In Dawn (May 15, 2010), I saw
news about “100,000 Roses Project” in Vienna, where 100,000 roses have been laid
out on a roadside belt. The volunteers are supposed to offer the roses to
visitors at an open air concert hence encouraging each of them to, in turn, hand
their rose to a stranger as a gesture of friendship. Absolutely an appreciable
act. On the contrary, I also came across the news about a “Draw Mohammad Day”
called by a lobby that supports the cartoonist who tried his “art” on our
Prophet Mohammad (PBUH). Despite strong retaliation and condemnation by Muslims
from around the world the “extremist group” insists thrusting their “artistic
skills” on us in the name of “freedom of speech” subsequently at the cost of
hurting our emotions on a very sacred thing. Worsening the worst, now the
“extremists” are planning to call a “drawing Mohammad day” on May 20, 2010 by
inviting all the interested participants to join up for the best drawing
competition. The message of a criminal act is being spread through Face book
(where 24,740 members have joined up so far) & other possible ways. My question
is that what the small lobby actually wants to prove? Like other emancipated
nations, Muslims are also absolutely not against the freedom of speech but, with
Responsibility.
While writing this letter, being a Muslim I have a very valid reason to become
aggressive but I will not. I just want to point to the height of hypocrisy where
on one hand we see a human being trying to spread the message of Love and Care
and ready to offer a rose even to a stranger while, on the other, he’s ruining
the limits of Respect and Care by hurting other’s religious emotions? Why the
world doesn’t see open criminal act and violation of the basic rules of peaceful
life. Why hypocrisy? Who is the Extremist?