Muslims' mixed response to new Mohammed cover
It is a message of defiance, but also forgiveness -- and many Muslims responded with similarly mixed emotions.
It
is a magazine cover depicting the Prophet Mohammed with a tear falling
from his cheek, holding a sign that says, "Je suis Charlie," the slogan
that became a worldwide meme. Above Mohammed are the words "All Is
Forgiven."
On Wednesday, two Muslim extremists attacked the offices of Charlie Hebdo,
a French magazine with a history of mocking Mohammed. Twelve were
killed, including several top editors, by two men with terrorist
connections who said they were avenging the prophet.
Many Muslims object to any depictions of Mohammed -- respectful or not -- saying that such images defy his teachings and lead to idolatry.
For
the secular satirists at Charlie Hebdo, neither of those concerns
seemed to matter much. They often lampooned Mohammed, crudely
caricaturing him as a backward, foolish figure.
It's
not surprising that, in its first issue since the attack, Charlie Hebdo
again put Mohammed on the cover. But this time, instead of showing the
prophet in an unflattering light, the magazine struck a far different
tone -- and was received by some Muslims in a far different way.
"My
initial thought is that the cover is a near perfect response to the
tragedy," said Hussein Rashid, a professor of Islamic thought at Hofstra
University in New York.
"They are not backing down from the depiction of Mohammed,
exercising their free speech rights. At the same time, the message is
conciliatory, humble, and will hopefully reduce the anger directed to
the Muslim communities of France."
Zineb El Rhazoui, a columnist at Charlie Hebdo magazine who
worked on the new issue, told the BBC that the staff didn't want to
express hatred toward the terrorists who killed her colleagues.
"The
(mobilization) that happened in France after this horrible crime must
open the door to forgiveness. Everyone must think about this
forgiveness."
Chosen by Charlie Hebdo's editors on Monday night,
the cover was released by Liberation, the French newspaper that is
sharing its office space with staffers from the satirical magazine.
Many media outlets
have republished the cover in a show of solidarity. The issue will hit
newsstands this Wednesday in a flood of 3 million copies translated into
multiple languages.
As the new cover
spreads across social media, Muslims responded with a mix of emotions,
from wariness to appreciation, from miffed to dismissive.
Yahya Adel Ibrahim, an imam in Australia, counseled his 100,000 Facebook followers to follow the example of Mohammed, even if they encounter images that they believe are blasphemous.
"As
it is clear that the cartoons are to be published again, Muslims will
inevitably be hurt and angered, but our reaction must be a reflection of
the teachings of the one we love & are angered for," Ibrahim said.
"Enduring patience, tolerance, gentleness and mercy was the character
of our beloved Prophet."
On Twitter,
some Muslims were skeptical that publishing an image that many consider
offensive should be construed as an act of solidarity.
Other Muslims said they appreciate the magazine's sentiments.
Rashid
noted that the cover's central message -- forgiveness -- resonates not
only throughout Islam but through other faiths as well. "The cover is a
call to our better angels, and an acknowledgment that religion also
offers good to the world."
Other Muslim leaders criticized the cover.
"That
the depiction appears benign is of little consequence because it will
be seen as offensive and deliberately provocative," said Dawud Walid,
executive director of the Michigan chapter of the Council on
American-Islamic Relations.
There's nothing in the Quran, Islam's primary text, about depicting the prophet. But according to the hadith -- stories and sayings attributed to Mohammed and his companions -- he discouraged Muslims from making images of him.
Walid
said that Charlie Hebdo's new cover "will offend many" but noted that
"over 99.999% of France's 5 million Muslims acted peacefully when the
previous depiction was released."
Yasir
Qadhi, an American cleric with a wide following, said he's not pleased
by any depictions of Mohammed, but it's clear that this Hebdo cover,
unlike others, is not meant to make fun of Muslims.
Qadhi
also said that while he respects the right to free speech, there
appears to be a double standard when it comes to what Western society --
and Hebdo -- find suitable for mocking.
"Did
you happen to notice any cartoons mocking the death of the cartoonists
themselves, and lampooning their work and efforts?" Qadhi asked.
Satire
of the type attempted by Charlie Hebdo often serves a valuable end,
said Omid Safi, director of Islamic studies at Duke University. But Safi
faulted the French magazine for misfiring in its choice of targets.
"I
see satire as always having a purpose of mocking the powers that be,
hierarchy, power, unearned privileged. So who are we speaking power to
today?" Safi said. "Sure, violent terrorists. But what about all the
other agents of violence, including the state-sponsored ones? That's why
I don't find Charlie Hebdo particularly good satire."
Many Muslims seemed content not to comment on Hebdo's latest depiction of their prophet, or to pay it no mind.
"Let
us ignore the provocations and defamation and get about the work of
being a source of good and mercy to all we may come into contact with,"
Imam Zaid Shakir, a popular cleric and scholar from California, posted on Facebook this week. "May Allah bless you all and make things easy for you and your families during these trying times."
