PATIENCE INSTEAD OF REACTION — Fundamental teaching of Islam

PATIENCE INSTEAD OF REACTION Contrary to common belief, Islam does not teach its adherents to react against issues such as that of Salman Rushdie and the cartoon issue. Islam teaches patience in the fullest sense of the word. O N the publication of the The Satanic Verses, by Salman Rushdie in 1988, Muslim reaction was to have him killed forthwith; he had committed an unpardonable offense against Islam and the Prophet. All over the world, Muslims demanded his head. They were not prepared to settle for anything less than that. In a similar incident, when the Denmark cartoon was published, Muslims reacted in much the same manner. In the modern age, all campaigns are spread like wildfire. Reactions such as these give the impression that Muslims are vengeful and violent people. Consequently, in certain Western countries notice boards are put saying, “Beware of Muslims”. This shows the extreme fear engendered by the Muslim fundamentalist threat worldwide. In all fairness one can ask, 'Is this Islam?' Never! God has been represented in Islam as an All-Merciful, and the Prophet has been proclaimed the Prophet of Mercy. It is ironical that in the name of such a magnanimous religion, a certain section of the fundamentalists could not appreciate such sentiments; far less, promote them. Islam can never incite people to committing murder in the name of religion, simply because someone has written a book or publishes a cartoon which ruffles their emotions. In the days of the Prophet, a large number of Rushdie’s and cartoon publishers existed, but none of them were beheaded or protested against for having insulted Islam and its Prophet. On the contrary, in the times of the Prophet, the principle of countering words with words was followed. That is why those who spoke out against Islam—no matter to what lengths they went—were not penalised in any way. All that happened was that the Prophet appointed a poet called Hassan to give a befitting answer in verse to the offenders, poetry being the main mode of public expression and sentiments. This is the example we should follow for the resolution of all such problems in true Islamic spirit and earlier traditions.