To Defend Our Beloved Prophet, Let Us Exemplify His True Ideals Say Imams

25 Comments

1. Pingback: TO DEFEND OUR BELOVED PROPHET, LET US EXEMPLIFY HIS TRUE IDEALS SAY IMAMS | PASS THE KNOWLEDGE (LIGHT & LIFE)

   • 

     vewsmith

     January 18, 2015 at 1:01 PM

     Just a question of clarification. I understand that an interpretation of the Qur’an that no pictures or depictions be made of Muhammad was to avoid worship of him as the prophet instead of Allah. This was a very long time ago when books did not exist, nor newspapers, and pictures and words were all hand-written. Christians and Jews are also not in favor of pictures of God or idols, but seem to have no ban on imagined depictions of Christian or Jewish prophets, though I think they would go along with worshipping those pictures of prophets instead of the one God. I am not talking about the fact that many Christians think Jesus is god or part of God as I know in Islam the distinction is clear between Allah and anyone or anything else. I understand is the same one God believed in by all the mono-theist religions such as Islam, Christianity, and the Jewish religion, even though there is that whole Jesus/God confusion which frankly isn’t to the credit of that particular religion. Since there were no photographs back in the day and no drawings done of the prophets at the time , any later depictions would have to be purely based on imagination, so it would not even possible to show any actual likeness of any prophet and someone’s later attempt to do so via cartoon seems in some way to be part of the cult of celebrity that currently runs the world. I also thought that the discouragement, not outright ban of such images of Muhammad was to deal with the cultures of a long time ago, closer to the time the prophet was alive, clearly discouraging undue adoration of him instead of Allah. My question is why such an issue is still relevant since everyone knows there is no way to really depict the prophets who lived so many centuries ago so any attempt to do so would not have any relation whatsoever to any reality. No one I know believes that the endless depictions of Jesus in paintings or drawings are what he looked like-I hope not anyway. Nor any depictions of Moses or other Jewish prophets.
     You are right to make a distinction between the prophet and Allah, but in this day and age I do not understand how it represents an insult, why someone could actually get so angry as to execute a whole room full of people over a drawing that both the drawer and the believer knows not possibly represent the prophet Muhammad nor any of the other religious leaders they drew pictures of. Thank you for listening to the question and answering it if you wish to.

     Reply
     • 

       Sheima Salam Sumer

       January 18, 2015 at 1:53 PM

       Dear Vewsmith,
       Thank you for your sincere comment and question. First of all I want to say that I and 99.9% of Muslims would never ever defend murder in the name of our beloved faith. Our beloved Prophet was a Messenger of Mercy and disliked bloodshed extremely. I also want to say that yes, Muslims believe in the same 1 God of the Bible, Torah and other books all sent from the same 1 Merciful, Great Creator. Now, I would like to attempt to answer your question, which I understand to be: Why do Muslims today still ban the depiction of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) even though such depictions would not accurately represent him and it is unlikely that these depictions would lead people to worship him instead of Allah (Glory be to Him the Most High)? I hope this is the correct summary of your question. My answer as a practicing Muslimah is that Muslims hold the Prophet Muhammad with the highest respect and we consider it disrespectful to draw him or depict him in any form. To my knowledge, Muslims really shouldn’t depict any of the Prophets, because we love and revere them all, including Prophets Jesus, Moses, Abraham etc. So today it’s more an issue of respect, but even today there might be a risk of deifying Prophets.

       Reply
   • 

     Mark

     June 21, 2015 at 1:58 PM

     I can’t help thinking that the numerous points have over-egged the pie. It only needs two or three.

     After the Danish cartoons and the Charlie Hebdo thing (ie numerous murders), the whole thing was about “Love of Muhammed” and “Limits of free speech”.
     I saw the problem as the “Love of Muhammed” and it being needed to be tackled from that direction, rather than “Free-speech” being the problem, so there is a little light here in that this is the first attempt I’ve seen to do this.

     Points 1 and 3 are still problematic.

     Point 1: Can someone tell me how “we love Muhammed more than our own families,” can possibly translate into any practical use in day to day life? Could it be that a daughter asks her dad to help with her homework, otherwise she will fail an exam, but he says, “no, I have to go to the mosque to pray, so Allah and Muhammed comes first.” I really don’t know, so it seems like empty, impractical words. Otherwise, it could be one of these:

     1. Make people admire the stance? That isn’t going to happen.
     2. An explanation for the murders? That would be mad.
     3. An excuse for the murders? That would be even madder.
     4. A veiled threat, in that “This fervent love isn’t going away, so think twice before you draw that picture, write a book, make a TV documentary,” etc, etc. This one is my favourite.

     But I suppose number 4 is being tackled to an extent in this article.

     Point 3: The problem here is the “however” as always. And as I say, the problem is not from this direction at all. It is with the fervency of the “love of Muhammed,” which can be tackled from that direction. People aren’t born with it, it is indoctrinated. I suppose other religions (of particular types) “love” their religious idols, but there are none at the moment who go as far as what we have seen happen. It is up to those within the religion to put a stop to it and find a balance.

     Finally, I’d say that this article talks of “Muslims” with the implied “all”.
     Surely you know that there is a broader range of people in any given religion, but you seem to be pushing that the orthodox is the only way “Muslims” can go, and that, in my opinion is dangerous.

     Reply
2. 

   Gavin Volaire

   January 14, 2015 at 12:37 PM

   I’m sure this comment has no shot of ever appearing but here is my two cents. Nobody cares to hear you speak about the depictions at this point. If you must speak and deem to give counsel to your fellow Muslims, tell them to speak against the murders, not the depictions. To focus on the depictions instead of the murders might be construed as missing the big picture.

   An apology to the free world would be a better way to go at this point, boys.

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   • 

     Inam Saifi

     January 14, 2015 at 5:25 PM

     Everyone had different level of tolerance, and the two who carried out the attached naturally has no more tolerance left against the offence Charlie committed to offend Muslim world, they didn’t listen to wise advice of 1.8 billion Muslims of not to carry out such offence, but truth is society of west actually think that ‘Freedom of Speach’ is ‘Freedom to Offend’, and to the making mockery of people is their birth right,
     SO you(because you are Charlie), carried on with your act without thinking anybody’s sentiments and consequence, and so did the two, in their frame of mind, being right.
     So don’t be cry baby and please don’t be offended because it is ‘Freedom of Speach’, just a dialogue (that you wanted).

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     • 

       aliama mehru

       July 17, 2015 at 1:35 AM

       What pretty words we use to paint pictures of our Man Mohammed, gushing with emotion in our submission to this perfect image that has been painted for us by the men who have gone before.
       what is the difference in using ink and paper to paint images in pictures or words? Is the effect not the same. An artefact that we can associate with and be captured by, and embue with our emotion. The image is not the creation.

       Unfortunately the Arabs wrote their images down, and then fought wars over whose version was the only one. What arrogance and pride. ‘we are special’, ‘it was only given to my ancestors’, ‘my way is the only way and you must all submit to it’.

       Is the creation so feeble and sheepish that it has only been noticed by a single man? No, it is ever present, ever shining, and there are many who bump into aspects of it and occasionally recognise and name it throughout the world on a daily basis. Has it sewn only a single seed in a single location in the history of mankind? No it is virile, and our history is littered with many ways that show how to get closer to the creation.Revelations abound before and after the 6th century.

       Unfortunately It it the nature of man that our attention is captured by our own desires and arrogance and pride and a million other emotions, even love and hate, and we lose these fleeting connections, concentrating instead on the form of a revelation rather than what is being taught. In this way Religions become prisons. and Islam is no different.

       We have created a prison that has ensnared 1.8b people around the world. Our attention is captivated by images that have been written of the perfect prophet and the perfect way. we are so convinced in the superiority of our 6c arab way that we consume ourselves competing with and destroying those who dare to disagree with us and have the audacity to use other ways to get close to the creation, and in our crazy imaginings we dream that this is what the creation wants.

       The door to this prison is not closed, but
       we have become so accustomed to the support and friendship our brothers in this prison, that they have become the bars that hold us in place and prevent us from submitting to the creation instead of submitting to the creation of the Arabs.

       Reply
   • 

     Aly Balagamwala

     January 15, 2015 at 10:58 AM

     I think this is what you are looking for http://muslimmatters.org/2015/01/09/get-the-muslim-icondemn-app/

     *Comment above is posted in a personal capacity and may not reflect the official views of MuslimMatters or its staff*

     Reply
   • 

     Ahmad

     January 15, 2015 at 11:15 AM

     Why would the Imam’s or anyone else, apologize for the actions of those. They condemn it as everyone does.

     Just like its not you job to personally apologize for all lunatics that walk about your neighborhood, killing, murdering and doing even worse. Or apologizing for your governments actions in going and killing a bunch on innocent people who have never done any harm to you.

     So if you want to start apologizing for all the crimes committed by, you relatives, neighbors, community members, religious groups, organisations, namesakes or any other body remotely related to you. I will be more then happy to start apologizing for the same. When do you want to start Gavin?

     Also i may remind you that there are a lot of LAW’s limiting free speech, specifically doing what has been done to muslim’s if it was done to Jews the Magazine would have been fined and the cartoonist jailed. So please dont go about preaching Free Speech. As we speak there are people(non-Muslims) being brought to criminal courts just because they spoke out against what the magazine did.

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     • 

       Gavin

       January 19, 2015 at 7:46 AM

       You must not have heard about the lowlifes who killed a bunch of innocent people over a cartoon, M. Mahmud.

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     • 

       Gavin

       January 19, 2015 at 7:50 AM

       How about everyone who wants to focus on the cartoon instead of the murderous psychopaths who killed innocent people apologize to the entire world for their incredibly stupid, rude, belligerent attitude?

       Reply
     • 

       M. Mahmud

       May 6, 2015 at 1:31 AM

       Gavin I repeat-none of us owe you an apology. If you want an apology, try to run in-front of me when I’m driving or something. Barring that, you won’t get an apology so get off your knees and stop begging for one. It’s undignified.

       Reply
   • 

     M. Mahmud

     January 15, 2015 at 10:30 PM

     None of us owe you an apology.

     Reply
   • 

     Haider Rehman

     June 18, 2015 at 2:41 PM

     Why should I apologize for a crime some other person committed? I can only condemn it, and that’s what I do.
     Non-Muslims used to disrespect prophet PBUH, but he tolerated them. We educate people that they are not following prophet PBUH by murdering people who disrespect him. But I do NOT owe you an apology if a particular group does not heed to it.

     Reply

3. Pingback: TO DEFEND OUR BELOVED PROPHET, LET US EXEMPLIFY HIS TRUE IDEALS SAY IMAMS « The Quran Blog - Enlighten Yourself

4. Pingback: Imams From Around The World Have Shared Advice On How Muslims Should Respond To The Muhammad Cartoons | InTheKnow

5. 

   Haig McCarrell

   January 17, 2015 at 9:15 PM

   I am a Christian and after these attacks I tweeted: “Je ne suis pas Charlie Hebdo”, I am not Charlie Hebdo. Why? I find the cartoons to be gratuitous and that they were offensive, immature, peurile and in the end, irresponsible. Mere offence is not satire. Satire is intended to criticize, expose hypocrisy or complicity and tends to take on “untouchables”. It has intent to illicit discussion and to challenge those given or having power. Just the same, commentary, even offensive commentary, does not justify taking life, which was also wrong.

   As you note this is not Muhammad’s way, nor is ti Jesus’ way. On the cross, he asked his Father in heaven to forgive those who killed him, saying that they did not know what they were doing. When we foment hatred, unrest, slander and intolerance, we disobey God’s will for us. When we kill another, we desicrate his image in which we are all made.

   Where do we go from here? I hope leaders in our communities, elected officials, those in authority, Muslims, Christians and others can discuss inclusion, understanding and mutual respect. In North America, a very high percentage of Muslims identify as American and Canadian. National identification is a very low number in some European countries such as France and maybe the UK too? How are immigrants and minorities being included and integrated? How do they have opportunity and hope for a better life.

   This is a problem elsewhere too. This is a human problem. The discussion ought to be expanded to discuss the fate of Christians and other minorities including Muslims in the Middle East for example. When we come together and advocate for each other, and permit unfettered freedom of religion without compulsion in all countries, we will live out God’s call to foster the dignity of each person.

   I hope you agree and you will be an advocate for this inclusion without fear as well. Peace.

   Reply
6. 

   Truth

   January 25, 2015 at 11:09 AM

   White people are trying to demonize the Muslims to make their murder of them fair-seeming and justified – the same as white people did to the Natives of every continent and island before they slaughtered them and stole their lands and resources!! Muslims are the final feast for these white satanic BEASTS! As prophesied!

   Reply
   • 

     Haider Rehman

     June 18, 2015 at 2:44 PM

     I think you have a problem against white people, which I as a Muslim and a human, find disturbing.

     Reply
7. 

   arshad bin zakir

   March 2, 2015 at 1:28 PM

   peace be upon all,,,,,,,,,,,
   I wonder that some people only only these few people who are killing people (as they are killing even muslims) nowhere is such thing to kill people, while more than 1.8 billion muslims condemn this shameful act.

   Reply
8. 

   iftekhar

   May 6, 2015 at 5:54 AM

   assalam
   the best way to protest is to introduce all human beings about Prophet (SWS) and his teaching.

   Reply
9. 

   Sheima Salam Sumer

   May 31, 2015 at 2:12 AM

   http://www.islamicity.com/articles/articles.asp?ref=ic0811-3718

   To Jalalaa: First, scholars of Islam have shown that our beloved Prophet (s) actually married Aisha (r) when she was around 17. You can view the above link. And even though some scholars said that she was younger, you need to understand that in that time and culture, marrying young was very normal. The Quran and Islam teach that both people need to be at the age of maturity when they get married:

   “Test the orphans until they reach the age of marriage ; if you then find sound judgment in them, release their property to them… When you release their property to them, take witnesses in their presence.” (Quran, 4:6)
   In this passage, marriageable age is equated with sound judgment–an age at which a person can responsibly handle his or her wealth & possessions. Common sense, then, would dictate that a person has not reached marriageable age until adulthood, since children could hardly be expected to look after their possessions responsibly.

   This passage is from a great article by Ro Waseem that I recommend you read: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/quranalyzeit/2015/03/08/child-brides-and-the-quran-dispelling-the-misconceptions-on-international-womens-day/

   Reply
10. 

    Sweetz

    June 22, 2015 at 5:20 PM

    Before world leaders marched in Paris, the Muslim world had condemned the actions of the gunmen. But, I guess such actions are overrided by Hate for Muslims in general, rather than for the few Radicals.

    Furthermore, I stand corrected, but Muslims are not permitted to draw anything that depicts life, not even animals. Neither can we pray where such pictures are visible. One won’t find photos displayed in a Muslim home either as we know the consequences.

    Don’t understand the reason that people want to draw The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) other than to provoke pain to Muslims. Has a Muslim drawn anything to upset any other religion?

    The action of extremists cannot be blamed on over 1.6 billion and still growing Muslims.

    THEIR REACTION IS NOT CONDONED!

    Reply
    • 

      Aliama Mehru

      June 29, 2015 at 3:32 PM

      Seems to me that the Man Mohammed has become an idol! What has been written about idols?

      “Muslims have to remember that by depicting the Prophet (peace be upon him) no one can ever tarnish his image, as he is way beyond what is depicted, as Allah says, ‘We have elevated your remembrance’. We should spend such regrettable moments in supplicating with many litanies and prayers of blessings on the Prophet; may Allah’s mercy, peace and blessing be upon his soul.”

      Reply
11. 

    kang cepot 46

    June 6, 2016 at 12:15 PM

    may we always be those who believe in Him
    http://www.situsobatherbal.com/2016/05/06/obat-herbal-eksim-di-selangkangan/

    Reply