Dubai: Muslims should be strong, unified and "an uneasy target for criticism", which can only happen through knowledge and the right representation of Islam, concluded a students' debate.
More than 40 students from the American University, Dubai, (AUD) attended an open debate organised by the Islamic Awareness Club.
Maan Musleh, a Palestinian computer engineering student, said the administration of the club initiated the debate after the Danish newspaper, Jyllands-Posten, posted 12 cartoons of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).
Those cartoons angered billions of Muslims around the world. He said the club initiated the debate "in order to manage this issue in a logical and proper manner".
He told Gulf News the debate was successful and served its goals that were to perceive the conflict from a different point of view, mainly to know what are the Muslims' tools, rights and duties towards this controversy.
The debate tackled three main themes: freedom of speech versus respect of religions, why is Islam an easy target for criticism and the right ways to confront this issue.
The students and the panellists discussed the means and steps that Muslims have to embark on in order to change others' views about Islam. The attendees agreed that Muslims have to understand others and vice versa.
Dr Hamid Khani, Visiting Professor of Media Communications, said freedom of speech has its limits. "Freedom of speech mainly depends on the environment," he said.
