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Name
Yusuf
- United Kingdom
Profession
Question
Assalam Alaikum
Does this issue not point out how many in the West are intend on attacking Islam? How are we to respond when they insult our Prophet (peace be upon him)? Surely, according to al-wala wal-bara, hate those who do this, and dissociate ourselves from them?
Answer
Muslims worldwide responded properly. They expressed their outrage over the cartoons. They demonstrated. They used the bad situation to educate Western audiences about the legacy of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. But Muslims who went out attacking embassies shamed all Muslims. In defense of Islam, they did something un-Islamic.
Name
Kabir
- Nigeria
Profession
Question
The youth are the strongest pillar of the Ummah. What is required I believe is to educate them on the true mission of Islam and the hurdles it has been crossing since the beginning of its mission. The present scenario will not accord them any better understanding if continues like this.
Answer
I agree with you.
Name
faiyaz
- South Africa
Profession
Question
Assalam alaikum, can u please explain how the islamic organizations in the US have responded to the cartoon crisis?
Answer
Most Muslim organizations issued statements condemning the cartoons as being outside the bound of civilized discourse. They also praised decisions by most American media outlets not to publish the cartoons. The Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) launched an education campaign offering a DVD and a book exploring the life of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon. Muslim groups also met with Ambassadors to a number of European countries to explain the feelings of Muslims regarding the cartoons. CAIR is offering Americans the education material for free. So far nearly 7,000 requests have been received.
Name
siti
- Malaysia
Profession
Question
Salam to all and thanks very much for talking to us today. I want to ask how you intend to let this project reach countries far away like Malaysia and what you would like us to do to help?
Answer
Show non-Muslims that the greatest thing you honor about prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, is his teachings. He was the kindest of all when it came to personal insults. Show non-Muslims that our faith is not shaken because of some bad cartoons. And take the higher road of reaching out to people, sharing with them the teachings of the prophet, peace be upon him, through educational materials, interfaith meetings, etc.
Name
mona saeed
- Egypt
Profession
Question
As-Salamu 'alaykum, I really commend you for your great efforts in defending our Prophet (peace be upon him). I would like to know what we in Egypt can do to support your great work. Thanks so much.
Answer
First, reach out to Copts in good manner. Show them that the Prophet of Islam, peace be upon him, is a messenger of mercy.
Second, a lot of westerners pass through Egypt, so try to identify where they go and reach out to them with educational materials about Islam.
Name
jamaal
- United Kingdom
Profession
Question
As-Salamu 'alaykum, don't you think that the violent response in Muslim countries has perpetuated the negative image of Muslims and Islam and has deepened the tensions between Muslims and non-Muslims?
Answer
This is a complex question. First, for some anti-Muslim people in the West, there is nothing Muslims can do to change such perceptions. And yes, the violent response reinforced their views. But I noticed that western media outlets have just begun making distinctions between the various Muslim responses.
Of course, for the general public the violent responses received most of the big headlines and to that extent, such responses hurt all Muslims.
Name
donald
- United States
Profession
Question
Hello, I wish to express my sadness at the blasphemy that is current in the world today. I would hate for such crass attempts at cartoon imagery to extent to Jesus or any other great religious figure. I believe that the fight against blasphemy should take on a universal tone and this is why I extend my support to your efforts. What can I do to help?
Answer
First, thank you for your kind comments. You can help a great deal by joining the effort. CAIR has joined the Interfaith Council to conduct local workshops in mosques, churches and synagogues dealing with the cartoon problem. You can do that in your local area. This is just one example.
Name
Abdelsalam Hussein
- United States
Profession
Question
How would the youth be better utilized in lanuching outreach campgain to educate the masses about Prophet Muhammad? Any tips to share?
Answer
Above all, Muslims should learn about the example of the Prophet and apply it in their own lives. This is best long-term thing they can do. This is because publicity campaigns can never supplant what other people gather by interacting with you on a daily basis. One of the problems we're facing in the U.S. is that most Americans do not have Muslim contacts. So our youth who grow up in this country, coached by their parents and community counselors, should develop circles of friendship with others. Our youth should also organize themselves into groups. Then they should reach out to counterparts in other communities in their local areas in programs designed to get to know and learn from one another. This is the best way we can build long lasting relationships.
Name
Khalid
-
Profession
Question
Did any of the American-based magazines or newspapers published the cartoons? If yes, how did CAIR respond to that?
Answer
Only 2 newspapers, one in Florida and one in Philadelphia did. The community protested and published editorials explaining that people cannot hide behind the freedom of speech to incite hatred.
Name
Mona
-
Profession
Question
Is CAIR campgain using the internet in the form of a website only, or are you using other stuff?
Answer
We're offering people DVDs and books on the life of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. We're conducting interfaith meetings, some of which are covered by various media outlets. We're publishing editorials in newspapers. And in a few days we will release a survey on American public opinion about Islam and Muslims. This survey is expected to have wide circulation and it will show that Islamophobia is a fact of life in America, unfortunately.
Name
Ezzat
- United Kingdom
Profession
Question
We can't always turn the other cheek to all insults. There must be a lesson taught to those people who keep slapping our own face. Do you agree?
Answer
I urge you to think what metaphors mean when it comes to considering a reaction that will help your cause. Think of Prophet Muhammad's story with the neighbor who used to put garbage at his door. When that person stopped, the Prophet, peace be upon him, went to visit him. That person then took shahadah (embraced Islam).
Our beloved prophet taught us a great lesson of how to stay focused on your mission. So my question to you, what is your mission? What objectives do you seek to serve while contemplating a response? That Muslims can be tough guys? Would serve the cause of honoring the prophet. No, it would actually defeat this purpose. This is a time to show that Muslims have confidence and great minds and can maintain their cool even though they have been greatly offended. This would serve the cause of da'wa better.
Name
Lucy
-
Profession
Question
Good Afternoon. I am writing to you from Europe. I am protestant and live in Holland. Among my friends and family, who are not at all ant-Muslim it was difficult to watch the violent reaction to the cartoons in several countries without feeling anger. I have seen so many anti-Christian articles, pictures and websites, but never in my lifetime have Christians launched violent campaigns. Why do you think Muslims react so extremely sensitive while other religions would probably just laugh and forget the matter?
Answer
I think you're painting Muslims with a broad-brush. But I don't entirely blame you. You probably have many things to do in life than closely monitoring the media. Here are the facts about Muslim responses.
First, Muslims worldwide regardless of how religious they are felt the offense very deeply, especially that it comes when anti-Islam voices are rising in Europe. To many Muslims the cartoons suggest that some in Europe think the war is against Islam itself. So in a way, behind Muslim anger is tremendous anxiety and fear.
Second, the violent responses caught the big headlines that you've seen and overshadowed the mainstream responses, which were non violent expressions.
Third, many Muslims, including those in Europe and the U.S. used the cartoons as an opportunity to educate about the legacy of prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, because there is a long tradition in Western literature regarding Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, as a violent man.
Fourth, many Muslim leaders have condemned the violent responses, especially those mobs who attacked embassies. In the Islamic tradition, you cannot attack the emissaries of others, even in times of war. And you can't be claiming to want to defend Islam by violating its teachings.
I hope this helps putting things in perspective.
Name
Raoof
-
Profession
Question
Could you elaborate on how we can reach out to wider community carrying this message?
Answer
There are many ways: distribute educational material; support those who distribute educational material; conduct meetings at the local community level with others to offer them information about the prophet of Islam, peace be upon him.
Name
Shadid
-
Profession
Question
Assalamu alaykum. As The Research Director of the Research Center of CAIR. Would you tell us about the reaction you got in US, and Canada about tha campaign about the Prophet Mohammad (peace and blessings be upon him). Shukran.
Answer
We've seen very good media coverage for the reaction of Muslims in the United States. Example: a headline by the Washington Post read something like, "U.S. Muslims Respond with Tempered Anger." The article interviewed Muslim imams and other community leaders on the appropriate response to the cartoons. More than one million Americans, mostly educated and influential people, read this paper. This is just one example.
Also, CAIR received more than 7,000 requests for DVDs and books exploring the life of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.
CAIR is also receive requests from local churches for Muslim speakers to come and talk to their members about Islam, Muslims and the cartoon controversy.
Some non-Muslim groups are printing out material and distributing it to their local churches.
All this has not turned around American public opinion. This process takes a long time, but there is no choice in such a matter but to go the education route.
Name
Ahmed
- Barbados
Profession
plumber
Question
Christian people have privilege on us, that we can’t trade insults with them on the very high level, i.e. Jesus; all Muslims know and respect the fact that he is a prophet.
However, Pope of Rome is not, as well as Canterbury Bishop or any other famous Christian figure that can cause them a real pain in the head.
I see that young Muslims who know how to paint should trade that insult on that level. My Q: is this ok?
Answer
I disagree with this emotional approach. I'm not a mufti; but I don't believe an imam would give you a fatwa that this is a good thing. My issue with it: what would that accomplish? Isn't it better to use the attention this event created to direct people to something good. And the best thing we can share with people is that the prophet's message is for all humanity, not just for Muslims. I think this is a better approach than trying to think how we can trade insults.
Name
Rasha
-
Profession
Question
Salam and mercy for you and for all Muslims, I do not need to speak or ask about the bad effects of such silly cartoons upon us, since I find that even such a crisis shapes some thing good; that is we wake up and feel how much we love our prophet and how we are to sacrifice our lives for his sake and for defending him. my question is :Is it away to prevent whoever dares to hurt us under the mask of speech freedom? Thanks a lot.
Answer
Yes, by being the best Muslims we can be. There is almost no way to prevent such occurrences, because there are a few people in the West who do these things because of anti-Muslim prejudice. The best way to deal with them is to reach out to other westerners to marginalize the extremist few. This way they'll have less incentive to redo such things.
Name
Tamir
- United States
Profession
Question
Assalamu alaykum. Would you tell me what can I do as a Muslim youth to defend our prophet Mohammad (pbuh), and to correct the image of Islam. Jazakum Allah khairn
Answer
I answered a question similar to yours earlier in this session. Please check.
Name
hamed
- Pakistan
Profession
studying
Question
Sir I want to ask what we should do at such a point when Europeans are abusing our prophet, peace be upon him.
Answer
First, only SOME Europeans have defamed our prophet, peace be upon him. So don't forget the Europeans who didn't and those who disagree with those who did.
Second, consider the options you have and ask yourself what is best to do.
I think the best thing to do is to educate Europeans how great our prophet was and show them that his message was meant for them too.
You do this by writing, planning activities to express your view, distributing literature that explains all this. This is what MOST Muslims have done.
Name
Dina
- Denmark
Profession
Question
Do you think that if we make a polemicism about Islam with these cartoonists on what they know about Mohammad (pbuh) on the Danish TV. Is that could be a good idea to show how much they are ignorant about Islam and the Prophet (pbuh).
Answer
It's better to show them how much wisdom they can add to their knowledge by learning about Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and his life. This is something constructive and people tend to respond better to constructive messages.
Name
Peter
- Canada
Profession
Question
I think we need to teach youth to realize Islam may in fact be not the best of religions. Look at the violence. Look how Muslims are in the Western hands...helpless. I believe Youth should focus more on Jesus and from there their lives will improve. A peaceful and accepted life among the world.
Answer
Peter,
The Qur'an fully agrees with you that not all Muslims (in the way you're suggesting) are not the best of people. The Qur'an teaches that God has created Adam and Eve and guided their offspring, which includes all races, nations and tribes, by sending them messengers. Adam was the first, Muhammad was the last. In between there was Abraham, Moses and Jesus and many others. They all shared the same message: that the Almighty God created people and willed for them to follow a straight path of goodness.
In this perspective, Muslims by definition, are Christian and Jewish. In fact Islam only means submission to the will of God.
Muslims do not see Islam as some sort of ethnic designation. It's about the message, its authenticity and the mark it has left on humankind.
Telling Muslims to follow Jesus resonates with the message of the Qur'an. Muslims believe they already follow Jesus.
Name
Salam
- France
Profession
Question
Salamu alaikom, I think we need to stick to our religion and the teachings of Islam. We have to teach the youth the right image of Islam before we teach it to the non-Muslims. I don't defend what these cartoonists did, but I want to urge youth to respect our prophet and all of Islamic teachings before we attack the other for not respecting them. Am I right?
Answer
Absolutely. God bless you and all reasonable people.
Name
Sami
- Canada
Profession
Question
Assalamu alaykum. Is there any kind of coordination between CAIR, and the Islamic organizations in Denmark to show danish people the right image about Islam and his prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and how?
Answer
Unfortunately, not. CAIR met with the Danish Ambassador and through him offered workshops to Danish Muslims on how work with media and become more effective members of the public. But nothing has materialized yet. We are sensitive not to come across that we're trying to meddle through. We want Danish Muslims and their government to invite us in, like Belgians did a few months ago to talk about those things.
Name
Editor
-
Profession
Answer
Finally, we would like to thank Dr. Mohamed Nimer for taking the time to answer the questions of Islamonline viewers today, and we also thank all those who participated in this dialogue. We apologize for not being able to accommodate all the questions within the time allocated to this session. If you feel your question is very important, feel free to contact us at EngLivedialogue@islamonline.net and we will try our best to answer your question. We request our readers to join us in upcoming sessions.
