Muslims for another time are facing attacks on their sacred principles. Danish newspapers this week in an irresponsible and coordinated attempt reprinted insulting cartoons of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
The latest provocation hurt the sentiments of a billion Muslims and was roundly condemned by followers of the divine religion in and outside the Muslim world.
It is said that the Danes republished the slanderous caricatures in “response“ to the arrest on Tuesday of three people who allegedly were planning to kill the Danish caricaturist.
Publication of 12 insulting drawings in the Danish newspaper “Jyllands-Posten“ two years ago led to angry protests and violence in many Islamic countries that ended in the death of tens of people.
Danish newspapers are seemingly not satisfied with all the loss of life and confusion in the past and seek to incite more trouble.
The Muslim world responded appropriately to the western media that knowingly came out to insult Islamic sanctities. It seems anti-Islamic currents have a huge appetite for dangerous controversy and want to continue their sacrileges against Islam.
European and American officials of different socio-political stripes love to claim that publication of anti-Islamic features is nothing but the “exercise of the freedom of expression in the western world“. They also maintain that Muslims should “accept“ such inflammatory work and not make a big hue and cry over the issue.
Patterns in the past decade show us that such insults and cheap works have gone far beyond the so-called western brand of freedom and openly seek to target the fast growing numbers of pious Muslims residing in the western world.
The reason some European communities are openly and regularly insulting Islam must be sought, among other things, in the inherent culture of whitish racism and discrimination in that part of the world. It is also essential that we take into closer consideration the ill-treatment, if not outright oppression, of Minorities scattered around Europe.
Many question why such systemic attacks on Islam are being made at this juncture and not two decades ago.
The answer is simple. Islam is the fastest growing religion in the western hemisphere.
Demographic studies in Europe show that the number of Muslims in different areas of that continent is increasing and that Muslims will in the near future play important roles in political and economic developments.
Many Muslims and Muslim immigrants residing in Europe hold higher education degrees and account for the majority of Europe’s skilled labor, and have helped augment economic and scientific progress across the European Union.
Moreover, there have always been some groups in all societies and religions, including Islam which are opposed to principles and rule of law. It is obvious that no one should portray such tiny minorities as representatives of this or that community, in particular when the extremist groups are a product of western intelligence services.
Racists and their backers in Europe are trying to hide behind lofty principles, including freedom of the press/expression to step up their Islamophobic campaign.
But they should beware that such insults will not tarnish Islamic values or principles but only jeopardize their own social stability and security.
It would be much safer and better if political and cultural leaders in the west rise to the occasion and criminalize anti-Islamic extremism and propaganda.