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Over the past few weeks the media has given great
prominence to what has been called a "leaked intelligence report." This report
was presented as an intensive investigation which purports to have uncovered
sinister activities with the ranks of the Muslim community, aimed at undermining
the state by violent means. The scourge of Muslim fundamentalism (whatever that
means) was said to have reached our shores. Muslims were said to have gone
abroad for military training and returned to set up cells all around the country
where terrorist training was being undertaken. Agents of Libya, Hisbollah and
HAMAS were said to have infiltrated the country. The media had a field day with
this report, extracting maximum mileage out of this phantom document.
Muslims knew of course that the report was no more than a
cheap fabrication, but found themselves powerless against a relentless media
onslaught. Not surprisingly, Muslims are angry, frustrated and saddened by the
treatment they have received at the hands of the media.
On Friday (30 August 1996) the Mail & Guardian
published extracts from the report. What emerged was shocking, to say the least.
The report was shown to be a thoroughly despicable piece of work, moronic
in parts and thoroughly ridiculous in others ... in the words of Mail &
Guardian: " ... anything but intelligent ..."
Anyone with an elementary knowledge of what's happening in
this country will easily conclude that the report is absolute nonsense. It is
surprising then that those newspapers (who by their own admission) had the
report in their possession chose to publish it, inspite of knowing full well of
its potential to cause great damage. And indeed, a great deal of injustice has
been done to the Muslim community.
The media has always claimed to function on the basis of
fairness and objectivity. Therefore, we, (the organisations listed hereunder)
call on the media to redress and reverse the negative impression created by this
report, by showing it up to be exactly what it is - a crude attempt at
disinformation deliberately designed to smear the Muslim community. The least
Muslims can now expect from the media is a vigorous effort to discredit the
report, equal to that which was pursued in promoting it.
We now call on your sense of fair play, justice, decency and
integrity.
A booklet entitled "Islam - The Untold Stories" has
been written by a certain Sulrameen Rhuddri attacking Islam and the blessed
personality of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam).
According to local press reports the author claims to have written the book in
response to Ahmed Deedat's continued attack on Christianity and Hinduism.
Ever since the news hit the local press, the Imam Ahmed Raza
Academy has received concerned reaction from the Muslim public. The Muslim
community is infuriated and enraged by the publishing of this book and the
subject matter that it contains and see this as a blatant attack on Islam and
Muslims. The author has caused a gross violation of the sanctity of Islam and
committed a deliberate attempt to cause insult and injury to our faith.
It is apparent that the author has a personal vendetta
against a particular single organisation and in expressing his or her
discontentment the author has over-stepped the boundaries of the freedom of the
expression and violated the sacred precincts of the Islamic religion by
attacking the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam).
We have argued through the press that the Constitution
recognizes and upholds the freedom of religion and safeguards any particular
faith from being denigrated in any way. While be believe that the freedom to
express oneself is vital to any democracy, we also believe that in order for
that freedom to flourish, people must use that freedom responsibly. Some people
will always abuse the privileges of freedom. Do we tolerate the abuses of the
few to preserve freedom of the many? Or do we restrict everyone's freedom in
order to punish the irresponsibility of the few?
To publish material that will prove detrimental to a
particular faith is an example where the respect for the freedom is totally
transgressed. There should be no freedom of expression for people who spread
misconceptions and slander about a particular faith, because by doing so they
are depriving others of their human rights and the rights of freedom of
religion. Where religion is being denigrated, the freedom of religion clause
should take precedence over the freedom of expression.
We have said that the government should completely ban any
material that violates the religious beliefs and teachings of others and which
encourages discrimination against a particular religious group or set of
beliefs.
We have requested the Department of Home Affairs and the
Directorate of Publications to investigate this matter and take the necessary
action to have the book banned and removed from the book shelves immediately.
We have also requested through the press for the "mysterious"
author to submit to us the list of sources that he or she has consulted in
compiling the "research paper" so that we will be able to prepare an adequate
response should we find the sources biased and prejudiced. We are also ever
ready to have open discussions with the author about the subject matter which he
or she has written about and he or she must contact our organisation as soon as
possible so that the issues could be resolved in a most amicable way.
Like the spaceship that breaks through the atmosphere of the
earth, the freedom of expression has also broken down all the barriers including
the moral values that is ingrained in human nature.
Every human being is to be respected for what he or she is as
a human being, not because what he or she possesses. The respect and reverence
that is due to the Prophets and Messengers of Allah is always to be retained by
the human society. Prophets such as Hazrat Ibrahim, Hazrat Moosa, Hazrat Isa
(alaihimus salaam) and the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sallal laahu alaihi
wasallam) have always been opposed and persecuted and after all, when is
truth and purity not opposed and persecuted?
It is a sad fact that the pen has become a weapon to oppose
the very same Prophets with the impure motives of some people within the human
society. One such case is that of Hazrat Isa (alaihis salaam), the son of
Hazrat Maryam (radi Allahu anha). Born of Bibi Maryam (radi Allahu
anha), preaching the Oneness of Allah and doing good to humanity and
performing miracles among the Children of Israel, Hazrat Isa (alaihis salaam)
is regarded in a very high esteem by Muslims world wide as one of the Prophets
and Messengers of Allah, preceding the Last Prophet Muhammad (sallal laahu
alaihi wasallam).
Homosexuality, abortion, lesbianism and the disintegration of
family life - are these not the effect of the materialistic civilisation? In
this evil atmosphere, not only holy men and women, but also Prophets and
Messengers are not spared. Evil is evil, but to turn into evil the pure
personality of an individual is even greater evil. To turn Hazrat Isa (alaihis
salaam) into a homosexual (Allah forbid) is totally an evil tendency
of a human being who may be a director, actor or producer.
The Imam Ahmed Raza Academy is shocked to learn of a
certain film company's intention to produce a film about "The Sexual Life of
Jesus Christ." In the film, Hazrat Isa (alaihis salaam) would be
presented as being a homosexual (Allah forbid!)
The film would be produced in the United States, unless
enormous international pressure is exerted against the production of such a
film. As Muslims we must do all we can to prevent this production and we must
warn the producers of what Muslims think about this blasphemous plan. We appeal
to the Ulema, organisations and individuals should contact us for further action
to be taken.
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