REACTION TO PROVOCATION — Absolutely Un-Islamic

REACTION TO PROVOCATION Absolutely Un-Islamic Contrary to common belief, Islam does not teach its adherents to react against issues such as the Rushdie and the cartoon issue. Islam teaches patience in the fullest sense of the word. On the publication of the Satanic verses by Salman Rushdie, the 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, the Muslims reacted in much the same manner. In the modern age, all campaigns are spread like wildfire. Reactions such 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 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 had written a book or published a cartoon which ruffled their emotions. In fact, this is not the religion of Islam: It is the religion of certain bigoted Muslims. Islam can never incite people to murder simply because someone had written a book or published a cartoon that ruffled their emotions. In the days of the Prophet a large number of people existed who said many insulting things to the Prophet, but none of them were beheaded or protested against for the offence of insulting 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