Statement of Hizb ut Tahrir / Indonesia “THE INSULT TO PROPHET MUHAMMAD PBUH BY CHARLIE HEBDO”
Statement of Hizb ut Tahrir / Indonesia
“THE INSULT TO PROPHET MUHAMMAD PBUH BY CHARLIE HEBDO”
After the shootings that took place in the tabloid of Charlie Hebdo’s office in Paris, France, a while ago which claimed 12 lives, the satirical tabloid – instead of not publishing the insulting cartoons and exhibiting self-restraint – they even reproduced the cartoons a greater number of circulation that reached 7 million copies. This special edition sold out just in few hours.
The editorial team of Charlie Hebdo stated that they deliberately reproduced the cartoons to show the world that they cannot be subdued or conquered by violence and terror. This decision is gaining supports from public, including that from a number of Western leaders who staged a huge rally in Paris, France, which condemned the attack they considered as barbaric.
Previously, the insults to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH committed by Charlie Hebdo has been done by some Western media, such as Jyllan Posten in Denmark and others. They always argue that the creation and the publication of the cartoons is part of freedom of expression.
The insults to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH by Western media tells us two things: First, Western hypocrisy. If it is true that they hold dear to the principles of freedom of expression, then why are French Muslim women banned from wearing niqab? Isn’t it freedom of expression as well? Also, freedom of expression is interpreted merely as the freedom to insult the Prophet Muhammad PBUH. If there is someone who insults a Jew, the person will be labelled as an anti-Semitism and is subject to punishment. Second, it shows the weakness of the Muslim Ummah. The Muslim Ummah whose current population is more than 1.6 billion proves unable to resist the insults to the noble Prophet, so that these heinous acts occur repeatedly.
In this regard, Hizb ut Tahrir Indonesia stages rallies in a number of cities and states that:
1. Demand the editorial team of Charlie Hebdo and the France government to stop all forms of insults against the Prophet Muhammad, now and in the future. In addition, it must retract the 7 million copies of the newest edition which reproduces the insulting cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH.
2. Demand the offenders to be punished death penalty if they are Muslims. If they are non-Muslim of the Jews or Christians, they also must be punish death penalty unless they repent and convert to Islam. This is the provision of Islamic law as stated by Imam ash-Shaukani, Imam Shaffiei and Imam Hanbali.
Narrated from Amirul Mu’minin Ali bin Abi Talib ra which says:
أَنَّ يَهُودِيَّةً كَانَتْ تَشْتُمُ النَّبِيَّ وَتَقَعُ فِيهِ، فَخَنَقَهَا رَجُلٌ حَتَّى مَاتَتْ، فَأَبْطَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ دَمَهَا
Once there was a Jewish woman who often denounced and vilified the Prophet Muhammad PBUH (due to her deed), the woman was strangled to death by a man. It turned out that the Rasulullah PBUH justified her blood”. (Abu Dawud)
3. Call for all Islamic Ummah to work together hand in hand to defend the honor of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH.
4. Call for the Islamic Ummah to reject strongly any un-Islamic ideology or doctrine such as the doctrine of Human Rights, secularism and liberalism upon which the freedom of expression is established without control and with all implications such as the creation of insulting cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, and strive earnestly to establish the Khilafah. It is the Khilafah that will significantly stop all kinds of humiliations, as well as protect the honor of Islam and its Ummah, as shown by the Caliph of Abdul Hamid II against France and the British which were about to perform a play by Voltaire, which insulted the Prophet Muhammad PBUH. The firmness of the Caliph, who would wage jihad against the British, ultimately stopped the evil plan so that the honor of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH was protected.
Mohammed Ismail Yusanto
Official Spokesman of Hizb ut Tahrir in Indonesia