What to do before Prophet Muhammad cartoons are drawn?
Before cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad are drawn, we should tell the drawer that the significance we attribute to our prophet is enormous. We should tell them that we – let alone the drawing of a cartoon of our prophet – are even offended at drawing of a picture of him. We consider this insulting.
In the case of our prophet being mockeed, we feel humiliated and attacked. Respect our stance. Try to understand our perception of our prophet. Don’t do this.
Upon this, the guy tells us that our perception of the prophet does not concern him whatsoever. He tells us that they mock all kinds of beliefs, just as they mock our belief. They even mock faithlessness: “Just as we draw the caricature of Jesus, we also draw caricatures of your prophet. We have one sacred value and that is freedom of expression. You should understand this and respect it.”
The guy says that… And he draws the caricature.
In this case, as Muslims, what do we do? What kind of an attitude do we adopt?
We have two paths in front of us: We can either settle for a dignified and civilized protest against those lame caricatures, with such a protest that would make everyone, friend and foe alike, green with envy. Or we take machine guns in our hands and kill cartoonists, bomb magazines and newspapers.
If we do the first, then we act like a community that suits the prophet of mercy. If we do the second, we inflict far more harm on the prophet of mercy than these caricatures could ever cause.
The issue is as simple as that.
'Westphobia'
If you say that the source of all evil is the West…
If you say, “But the Westerners, you know, deserve these kinds of attacks…”
If you make generalizations such as “The West is the enemy of Islam without exception…”
If you reach judgments such as “Blood and cruelty lie at the root of Western civilization…”
If you blame the West for being responsible for all of your own inadequacies…
If you say sentences like “Westerners always define themselves by contrasting with the other.”
In short, if whatever needs to be said about Islam and Muslims, you say it all and more about Westerners…
The no offense, it means you have “Westphobia.”
As vulgar as Islamophobia is, so is “Westphobia.”
Six questions...
I have prepared six questions for those who say, “The whole world rose up because 12 people were killed in Paris, but nobody cares when thousands of Muslims are killed.”
First question: Instead of weeping together because nobody is standing up for the slain Muslims, why don’t you make the world rise to its feet? Are you not a “world leader"?
Second question: If those who stand up because 12 people were killed do not rise up for thousands of Muslims, then why did Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu become a part of this hypocritical show? Don’t you have a few words for him?
Third question: Did you tell the world, “We are organizing a demonstration for the 2,000 people Boko Haram killed in Nigeria,” and then Merkel and Hollande told you, “We cannot participate; we don't want to make Boko Haram angry”?
Fourth question: Why don’t you immediately start the “Great March of Istanbul” to protest the bloodshed caused by both Bashar al-Assad and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)? Is anyone stopping you?
Fifth question: How about organizing a rally for the bloodshed of millions of Muslims in Iraq? (But those who worked in 2003 for the motion to pass in parliament that caused the shedding of so much Muslim blood, a protest against them should also be included, right?)
Sixth question: Why don’t you immediately start the “Great March of Humanity against Sunnis who are killing Shiites, against Shiites who are killing Sunnis” and invite every leader, including U.S. President Barack Obama. Why don’t you do that?