Do muslims lack a sense of humour?

[Peikko 1,575]

Staff at South African newspaper received threatening phone calls today after publishing a satirical cartoon depicting the prophet Muhammad.

The image, in the Mail & Guardian, shows Muhammad lying on a couch complaining to a psychiatrist: "Other prophets have followers with a sense of humour!..."

The Council of Muslim Theologians in South Africa went to court last night in an unsuccessful attempt to block publication of the illustration, drawn by the controversial political cartoonist Zapiro.

Today the paper's editor-in-chief, Nic Dawes, and other staff were fielding calls from angry readers. Anonymous comments included "You've got to watch your back," and "This will cost him his life."

The cartoon was Zapiro's response to a Facebook page, "Everybody Draw Muhammad Day", which was prompted by threats from a radical Muslim group against the creators of the American TV series South Park for depicting the prophet in a bear suit.

Many Muslims consider any depiction of the founder of Islam to be offensive.

In 2005 a Danish newspaper published cartoons of Muhammad which were subsequently republished elsewhere, sparking violent protests that killed several dozen people.

South Africa's Muslim Judicial Council was today holding an emergency conference to discuss the Zapiro cartoon with the intention of requesting "a very personal meeting" with him.

The council's president, Ihsaan Hendricks, said people "cannot expect the Muslim community not to express its pain and anger".

He added: "It seems to be provocative in many ways on the very eve of the World Cup in South Africa, when we need peaceful co-existence and co-operation amongst religious communities in South Africa. What is behind this agenda?"

The Mail & Guardian needed to understand that offending the South African Muslim community was the same as offending the international Muslim community, he said

But he insisted there was no place for violence in South Africa. "We have called for calm in the Muslim community."

About 80% of South Africa's 50m population is Christian and 1.5% Muslim. Muslims are well integrated in South African society and there has been little extremist violence, with the exception of Muslim-led attacks on drug dealers in Cape Town several years ago.

Zapiro, whose real name is Jonathan Shapiro, received a threatening call this morning from someone calling himself "Muhammad". Zapiro replied: "Which Muhammad is that?" and the caller became abusive.

Zapiro, who is Jewish but widely known as a critic of Israel's treatment of Palestinians, said he was unrepentant. Asked about the offence caused to Muslims by depictions of Muhammad, he said: "They should get over it."

"When I was thinking how to draw Muhammad, I downloaded images from Iran because Shi'ite Muslims do not have the injunction not to draw Muhammad. There are lots of great images from medieval times. They informed the way I drew Muhammad in this context."

He admitted he had thought hard before committing the image to paper. "I wouldn't be so glib as to say that I didn't hesitate at all. I did think about it carefully."

But the satirist, who regularly torments politicians including president Jacob Zuma, said: "I don't regret doing the drawing. It was one of the safest of its kind. It poses the question and it has some empathy with those Muslims who feel others are too fanatical. If we can't express opinions in a democratic society, we really are in trouble."

Dawes, who also defended his decision to publish in an article in the paper, said much of the debate had been constructive. "I don't want to overplay the threats, because I genuinely don't believe that they represent the views of the Muslim community, or even of the most aggrieved members of that community," he said. "Muslim leaders with whom I have spoken have been unfailingly courteous and thoughtful, and I will be meeting with more of them in the coming days to hear their concerns, and communicate my own approach.

He added: "In my view no cartoon is as insulting to Islam as the assumption that Muslims are incapable of reacting to a challenging image with anything but violence. I know that Muslims share our constitutional values, and are capable of having the most robust, angry and painful conversations in rigorous and peaceful fashion."

Link

Edited May 21, 2010 by Madame Cleo

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

Staff at South African newspaper received threatening phone calls today after publishing a satirical cartoon depicting the prophet Muhammad.

The image, in the Mail & Guardian, shows Muhammad lying on a couch complaining to a psychiatrist: "Other prophets have followers with a sense of humour!..."

The Council of Muslim Theologians in South Africa went to court last night in an unsuccessful attempt to block publication of the illustration, drawn by the controversial political cartoonist Zapiro.

Today the paper's editor-in-chief, Nic Dawes, and other staff were fielding calls from angry readers. Anonymous comments included "You've got to watch your back," and "This will cost him his life."

The cartoon was Zapiro's response to a Facebook page, "Everybody Draw Muhammad Day", which was prompted by threats from a radical Muslim group against the creators of the American TV series South Park for depicting the prophet in a bear suit.

Many Muslims consider any depiction of the founder of Islam to be offensive.

In 2005 a Danish newspaper published cartoons of Muhammad which were subsequently republished elsewhere, sparking violent protests that killed several dozen people.

South Africa's Muslim Judicial Council was today holding an emergency conference to discuss the Zapiro cartoon with the intention of requesting "a very personal meeting" with him.

The council's president, Ihsaan Hendricks, said people "cannot expect the Muslim community not to express its pain and anger".

He added: "It seems to be provocative in many ways on the very eve of the World Cup in South Africa, when we need peaceful co-existence and co-operation amongst religious communities in South Africa. What is behind this agenda?"

The Mail & Guardian needed to understand that offending the South African Muslim community was the same as offending the international Muslim community, he said

But he insisted there was no place for violence in South Africa. "We have called for calm in the Muslim community."

About 80% of South Africa's 50m population is Christian and 1.5% Muslim. Muslims are well integrated in South African society and there has been little extremist violence, with the exception of Muslim-led attacks on drug dealers in Cape Town several years ago.

Zapiro, whose real name is Jonathan Shapiro, received a threatening call this morning from someone calling himself "Muhammad". Zapiro replied: "Which Muhammad is that?" and the caller became abusive.

Zapiro, who is Jewish but widely known as a critic of Israel's treatment of Palestinians, said he was unrepentant. Asked about the offence caused to Muslims by depictions of Muhammad, he said: "They should get over it."

"When I was thinking how to draw Muhammad, I downloaded images from Iran because Shi'ite Muslims do not have the injunction not to draw Muhammad. There are lots of great images from medieval times. They informed the way I drew Muhammad in this context."

He admitted he had thought hard before committing the image to paper. "I wouldn't be so glib as to say that I didn't hesitate at all. I did think about it carefully."

But the satirist, who regularly torments politicians including president Jacob Zuma, said: "I don't regret doing the drawing. It was one of the safest of its kind. It poses the question and it has some empathy with those Muslims who feel others are too fanatical. If we can't express opinions in a democratic society, we really are in trouble."

Dawes, who also defended his decision to publish in an article in the paper, said much of the debate had been constructive. "I don't want to overplay the threats, because I genuinely don't believe that they represent the views of the Muslim community, or even of the most aggrieved members of that community," he said. "Muslim leaders with whom I have spoken have been unfailingly courteous and thoughtful, and I will be meeting with more of them in the coming days to hear their concerns, and communicate my own approach.

He added: "In my view no cartoon is as insulting to Islam as the assumption that Muslims are incapable of reacting to a challenging image with anything but violence. I know that Muslims share our constitutional values, and are capable of having the most robust, angry and painful conversations in rigorous and peaceful fashion."

Link

"In my view no cartoon is as insulting to Islam as the assumption that Muslims are incapable of reacting to a challenging image with anything but violence. I know that Muslims share our constitutional values, and are capable of having the most robust, angry and painful conversations in rigorous and peaceful fashion." - Brilliant!

[Nagishkaw 510]

Zapiro, who is Jewish but widely known as a critic of Israel's treatment of Palestinians, said he was unrepentant. Asked about the offence caused to Muslims by depictions of Muhammad, he said: "They should get over it."

Looks like now he risks being transformed into an ape or swine.

[Sofiyya 1,687]

No, none of us has a sense of humour. Not even one.

BTW, Muhammad is not the founder of Islam. God is.

[mawilson 2,133]

Do muslims lack a sense of humour?

Yes.

[Ban Hammer 14,291]

Yes.

they put up with you, don't they?

[Jenn! 918]

In my experience devout people of all religions tend not find sacrilege very funny. Go figure.

[mawilson 2,133]

they put up with you, don't they?

Not really.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

I heard Muhammad could tell a mean knock-knock joke.

[mawilson 2,133]

In my experience devoutdelusional people of all religions tend not find sacrilegehumor very funny. Go figure.

[Jenn! 918]

IC what you did there!

[Peikko 1,575]

In my experience devout people of all religions tend not find sacrilege very funny. Go figure.

I don't think the problem for society is that fundamentalists lack a sense of humour about the idiosyncrasies of their own religions; society at large couldn't care less if they find it funny or not, but that their reaction to the creation of satire is to incite violence. That is a huge problem for society, particularly if threats of violence translate into violent actions against satirists - or anyone else who doesn't agree with their point of view for that matter.

[Jenn! 918]

I don't think the problem for society is that fundamentalists lack a sense of humour about the idiosyncrasies of their own religions; society at large couldn't care less if they find it funny or not, but that their reaction to the creation of satire is to incite violence. That is a huge problem for society, particularly if threats of violence translate into violent actions against satirists - or anyone else who doesn't agree with their point of view for that matter.

I don't think it's fair too imply that all fundamentalists' reaction is to incite violence. That's probably not what you meant.

[Peikko 1,575]

I don't think it's fair too imply that all fundamentalists' reaction is to incite violence. That's probably not what you meant.

No, I didn't mean to imply that all fundamentalists do that. However, If it was a lone voice amongst a sea solemn fundamentalists passively living with the reality that not everyone can or should share their views then there would be nothing to discuss. Unfortunately, there is a significant minority out there who incite and inflict violence - that is a problem.

[alienlovechild 75]

No, none of us has a sense of humour. Not even one.

BTW, Muhammad is not the founder of Islam. God is.

How about this joke?

Here is the story of an Imam who got up after Friday prayers and announced to the people:

"I have good news and bad news. The good news is, we have enough money to pay for our new building program. The bad news is, it's still out there in your pockets."

http://www.salamcards.com/jokes.shtml