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September 12th, 2012
12:06 PM ET
Ambassador's killing shines light on Muslim sensitivities around Prophet MohammedBy Dan Gilgoff and Eric Marrapodi, CNN Belief Blog Co-Editors (CNN) – Violence over depictions of the Prophet Mohammed may mystify many non-Muslims, but it speaks to a central tenet of Islam: that the Prophet was a man, not God, and that portraying him threatens to lead to worshiping a human instead of Allah. “It's all rooted in the notion of idol worship,” says Akbar Ahmed, who chairs the Islamic Studies department at American University. “In Islam, the notion of God versus any depiction of God or any sacred figure is very strong." “The Prophet himself was aware that if people saw his face portrayed by people, they would soon start worshiping him,” Ahmed says. “So he himself spoke against such images, saying ‘I’m just a man.’” The prohibition against such portrayals was on stark display Tuesday, as mobs in Egypt and Libya attacked U.S. compounds in response to a film that vilifies the Prophet Mohammed, who founded Islam in the 7th century. The attack on the U.S. personnel in Benghazi, Libya, was orchestrated by extremists who used the protests as a diversion, U.S. sources told CNN Wednesday. The attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi killed J. Christopher Stevens, Washington's ambassador to Libya, as well as three other Americans at the compound. Follow the CNN Belief Blog on Twitter The film that’s believed to have inspired the violence depicts the Prophet Mohammed as a child molester, womanizer and ruthless killer, going a big step beyond violating the basic Muslim prohibition against depicting the Prophet, even in a favorable light. There are questions about who is behind the movie. Initial reports identified a supposedly Israeli-American real-estate developer named Sam Bacile, but it's unclear if that person even exists. A member of the film's production staff told CNN that the producer's name was listed as Abenob Nakoula Basseley. In Sunni mosques, the largest branch of the faith, there are no images of people of any kind. The spaces are often decorated with verses from the Quran. CNN’s Belief Blog: The faith angles behind the biggest stories Mohamed Magid, an imam who leads the Islamic Society of North America, says the Muslim prohibition on depicting prophets extends to Jesus and Moses, who Islam treats as prophets. “Pictures and images are prohibited from being worshiped,” Magid says. There have been historical instances of Muslims depicting the Prophet, says Omid Safi, a religious studies professor at the University of North Carolina who has studied the issue. "We have had visual depictions of the Prophet in the form of miniatures and pictures in the Iranian context, the Turkish context, the central Asian Context,” says Safi, author of the book "Memories of Mohammed." “The one significant context where depictions of the Prophet have not been image-related has been in the Arab context.” “As you go farther east, away from the Arabian Peninsula, you find depictions of the prophet in art,” said Johari Abdul-Malik, the imam for Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center in Falls Church, Virginia. He noted that images of the teachings of the prophet were sometimes used to bridge gaps in illiteracy. But even depictions of the Prophet by Muslim artists has been a sensitive issue. Akbar, a former Pakistani ambassador to the United Kingdom, says that Muslim artists in the 15th and 16th centuries would depict the Prophet but took pains to avoid drawing his face. “It would be as if he was wearing a veil on his face, so the really orthodox could not object – that was the solution they found," Akbar says. In a Muslim film called “The Messenger,” which circulated throughout the Muslim world in the 1970s and 1980s, the Prophet is depicted only as a shadow. Adbul-Malik said that in the Quran, there is “no statement from the prophet requesting his image not be recorded.” The passages relating to a ban on creating images of the prophets come from the hadith, recordings of the sayings of the Prophet Mohammed and his closest companions. The hadith is not viewed on the same plane as the Quran but as important to understanding the Quran. Scholars of religion say Muslim opposition to portraying Mohammed wasn’t generally violated in earlier centuries because of a gulf between much of the Muslim world and the West. In the age of globalization, non-Muslims and critics of Islam have felt free to depict Mohammed, including in offensive ways. In 2006, a Danish cartoonist’s depiction of the Prophet wearing a bomb as a turban with a lit fuse provoked demonstrations across the world. Akbar says that until relatively recently, depictions of Jesus tended to be reverential, but Christianity has had a decades-long head start in dealing with negative portrayals of Jesus in film and art. soundoff (4,725 Responses)« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 Next » |
  About this blog
The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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An honest question for Muslims (and correct any wrong assumptions I make):
If I insult Mohammed, then God will punish me, and only me. God will not punish someone else for my blasphemy. So no one else suffers any consequences for my actions.
If that is the case, why do others get involved and why are laws passed making it illegal? Isn't my blasphemy (and subsequent consequences) between God and me?
good question. but u know that the answer is that these laws r passed to suppress the thinking that elucidates the same kind of questions as u posited! ;]
Note to Muslims: Why in the world would you expect people of other religions to follow your teachings? You don't like depictions of your prophet? Fine, but it's time to wake up and discover you're in the 21st century. There is a world full of people out there who do not share your beliefs and should not feel bound by them, just as you are not bound by theirs. I agree this movie sounds hateful, but for crying out loud, those of you who get so spun up about it are making all of you look like babies. Strongly condemn these violent actions and you will gain more acceptance.
Attacks like these are by no means justified. But its utterly shocking to see how a man (an Israeli ofcourse) can make a movie that not only depicts the prophet Mohammad (PBUH), but shows him "as a child molester, womanizer and ruthless killer". Especially since renowned non Muslims historians, scholars, writers, etc. have praised him throughout history, and have referred him as the kindest, most truthful, most influential and most successful human in history. People who make films like that need to be educated, and should be blamed for all the violence that results from their ignorant actions. After all, even if only 0.1% of Muslims react violently to it (which they shouldn't), it's still over 2,000,000 people! Its people like this Sam Bacile who incite violence, hatred, and worst of all – MISCONCEPTIONS. May God guide this poor man. Sam Bacile is the reason why American flags are being burned. Just like the US arrests/deports people who threaten homeland security, Bacile too should be treated the same way. He has incited hatred towards the US which not only lead to the deaths of 4 Americans, but has also threatened the lives of Americans all over the world.
Your religion is the source of the problem
really? So why don't I see Christians killng people like Bill Maher or Penn and Teller on their attacks on Christianity? HOw about that "religiosity" movie....how many pictures have I seen of Jesus holding a beer, or Jesus on Broadway..
The West, in their misguided effort to be "culturally sensitive" under the multiculturist agenda, has inadvertantly emboldened Islamists to demand more and more restrictions to free speech to render any critical speech mute when it comes to THEIR beliefs...
Every year we see more and more of this violent behavior ineffect bullying the West into implementing their Sharia-based blasphemy laws... Time for the West to grow a spine and call a spade a spade... FREE SPEECH is under attack, the West must stand and defend it with all their might...
"but shows him (muham_mad) "as a child molester, womanizer and ruthless killer".
"renowned non Muslims historians, scholars, writers, etc. have praised him (muham_mad) throughout history, and have referred him as the kindest, most truthful, most influential and most successful human in history."
WHat a load of crap. People who support muham_mad and what he did always post generic statements like these. But why do u ignore the facts?? Muham_mad married aisha at 6 and consummated the marriage when she was 9. Look it up, its on wikipedia as well. So was Muham_mad a pedophile and child molester? CHECK.
Quran sura 4:34 -> ... and a man should not be asked why he beat his wife.
So was muham_mad an advocate of wife beating (aka womanizer)? CHECK.
muham_mad raided the jewish tribes and in one instance which is recorded in the hadith, he killed the 2 jewish tribe leaders with torture because he thought they were hiding the gold from him. He held one by burning fire at his chest to make him confess, and beheaded the other in front of the jewish mans wife and daughters. Then that night he proceeded to have s_e_x with that jewish mans daughters and wife. Ruthless killer and crazy idiot muham_mad u say? CHECK.
I'm sorry, so where is your confusion exactly when u have to answer to facts?
"""Bacile said he wanted to showcase his view of Islam as a hateful religion"""
Mission Accomplished, I'd say.
It seems rather foolish that Muslims would kill innocent people to protest idolatry..
Which is more worthy of outrage – the threat of idolatry or the taking of innocent human life?
"Which is more worthy of outrage – the threat of idolatry or the taking of innocent human life?"
You're asking a believer to use logic around the use of his or her chosen religion? Good luck with that.
Islam is a backward primitive religion with uneducated simple followers. The bane of the world!
Should I see a billboard depicting Mohammed erected, I will convert myself into an atheist.
It's the best way of saying, I'll never let myself turn into a coward and gutless jerk.
LOL. Filled with fear you are.
@ atheists are bunch of cowards and gutless jerks. Really? Are you man enough to take me on? I'd gladdy kick your a$$ up between your shoulder blades. I'd enjoy doing it to0. You talk big, but If we should meet, I won't.
Should I see an atheist billboard depicting Mohammed or bashing Islam , I will convert myself into an atheist.
It's the best way of saying, I'll never let myself to turn into a coward and gutless jerk.
really? Let's talk big and bad behind our keyboards. Are you freakin' serious ? to take some troll seriously?
@tuvia
You sound so brave, then why not make yourself and your fellow valiant fellow atheists to go out and bash Mohammed and/or Islam in the open. Than hiding yourselves and your bigmouths behind this anonymous board forever?
You cannot really insult us.
I don't know about you guys buy I'm ready to kill me some muslims....
Be careful what you say on the blogs.
Whenever I encounter an article saying that I have to try harder to understand Islam, my first reaction is "Oh God, what did they blow up this time?"
No to Islamic blasphemy laws in free Western countries.
Whenever I encounter an article saying that I have to try harder to understand Christianity, my first reaction is "Oh God, who did they invaded this time?"
Admit it, Islam is the bane of the civilized world. Islam is a Satanic religion having been propagated by the simpleton Mohammed who was tricked by Satan himself into letting Mohammed believe that he is God.
yes sir you have it........
These Muslims are sensitive because once you put a light on their "Prophet" ugly truths emerge...including his marriage to a 6 year old girl. Thats why they murder and intimidate. Ask Salman Rushdie...ask all the media who are to afraid to talk. Ask the authors and publishers who are to afraid to write these things.
OK i get that, however some also protray my Jesus as gay too and i dont go nuts and burn buildings and chase down those that said it.....its their choice and they will either repent or pay.. Gosh ...Christians are beated, killed daily around the world for their faith and yet we dont act like this.....reallly..
"Christians are beated, killed daily around the world for their faith and yet we dont act like this."
Most muslims don't act this way either. And let's not paint xtianity as a religion of peace – there are a number of xtian terrorist organizations that are active today. And there's there's the last 2000 years of history to work off of.
You both worship a war god. I'm shocked, frankly, that people don't expect this kind of stuff.
Who cares about their sensitivities! This is murder!
amen dude.......amen!
All killings are murder, that includes war.
I agree this is murder , muslims are giving thier religon a bad name.
Lets send Romney over there with his magic underwear to give them muslims a good old fashioned beat down, mormon-style!
weeeelllll...we do what think is our right by insulting their prophet then label it "free speech". They do what they think is right by killing us. Maybe, we should have a little more respect to others and stop thinking that the world revolves around us. No wonder they hate us. We insult them, their religion, their prophet, steal their oil, kill their women, execute their children, then expect them to act more civilized?
Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...SENSITIVE?
How about fascist, fanatical, racist, intolerant and uncivilized?
You must be talking about xtians.
The West made a critical error when they tolerated the stupidity of the violence/riots associated with the Mo-cartoon incident years ago... in their effort to be "culturally sensitive" under the multiculturist agenda, the West inadvertantly emboldened Islamists to demand more and more restrictions to free speech to render any critical speech mute when it comes to THEIR beliefs...
Every year we see more and more of this violent behavior ineffect bullying the West into implementing their Sharia-based blasphemy laws... Time for the West to grow a spine and call a spade a spade... FREE SPEECH is under attack, the West must stand and defend it with all their might...
Amen, Brother!
they dont want free speech, they want to control the world and all in it.........Stand up America and the WEST to remain free or fall!
Troll.....
Because they are starting to release they have been following a false prophet for 1400 years and are embarrassed?
ALL RELIGION= Cancer
"Amen" to that!
Muslims need to understand that without free speech they will never be free. The saying, "Sticks and stones will break my bones, but names will never hurt me." Is the very foundation of freedom in the west, and also the foundation of its strength. The only appropriate response to an insult is to denounce it, or to ignore it. Beyond that is criminal far beyond that committed by one who insults.
I'll bet they would be really sensitive 25 mega-tons of nuclear hell.
Muslims are the scourge of the world.
Wait until the Mormons are let loose.
That secular football coach went to church every Sunday.