The Merriam-Webster definition of supremacist is ‘an advocate or adherent of group supremacy’. We do not however, find the very important element of ‘essence of hatred’ towards other people in this particular definition. White Christian supremacist groups actually thrive on their mental sickness of extreme hatred that they feel in the core of their hearts against the perceived enemy. The Jewish pogrom in Nazi Germany was the outcome of similar hatred. Hitler used to consider Jewish people, communists, blacks and gypsies as inferior human beings. His brutal policy of extermination of these people was born from the justification of cleansing the earth from inferior species according to Nazi philosophy.
The object of hatred for the white Christian supremacist groups has changed since the termination of World War II. Most of them have gradually accepted Jewish people as their own although ethnically, Jews are Middle Eastern people.
White Christian supremacists consider Muslims and black people as enemies in the 21st century. However, there is a difference in the enemy category between the Muslims and the blacks. The white race has accepted black people in western society, albeit reluctantly. For this reason, Barack Obama could become the President, and Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice, the Secretary of States of the United States of America. Furthermore, public display of hatred towards black people is now considered somewhat of an uncivilized act in the west. You will not generally find caricatures of people of color in any mainstream media. If some extreme element among the whites cross the line, usually there would be strong condemnation and demand for an apology from other whites. The Black Lives Matters movement has therefore, drawn significant support from the white American segment. Even a racist to the core person like President Trump cannot always ignore this sensitivity.
But, no such inhibition is required in the case of targeting Muslims or to vilify Islam. In the façade of freedom of expression all obscenity is justified so long as Muslims, Islam and the Prophet Mohammad (Peace be upon him) are insulted.
The Danish newspaper, Jyllands-Posten published 12 editorial cartoons on 30 September 2005 obscenely ridiculing our Prophet. In 2015, the French weekly, Charlie Hebdo republished the same cartoons creating outrage among Muslims around the world. The heinous actions of Jyllands-Posten and Charlie Hebdo are clearly a crimes of the most serious nature. Outraged by the insult of Prophet Mohammad (Peace be upon him), a couple of Muslim gunmen attacked the office of Charlie Hebdo massacring 12 people and injuring 11 on 7 January 2015. The attackers were later killed by the French police in a manhunt. The authorities also charged 14 other people on allegations of abatement to the crime. The trials of the 11 accused started on Wednesday while three are still absconding.
Just two days before the start of the trial, the Charlie Hebdo editorial board decided to reprint the obnoxious cartoons again in the name of freedom of expression. This is a clear and nasty provocation from the French weekly. NOT surprisingly, Emmanuel Macron, the President of France has refused to condemn the newspaper. He bluntly defended the Islamophobic act in the guise of citizens’ right to freedom of speech. In response to a question during his recent visit to Lebanon, Macron further claimed that it was not his place to pass judgement on the decision by Charlie Hebdo to publish the controversial cartoon! He expressed sympathy for the people killed by the Muslim shooters in 2015. Macron profusely paid tribute to the victim of terror attack. But what about the hurt feelings of more than 1.8 billion Muslims in the world? No question of apology for unnecessarily opening the old wound by the French weekly was even discussed in the press conference. Other western capitals have also maintained their eerie silence till writing of this article.
Islam, Muslims and Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) have been the target of extremist and rabidly communal white Christian supremacists since long. Italian poet Dante is famous for his 14th century Islamophobic poems where he depicted our Prophet and other Muslim heroes in the nastiest possible manner.
But, in retaliation, a true Muslim can never insult other religions or Prophets for two reasons. Firstly, Prophets of all Semitic religions are highly revered in the Holy Quran as Prophets of Islam. Hazrat Ibrahim and his descendants are our Prophets, too. We are children of Hazrat Ibrahim. Teachings of Hazrat Musa are also a part of the Holy Quran. Hazrat Isa and his mother, Hazrat Mariam have special and highly respectful mentions in our Holy book. There is even a Surah in the name of Mariam. Secondly, Allah SWT has strictly prohibited Muslims from insulting any religion. According to Verse 108, Surah Al-Anam, Allah says:
“And do not insult those they invoke other than Allah, lest they insult Allah in enmity without knowledge. Thus, we have made pleasing to every community their deeds. Then to their Lord is their return, and He will inform them about what they used to do”.
Unfortunately, white Christian supremacist are so blinded by their extreme hatred of Islam that they never appreciate the good gestures from Muslims. Instead, they take advantage of our faith which prohibits insulting other religion.
Muslims should remain cautious against all provocations from the Islamophobic West. We are at liberty to exercise our right to peaceful protest. But, we should never cross the limit set by Allah SWT in the Holy Quran. The enemies of Islam would always look for opportunities to blame the Ummah by creating situations for themselves. Do not fall into their trap. The act of Charlie Hebdo needs to be considered in the same light.
*Mahmudur Rahman is a renowned author and editor of a national daily in Bangladesh. He has written more than ten books and is a regular contributor to various distinguished journals. He is a former energy advisor to the government of Bangladesh. He is also the foremost voice against the current autocratic regime in Bangladesh.
September 3, 2020
