaction to the film is even more un-Islamic. My friends and colleagues ask me about the film and if should they watch it. The only thing I recommend to them is that they should watch a film like Road to Makkah because watching a film like Innocence of Muslims imparts nothing but religious hatred; and in such cases, racial ignorance is not helpful either.

It is a pity that many Muslims do not even know about the movie Road to Makkah just as they do not know about Leopold Weiss, an Austrian Jew, who converted to Islam. He not only served Islam by using his intelligence and abilities but had also been a novice Representative of Pakistan in the United Nations around 1948. Weiss belonged to the same Jewish tribe that the producer of the anti-Islam film, Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, belongs to.

So is it not a good time to watch Road to Makkah and to know how Muhammad Asad (Leopold Weiss) devoted his life in making efforts for an Islamic renaissance? It is so sad that Muslims do not even know about the Jew who loved Islam more than any by-birth Muslim could do. His devotion to Islam is exemplary; it reminds me of the love and fellowship spirit of the earliest companions of Mohammad (PBUH). For us it is time to show our true faith, passion and love for Islam. Muslims now must transform this hate and anger into the everlasting spirit that keeps enabling them to give and forward Islam’s gift to the west and everywhere. That is peace, of course.

As far as freedom of speech and expression are concerned, both are not looked at to appease all religions, or people belonging to other ideologies. The doctrine of freedom of speech and expression needs to be redefined under transnational communities and unanimous opinions of inter-connectedness of religions. Defining proportionate description of verbal, gesture, and media manifestations is inevitable today because not only Muslims but even Christians are also afflicted with so-called wild expression and speech towards Jesus (PBUH) in the west.

There are certain places in Mexico, South America, Italy and Ireland and even in the US, where people will become enraged if you say anything derogatory about the ‘Queen of Heaven’ whom they call Mary, Maria, or Marion. In the US, if you speak thus, you can be arrested and charged with a hate crime. So how can there be peace when there is no tolerance or respect under the cloak of freedom of speech? It is a freedom that is already dual in its meanings, and that prejudices against other societies. How can there be universal brotherhood when such reckless and senseless mocking takes place under the umbrella of freedom of expression? Does this represent what Americans think and do? Mock anyone who believes differently?

The controversial film that was produced by an obvious bigot, racist and intolerant, ignorant cultist was not a normal Jew who could be called a true follower of Moses (PBUH). Sadly, the trailer of the film was deliberately placed on YouTube to create chaos and more misunderstandings. In the end, people of American nationality were murdered. It was all due to the fact of the double standards of freedom of expression.

A MSNBC correspondent rightfully stated one night on the news “….this (deed) has accelerated more violence with the Middle Eastern countries who are struggling to accept a new world order!”

The writer is a freelance columnist and currently works at a media intelligence agency as an intelligence officer