The Prophets over the centuries have achieved immortality through their messages and the Holy Scriptures and no individual or group can ever do any harm to those whom the Almighty in His wisdom has chosen to deliver His message. Lunatics and individuals like Salman Rushdie or Nakoula Basseley alias Sam Bacile, who produced this 14 minute derogatory film on our Holy Prophet(Peace Be Upon Him) really don’t matter, nor can their comments belittle those whom God himself has given spiritual elegance. Even after thousands of years Abraham, Jesus and Mohammed live in the hearts and minds of billions, while those tried to insult them are forgotten.
As Muslims we must understand that the making of this film was an irresponsible individual act of an insane man filled with hatred. Let the dogs bark if they want to, instead of being provoked by their insults and damaging private and state properties in Muslim countries and bringing our countries to a standstill. Who benefits if all economic activity in Pakistan is frozen and our economy, which is already fragile, be further dented by these violent protests? Let us show our love for our Prophet by following his message and enforce some ethics and morality in governance, so that we can achieve self-reliance instead of being slave to foreign assistance.
Islam teaches us peace, tolerance and respect for human lives, not violence and corruption that dominates the ruling elite which has done more harm to Pakistan than all its external enemies. It is the internal divisions based on sectarian and ethnic divides that poses a threat to Pakistan and its citizens. The religious fanaticism that preaches politics of violence is the biggest threat to Islamic ideology and beliefs. Islam makes it obligatory upon Muslims to respect other religions and faiths and protect their places of worship. The image of Muslims is not tarnished by acts of lunatics like Nakoula, but by those who profess to be Muslims, hold public and political offices, yet abuse their powers to benefit themselves by looting or allotment of state assets or land, pilfering tax payers money and deprive the poor and destitute of their lands and property and patronize criminals who indulge in sectarian and hate crimes such as target killings in Karachi, Baluchistan and Gilgit.
We cannot be self-reliant if Muslim majority states fail to promote their human resources by investing in state subsidized education or health and focus on welfare of the most deprived sections of our society, instead of this culture where state resources are used for welfare of the elite or its paid civil or khaki bureaucracy. Our religion stresses upon equality, accountability and transparency, not on immunity for the select few, who have done more harm than others including our enemies.
ALI MALIK
Illinois, USA