#JeSuisCharlie versus #JeNeSuisPasCharlie

How to stop the war between Secularism and Islam

Introduction

The satirical magazine ‘Charlie Hebdo’ has not just offended Muslims deeply, it has drawn very distasteful cartoons of Jesus and the Christian faith as well. Therefore, as practicing Christians we feel the hurt and pain our Muslim friends are going through. At the same time we condemn all the killings that were committed as a reaction to the provocative drawings.

The opposing movements are known as

#JeSuisCharlie and #JeNeSuisPasCharlie.

Their goal is to identify with those who suffer and to uphold their beliefs. Both sides have made good arguments but seem to have missed what is most important. It can be summarized as:

#JeSuisJésusAussi¹ (#I am Jesus as well). Practicing Christians identify with the teachings of Jesus Christ who came to set people free. However, the New Testament, known as ‘Injeel’, does not define freedom as to be deliberately offensive to others but as to speak the truth in love to them.²

Where do we go from here?

A peaceful and respectful dialogue concentrating on facts rather than feelings alone is hereby proposed. The following ten questions addressed to Muslims are not meant to hurt them but are asked to gain a better understanding:

Numerous good things are known by Muslims about the prophet of Islam. However, is it true that he has ordered Ka`b bin al-Ashraf to be murdered for opposing him with words mainly? (See Bukhari Vol.5, Book 59, Nr. 369)³
Does Surah 33:56-61 command the slaughter of those who offend the prophet of Islam? (See also Surah 5:32-34, 9:61-66)⁴
Did the prophet allow the killing of Asma Bint Marwan who opposed him by writing poems once he was in a position of power? (Sirat Rasul Allah, by Ibn Ishaq, A. Guilaume’s translation "The Life of Muhammad" pages 675, 676,⁵ see also Bukhari, Vol. 4, Nr. 3044)
Uqba bin Abu Muayt too harassed and mocked the prophet of Islam in Mecca and wrote derogatory verses about him. Is it true that he was killed for it by the order of the prophet? (Bukhari, Vol. 4, Nr. 2934; Muslim, Vol. 3, Nr. 4422, 4424, Ibn Ishaq, p. 308 / 458)
Was one of Abdullah bin Katal’s two daughters who sang satirical verses about the prophet killed as a punishment? (Bukhari Vol. 4, Nr. 3044; Ibn Ishaq, pp. 550-51 / 819)
Does Sharia law according to the Sunni Shafi School of fiqh demand killing of unbelievers who mention something impermissible about the Prophet as one option? ("Reliance of the Traveler: A Classic Manual of Islamic Sacred Law", Naqib al—Misri, d. 1368, rev. ed., trans. Nuh Ha Mim Keller, Beltsville, Maryland: Amana, 1994, p. 609, o11.10(1)—(5))
Does Sharia law according to the Sunni Malik School of fiqh demand killing of unbelievers who mention something impermissible about the Prophet, except they embrace Islam? (Abu Dawud’s hadith collection, transl. by Ahmad Hasan Vol. 3, notes 3799, 3800)
Is it true that various mainstream Sunni Islamic Scholars have confirmed that those who insult the prophet of Islam need to be killed? (Arabic fatwa 44469 given 1968 on fatwa.islamweb.net, fatwa 22809 given on www.islamqa.com, fatwa given 21.4.2005 on www.saaid.net)
The central message of the Gospel is that God loves everyone and through Jesus suffers with those who hurt. He laid down his life for us, invites all to give him their burdens and receive peace with God instead. Jesus loved and forgave his enemies and asked his followers always to do the same. Did the prophet of Islam demonstrate the opposite once he was in a position of power?⁶
Scholars present different answers to these questions. Therefore, is it appropriate to encourage people to form their own opinion by looking up the Islamic sources in context and by applying the laws of logic?⁷

Logic relating to Muslim sources by itself is limited in that it can only locate a possible problem but it cannot tell the solution. When tough questions are asked about whom to marry, the existence of God, the meaning of life, what happens after death and which religion is right, if any, one cannot avoid having to believe something.

The faith one chooses to adopt should not just be the result of beliefs held by one’s family or society. Instead it ought to be examined and answer the following questions:

Does my faith give the best overall explanation for the important issues of life?
Is it based on reasons that are exhaustive and account for all the data held to be relevant?
Is it internally consistent and also with all the other matters held to be true?
Does it provide a more coherent picture of the world, ourselves and others than any alternative?

Christians believe that their faith provides the best explanation for the following issues:

The identity of Christ.
The historical authenticity of the Gospels.
The foundation for morality.
The possibility of miracles and the actuality of the resurrection of Jesus being at least one miracle.
The experience of Christian believers.

The reader is encouraged to find out whether there is a better explanation for these phenomena.

The following sources will help:

Christiananswers.net

Rzim.org

Christianityexplained.net

Reasonablefaith.org — download the app: ‘Reasonable faith’

On the reliability of the Injeel (New Testament): youtube.com/watch?v=-2HFs2cVKNU

‘Why Should Anyone Believe Anything at All?’ by James W. Sire (Source of ‘logic argument’)

To submit answers, questions or for more information please contact: Adrian.59@live.co.uk

A PDF version of this article for easier printout (double-sided) is available here.

A Chinese translation of the first version can be accessed here.