Ahmetova L. S.
Senior
Lecturer, MA in History
Kostanay
state university named after A. Baytursynov
Kazakhstan,
Kostanay
Principles of political
freedom and religious feeling in the modern world.
In
recent years, the conflicts between
supporters of the liberal and democratic values and believers from various
confessions often occur. The liberals believe that democracy and freedom of
speech must cover all areas of human existence, including attitude towards
religion. But religious figures come against disregard of the feelings of
believers and demand respect for themselves and the values they adhere.
Simultaneously there is also the political background of all these processes.
The most famous world scandals have erupted for the last time in connection
with the caricatures of the prophet Muhammad, published in the weekly Parisian
magazine Charlie Hebdo, which have led to vehement protests by Muslims,
international scandal and mass riots in several countries around the world.
That subsequently has led to an armed
attack on the editorial staff of Charlie Hebdo, which killed 12 people.
Given
the global extent of these events, absolutely naturally questions raise
about their compliance to the arguments
of common sense and logic. These points cause many questions that are difficult
to find any unambiguous answers for.
First
of all, it's necessary to find out as far as uncommon and outstanding event is
abusive attacks on the prophet Muhammad in Europe and especially in the history
of European political and religious thought.
Studying
this question, it is easy to come to the unequivocal conclusion that since the
middle ages, many European thinkers and political figures have been forming an
atmosphere of intolerance towards Islam and everything connected with this
religion.
In
the period of confrontation between the Muslim and Christian States in the
middle ages enmity towards Muslims
systematically inculcated into the public conscience of European Nations both
in Western and in Eastern Europe. It is absolutely natural that in such
circumstances, abusive attacks against Islamic sanctities and personality of
the prophet Muhammad were common.
European
thought and public consciences have progressed in the environment of complete
rejection of civilization, which they have had tough competition with. Many
masterpieces of European literature, drama, poetry, philosophical thought in a
varying degree have anti-Islamic orientation.
As
an example the world-famous "the Divine Comedy" by Dante Alighieri,
in which in the most offensive expressions and hellish characters the prophet
Mohammed is mentioned [1].
In
the Church of St. Petronio in Bologna,
Italy until today there is a fresco of the 15th century with illustrations on
these verses from "The Divine Comedy"[2].
And
in the Museum of the Spanish city Santiago de Compostella there is a medieval
statue of St. Jago, smiting off the heads of Muslims , which has been moved
there from one of the churches[3] .
At
different times many European thinkers and philosophers have come out with the
abusive attacks on the prophet Muhammad and the religion of Islam. In
particular, the prominent representative of Catholic thought, Thomas Aquinas in
his work "Summa contra Gentiles" (1, 5) has spoken about the Islamic religion as a distorted truth,
religion of lust and violence[4].
No
less intolerant position in relation to
Islam has held one of the founders of Protestantism, Martin Luther, ,which
linked the personality of the prophet Muhammad with the darkest forces, and
called his faith a lie [2].
Attacks
against the Islamic religion have continued in European socio-political thought
in the next centuries. For example, even an outstanding French philosopher
Voltaire has grossly insulted the prophet
in the tragedy of "Muhammad", also almost going to the level
of billingsgate [3]. E. Renan in 1992 at the conference "Islam and
science" has been responsible for the backwardness of the Muslim peoples
of the Islamic religion and believed that it has outlived its usefulness [4].
It's
absolutely natural, that anti-Islamic stance in European countries has firmly
entrenched in the minds of people. Despite the subsequent processes of
secularization and the gradual retreat of the positions of Christianity,
Islamophobia has begun taking other
forms, clothed in secular service, but, in fact, remained constant. As for the
Soviet Union and its allies, over several decades of the Communist regime an enormous number of the most diverse
anti-Islamic literature was published.[5].
Currently
books, articles, containing direct insults to various tenets of the Islamic
religion and the personality of the prophet Muhammad are also published.
With
the development of new information technologies, international computer network
Internet there are serious resources, working in anti-Islamic orientation. As an example there are English
http://www.answeringislam.org/ or Russian http://www.pravoslavie-islam.ru. On
these resources there is a lot of material of insulting contents to Muslims.
As
for the cartoon genre, here at various times has been released many books
anti-religious content. For example, the famous French cartoonist Jean Effel
has released a book where a believer of any denomination can find a lot of
offensive chances.
It's possible
to see there an insult not only
to the address of any prophet, but also against God Himself. [5]
As
it can be seen from this incomplete short overview of the actual material, for
several centuries, and up until today, unfortunately, abusive attacks against
Islam and the prophet Muhammad happen
from time to time and they not always
lead to such violent protests, as the scandal over the cartoons published in a
minor journal. Within memory there is only one similar case, which occurred
after the publication of Salman Rushdie "Satanic verses".
Of
course, insulting the religious feelings of Muslims cannot be called normal
occurrence. But, at the same time, there are reasonable questions about why do
not , for example, a Muslim organization so emotionally reacting to French
cartoons, require removal of the "divine Comedy" by Dante from the
shelves of bookstores and libraries, not only in Europe but also in Muslim
countries? Why have the protests never been against Thomas Aquinas, Voltaire,
Jean Effel?
Why
is there no reaction to the abusive anti-Islamic Internet resources? And if you
compare the content of these cartoons with the contents of the works of the
above authors, it is easy to see that the latter is much more offensive to
Muslims. For this reason, it is possible to come to an unambiguous conclusion
that in the actions of the protesters Muslims elementary logic has been
violated here.
Also
it is easy to see that the mass protests of Muslims have made Salman Rushdie
and cartoonists Peter Bungard, Kurt Westergaard, Stefan Carbone famous and
popular people, have created around them a halo of heroism. The question is
whether it has been the appearance of such "heroes" and
"martyrs"?Someone who has known about them without the help of protesting
against them Muslims? In this case, there is no doubt that in fact, consciously
or unconsciously for them has been made a great advertisement.
But
for the Muslims, these actions can hardly be called successful in terms of PR.
Firstly, there have been riots, and in some cases they have occurred with the
knowledge and acquiescence of the state authorities of some countries.
It
can unlikely be seriously to believe that dictatorial and monarchical regimes
that rule in most countries of the Muslim world, suddenly overnight become
overfree, allowing his subjects to calmly destroy Western embassies. There is
no doubt that if we were talking about the speech of the people against these
regimes, these performances would be suppressed immediately.
And
secondly, for the Western people, it has become clear that the indignant Muslim
masses are fighting for some reason not with the thoughts or ideas of the same
Rushdie or French, Danish cartoonists, but with their personalities. Is it
really the whole Islamic world has nothing to say against some hacks, apart
from threats of taking their lives?
It
would seem that the propitious moment has arrived to start the polemic in the
press, other media, to show the strength of his intellect, to expand the debate
to promote ideas of Islam. But somehow the voice of intellectuals fades amid
violent emotions, which are used and maintained various media against the
interests of the Muslims.
And
have the people, throwing stones at Western embassies, ever wondered how their
actions are consistent with the provisions of Islamic law (fiqh),that are
prohibiting such actions?
An
attempted boycott of French goods production, attempts of pressure on French
authorities seem unconvincing from the point of view of logic. The questions
are caused the requirement in order officials of France to apologize to the
Muslims for these cartoons. Why should an innocent man be compelled to ensure that
he apologized or took responsibility for another person?
How
would the average Muslim react to the requirements of the Buddhists about what
exactly he should apologize to them for undermining the Buddha statues by
Talibans ? And which Islamic government
or officials have apologized to the Buddhist world for it ?
And
most importantly, nobody remembers that the main principle of Islamic law is
the provision that an innocent man is not responsible for the criminal acts of
another person. only guilty of the offense should respond and apologize, only until his guilt is proven in court.
There
are also questions about why some heads of States ,with a predominantly Muslim
population, spoil relations with the European countries during the time when
there are many millions of Muslims and
the Islamic religion spreads. Is it not clear that the interests of
their co-religionists there will suffer? Or those Muslims are considered more
second-rate than the Muslims in their own countries?
It's
naturally that to protest against the insult of religious feelings of believers
is not prohibited and is a legitimate right of Muslims. However, it's
neccessary to choose a legal and civilized methods of struggle. All disputes
must be resolved in the courts.
If
all Muslim communities, organizations and States have combined their efforts
and have achieved court processes
against the cartoonists, the effect would be much bigger. Even in case of
defeat in court, at least they would demonstrate their tolerance and ability to
fight in civilized ways. And this would bring undoubted benefit to the image of
Islam.
When
the Islamic world was superior to the rest of the world in all fields and
especially in cultural terms. Tolerance and higher culture of Muslims have been
admired even by their sworn enemies.
These
qualities have brought great glory for Islam and have contributed to its rapid
spread. Alas, today the Muslims have completely lost this advantage.
Today
about tolerance and wisdom of the Islamic world is no longer necessary. Unfortunately
today, the ideas of this great religion is increasingly used by various
political groups and countries to achieve their political goals.
The
way out is education of the Muslim peoples and returning to the original values
and worldview that generation of Muslims, when Islamic civilization has been at
the height of his fame.
Literature:
1.Dante Alighieri.
The Divine Comedy. Song 28. http://kifkif.ru/2006/02/pesn-dvadtsat-vosmaya
2.http://www.armyofgod.com/Mohameddemons.html
3.
http://news8.thdo.bbc.co.uk/hi/russian/life/newsid_3681000/3681507.stm
4.Fausel Henry.
Martin Luther. Life and business. Kharkov, 1996. T. 2, pp. 296-312.
http://baptistkiev.narod.ru/luter.htm