News:

Why depicting Mohammed angers many Muslims (Source: Agence France-Presse (AFP))

Depictions of Prophet Mohammed such as the cartoons published by the French satirical magazine are banned in Islam and angers many Muslims.

The two masked gunmen who killed 12 people at the Charlie Hebdo weekly on Wednesday claimed to be on a mission to "avenge" its cartoons of Mohammed. It follows years of controversy over such caricatures.

"This is a prophet that is revered by some two billion people... Is it moral to mock him?," prominent Iraqi preacher Ahmed al-Kubaisi told AFP, explaining the violent reaction of Muslims to cartoons of Mohammed.

"France is the mother of all freedoms, yet no one said this (depiction) is shameful," he said.

Outspoken former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said Charlie Hebdo had shown disrespect towards Islam on numerous occasions.

"Is there a need for them to ridicule Prophet Mohammed knowing that they are offending Muslims?" state news agency Bernama quoted him as saying.

"We respect their religion and they must respect our religion," he added.

Comment:

The news all over the world this week covering the stories of a deadly attack on Charlie Hebdo's office which killed the controversial cartoonists that depicted Prophet Muhammad (saw) in their magazine. Charlie Hebdo had released cartoons in 2011, 2012 and 2013 provoking Muslims all around the world.

In 2008 Netherland politician, Geert Wilder released a controversial film "Fitna", depicting Islam as an extreme and terrorist religion. In 2012, "Innocence of Muslim" released in U.S angered the Muslim.

The insult to Islam and Prophet Muhammad (saw) will continue just because of the hatred to Islam though the "freedom of speech/expression" is always being used as the reason to continue doing so.

Insult to Islam and our beloved Prophet will never be stopped and wouldn't be prevented by western law nor by an individual. The laws that hold the basis of freedom in which human activities have no relation with religion. Humans can do whatever they want, including insulting other religions for fun.

In 2012, The League of Judicial Defense of Muslims (LDJM) has brought the case before the criminal court in Alsace-Moselle's capital. The LDJM has also sued Charlie Hebdo in Paris for "provocation and incitement to hatred on the basis of religious affiliation and insult". Unfortunately, Alsace's blasphemy laws has no redress for Islam, covering only Catholicism, three forms of Protestants and Judaism.

Charb, director of Charlie Hebdo, said, "We know in advance that the trial will not go through because Islam is not in the code."

In 2007, two French Muslim groups sued the newspaper for its decision to publish about a dozen Danish cartoons of Muhammad (saw). The case was rejected in French courts, which determined that the "cartoons were covered by freedom of expression laws and were not an attack on Islam,

In history, it was an evidence that Khilafah "Caliphate" was the protector for Islam:

"In 1890, the French Prime Minister Charles de Freycinet banned the anti-Islamic play called "Mahomet", written by Henri de Bornier, a French poet and dramatist after opposition from the Khilafah "Caliphate""

The symbol of strength and unification of Muslim army under the banner of Khilafah "Caliphate" will prevent anyone to insult Islam and the Prophet Muhammad (saw) forever.

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by

Abu Ahmad