Muslims protest a positive depiction of their Prophet

[aneeshm]

Hyderabad: Weeks after the Danish cartoons of Prophet Mohammed receded from newspaper headlines , the Muslim quarter of Hyderabad had been set aflutter with the discovery of Class IV Textbook that bears a sketch of the founder of Islam .

The sketch , illustrating a parable of the Prophet's kindness and tolerance even for his opponents , appears in a book titled "Moral Values" , which is uded by primary schools in the Old City to teach moral science , a compulsory subject for Class IV students under the state syllabus . The lesson on the Prophet was written by Kalpana Singh . The book , introduced this year , is published by Arkbird Publications .

Acknowledging that the tone of the chapter was not injurious to islam , the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen ( MIM ) said the episode nevertheless breached an important percept of Islam , that the Prophet should never be depicted pictorially . The party demanded that the government immdeiately withdraw the book from all schools and that the writer of the lesson and publisher of the book be arrested .

The lesson narrates how the Prophet used to pass by an old woman's house every day . The woman would insult him and throw rubbish on him to annoy him . But Mohammed never lost his composure . One day , the woman did not appear when he passed by her house . Intrigued , Mohammed asked her neighbours and discovered that the woman had fallen sick . He called on her and inquired after her health . The old woman was shamed into realising her folly .

The lesson keeps the name of the Propher away from readers , referring to him as a Pious Man . At the close of the story , the author asks children , "Do you know tho the Pious Man was ? It was none other than the great Prophet Mohammed , the founder of Islam" . The illustration accompanying this story shows the Prohpet standing beside the woman lying on her bed .

MIM MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi said this episode was a conspiracy to hurt Muslims . "An international agency has been working to provoke and disturb Muslims . After the caricature of the Prophet in Danish newspapers rocked the entire world , how come the writer and publisher of this book did not realise the implications ? We want the publisher and the author arrested immediately and an apology tendered to Muslims" , Owaisi declared .

After the issue became public , Arkbird Publications withdrew the books not just in Hyderabad , but also from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to which they had been dispatched .

Now you start protesting positive depictions ? Would you rather they include the story where Mohammed cut of the hands of apostates , and left them to die in the desert , thirsty ? And when you start blaming this on some kooky international conspiracy , forgive me if I call you batshit crazy !

And even assuming for a moment that it is illegal under Muslim law to make a picture of the Prophet - India is not a Muslim state , and therefore separation of church and state and the secular nature of the country demand that textbooks use the means available to them to teach most effectively , without having to worry about whether or not they contravene some ******** religious edict .

 

[Winner]

Why isn't it surprising anymore?

 

[silver 2039]

I was wondering when you would post this, and yes I actually agree with you. These bloody religous minorties really need to stop trying to impose their bloody will on the entire country. That goes for the Chrstians and the Muslims. Just another instance of them trying to impose their relious views on others, and encroach on the freedom of expression, print, and speech.

First Muhhamd Cartoons, then Da Vinci Code, and now children textbbooks? Bloody hell.

 

[The Last Conformist]

When was it ever surprising, and why should it ever have been?

 

[aneeshm]

Let us contrast this with Saudi Arabian textbooks . The King of Saudi Arabia said that he would be making a grassroots level effort to weed out intolerance from textbooks . After this effort was made , here are the results ( the following are excerpts which are taken from the "clean" textbooks ) :

FIRST GRADE

" Every religion other than Islam is false."

"Fill in the blanks with the appropriate words (Islam, hellfire): Every religion other than ______________ is false. Whoever dies outside of Islam enters ____________."


FOURTH GRADE

"True belief means . . . that you hate the polytheists and infidels but do not treat them unjustly."


FIFTH GRADE

"Whoever obeys the Prophet and accepts the oneness of God cannot maintain a loyal friendship with those who oppose God and His Prophet, even if they are his closest relatives."

"It is forbidden for a Muslim to be a loyal friend to someone who does not believe in God and His Prophet, or someone who fights the religion of Islam."

"A Muslim, even if he lives far away, is your brother in religion. Someone who opposes God, even if he is your brother by family tie, is your enemy in religion."


SIXTH GRADE

"Just as Muslims were successful in the past when they came together in a sincere endeavor to evict the Christian crusaders from Palestine, so will the Arabs and Muslims emerge victorious, God willing, against the Jews and their allies if they stand together and fight a true jihad for God, for this is within God's power."


EIGHTH GRADE

"As cited in Ibn Abbas: The apes are Jews, the people of the Sabbath; while the swine are the Christians, the infidels of the communion of Jesus."

"God told His Prophet, Muhammad, about the Jews, who learned from parts of God's book [the Torah and the Gospels] that God alone is worthy of worship. Despite this, they espouse falsehood through idol-worship, soothsaying, and sorcery. In doing so, they obey the devil. They prefer the people of falsehood to the people of the truth out of envy and hostility. This earns them condemnation and is a warning to us not to do as they did."

"They are the Jews, whom God has cursed and with whom He is so angry that He will never again be satisfied [with them]."

"Some of the people of the Sabbath were punished by being turned into apes and swine. Some of them were made to worship the devil, and not God, through consecration, sacrifice, prayer, appeals for help, and other types of worship. Some of the Jews worship the devil. Likewise, some members of this nation worship the devil, and not God."

"Activity: The student writes a composition on the danger of imitating the infidels."


NINTH GRADE

"The clash between this [Muslim] community (umma) and the Jews and Christians has endured, and it will continue as long as God wills."

"It is part of God's wisdom that the struggle between the Muslim and the Jews should continue until the hour [of judgment]."

"Muslims will triumph because they are right. He who is right is always victorious, even if most people are against him."


TENTH GRADE

The 10th-grade text on jurisprudence teaches that life for non-Muslims (as well as women, and, by implication, slaves) is worth a fraction of that of a "free Muslim male." Blood money is retribution paid to the victim or the victim's heirs for murder or injury:

"Blood money for a free infidel. [Its quantity] is half of the blood money for a male Muslim, whether or not he is 'of the book' or not 'of the book' (such as a pagan, Zoroastrian, etc.).

"Blood money for a woman: Half of the blood money for a man, in accordance with his religion. The blood money for a Muslim woman is half of the blood money for a male Muslim, and the blood money for an infidel woman is half of the blood money for a male infidel."


ELEVENTH GRADE

"The greeting 'Peace be upon you' is specifically for believers. It cannot be said to others."

"If one comes to a place where there is a mixture of Muslims and infidels, one should offer a greeting intended for the Muslims."

"Do not yield to them [Christians and Jews] on a narrow road out of honor and respect."


TWELFTH GRADE

"Jihad in the path of God -- which consists of battling against unbelief, oppression, injustice, and those who perpetrate it -- is the summit of Islam. This religion arose through jihad and through jihad was its banner raised high. It is one of the noblest acts, which brings one closer to God, and one of the most magnificent acts of obedience to God."

Need I say any more ?

 

[Rambuchan]

However overblown the response to this may be, and it certainly is, let's just remember that Kalpana Singh and Arkbird Publications have acted erroneously also.

It seems a bit idiotic that a book which seeks to educate children about the founder of Islam should be so mistaken as to not observe the common understanding that the Prophet Mohammed should not be depicted pictorially. As such, I think it makes complete sense for the book with its illustration to be pulled. But I also think that calling for their arrest is going a bit too far.

 

[Winner]

When was it ever surprising, and why should it ever have been?

If one isn't familiar with Islamic rules and warped logic, it may be very surprising. But after that idiotic cartoon row, it is just another stupidity coming from the Islamic world (well, technically India isn't an Islamic country, but it has large Muslim population that would like it to be one).

 

[Pasi Nurminen]

1) Could you supply a link?

2) Already you're just slandering muslims and nationbashing, borderline racism. Your last post wasn't appropriate in the least. I sense a lock coming.

 

[Winner]

2) Already you're just slandering muslims and nationbashing, borderline racism. Your last post wasn't appropriate in the least. I sense a lock coming.

So if he, for example, criticized the Germans and their support for Nazism during the WW2, would it be a racist assault on German nation? By your logic, yes

 

[Narz]

It really hurts my feelings that the Muslims won't accept me.

There was this Muslim dude at a bike messenger company I worked for who told me stories about what would happen if I didn't believe in God. His painted some pretty elaborate pictures. He said the pain of hell would be as if my penis was streched to be a hundred miles long and cut constantly with a hundred thousand little razor blades. He went on and on like this. He was a likable enough chap though besdies his religious ramblings. I suppose I'd be happy too if I thought I was going to spend eternity with seven-three virgins or whatever.

Come to think of it, what happens when they de-flower the 73 virgins? Do they get a batch of 73 new ones or do they just settle down and marry the 73? Can they swap wives with their pals who also reside with the royal Pimp (Allah) in heaven?

 

[Pasi Nurminen]

So if he, for example, criticized the Germans and their support for Nazism during the WW2, would it be a racist assault on German nation? By your logic, yes

No, but read his second post in this thread. To me, that's nationbashing (at least), and borderline racism. It's not the first time we've seen it from aneeshm (just look at your own sig).

 

[Winner]

Come to think of it, what happens when they de-flower the 73 virgins? Do they get a batch of 73 new ones or do they just settle down and marry the 73? Can they swap wives with their pals who also reside with the royal Pimp (Allah) in heaven?

There is a thread about that.

 

[Winner]

No, but read his second post in this thread. To me, that's nationbashing (at least), and borderline racism. It's not the first time we've seen it from aneeshm (just look at your own sig).

Well, I don't see anything bad on that quote I have used for my signature. It is just very accurate description of Islam in its pure form.

As for the second post, again, what is wrong with that? As long as it is true, it is not racist, it is alarming.

 

[Pasi Nurminen]

Well, I don't see anything bad on that quote I have used for my signature. It is just very accurate description of Islam in its pure form.

As for the second post, again, what is wrong with that? As long as it is true, it is not racist, it is alarming.

Without a link? I consider posting articles or text clearly intending on slandering a certain group or nationality without citing credible sources as defamation.

"...pure form." I don't think I really need to say anything to that.

 

[aneeshm]

I was wondering when you would post this, and yes I actually agree with you.

Repeated irritation can rouse the mildest man .

These bloody religous minorties really need to stop trying to impose their bloody will on the entire country.

I'd rather you not call them "bloody minorities" , because that could be open to misinterpretation . But yes , their self-styled leaders do create one hell of a nuisance in public discourse .

That goes for the Chrstians and the Muslims. Just another instance of them trying to impose their relious views on others, and encroach on the freedom of expression, print, and speech.

The problem is , they have grown used to a weak government bowing before their every frivolous demand .

First Muhhamd Cartoons, then Da Vinci Code, and now children textbbooks? Bloody hell.

As you say , "bloody hell" !

 

[Narz]

There is a thread about that.

-L-i-n-k-?-

 

[silver 2039]

"...pure form." I don't think I really need to say anything to that.

That is actually true. Dar-Al-Islam and Dar-Al-Harab and Dar-Al-Kufr are all mentioned in the Quaran and Hadith. Dar-Al-Islam is the house of Islam Dar-Al-Harab the house of war the only state that can exist with infdel. And Dar-Al-Kufr house of the infidel.

 

[Rambuchan]

aneeshm: I'm just wondering how you would feel about a school text book coming out that told the story of Rama and Sita, whilst depicting them celebrating their reunion with a nice, fat, juicy rump steak?

 

[Winner]

Without a link? I consider posting articles or text clearly intending on slandering a certain group or nationality without citing credible sources as defamation.

If there was a link, would you be concerned, or not?

I sense that you simply don't want to listen/read anything, that can possibly offend or criticize some group of people. That's called political correctness.

In my opinion, the fact that pointing out certain negative aspects of some belief, ideology or culture, may be offensive to certain group of people connected to such belief, ideology or culture, can't hinder you from doing it. Otherwise, your freedom of speech is seriously limited and you in fact aid such negative aspects.

I am afraid, that if the nazism was a new ideology and we hadn't any previous experience with it, the politically correct people wouldn't dare to criticize it, because they could offend the nazis.

"...pure form." I don't think I really need to say anything to that.

I am afraid I don't get it. Is there something wrong with the word "pure", something what I don't realize?

 

[aneeshm]

1) Could you supply a link?

I was disturbed enough by this story to type it out . I seems that the uber-"liberal" media , so as not to hurt the sentiments of the Muslims , have put up a slightly more "sympathetic" version of this story on the internet , where the utter ridiculousness does not come out so strongly . The link is here .

2) Already you're just slandering muslims and nationbashing, borderline racism. Your last post wasn't appropriate in the least. I sense a lock coming.

Excuse me ? Slander ? Nationbashing ? Just how exactly did I "slander[sic] Muslims" ? And how am I nationbashing ? Which nation , exactly , did I "bash" ? And which race , pray , is the recipient of my . . . uh , "racism" ?

I sense . . . . . nothing coming .