Official Statment From Rochdale Committee for Islamic Affairs
Muslims around the world have took to the streets protesting and boycotting Danish products following a series of satirical cartoons ridiculing the prophet Muhammad (saw). The Danish Prime Minister, Anders Fogh Rasmussen's, has refused to meet the ambassadors of 11 Muslim countries to discuss censuring the Jyllands-Posten paper.
Carsten Juste, the editor of the newspaper, has apologized on but emphasizes that he apologizes for offending people, but not for publishing the cartoons. Muslim organisations have demanded an apology, but the editor has rejected this idea. He said “We live in a democracy. That’s why we can use all the journalistic methods we want to” he said.
The following points are what we would like the Muslims of Rochdale to observe
The rank of the Prophet of Islam in the heart of a Muslim cannot be described in words. This love and admiration for him can only be tasted when a person enters the fold of Islam and works to emulate his actions. The publications have deeply offended Muslims throughout the whole of the world who share these sentiments.
The caricatures of the Prophet of Islam, is an insult and abuse about a people’s beliefs. Such behaviors are not the characteristics of a people who value tolerance and wish to create civilised societies.
Muslims have played a pivotal role in Europe for decades, living side by side, peacefully with all members of society, as this is their Islamic duty. The repeated publication in many European countries has not served to recognize this, but has worked to strike discord amongst communities and the 20 million Muslims residing in Europe .
How can the publications be justified under the pre-text of entitlement to free speech but at the same time laws are being designed to curtail any discussion about illegal occupation of Muslim lands like Palestine and Iraq ? Muslims living in the west are highlighting these discrepancies
Muslims of Rochdale will air their feelings within the framework of the law against such distasteful publications
Written and Submitted by Majed Iqbal on 8th Feb 2006
