Ali Jomaa, ICSFP Management
In an ever changing world we hear many forms of messages and voices directing people's thought process to form a vision of freedom and human rights. However, if this direction excludes the respect that individuals and communities should have for each other and for their cultural or religious practices, then there seems to be some defect in this procedure.
Recently Danish Muslims in Denmark have witnessed their rights being trampled where the leading broadcast newspaper, Jyllands-Posten, has depicted the Prophet Muhammad in various cartoons. The cartoons which uttered disrespect for the Prophet, peace be upon him, portrayed him and Muslims in various ways including a picture of him in a turban mounted with explosives signifying him as a suicide bomber. Another cartoon depicted him saying that heaven was running short of virgins for suicide bombers. Other cartoonists were requested to join in by submitting their work in the same manner challenging them in a competition to draw similar cartoons.
The Prime Minister, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, tried to solve the sensitive situation by ignoring it, however, when refusing to meet 11 ambassadors from Muslim countries, he has ignited great anger in the Muslim world. Shortly prior to this, a Danish cabinet minister had likened Muslims to cancer, and has managed to keep her job. Fogh Rasmussen has passed it off as freedom of speech.
Islam has forbidden pictures to be portrayed of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and will not allow anyone to make a mockery of him or of the religion. Freedom of speech, if not associated with respect for individuals or people, will surely result in its failure and its incapability to be fair, especially when individuals who hold positions of power and influence have their own idea of how freedom should be identified.
As a result many major businesses in many major Muslim countries have boycotted all Danish products. There are many popular Danish companies included such as Lego, Ecco, Sadafco, and many Danish cheese brands. 57 countries from The Organization of the Islamic Conference have also announced a boycott of “Images of the Middle East", an exhibition in Denmark this summer.
Each and every individual has a right to exercise their freedom and boycott all Danish products. If exercising one's freedom will insult the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, then exercising the freedom to teach the Danes some respect is also encouraged. Life can persist without products marked, "Made in Denmark".
