Opinions | Columnists
Need for a new moral code
Dr Abdullah Al Swaiji, a UAE academician, suggested a new ethics code for the international community "because all human achievements are meaningless without morals".
- By Samir Salama, Bureau Chief, Abu Dhabi
- Published: 00:00 February 7, 2006
Dr Abdullah Al Swaiji, a UAE academician, suggested a new ethics code for the international community "because all human achievements are meaningless without morals".
"Desecration of religions can never be justified and mocking prophets of Almighty Allah and religious symbols must be regarded as a crime and not freedom of expression. Muslims believe in this and the West should have the same belief," said Dr Swaiji, who represented the UAE in Arab-European dialogues symposiums.
The new ethics code, he explained, to be led by religious institutions the world over, would help to restore respect for cultures, civilisations and religions.
"Islam is one of the three great monotheistic religions and deserves the same respect that we demand for Christianity and Judaism. Islam does not accept blasphemy against any religion."
Sharla Musabih, a UAE human rights activist of US origin, said Muslims have a right to get angry over the anti-Prophet (PBUH) cartoons, but they should not react foolishly.
"They should exercise self-restraint. Being a Muslim I believe Muslims should set an example like the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).
"They should react in a civilised manner to any provocative practice. They should know that many such practices are planned and they should react intelligently."
Sharla said: "We should embrace the West and accept their culture and consider any provocative acts as a test and that we will be rewarded by Almighty Allah if we succeed in that test through tolerance and acceptance of others.
"The West uses the media, so why do we also not use it to educate them about Islam and the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH)? Look at the movie The Passion of the Christ. Why do we not invest in the production of a big movie about the Prophet (PBUH) and his life to help people in the West explore Islam and its teachings?"
"People who desecrate Islam or the Prophet (PBUH) can be charged with blasphemy. But any violent reaction creates more enemies and distorts the image of Islam and Muslims in the West," she said.
Civilised manner
She regarded boycott as being a civilised reaction to the offending cartoons. "The more peaceful you are, the more attention you gain for your cause."
Shaikh Mohammad Soleiman Faraj, a scholar at the Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Awqaf, said Islam teaches Muslims peace and to love each other.
"Islam teaches us how to respect people. We never ever mock and make jokes about any prophet because we believe in all the prophets that Almighty Allah has sent.
"The Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) taught Muslims that they should not speak about him in a manner that shows disrespect towards other prophets and messengers," Shaikh Faraj added.
He suggested that Muslims should use language very carefully in inter-religious dialogue and when they talk to the people of other faiths.
"The Prophet (PBUH) forbade from talking about the superiority of one prophet over another according to one's personal opinion and it should not be done to put down the other prophets or to create animosity, dissent and divisions."
Noura Matin, a human rights activist, said that Muslims have every right to feel offended by the anti-Prophet (PBUH) cartoons.
"It is as much Muslims' right to feel offended as it was the right of the organisations who printed them. Muslims have many choices as to how they can respond to this offence.
"They may choose to forgive, ignore or boycott. The more enlightened amongst them may also choose to consider why a Danish newspaper and many others chose to portray the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and Islam in this way. And in that moment of self-reflection they may realise that Muslims have a lot of responsibility towards how people of other faiths perceive Islam. And once they realise this, it becomes their individual responsibility to do what they can to educate and change all the negative perceptions about Muslims and Islam."
"If some Muslims choose to respond by violence, demonstrations calling for jihad or murder, they aren't helping. They aren't improving the image of Islam or the life of Muslims. And continuing to act in this way like children throwing a tantrum will only serve to harden mindsets and ensure that the rest of the world continues to both misunderstand Muslims and portray their faith and community negatively."
Share this article
More from Columnists
More from Opinions
Popular in Opinions
-
Opinions
Speak Your Mind: Cyberbullying
How can we protect our children from being Cyber bullied?
Opinion Editor's choice
-
Mosque razing ruling exposes India polity
It would be tragic if those who demolished the Babri Masjid went scot-free
-
All eyes on Obama
Failure to outline an effective strategy at West Point could cost the US president not only victory in Afghanistan, but the White House itself
-
A year after 173 defenceless people were killed
Mumbai itself is far from safe from another deadly attack, even though the level of security consciousness of the average Mumbaikar has been raised since 26/11
