The Fair Freedom of Expression

God has created diversity in human nature, so that each person has specified characteristics: a unique mentality, a unique feeling, a unique perspective on things, etc. Also God gave each person a certain freedom and choice to act or to behave. At the same time God has given him ordinances through Religion (a set of beliefs, values and practices based on teachings guided by a Messenger appointed by God), so that he should not use the limited freedom to disturb others. Thus there are sacred things one should handle cautiously.

One may express his opinion on certain point, as long as it is not hurting others. So I am astonished by the assumption of a number of European newspapers, that the publication of the Danish cartoons by the “Jylands Posten”, picturing Prophet Mohammad (peace and God’s blessings upon him) as a terrorist, is being considered as freedom of opinion.

Freedom of opinion is not absolute; it is limited by local and European legislation, which forbids verbal or public insulting utterances against the religion of a group of people.

The republishing of the Danish cartoons by “Charlie Hebdo” or any other newspaper is not only provocative, but goes against the fundamental human rights principles, which are based on respect for all human beings, regardless of descent or religion.

On the other hand, the outburst of violence among Muslims in many countries, in reaction to that insult, are condemnable. It would have been more appropriate to make big peaceful demonstrations, in accordance with the dignity of Islam and its Great Prophet.

The Great Prophet Mohammad gave the following example: Lady Aishah (the Prophet’s spouse) narrated: A group of Jews one day asked permission to visit the Prophet, and when they were admitted, they entered saying: “As-Samu ‘alaik” (= Death be upon you). I (=’Aishah) said to them: But death and the curse of God be upon you. Then the Prophet said to me: “O ‘Aishah, God is Kind and Lenient, and He likes that one should be kind and lenient in all matters”. I said: Haven’t you heard what they said? He said: “I have already answered them “Wa’alaikum!” (= and upon you!). (This event has been recorded by Al-Bukhari in his “Collection of Hadith”).

In this respect, the Qur’an teaches the believers not to revile others’ sacred: “And do not revile those whom they invoke other than God, lest they should revile God out of spite, and in ignorance; for goodly indeed have We made their own doings appear unto every community; then to their Lord they shall return, and He will tell them what they used to do” (6:108).

In reference to the cartoons in the French satirical weekly “Charlie Hebdo” the Catholic Pope Francis has said with fairness: “There are limits to freedom of expression when religion is insulted. However, he also said, that killing in God’s name is an absurdity”. This was said to reporters during a flight from Sri Lanka to the Philippines (www.rt.com).

I very much appreciated that declaration on the part of Pope Francis, because all other “Western” authorities said that publishing cartoons insulting Islam and Muslims is a part of the freedom of expression. However they do not tolerate any doubt (even about the number of six million) on “The horror of the Holocaust and the so-called “anti Semitic” behavior. According to them these are the utmost sacred things. But they do not accept the fact that there are sacred things for other nations. This is the unfair Freedom, the unfair Liberalism.

To be fair, one can tolerate anyone who does not have anything sacred, but he (the one who has no sacred) should tolerate others with their sacred things too.

God calls to all human beings: “O mankind! We have indeed created you all out of a male and a female, and have made you into nations and tribes, so that you might come to know one another. Verily, the noblest of you in the sight of God is the one who is most deeply conscious of Him. Truly, God is all-knowing, all aware” (49:13).