Ironic Surrealism II

Islam is in sore need of a sense of humor

Bangladesh detains cartoonist for offending Islam
A Bangladeshi cartoonist has been detained for drawing a caricature offensive to Prophet Mohammed (PBUH).

Bangladesh witnessed mass protests after the publication of an anti-Islamic caricature by cartoonist Arifur Rahman.

The offensive cartoon, published in the 431st issue of Alpin, a weekly supplement of Bangladesh daily Prothom Alo, led to a one-month jail sentence to Rahman after the Bangladeshi Home Affairs Minister ruled that his drawings hurt Muslims’ feelings.

Islam was introduced to Bangladesh in the twelfth century by Sufi missionaries, and subsequent Muslim conquests helped spread the noble faith. Even though religion is practiced in a moderate manner in Bangladesh, the government bans any insult to Islam.

According to the BBC, the cartoon featured a conversation between a cleric and a child and ended with a joke about Prophet Mohammed’s (PBUH) name.

The head of clerics of Dhaka’s main mosques filed complaints against the cartoonist who was arrested from his residence last Tuesday and handed over to the Tejgaon police station.

Rahman violated Section 54 code of criminal procedure and under such emergency laws; the government has the authority to detain people without charge if they are deemed to threaten national security.

Meanwhile, Prothom Alo published an apology on its front page for the “unfortunate publication”, withdrew the copies of that issue from the market and fired the cartoonist.

However, many in Bangladesh did not view such measures as enough and demanded that the newspaper be shut down.

The incident was also interpreted as a conspiracy against the country by the government’s information minister, Mainul Hosein. But the senior editor of the newspaper claims that the offensive cartoon was published by mistake.

Muslims might be a little relieved that those who offend their religion get punished in some countries as this is not the first time that involves the publication of anti-Islamic cartoons.

Two years ago, a Danish newspaper published cartoons offensive to Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), angering Muslims all over the world.

And in August, a cartoonist drew Prophet Mohammed’s (PBUH) head on a dog, triggering complaints and peaceful protests by the Swedish Muslim community. However, the Swedish government protected the cartoonist and transferred him to a secret location.

Western media often claims that such offensive cartoons shouldn’t anger Muslims and that their publication do not violate the laws of “freedom of expression“.

Unfortunately, Muslims in the West must live with the local laws on freedom of expression, Ibrahim el-Zayat, of the Federation of Islamic Organisations in Europe, told the BBC.

While Reporters Without Borders says that the Muslim world’s reaction to such anti-Islamic cartoons doesn’t take into account “press freedoms“, Muslims beg to differ and simply ask for respect towards their religion.

The cartoon and text in question.

Elderly cleric: Hey kid, what’s your name?
Little boy: My name is Babu
Elderly cleric: You’re supposed to say Mohammad before a name. What’s your father’s name?
Little boy: Mohammad Abu
Elderly cleric: So what’s that on your lap?
Little boy: Mohammad cat

Innocent stuff. Get a grip.

Now this is offensive to me.

But will I call for the death of the creator? Place a ransom on his head? Demand his beheading?

No.

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Prothom Alo

Arifur Rahman