Make insult history march

international | rights, freedoms and repression | press release

Friday February 10, 2006 01:14

by Sheikh Dr. Shaheed Satardien

No to prophet bashing. No to holocaust bashing. No to violence

The attack on the prophet of Islam is condemned in its totality and the violence that ensued is also condemned. The mockery of the holocaust is equally condemned. We call on Muslims to end the violence immediately. We are hurt but we are not angry because the Prophet (pbuh) instructed us to control our anger. The strongest person is the one who can control his anger the Prophet is reported to have said.

Press statement

A big Thank You to the Irish, UK and USA media

MARCH TO MAKE 'INSULT' HISTORY

Muslims of Dublin will march to thank the Irish, UK and USA print and broadcast (RTE, TV3, SKYNEWS and CNN) media for not publishing the cartoons which villified the prophet of Islam.

On: Friday 10th February At: 2:30 PM

Where: From the Pakistani shop in Clanbrassil Street (Off South Circular Road, to St. Stephen's Green Dublin where prominent Muslim Leaders will give speeches.

United Message:

The first message that we want to send to the country is that of the legitimate voice of the Muslim community (as opposed to those that hijacked last week's demonstration outside the Danish embassy in London). We condemn in the strongest sense the vicious rhetoric and un-Islamic slogans that were used by misguided and angry Muslims. Although we are hurt by the cartoons, we condemn the violence which followed it across the world. We are people of peace and are trying to do our best in bridging the gap between Islam and the West therefore we thank the Irish media for not publishing these offensive pictures and unintelligible cartoons.

Secondly, to Europe, the lesson from the cartoon is not that Western newspapers come under the fold of Islamic law. It is actually that 'Islam-o-phobic caricatures are unacceptable, irresponsible, and lead to a more polarised world. Jewish leaders and prominent figures like Bill Clinton have likened it to the characterisation of Jews over the centuries. We know that it has ended up in the extermination of more than six million Jews. We are not against freedom of speech but we encourage free speech without vilification.

Thirdly, to the Muslim world, we wish to send a message of calm. It may appear to them that there is a great Western conspiracy against their faith, but there are a large number of people who are on the side of reconciliation, and we hope that comes out loud and clear on Friday.

Fourthly, we do not under any circumstances condone the mocking of any people. The actions of the Iranian daily newpaper who wish to mock the holocaust are distasteful and we call upon the paper to stop the competition forthwith.

Organised by:
Minhaj-ul-Quran Ireland, (Allama Zille Umar Qadri)
Interfaith Roundtable Ireland, (Sheikh Dr. Shaheed Satardien)

Supported by:
Education for Peace (Thomas Molloy)