An Open Letter to Charlie Hebdo

Dear Charlie Hebdo

I hope this letter will find you in the best of your spirits. 

First of all i would like to offer my condolence for the murder of the journalists and individuals who lost their lives in the recent attacks on your office in France. However, let me make it clear that I am not apologizing, because the people who did those attacks do not represent me, many peaceful law abiding Muslims and our Prophet (pbuh). 

I am sure you must be wondering how can a Muslim be calling you 'dear', wishing you 'best of free spirit' and condoling with you, especially after you blasphemed about Muhammad (pbuh), who is dearer to me more than my own family and life. Well it is because the same Prophet (pbuh) taught me to 'repel evil by that which is better and the one who is hostile to you will become as a devoted friend' (Al-Quran 41:34-35).

I think you do not know much about Muhammad (pbuh), hence i believe the cartoons you draw also do not represent Muhammad (pbuh). Lemme enlighten you about him (pbuh). Lets go 1400 years back, imagine you were running your magazine in his (pbuh) era. I am sure you must be terrified by that thought but, trust me, your blasphemy is so petty and ignoble compared to the ones his (pbuh) enemies did. They threw garbage and stones on him, they called him names, they even wrote songs to humiliate him, they mocked him in every possible way. But he (pbuh) forgave all of them. You want to know what happened to the woman who used to throw garbage on him? One day she did not 'blaspheme', so he went inside her house to check if she was fine. He took care of her, as she was sick. Such would have been his response towards you as well. So relax and ponder again if the person you are portraying in your magazine is the same Prophet or the creation of your own stereotypical mind and limited knowledge? 


Now lets come back to 21st century. Let me tell you why we Muslims feel offended when you judge our Prophet (pbuh) based on the acts of a minority of extremists in Muslims. You see, your society cherishes freedom of speech (or should i say a hypocritical freedom of speech?). Whereas, an Islamic society cherishes the same value, but with the basic and more strong value of 'respect'. Islam teaches the younger ones to be respectful to their elders, faithfuls to never disrespect the gods (and holy personalities) of other faiths and most importantly to respect all the Prophets without any discrimination. We love Muhammad (pbuh) and all other prophets, more than anyone in this world. We have been taught this value from the time we were born. Now, for you there can be two ways to go about it. Either respect our value and we will respect yours, or you can malign your own values by misusing them.

You also need to see what you are fostering in your society. Lets go 50 years ahead from now, 2065. Kids in schools in France, draw cartoons of parents of their schoolmates, or their own teachers or elders - nasty, disrespectful, mocking cartoons. They draw cartoons of the 12 people killed in Charlie Hebdo attack or thousands who were killed in 9/11. They make cartoons of blacks, whites, Buddhists, Jews, Muslims or Christians. And when they are asked why they are doing this, they will respond "Je Suis Charlie". Are you developing a society based on mutual respect and coexistence or mutual hatred and mockery? Do you think this will lead towards a tolerant, civilized society? I highly doubt it. 

So Charlie, even now you have time to think, to mend your way, to direct your society towards high moral values instead of disrespect and mockery. I am saying for the betterment of your own society, otherwise Muhammad, Jesus (pbut) and other holy personalities and their respect is too big for a cartoon to bring it down. But if you still want to continue, then mark my words, there will come a day when Charlie Hebdo will be an icon for mockery, disrespect and misogyny. You will be remembered in the worst possible way. You will be remembered for your role to increase tension between Islam and West, to create chaos in the world. Choice is yours.  

Yours sincerely

A Muslim