The Danish Cartoon Crisis - Declaration on behalf of Muslim Religious Leaders

What do Muslim scholars and leaders say about the Danish cartoon crisis?

Source: www.duaatalislam.com

In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate

All praise is due to God, and may He send His blessings and salutations upon our master, Muhammad, as well as upon his kin and companions.

The events in Denmark concerning the Messenger of God represent an aggressive act that has violated the highest sanctities of the Muslim people. Moreover it is devastating to the ideal of convivial dialogue between peoples, as enjoined in the Quranic verse which reads, 'And We created you as nations and tribes that you might know one another'.

In consequence, we affirm the following:

1. We hold up the hand of the nation that has come to the aid of the Messenger of God, as this response on their part demonstrates that it is a nation that is still very much alive. We also point out that this "aid" should mirror the moral code of the Prophet as reflected by the actions of his followers.

2. We call upon the Danish government and the Danish people to yield to the large number of objective and sincere voices emanating from within their society, by apologizing, and condemning and bringing an end to this attack. This is to ensure that Denmark is not isolated from the global community, a community that upholds the kind of freedom that prevents it from attacking and desecrating religious symbols or provoking animosity and antagonism towards any religion or race. We also extend this call to the countries that defended this attack, as there is no society today that advocates an unaccountable freedom without putting in place measures of regulation so as to prevent harm to come to others. Of course, societies differ in their levels of regulation.

3. We affirm here that freedom of ideas is a right guaranteed by the teachings of our noble religion to those who seek clarification or desire to engage in dialogue provided that no abuse is intended, in consonance with the Quranic directive: 'And argue with them in the most courteous way'. This point has been agreed upon by all rationally-minded people and is stated clearly and categorically in the agreements on human rights.

4. We appeal to all Muslims to exercise self-restraint in accordance with the teachings of Islam and we reject countering an act of aggression by acts not sanctioned in Islam, such as breaking treaties and breaching time-honoured agreements by attacking foreign embassies or innocent people and other targets. Such violent reactions can lead to a distortion of the just and balanced nature of our request or even to our isolation from the global dialogue. The support that we give to our Prophet will not be given by flouting his teachings.

5. We highly esteem the unprejudiced stance taken by some religious authorities who have condemned this heinous assault. We also emphasize not holding non-Muslims accountable, whether in Muslim countries or elsewhere, for the crime committed by those who have insulted the Prophet. This principle finds its roots in the Quranic verses: 'And no soul shall bear the burden of another' and 'Is the reward for good anything but good?'

6. We call upon the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) as well as Muslim countries and governments and the international community to press the United Nations to issue a declaration criminalizing any insult to Muhammad, Jesus or Moses or to any other revered prophetic figure.

7. We also take this opportunity to remind the Muslims about the necessity and importance of reviving their connection with the beloved Prophet by loving him, following his example, and embodying his moral character and noble guidance. This rising-up by the Muslims in support of the Prophet should not constitute a mere reflex that ends when the occasion ends. Rather, this vocation should forever remain alive within the Muslim people.

8. We further emphasize that it is our duty and responsibility to carry on the global dialogue and acquaint others with our Prophet by disseminating and making known his character traits, noble qualities and high moral standards. This dissemination should be manifested in both oral and written form, but most importantly it should be manifested in our conduct and interaction with others. It is also imperative that the relevant institutions as well as people of means fulfil their responsibility by supporting these efforts.

We ask God to enable us to successfully carry out that which He loves and that which pleases Him.

Signatories of the Declaration

Abdullah bin Bayyah - Professor in King Abdalaziz University Jeddah (Mauritania)

Abdullah Fadaq - Well Known Islamic Spokesperson (Saudi Arabia)

Abdal Hakim Murad Winter - Sh. Zayed Lecturer, Islamic Studies, College of Divinity, Cambridge University

Abla Muhammad al-Kahlawia - Dean of Islamic & Arabic Studies College at Azhar University, Port Said (Egypt)

Abu Bakr Ahmad al-Milibari - Secretary General of Ahl al-Sunna Association (India)

Abu Bakr al-Adani bin Ali al-Mashur - General Director of Islamic Tarbiya League (Yemen)

Ahmad al-Kubaysi - Well Known Islamic spokesperson (Iraq)

Ahmad Badr al-Din Hassun - General Mufti of the Syrian Arab Republic (Syria)

Ahmad bin Hamad al-Khalili - General Mufti of the Sultanate of Oman (Oman)

Ahmad Nur Sayf - Director of Islamic Sciences & Research Institute (UAE)

A'id al-Qarni - Well Known Islamic Scholar (Saudi Arabia)

Ali Jumua - Grand Mufti of the Arab Republic of Egypt (Egypt)

Ali Zain al-Abidin al-Jifri - Well Known Islamic Scholar (Yemen)

Amr Khaled - Well known Islamic Spokesperson

Anzar Shah Kashmiri - Head of Ulama of Deoband (India)

Faruq Hamada - Professor of Hadith Studies, Muhammad V University (Morocco)

Haji Muhammad Shafi Huzami - Renowned Islamic Scholar of Jakarta (Indonesia)

Hamdan Muslim al-Mazrui - Assistant Undersecretary for Islamic Affairs in Ministry of Endowments (UAE)

Hamza Yusuf - Well Known Islamic Scholar, Director of Zaytuna Institute (USA)

Hasan al-Saffar - Shiite Islamic Spokesperson (Saudi Arabia)

Hiba Raouf Izzat - Lecturer in College of Economics and Political Science, Cairo University (Egypt)

Ikrimah Sabri - Mufti of Jerusalem (Palestine)

Jasim al-Mutawwaa - Head of Iqra Satellite Channel (Kuwait)

Kaya Hajji Abdullah Faqih - Head of Langitano Academy, Islamic Scholar, East Java (Indonesia)

Khalid al-Jundi - Well Known Islamic Scholar (Egypt)

Larbi Kachat - Director of Dawah Mosque and Head of the Islamic Cultural Center, Paris (France)

Muhammad Akhtar Rida al-Azhari - Head of Barelwi Ulama (India)

Muhammad al-Alwini - Head of European Academy of Islamic Culture & Sciences, Brussels (Belgium)

Muhammad Ali Taskhiri - Secretary General of the International Assembly for Understanding between the Islamic Sects (Iran)

Muhammad bin Muhammad al-Mansur - Islamic Scholar of the Zaydi branch (Yemen)

Muhammad Husayn Fadlallah - Well known Shiite Scholar (Lebanon)

Muhammad Rashid Qabbani - General Mufti of Lebanon (Lebanon)

Muhammad Saeed Ramadan al-Bouti - Department Chair of Theology, University of Damascus (Syria)

Muhammad Tahir al-Qadiri - Founder of Minhaj ul-Quran International Organization (Pakistan)

Mustafa bin Hamza - Professor of Islamic Law, Muhammad I University, (Morocco)

Nuh Ali Salman al-Qudat - Well known scholar of Jordan, former Mufti of the Jordanian Army (Jordan)

Saeed AbdalHafiz Hijjawi - General Mufti of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (Jordan)

Salman al-Awda - General Supervisor of "Islam Today" Institution (Saudi Arabia)

Tariq al-Suweidan - Well Known Islamic Spokesperson (Kuwait)

Umar bin Muhammad bin Salem bin Hafeez - Dean of Dar al-Mustafa Institute, Hadramawt (Yemen)

Wahba al-Zuhayli - Department Chair of Islamic Jurisprudence, College of Islamic Law, Damascus University (Syria)

Yasmin Mahmud Khalil al-Husary - Head of Husary Islamic Foundation (Egypt)

The Declaration in Arabic

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

بيان دعاة المسلمين

الحمد لله وصلى الله على سيدنا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه وسلّم ،

وبعد:

فإنّ ما جرى من تجَرُؤٍ على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلّم في أحداث الدنمارك جريمةُ اعتداءٍ تمسّ مقدسات الأمة وهو أمر غير مقبول، كما أنه تخريب لمسيرة التعارف الحضاري بين البشر.
(وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ شُعُوباً وَقَبَآئِلَ لِتَعَارَفُواْ ) (الحجرات: من الآية13).
وعليه:

1-

فإننا نشدّ على يد الأمة التي هبّت لنصرة رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلّم - وهو أمر يؤكد أنّ هذه الأمةَ أمةٌ حية - كما أننا ننبّه على أن تكون هذه النصرة مرآةً لنهج الحبيب صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم من خلال تصرفات أمته.

2-

وندعو الدنمارك حكومةً وشعباً إلى الاستجابة للأصوات المنصفة والناضجة التي انبثقت من داخل مجتمعها معتذرةً وداعيةً إلى إدانة هذا التعدي وإيقافه حتى لا تعيش الدنمارك عزلة عن مسيرة المجتمع الدولي الذي يُدْرِج ضمن حدود الحريات ما يمنعها من التعدي على المقدسات الدينية أو إثارة الكراهية ضد دين أو عرق. وكذلك نوجه هذه الدعوة إلى الدول التي دافعت عن هذا التعدي، على أنه لا يوجد اليوم مجتمع يُقرّ الحرية غير المسؤولة دون أن يضع لهذه الحرية ضوابط تحول بينها وبين الإضرار بالغير، ثم تتفاوت المجتمعات في هذه الضوابط.

3- وإننا هنا نؤكد أن حرية الرأي مكفولة في ديننا الحنيف لمن أراد أن يستوضح أو أن يحاور شريطة عدم الإساءة ( وَجَادِلْهُم بِالَّتِى هِىَ أَحْسَنُ ) و هذا ما اتفق على قَبوله عقلاء البشر ونصت عليه اتفاقيات حقوق الإنسان.

4-

ومع هذا فإننا ندعو المسلمين إلى الانضباط بضوابط الشرع الحنيف ونرفض مقابلة الإساءة بما لا يجيزه شرعنا من نقض العهود والمواثيق المحترمة في شريعتنا بالاعتداء على السفارات أو الاعتداء على الأنفس المؤمَّنة وأمثالها من الأعمال غير المرضية والتي قد تشوه عدالة مطالبنا أو تتسبب في عزلنا عن مخاطبة العالم. فإن نصرة نبيّنا لا تكون بمخالفة شرعه.

5-

وإننا هنا نثمّن المواقف المنصفة التي صدرت عن عدد من المراجع الدينية مستنكرة هذا التعدي الشائن مما يدعو إلى التأكيد على عدم أخذ غير المسلمين في بلادنا وخارجها بجريرة الذين أساؤوا إلى النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم وذلك عملاً بقوله تعالى (وَلاَ تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَى ) وقوله عز وجل ( هَلْ جَزَآءُ الإِحْسَانِ إِلاَّ الإِحْسَانُ ).

6-

كما أننا ندعو منظمة المؤتمر الإسلامي ومن ورائها دولنا وحكوماتنا وكذلك المجتمع الدولي إلى العمل على استصدار قرار من هيئة الأمم المتحدة يجرّم الإساءة إلى نبي الله محمد أو نبي الله عيسى أو نبي الله موسى بل إلى سائر أنبياء الله عليهم السلام.

7-

وإننا هنا نُذكّر الأمة بضرورة إحياء الصلة بالحبيب المصطفى صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم محبةً وإتباعاً وإحياءً لأخلاقه وهديه الشريف. وأن لا يكون انـتهاضهم للنصرة مجرد ردةِ فعلٍ تنتهي بانتهاء الحدث، بل ينبغي أن يكون هذا الأمر حياً في الأمة ما بقيت.

8-

ونؤكد على أنّ واجبنا الآن هو الانتقال إلى مرحلة تعريف الأمم بنبيّنا عبر نشر أخلاقه وأوصافه وشمائله إلقاءً وكتابةً وقبل ذلك كله ومعه وبعده سلوكاً ومعاملةً وأن تقوم المؤسسات المعنيّة وأصحاب الإمكانيات بواجبهم في دعم هذا التعريف.

1.

هذا ونسأل الله كمال التوفيق لما يحبه ويرضاه

والسلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته