Question:

What is the solution to the Danish cartoon that was done in Europe? How should a Sunni Muslim from the USA think about these heathens!

Fatwa:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

Every Muslim should know that the defamation about the religion and mocking the Prophet which happened along the centuries and which is happening now is an affliction through which a Muslim should be patient. The Prophet said: "How strange is the matter of a believer, there is good in all his affairs, and this is only for the believer. If something good happens to him and he is grateful, then this is good for him, and if a calamity befalls him and he is patient, then this is also good for him.” [Muslim] The fact that people ridicule the Prophet is not a new matter. Rather it is a very ancient matter that is being renewed. The non-Muslims from the tribe of Quraysh insulted the Prophet and they said that he was a poet, a magician and a mad man, and they defamed him with other insults, but this did not harm the Prophet and did not decrease his status. This [what happened] only increases our firm belief in the Prophet and that he was truly a Prophet, and it increases our love for him, and makes us abide by his orders.

Our advice to our Muslim brothers during these grave events and similar incidents in addition to what we already mentioned is the following:

1- To control oneself and take it easy, and not

hasten and do any act which may be of a negative effect for the Muslims. Rather, one should exploit these events in a way to serve this religion, as these bitter incidents could yield sweet fruits. Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, said: 'Calamities and problems are afflictions and (in reality are) blessings.' Indeed these incidents draw the attention of the neglectful Muslims and result in their return to Allah, and it is a way of renovating the religion in the hearts of the Muslims, in addition to other benefits that could be achieved.

2- It is an obligation to repent to Allah and avoid sins and acts of disobedience. Allah Says (what means): {And whatever strikes you of disaster, it is for what your hands have earned; but He pardons much.}[Quran 42:30]. Moreover, the Prophet said: "If you trade with Ribaa (usury and interest), and stick to the tails of cows and are pleased with the plantations [are busy with this worldly life], and abandoned Jihaad (fighting in the Cause of Allah), Allah will put you through a humiliation which He will not remove from you until you return to your religion.” [Abu Daawood]

3- To ask the scholars about what to do and act according to their advice, as a sign of acting according to the Saying of Allah (which means): {And when there comes to them something [i.e. information] about [public] security or fear, they spread it around. But if they had referred it back to the Messenger or to those of authority among them, then the ones who [can] draw correct conclusions from it would have known about it.} [Quran 4:83]. Therefore, one should not act [say or do anything] except according to the advice of these scholars. We would like to stress on the importance of boycotting the products of the countries which published these cartoons, and undertaking other means which could achieve religious benefits. In doing so, we have to focus on the country which caused the spread of this evil, and we should completely and totally boycott its

products, services and medicines until they taste the outcome of their evil acts.

4- To unite: By uniting, the nation will become powerful, and we should be careful of divisions, as this weakens the nation. Allah Says (what means): {And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided.}[Quran 3:103]. Allah Says (what means): {And obey Allah and His Messenger, and do not dispute and [thus] lose courage and [then] your strength would depart; and be patient. Indeed, Allah is with the patient.}[Quran 8:46].

Finally, it should be noted that the above advice and directives are required from the Muslims at all times, and that they [directives] are more confirmed when such events and incidents happen.

Allah Knows best.

Fatwa answered by: The Fatwa Center at Islamweb