Tarek Fatah Asks, "What Would Prophet Muhammad Have Done?"

February 4, 2006

Source: Muslim Wake Up!

http://www.muslimwakeup.com/main/archives/2006/02/what_would_prop.php#more

On February 4, 2006 Muslim Wake Up! ran an opinion piece by Tarek Fatah, host of a weekly TV show on CTS-TV, The Muslim Chronicle, and the communication director of the Muslim Canadian Congress. Fatah writes, "Keep to forgiveness (O Muhammad), and enjoin kindness, and turn away from the ignorant. - The Qur'an, Chapter 7, Verse 199. During his lifetime, Prophet Muhammad endured insults and ridicule on a daily basis. His opponents mocked his message and used physical violence to stop him from challenging the status quo. At no stage during this ordeal did the Prophet lose his temper or react to these provocations. Tradition has it that he would, instead, offer a prayer of forgiveness to those who showed contempt for him. Today, however, many followers of Prophet Muhammad are acting the exact opposite. Reacting to the provocative Danish cartoons about the Prophet, they are burning newspapers, threatening journalists, issuing bomb threats, yet claiming they are standing up for the Prophet himself. I have seen the cartoons published by the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten. There is no question they are meant to hurt the feelings of Muslims. As I saw them, I had to restrain my anger... Having said that, the way some Muslims have reacted to the provocation leaves a lot to be desired. Provoked, they walked blindfolded into a trap set for them, and came out worse than what they started with."