by Adam Marwan

Created on: January 18, 2007   Last Updated: February 17, 2010

The outrageous, violent aftermath following the publication of the Danish cartoons reflects the serious lack of communication and understanding between certain parts of the Muslim world and the very liberal societies of Europe.

In highly secular countries such as Denmark and the Netherlands, religion is treated as just another facet of human civilization, and exists as a mere category in the mass media, in the same moulds as say, Entertainment, Sports and Economy. In many Muslim countries however, religion, particularly Islam itself, is regarded as forming the very existence of an individual's life and reason.

While the average Dane would view the cartoons as just another poke at daily life, most Muslims regard them as sinister and vile. Although the majority of Muslims understand that the very nature of caricatures as a medium to provoke and stir emotions mean that they should not be taken seriously, others see it as a derogatory gesture that insults not just the Prophet whom they base their life to, but their personal lifestyle altogether.

Moreover, the Muslims who reacted so violently came from countries that do not have a strong culture of freedom of expression, unlike many liberal Western democracies where the mass media, free from government exertion, provides a channel for people to express their feelings or dissatisfaction. And so these Muslims, many of whom are poorly-educated and come from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, vent their anger in the only way they know how.

Is this an excuse for their vicious behaviour? No, it most certainly is not. At best, this is an attempt to find reasons for their misdeeds so that we may find a solution to this problem and avoid a repeat of this terrible assault on civil order.

Islam itself would not condone such barbaric and emotional display of anger. It is not the Islamic way to express dissatisfaction by looting, harming and creating terror and chaos. It is even worse when the targets are innocent bystanders and have nothing to do with the offense. A much better way to resolve this issue would be to create a dialogue between Muslims and non-Muslims so that each party understands, and respects, the sensitivity of the other. If these rag-tag mob of men were really sincere about restoring the Prophet's dignity, their cowardly and infantile actions merely serve to restore misconceptions about Islam among non-Muslims. They are an embarrassment to the wider Muslim community and their actions were certainly un-Islamic.

Learn more about this author, Adam Marwan.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.