The Surge of Anti-Islam Movement in France

By Online Editor on 2nd November 2020 • ( 0 )

The Surge of Anti-Islam Movement in France

By Dr. Maqsood Jafri

A French teacher Samuel Paty was beheaded earlier by Abdullah Anzorov, an 18 year old Chechen who was born in Moscow but later moved to France with his parents.

Paty had shown to his class caricatures of the Prophet Mohammad which had previously been published in the Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine. This man was constantly disgracing the the Prophet of Islam with a malicious intent and had made this heinous act as his mission. He always hurt the feelings of Muslims by such nefarious activities.

After his being killed by a Muslim zealot, as an aftermath, the president of France Macron issued a defence of free speech and France’ secular values, claiming that the country will not give up the show of cartoons. This prejudicial statement sparked a backlash in the Muslims worldwide and they burned the pictures of Macron and set fire to French flags.

Is it freedom of speech and expression to disgrace the holy personalities of other religions? Let the French president speak a world against Holocaust by German Nazis against the Jews. Has he the courage? Does it suit a president of a country to support the publication and exhibition of the caricatures of a Prophet whose followers are in billions and in the name of so-called freedom of speech they have never disgraced the holy personalities of any religion including Judaism and Christianity?

Sultan Abdul Hamid of Ottoman Sultanate was informed that in France a play is being staged in some theaters ridiculing our prophet. He lost his temper and immediately he called in the French Ambassador and asked him to convey his message to the King of France to stop this rubbish or be ready for battle. On receiving this message, the show of play was stopped.

Actually, some hardliners had been attacking Islam and the Muslims and quenching their thirst of spite and scoff. The Crusades witnessed the sloth of the religious hardliners of Europe in which not only all the European countries participated, the Kings of France and Britain were also in the forefront. When King Richard got injured, Sultan Saladin sent his special physician to treat him. It was not only a cordial humane gesture but was the show of magnanimity and mercy of Islamic glorious teachings.

On the other hand, history is witness to the barbarism of the Westerners. These colonialists had played havoc with the people under their subjugation. Let me just give the example of France. Algeria was a French Colony. On July 5, 1830, it was conquered by France. On July 5, 1962, it was freed after long indigenous revolutionary struggle. For 132 years the French ruled over the Algerians and killed one million Muslims. The height of barbarism is that whenever the French killed a Muslim revolutionary leader, they cut his throat and sent his scull to Paris Museum which was specially built for the heads of Muslim freedom fighters. These skulls were named as War Trophies. What a shameful act! Now these callous people are all out to protect the human rights and in the name of freedom of speech to hurt the feelings of the Muslims.

A few years ago, on the national day of France, in a function presided by the then Ambassador of France, I had read a poem written in French and English, in which, I had admired the three slogans of the French Revolution namely; Liberty, Fraternity and Equality. I would like to quote a few lines from that poem which later was punished in my English poetry book titled “Seeds of Sanity.”

“When the day dawned with the rays of Liberty,
More precious than gold was its sparkling ray.

Liberte, Equalite, Fraternite sont les trios mots,
Oui out boulvease I’ histoiae France.”

This was my expression of greeting French Revolution that introduced great humanitarian slogans. I must appreciate the great literary and intellectual services of French poets like Victor Hugo and Lamartine and rational philosophers like Henry Bergson and Jean Paul Sartre who spread the fragrance of human values.

I suggest the present President of France Macron to read these French poets and philosophers to enlighten himself and come out of the dark and dreary dungeon of demonic religious biases and racial discrimination. Islamophobia is a self coined term by religious maniacs of Europe.

Recently three persons had been killed in an attack in a Church in Nice, France in a reaction against the distribution and publication of the caricatures of the Holy Prophet [PBUH]. No Muslim can support or appreciate such an act as it is against the teachings of Islam. The holy Quran ordains to respect religious seminaries of all faiths and condemns the killing of any innocent person whether a Muslim or a non- Muslim. The holy Quran says:“ Whosoever kills an innocent human being, it shall be as if he has killed all mankind, and whosoever saves the life of one, it shall be as if he had saved the life of all mankind.“

The in Sura “The Unbelievers, “the Quran says: “Your Religion for you and my for mine.“ In Sura “The Cow“, the Quran has very categorically said: “There is no compulsion in religion.“ Now the question arises as to why there is an opposition to Islam fast brewing in America and Europe?

Let us find its answer in the book of Montgomery Watt tilled “Road To Medina”. In Chapter VI titled “Muhammad’s Attempt to Reconcile the Jews”, and in Chapters IV and IX, he discusses the best cordial conduct of the prophet of Islam with the Jews and Christians. He made “Medina Accord“ with the Jews on his arrival from Mecca which was a great social and political pact respecting and protecting the rights of each other.

Prophet Hazrat Mohammad (PBUH) hosted the Christians of Najran and venerated them and had dialogue with them. Islam is a religion of peace and moderation. Then what is the problem with some hardliners in Europe? Actually, Islam is rapidly spreading in America and Europe. Dr. Hamid Ullah who authored “Khutbat- e- Bahawalpur” was a great Rational Muslim thinker who worked a lot in promoting Islam in France. The population of France is more than six hundred millions in which one hundred millions are Muslims. The die-hard Priests of France and the crooked politicians of France are scared of the rapid conversion of the French people to Islam. So, they take refuge under the umbrella of so called Islamophobia. The religion of Peace is being painted as the religion of Terrorism.

It is the matter of great shame for the President of France Macron to support the heinous act of the caricature makers. He must apologize. Other wise, it is strongly recommended that OIC should immediately call a meeting and announce diplomatic severance and boycott of French products in all Muslim countries till Macron resigns. I also appeal to the enlightened French public to hold rallies against him until his resignation. Let the wise and sane people of France get rid of this irresponsible president.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Voice of East.