CAIRO, February 7, 2006 (IslamOnline.net) – IslamOnline.net will launch a multi-lingual Web site to acquaint non-Muslims with the life history, merits and characteristics of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) in view of the current crisis triggered by the provocative Danish cartoons.

"We have decided to launch a Web site on Muhammad the messenger of Allah and the mercy for the mankind," Ali Muhyealdin Al-Quradaghi, Vice Chairman of IOL's Board of Directors, said in a statement.

"The Web site will be affiliated to IslamOnline.net, which is considered to be the world’s largest religious media network."

The new portal will begin initially in English and Arabic and then gradually have versions in almost all languages.

It will provide the readership with detailed information on the life history of Prophet Muhammad and wash stereotypes circulated by some Western media.

Twelve cartoons, first published last September by Denmark's mass-circulation Jyllands-Posten and then reprinted by several European dailies, have caused an uproar in the Muslim world.

The paper published apologies in several Arab newspapers, the latest of which appeared on Tuesday, February 7, in the Egyptian daily Al-Ahram.

Quradaghi called on all Muslims to support the new Web site financially and morally.

"We urge our brothers and sisters to support this nascent portal, which is personally supervised by prominent scholar Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi who has said it was lawful to pay Zakah and alms to IOL," he said.

"We also call on Muslims to volunteer to boost this Web site, we will soon explain how they can provide their much-needed services."

Quradaghi further appealed to Muslims worldwide to respond "positively and effectively" to the cartoons campaign through media and the Internet.

Sheikh Qaradawi denounced on Sunday, February 5, sabotage and violent protests by Muslims over the publication of the cartoons, saying Muslims should vent anger prudently.

He said boycotting the products of European countries whose dailies had published the blasphemous cartoons is the Muslims’ sharpest weapon.

IOL's Arabic and English Web sites already have special pages about Prophet Muhammad.

Countering the Danish cartoons in their own way, Romanian Muslims are championing a campaign to get the Romanians acquainted with the merits of Prophet Muhammad and his noble characteristics.

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