Proper rally after those cartoons

Britain's mainstream organisations are uniting with public figures to condemn Islamophobia this Saturday, 1pm, Trafalgar Square.

There are three messages that are being targeted:

The first message we want to send to the country is that of the legitimate voice of the Muslim community as opposed to those that hijacked last week’s demonstration outside the Danish embassy. We are people of peace and are trying to do our best also in bridging the gap between Islam and the West.

Secondly, to Europe, the lesson from the cartoon is not that Western newspapers come under the fold of Islamic law. It is actually that orientalist and Islamophobic caricatures are unacceptable, irresponsible, and lead to a more polarised world. Jewish leaders and figures like Bill Clinton have likened it to the characterisation of Jews over the centuries. We know where that ended up.

Thirdly, to the Muslim world, we wish to send a message of calm. It may appear to them that there is a great Western conspiracy against their faith, but there are a large number of people who are on the side of reconciliation, and we hope that comes out loud and clear on Saturday.

You must read Mark Steel's comments (via Islamophobia Watch) on the cartoons in today's Independent.

Rally organised by: Muslim Association of Britain (MAB), Islamic Forum Europe (IFE), UK Islamic Mission (UKIM), Da’watul Islam UK & EIRE, Federation of Student Islamic Societies in UK & EIRE (FOSIS) & The Islamic Cultural Centre and The Central Mosque Trust, Minhaj – ul – Quran International (MQI); Islamic Society of Britain (ISB), Friends of Al-Aqsa & UK Muslim Shi’ite Organisations

In coordination with: Pro-Hijab, Muslim Women Society, Muslim Public Affairs Committee (MPAC), London Muslim Centre, Al-Manar Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre, Council of Mosques, MAB Youth, Stop the War, CND, Operation Black Vote, PAX Christi, YMO UK, YMUK, Muslimaat UK, Stop Political Terror, Institute of Islamic Political Thought (IIPT), North London Mosque, Muslim Welfare House, Mayfair Islamic Centre, Al-Habib Canning Town Masjid, Leeds Grand Mosque, Muslim College, Algerian League in Britain, Imams and Mosques Council UK, Muslim Directory,

Supported by: Mayor of London & The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) & British Muslim Forum (BMF)

Sponsored by: Islam Channel, ARY Digital, Channel S, Muslim Weekly & iWitness

Comments

[Emullah]

I wish I can communicate with them and tell them that the Prophet's message is to call off the protest.

[Qadeeb al-Ban Harris]

As-salamu 'alaykum,

I just want to say thanks for the great links and content. I've found some good references on your blog for rebuttals that I've been writing. These include a detailed response to Daniel Pipes' most recent article. This is entitled Danish Cartoons, Double-Standards and Daniel Pipes... and please don't forget to read the comments on this one.

Also, I've been showing that what Daniel Pipes, Michelle Malkin and other pundits have been doing is similiar to how Nazi propaganda dehumanized the Jews. I address this specifically in my recent blog posting Hate-Mongers Beware....

I've also posted two other articles, Why Muslims Are Angry... and An Idiot's Guide to Offensive Cartoons, which discuss the current crisis.

I linked to your blog a few weeks ago from my Mere Islam blog.

Keep up the good work, insha'llah!

Wasalam,

Qadeeb al-Ban Harris