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Gallery: the Muhammad
cartoon crisis in pictures
by James Mayfield (Chairman, European Heritage Library)
 Print
this Article • About
the Author • Bibliography/Sources
The year of 2005 saw a bizarre
ethnocultural and religious conflict that spanned across the
world, all sparked by a series of 12 cartoons in a small newspaper
of the tiny Danish country. Admittedly, the images were incredibly
offensive to an already-dangerous situation. The images were
intended to express the violent nature of Islam and Muslims
today (or so the artist believed), the militant quality of
the Prophet Muhammad, and the overall image of Muslims as
terrorists or criminals. In many ways as well, the production
of the cartoons was also used to signify how free speech is
used in the world. The Danish queen and society refused to
apologize, masking dormant cultural hatred under the guise
of freedom. As can be imagined, this insult to the holiest
figures of Islam as the major minority in Europe was not taken
positively. To depict Muhammd as a being with a face is haram
(forbidden) in Islam. Embassies were bombed, burnt, and closed
all across the Muslim world. Jihad was summoned to deliver
the protection of Islam into the heart of the infidel. In
most Muslim countries, it is punishable by death to insult
Muhammad or Islam, as has been practiced since the 6th century.
Muslims responded to the claim that Islam was violent with
violence, a strange response that brought increased hatred
against Muslims among all European cultures. To the Muslims,
however, they were defending their faith, tradition, worldview,
Holy Prophet, and social status in a continent that they perceive
as already racist and oppressive. In totality, the fiasco
that was borne of this event revealed the cultural incompatibility
of the Europeans and the Muslims as is increasingly aware
to the European public each day.
The EHL publishes these images
only to chronicle the cultural and religious history and situation
of Europe today, not to endorse them. Included are some of
the reactionary photos to the issue.
Burning the Danish embassy
in Syria
The Danish embassy in Lebanon
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ABOUT
THE AUTHOR:
James Mayfield is the owner
and Chairman of the European Heritage Library. I am working
for a doctorate in history, with a specific emphasis on Islamic
and European histories. I am well versed in all world cultures,
ethnicities, religions, languages, politics, and historical
evolution in relation to and against each other.
BIBLIOGRAPHY/SOURCES
USED:
Jyllands-Posten for the drawings.
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