Islamic Scholar In South Africa Asks Muslims to Forgive Cartoonists From Charlie Hebdo

An Islamic academic from the South African city of Durban has asked thousands of Muslims to forgive cartoonists of French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo.

Hafiz Abu-Baker Mohammed, also a former judge, told 3,000 Muslim faithful at Masjidul-Quds in Gatesville, Cape Town, that Prophet Muhammad will not encourage violence as a response to Charlie Hebdo cartoons, whose depictions of the religion's founder have been considered by many Muslims as offensive.

"Prophet Muhammad's response was one of compassion, inclusiveness and forgiveness. He has his own Charlie Hebdos who insulted him in his lifetime. There's no need to defend Prophet Muhammad. Muslims must ignore this. The caricatures will not affect his character," said the Islamic scholar.

Earlier this month, Charlie Hebdo's cartoonists have been killed by militants who said they did it in the name of the prophet.

Mohammed condemned the mainstream media for stirring "a lot of confusion," adding they should be more responsible in their depiction of Islam.

"Mainstream media is not giving the full picture. The demonizing of Islam is calculated," he alleged.

The Islamic academic also maintained that the French magazine's caricatures are "not about freedom of expression," as he spoke on the matter of the media's right to feature such cartoons. "This is about having the right to offend. Criminal law tells you that you don't have the right to injure someone," he argued.

"Since when does the law allow one to injure someone?" he asked.

"To say I have the right to offend is to say, 'I have a right to be a bigot'. Which culture says that? This is a reflection of their own moral bankruptcy," Mohammed said.

Sataar Parker, chairman of the Masjidul Quds board of trustees, said they invited the academic to "empower the community with information about the prophet's character."

"We needed a scholarly and not emotional approach to the cartoons. We need to address this in a cool, calm and collected manner," said Parker.

Leaders from Christian and Hindu communities were invited to attend the talk, said the board chairman, adding that they encourage interfaith activities at their mosque.

Bishop Dennis Abrahams of the Shiloh Pentecostal Church in Primrose Park said he also found offensive the depictions of Jesus as drawn by Charlie Hebdo's self-proclaimed atheist cartoonists.

"It was done in the spirit of intolerance. We should respect one another's religion," said Abrahams.

Pandit Ashvin Narshi, a Hindu priest in various temples in Cape Town, said they do not support the cartoons because they were "destructive."