Charlie Hebdo Cartoon Mocking Syrian And Turkish Earthquake Victims: A Display Of Immorality And Prejudice Against Muslims
By Ghulam
Ghaus Siddiqi, New Age Islam
23
February 2023
The Caricature
from Charlie Hebdo Shows How Anti-Muslim and Islamophobic Sentiment
Has Risen In France
Main
Points
·
The Charlie
Hebdo cartoon mocked the victims of the earthquake and thus received
harsh criticism from a substantial number of social media users.
·
Fostering
hatred and contempt for Muslims has been pervasive in France, especially in
recent decades.
·
In the
past, Charlie Hebdo published a number of drawings that were
openly derogatory and hostile towards Islam and its ideals.
·
The
magazine's actions are unmistakable evidence of extreme anti-Islamic prejudice.
·
Making
fun of any victim of a disaster is never acceptable, regardless of their colour
or religion.
·
The more
we criticise the Charlie Hebdo caricature, the less we actually
condemn it.
-------
The front page of Charlie Hebdo entitled C'est Reparti
(Here we go again), is displayed at a kiosk in Nice February 25, 2015.
Reuters/FILE
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Some
things are so obviously wrong and odd that only a heartless, spiteful person
could find them funny or acceptable. The recently published Charlie Hebdo
caricature, which is known for spreading hatred across the globe under the
pretext of humour and entertainment, serves as an example of this. In the past,
Charlie Hebdo published a number of drawings that were openly
derogatory and hostile towards Islam and its ideals. This cartoon mocked
thousands of Syrians and Turks who died in Turkey's devastating earthquake a
few days ago and were also injured. Turkish and international social media
users have responded vehemently and rightfully against the magazine for this
inhumane and unethical behaviour.
Everyone
agrees that Charlie Hebdo's actions were improper, racially
discriminatory, and motivated by ingrained prejudices against Muslims and other
races in French culture. Fostering hatred and contempt for Muslims has been
pervasive in France, especially in recent decades. The fundamentally wrong
sense of superiority that dominates French society appears to attack not only
Muslims but also other races.
Following
the catastrophic earthquake that affected millions of people in the two
countries and claimed at least 20,000 lives, the cartoon garnered strong
criticism from a sizable number of social media users. The users described the
cartoon as "disgusting," "shameful," "filthy,"
and “horrifyingly reminiscent of hate speech”.
A female
user responded by declaring that she was stopping her support for the magazine.
The "true core" of Charlie Hebdo, according to one
commentator, was portrayed in the cartoon, while Islamophobia was
the only thing the journal was profitable for, according to another.
Dr. Omar
Suleiman, an American Muslim scholar, said: “Mocking the death of thousands of
Muslims is the peak of how France has dehumanized us in every way.”
“Tanks are no longer needed” they say in celebration.
— Dr. Omar Suleiman (@omarsuleiman504) February 7, 2023
What a despicable publication. Always has been. Mocking the death of thousands of Muslims is the peak of how France has dehumanized us in every way.
And the crazy thing is that we can’t even say this is a new low for you. https://t.co/8jWYhlCzvk
A woman by the name of Ushna Shah said, “#CharlieHebdo is a disgraced, racist and fascist publication. It takes the lowest level of sickness to mock such a disaster. Beyond deplorable; this will surpass “not bathing” as the worst thing France will ever be known for. Disgusting”
#CharlieHebdo is a disgraced, racist and fascist publication. It takes the lowest level of sickness to mock such a disaster. Beyond deplorable; this will surpass “not bathing” as the worst thing France will ever be known for. Disgusting.
— Ushna Shah (@ushnashah) February 9, 2023Other Twitter users mentioned how Turkish residents organised marches in favour of the "Je suis Charlie" movement following the 2015 tragedy, only to encounter pushback that many perceived as ridicule.
Znur
Küçüker Sirene, a political expert, tweeted at the magazine. “Even
the Turks were ‘Charlie Hebdo’ to share your grief and today you dare
mock the suffering of an entire people. One must really have some nerve to do
this while there are still babies waiting to be rescued underneath the rubble,”
she said.
Mohammad
Haider Raza Misbahi, an Islamic scholar, posted the following on Facebook
in Urdu, which is translated as follows in English:
Heartbreaking
Cartoon by Charlie Hebdo on Turkey Earthquake
Several
tremors of the most destructive earthquake were felt last Monday in Turkey and
Syria. According to official data, the magnitude of the earthquake has already
claimed the lives of almost 20,000 individuals (with each passing time, this
number is increasing). Both of the affected countries are receiving active
assistance from the international community. India also dispatched soldiers
from its National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) along with the necessary
humanitarian supplies. Moreover, the project as a whole was referred to as
"Operation Dost."
It's been
said that evil people come to light during difficult times. The world has once
again seen the repulsive side of the offensive French magazine Charlie
Hebdo thanks to this terrible tragedy. In fact, it mocked those who had
to endure this heavenly calamity in the shape of an earthquake by writing,
"Now there is no need to even send a tank," in a cartoon titled
"Earthquake in Turkey." In this way, this magazine mocked and
celebrated the deaths of innocent people in the name of "freedom of
expression."
This
action has also revealed the motivations of the magazine for wanting to destroy
Muslim countries and people. Remember that this is the blasphemous publication
that has repeatedly dared to publish caricatures meant to incite hatred against
Muslims.
In one of
the hadiths, the beloved Prophet (peace be upon him) said (إذا
لم تستحي، فاصنع ما شئت) what is best rendered in Persian as
follows:
“Behayaa
Baash, Harche Khawahi Kun” i.e. ‘If you don't feel
shame, then do whatever you want'
The same
may be said of such dishonest people and groups as Charlie Hebdo.
The holy Quran may have issued this warning to such senseless people by saying,
"Die in your fury."
.......by
Mohammad Haider Raza [Translated by Ghulam Ghaus Siddiqi]
To
completely grasp this verse, it would be really interesting to quote the entire
verse. Almighty Allah declares in this verse:
“Look,
you [O Muslims] are the ones who love them and they do not love you. And you
believe in the Book, in all of it. And when they meet you, they say, 'We
believe", and when they are alone they bite their fingertips out of rage
against you. Say [O Prophet], 'Die in your rage." Surely, Allah is
All-Aware of what lies in the hearts.” (3:119)
This
verse alludes to the hypocrisy of some individuals who existed during the time
of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and who regularly incited irrational fury
and hatred.
The more
we criticise the Charlie Hebdo caricature, the less we actually
condemn it. The magazine's actions are unmistakable evidence of extreme
anti-Islamic prejudice. There is a growing anti-Muslim mentality in France and
many other Western countries that is characterised by a completely unjustified
fear and hatred of Islam and Muslims. One of the main reasons Muslims are
marginalised and the target of discrimination not only in France but also
around the world is because of this Islamophobia, which is
usually fuelled by inaccurate information and unfavourable stereotypes. By
mocking the earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria, Charlie Hebdo
not only contributes to these negative attitudes but also to the widespread
anti-Muslim prejudice in France and abroad.
Making
fun of any victim of a disaster is never acceptable, regardless of their colour
or religion. For instance, when Charlie Hebdo itself was attacked
in 2015, neither the Turkish government nor their social strata joined in the
celebration. Instead, it sent a senior ambassador to Paris to show solidarity
with France against terrorism.
The
earthquake victims in Turkey need to be treated with respect and decency
because they have experienced enormous loss and trauma. In addition to being
cynical, mocking their pain conveys the message that their families and loved
ones, as well as their lives and experiences, are not cherished or respected.
This kind of message is extremely damaging in the context of French and larger
Western culture, which is already sharply divided along ethnic and religious
lines.
----
A regular
Columnist with NewAgeIslam.com, Ghulam Ghaus Siddiqi Dehlvi is a Classical
Islamic scholar with a Sufi background and English-Arabic-Urdu Translator.
URL: https://newageislam.com/interfaith-dialogue/hebdo-cartoon-earthquake-immorality-prejudice/d/129178
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