In Islam, the Prophet Muhammad is never depicted; whether that be in images, films, drawings and other media. The depiction of the Prophet is an insult, even more so when the depiction is negative. When the anti-Islam film came out of California, the Muslim world reacted. Violently.
Protests occurred in front of American embassies in Egypt, Yemen, Tunisia, Sudan, Australia, and other countries. In Benghazi, Libya, protesters attacked the American consulate, killing the US Ambassador to Libya and three other staff. In most of the protests, innocent lives were also lost.
Insults aimed at Islam have happened many times before. Salam Abdullah, member of the political science faculty at St. Thomas University has spent many years working in the Middle East. He said the situation can be exploited by certain groups for political gains.
“In Libya, there are still some people who are pro-Gaddafi so they were happy to exploit the situation to give them visibility,” he said.
Libya was one of the countries passed by the Arab Spring. Its former leader, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, died in the hands of the opposition.
While the riots and attacks seemed spontaneous, Abdullah pointed out the politics behind it.
“[The attack of the US embassy in Libya] might be a calculated action. The purpose is not for free expression; the only purpose of this is for political purposes,” Abdullah said.
UNB graduate, Mohammed Bakr, said the situation is calming down in Cairo.
“Everything now is back to normal; not so many people are in the streets protesting,” Bakr said. “Nothing really happened to the embassy at all. It was all a police fight with the protesters in front of the embassy.”
On Friday, Muhammad Rashid, president of the Fredericton Islamic Association expressed his personal opinion during the sermon. He said the violent reaction is un-Islamic.
“Certainly, we condemn the film or any expression anyone has which is going to hurt the believer of any faith. At the same time, we also strongly condemn violence and loss of innocent lives and destruction of property,” Rashid said.
“As Muslims we should react by praying, informing and peace.”
Janine Dhaibi, a Muslim law student at UNB, also expressed her frustration.
“When they do [those violent actions], it’s completely contrary to our beliefs and it continues to fuel that kind of mentality that we’re barbaric and backwards, that we’re crazy,” Dhaibi said.
“I wish people would react by showing them the truth and not this. It’s extremely sad. I’m sad and frustrated.”
After the Arab Spring, many changes have happened in the Middle East and North Africa. The internet has helped bring down some dictators, but now it is also negatively affecting a fragile region.
“The people [in the West] are free to express themselves but the moment in the Middle East is really not suitable.”
