PHOTO: REUTERS
The Qatar-based International Union of Muslim Scholars, headed by influential preacher Yusuf al-Qaradawi, appealed to Muslims to continue peaceful protests against images of the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) but "not to resort to any violence".
The latest cartoon of the prophet in Charlie Hebdo has angered many Muslims and triggered protests in Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
In a statement released Tuesday, the union said there should be protection for "prophets" and urged Islamic countries to submit a draft law to the UN calling for defamation of religions to be outlawed.
The union said the UN should then issue a "law criminalising contempt of religions and the prophets and all the holy sites".
It also called for the West "to protect Muslim communities from attacks, whether they are citizens or residents or visitors".
The union has condemned the publication of a cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) holding a "Je suis Charlie" sign under the headline "All is forgiven" in the first Charlie Hebdo edition since gunmen killed 12 people in an attack on its offices.
It said that the new drawing would give "credibility" to the idea that "the West is against Islam" and warned the image would incite further hatred.
Qaradawi, 88, is seen as a spiritual guide of Egypt's banned Muslim Brotherhood, the movement of ousted former president Mohamed Morsi.
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Now if the UN accepts this request by Muslim scholars, what will the Government of Pakistan do regarding their contempt of the Ahmadies when they require everyone to sign a paragraph that declares their founder an imposter? Will they remove this paragraph from all passport applications and other Government documents???? Religion is a very personal thing and no Government has the right to write such nonsense on its documents,. Why is it hurting them so much now? I hope the UN takes a good look and see the whole picture!!!
First of all, I urge the UN to conduct an IQ test of these so called Scholars of Islam.
If their collective IQ is even 20 points better than that of mentally retarded people, please listen to them.
Je suis charlie or Je suis Ahmed was to show solidarity withe the Press Freedom as well as individual freedom. Ths was not meant to support the hate campaign meant to incite people .against one or other groups of people!!! It would be more approprate for the french muslim and christian communities to appeal to the European court of justice against the decisions previously made by French courts allowing the cartoonists to continue publishing the caricatures of muslim and christian Prophets.
Rex Minor
How about not buying the Magazines you don't like or not watching the movies you won't enjoy. Surely, that is easy and healthy.
Will the law apply to Muslims denigrating other religions too?
And will the Islamic world ban words like 'kafir / kuffar'; 'idolaters' etc - these are hateful towards followers of other faiths?
What about those who don't believe in organised religions - will the Islamic world also allow them to publicly renounce their religion?
He urges people to protest peacefully yet no one can dare take out a peaceful rally against cartoons in Qatar. May I also ask him if the law will urge to prophets, babs and other holy personalities of non Abrahamic faiths lets say Druze, Bahais and Ahmedis e.g.
Wouldn't it be a refreshing change is these Muslim Scholars urged Muslim countries to show respect for other religions. I suspect Hindus, Christians, Hindus etc would appreciate the same rights/respect as Sunni Muslims in Pakistan.
This is quite disgusting. I am sick of people asking to be respected, for religions to be respected. Respect human beings, period.
In India there was a conman/baba who had millions of followers. They would like to circumvent the truth by asking for law to respect him. How is this any different from what you guys are asking for.
can muslim scolars ask un to outlaw the blasphemy law in pakistan. that should be a welcome change against humanity. charity begins at home
Feroz, If UN make strick regulations against discrimination against minorities...guess who would be discriminotory country?...our own..welcome to the real world.
You can only take offence, if you want to take it. But you cannot control thoughts of other people. That's just unrealistic in this modern word, in a digital age. Yes, maybe it's possible in unfree societies, but in free societies you cannot dictate someone's thought or opinion on religion, especially not by outsiders.
Ignoring is the best option.
Are these guys really scholars, they do not seem to know that UN is not a law making body. What is needed far more urgently is for the UN to pass strictures against countries that legally discriminate against their religious minorities.
Why single out "religions" alone? There must be respect for humans first. Especially for the poor and the needy.