The recent controversy
over the movie called “Innocence of Muslims” and the publication of derogatory
cartoons in a French magazine is representative of one of the most continuous and repetitive problems of our age.
Those who say
this is an issue of freedom of expression speak a lie. They are either heavily
misinformed or else they deliberately intend to misinform others. This is not a
question of freedom of expression because nowhere in the world does the freedom
of expression include the freedom to insult. The laws against libel and slander
practiced in almost every country of the world are testament to this.
The right to
freedom of expression is merely a convenient shield to hide behind. In reality,
this is an issue of deliberately and purposefully spreading hate, creating
mischievous perceptions and provoking an entire section of humanity.
What is
necessary to be understood is that since the fall of the Soviet Union, the
world of Western capitalism has been in need of a new enemy, a new ‘Other’ that
can be conveniently hated and warned against. In the last decade or so it has
become clear that this enemy is Islam and the Muslim world. The entire
propaganda machinery of this neo-imperialist capitalism has geared itself to
promote and sell this chosen enemy of the Western way of life.
Through movies,
fiction, art forms like cartoons, animated media, political theories like “The
Clash of Civilizations” and various other tools and media, this enemy has been
successfully created in the minds of the people. In the reality of this
creation, Islam is portrayed to be the stark opposite of Western ideas and
values.
Former U.S
President, George W. Bush’s famous statement, “They hate us for our freedoms”
was no accidental utterance. It represents precisely what they aim to achieve.
Islam and its followers are projected as a people who hate the basic freedoms
dear to all humans, a people who are inherently evil and detestable.
In this process,
the major symbols and beliefs of Islam have been repeatedly distorted and
attacked. The banning of Minarets in Switzerland or the Hijab in France are
examples of this.
The repeated
maligning of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), of Islam is a part of the whole process. The
Prophet (PBUH) is the most potent symbol of Islam, his life to this day an
example and a carrier of the Islamic message. The attack on his person is meant
both to portray Islam as some sort of an archaic and inhuman religion and also
to provoke and subsequently alienate Muslims from the mainstream.
That protests
will happen against these attacks in the Muslim world is natural. That
enlightened individuals in all parts of the world will join in these protests
is also natural. Though it must be noted here that the killings of innocents
and destruction of property during these protests, although manifestation of a
genuine anger, is regrettable, and play directly into the hands of the provocation.
The aggressive
emotional response of the Muslims is portrayed to the world to represent them
as a violent and dangerous community. That these emotional responses have no
effect on the issue itself is quite clear. The worldwide community watches the
anger of the Muslims explode in the streets of their countries and think that
the Muslim community and Islam is volatile by nature. This of course is
completely opposite to the true message of peace which Islam encapsulates.
The best way to
counter these attacks of Islamophobia is to use them as an opportunity to
spread the message of Islam and educate the people of the life of the Prophet
(PBUH). There are many people dedicatedly engaged in this task, and this is a
true response to the message of hate and alienation that is emanating from the
established order of the West.
