From Blasphemy to Hope (by Rustam J. Dow)

Unrest concerning the cartoons depicting Islam's main prophet has reached an unprecedented scale. The sensitivity of the Muslim faith towards visually depicting the prophet under any light has long been respected. The 1976 film, "The Message," starring Anthony Quinn, is the story of the Prophet Muhammed, yet there is no actor that plays his role (Anthony Quinn plays his Uncle "Hamza"). The University of Al-Azhar in Cairo, which is generally the highest authority on such matters of religious contention, approved the film. Another mainstream film, shown in American theatres and portraying Islam in a positive manner, still refrains from showing the prophet. With this in mind, the current upheaval should come as no surprise.

The Western world must try to remain empathetic to the Muslim plight. The West may feel comfortable depicting Jesus through a satirical lens, but this does not mean that Eastern civilizations have developed the same tolerance. The prohibition of depicting the prophet is a very strict tenet of Islam.

What will be the outcome of this situation? One can only hope that some much-needed dialogue between the civilizations will take place on a large and meaningful scale. History has shown us that social and political change usually accompanies civil unrest or an event that sends political ripples, or in this case waves, across the masses. What needs to be overturned is the antagonism between the West and the East.

The early conception of Islam was fostered by the Christian faith, therefore future cooperation between the two civilizations is not far-fetched. One may cite the many crises that have occurred between the two religious groups since; however, this does not mean that ideological hostility should persist. Both sides must strike a balance in order to fulfill the universal tenet of deference towards humanity.

Geo-politics has widened the gap between the civilizations of the East and the West, yet their fundamental tenets, when unearthed, both share a common goal towards humanity and peaceful co-existence on earth.

Concerning the role of the media and freedom of the press, history again has shown us that the media is not infallible and that it is a mechanism capable of hateful campaigns such as Nazi propaganda. Despite the current unrest, censoring the press is still a contentious matter. Censorship of the press would unleash the philosophical debate of morality, extending the legal system past its capacity to function satisfactorily. As a result, people must consciously deliberate and openly associate with the products of a free press to ensure the dignity of a civilization, which subsequently trickles down to the individual. The dignity of the human being must overthrow the freedom of the press in the consciousness of the public realm. Public opinion will shame editors within the press from ever allowing this to happen again. The mainstream press will refrain from publishing derogatory messages if people exercise their right to freedom of association, which in effect holds the press accountable for its tyrannical tendencies.

This is not to suggest that this act of blasphemy was good, but that perhaps some good may come out it. The East and the West must now sit together and engage in conversation. The need for dialogue is long overdue and its importance has now been impressed upon mainstream consciousness. Humanity, an issue both sides innately agree upon, must prevail.

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