Democracy is mob-rule. In Islam there is no scope for rule by the masses. The concept of majority rule is alien to Islam.

The Qur’aan Majeed says:

“If you follow the majority on earth, they will lead you astray, away from the Path of Allah. They (the majority of people) follow nothing but baseless conjecture, and they do nothing but plunge into guesswork.”

(Surah An’aam, Aayat 116)

A Sage of Islam said:

“He is a brave man who looks into the mirror of his nafs to see the disfigurement caused by his own misconduct. He then realises his deficiencies and corrects them.”

The Commander-in-Chief of the Muslim army in Syria, Hadhrat Abu Ubaidah (radhiyallahu anhu) observed that some soldiers from his army were bringing stems and branches of olive, pomegranate and other fruit trees as well as of flower trees to the camp. Greatly annoyed, he questioned those who had brought these trees. He commented: “Why are you committing these acts of anarchy and strife (fitnah and fasaad)?”

The explanation given was the unavailability of firewood within proximity of the camp. Trees for firewood were to be found at a great distance from the camp whereas the fruit and flower trees were

Hadhrat Abu Ubaidah Bin Jarraah (radhiyallahu anhu), the Commander-in-Chief of the Muslim army despatched by Ameerul Mu’mineen Umar Bin Khat taab (radhiyallahu anhu) to conquer the Land of Shaam (Syria), had, on the plea of the governor of Qansareen principality, entered into a peace pact for one year.

The boundary of Qansareen was marked by a statue of Heraculeus, the Roman emperor. By virtue of the peace treaty, the Muslim army was not to go beyond this limit.

One day a group of Sahaabah from the army ventured near to the border area. The statue was guarded by Roman soldiers. The Sahaabah were intrigued by the statue. With their horses they went around the statue. Hadhrat Abu Jandal (radhiyallahu anhu) was holding a large spear. As his horse neared the statue, the spear accidentally pierced its eye.

The blasphemous silly pictorial depiction of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) by the godless and immoral western editors is understandable. What is, however, incomprehensible is the desecration of the Qur’aan Majeed by professed Muslims.

RADIO INSULT
Not so long ago a shaitaani radio station which calls itself ‘channel islam’ offered a Qur’aanic aayat to be used as toilet paper, wrapping paper, scrap paper and gutter paper by running a full page advertisement in the Sunday Times in an endeavour to get more money for its coffers.

An aayat of Allah’s Pure and Holy Qur’aan was printed in the Sunday Times which the poorer segment of the population utilizes as toilet paper, and which all others use for a variety of menial and dirty purposes. When a builder’s worker open up the newspaper in which his dirty working boots were wrapped, the filthy heel was seen to fit squarely on the holy aayat. Does such desecration and blasphemy by Muslims not deserve greater stricture and condemnation than the cartoons of the kuffaar?

The euphoria in the wake of the election victory of Hamas in Palestine is set to evaporate soon. At face-value the election result appears to be a victory for Hamas. On the contrary, it is a defeat which will give rise to new problems and new disasters.

Unlike Fatah—Yasar Arafat’s group—Hamas professes to be an Islamic movement. It thus speaks in the name of Islam and has a programme of Islamic morality to implement.

On the other hand, Fatah which constituted the Palestinian Authority before the election, is an avowedly irreligious, un-Islamic party. There is no common ground between Hamas and Fatah.

(This touching episode is recorded by the Muslim historian, Imaam Waqidi. We have reproduced it from the English version extracted from the book, ANECDOTES OF ISLAM by E. Khan)

“Defeated and dislodged from Syria, the Roman warriors took their last bold stand at Alexandria, then the capital of Egypt. They concentrated all their strength here to arrest the progress of the Muslims, but Amr Ibnul ‘As (radhiyallahu anhu), the invincible Muslim commander, crushed the united might of the Romans even at this place. The victorious General thereafter took into his hand the rule of the conquered territory (by the appointment of Ameerul Mu’mineen, Hadhrat Umar Bin Khattaab—radhiyallahu anhu).

When it was feared that the South African newspapers would follow suit and print the offensive cartoons, an urgent High Court interdict was obtained to restrain the newspapers from printing any cartoons of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam).

Although the application for the court order was made in the name of the Transvaal (Gauteng) Jamiatul Ulama, it was a joint venture by several Ulama organisations, and the first step was initiated by the Jamiatul Ulama of Kwazulu-Natal. The interdict is a temporary one. The return date is 28th February 2006. It remains to be seen if the newspapers are going to contest it.

Voicing our indignation, anger and grief when our Deen is insulted is permissible. This right is not contested. But the methods of protest have to be within the bounds of the Shariah. Even peaceful, non-violent methods will not be permissible if any of the limits of the Shariah are transgressed.

The Qur’aan Majeed states: “These are the limits of Allah. Therefore do not transgress them. Those who transgress the limits of Allah, verily they are the oppressors.” (Surah Baqrah)

FEMALES
Thus, a protest march in which females participate is haraam. The perpetration of a haraam act in the name of Islam is haraam. It is not permissible. The Qur’aan commands women:

The cartoon competition announced by Iran, in which prizes will be awarded to the best cartoonists who caricature the ‘holocaust’, is a childish stratagem which is devoid of merit. Such flippancy is a trait of Shia attitude.

If the massacre of Jews by Hitler is a myth, it should be rationally and academically discussed and proved.

To embark on this topic in cartoon form as a reaction to the Danish insulting cartoons is undignified and lacking in wisdom.

The honour of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) cannot be defended by cartoonizing the myth or assumed myth of Hitler’s massacre of Jews. That is entirely another issue unrelated to the publication of the offensive cartoons.