Get A Grip
Content
THEY DREW THE PROPHET? GET A GRIP!
The cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed (saw) indicate a specific type of productivity that was based on a
specific point of view of life. Why Muslims are unable to be productive is an indication that they do not understand
their specific view point of life.
Life can be controlled by religion i.e. the submission and acceptance that actions are controlled by rules
determined by Allah (ta’ala). Or it can be the opposite. That is life can be controlled completely or partially by
man, i.e., the submission and acceptance that actions are controlled by rules determined by man. Productivity in
both cases will therefore be different. This is because one (Islam) views life as attaining the pleasure of the Creator
of everything. The other, (created worshiping creation) view life as attaining the pleasure of man. When you buy a
car, go to the bathroom, get married, eat, or even have a problem it is Islam that determines what you can or
cannot buy, where you can and cannot ease yourself, who you can or cannot marry, when you can or cannot eat
and what is or is not a problem. Contrast this with how a human being devoid of hidaya (Islamic guidance) views it
and the difference is clear. Therefore life controlled by Islam is diametrically opposite to life controlled by man.
Productivity for both of them will also be different.
The cartoons drawn depicting the Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) were based on how the person
drawing it viewed life. For him it was about making ‘the self’ happy. Since he has no connection between the
Creator of life, people and their environments, it is natural for him to curse the Prophet one moment and the next
glorify him. Everyone has heard or read of the famous quote by Michele Hart’s ‘scientific research’ on ‘The 100: A
Ranking Of The Most Influential Persons In History’ declaring that Mohammed (PBUH) being number one in the list
of 100 of the world’s most influential people. On the other hand, the same human being who also views life in the
same way as Michele Hart did depicts the Prophet (PBUH) in the most deplorable way, because he felt satisfaction
brought about by how he views life. This is a specific type of productivity. This means that a person who believes
that life has nothing to do with religion will live life in that manner. This productivity is no different for Hart or the
cartoonist in that they both sought the pleasure of nothing other than their own desires.
Insulting any Prophet on the hand is not only at the level of prohibition in Islam it is anti Islam. This is why it is not
allowed to insult Adam, Abraham, David, Moses, Jesus and Mohammed may the peace and blessings of Allah
be upon them, their families and their noble companions. This specific productivity is protected by Islam.
The act of going against Islam stops the Muslim from insulting the religion of the Jews simply because they follow
Moses (AS). It is what stops the Muslim from insulting the religion of the Christians simply because they follow
Jesus (AS). It is not, however, the same as a person who decides to separate life from religion and worship the
creation such as they do disguised in words like democracy, freedom, liberty and so on. Pointing out it is an
incorrect basis for life is not the same as pointing out why Moses (AS) had a successor after him who should be
followed. Pointing out that the human being is incapable of knowing what is right or wrong is different from
pointing out that the books of At-Tawrat or Al-Injeel contain contradictions and therefore cannot be followed.
Pointing out that the human being lives life in misery and causes others to live in misery when he detaches life
from his creator is different from correcting the person who follows Isa (as) but does not follow Mohammed
(PBUH). This is the productivity defined by Islam. It draws a line and the Muslim follows it. Islam draws a line in
what the Muslim believes in and the Muslim believes in it. Islam draws a line in what actions the Muslim must
revolve around and the Muslim does accordingly.
Insulting the Prophet (PBUH) has not been the first indication that as Muslims we are unproductive or we do not
refer to Islam in order to find solutions for our problems. This will get worse to the point where it is no longer an
issue for anyone to insult Islam because Muslims have hit rock bottom as a collective force to be reckoned with. It
has happened and it has been documented that in the past Muslims were respected, dignified, honorable, and
their lives as well as the lives of those under their care were protected. That only happened because we referred
to Islam collectively to move forward, to solve our everyday problems and to seek the pleasure of Allah subhanawho-wa-tala. Perhaps this will continue the sooner we realize Islam is not merely about prayer, fasting, growing
a beard, dressing in a specific way, pretending that separating life from Islam is fine. Rather we will believe like
those sent to Musa (AS) when they were asked to hold onto what was given to them with strength. We will believe
like Yahya (AS) when he was also asked to take what was given to him with strength. We will believe like the
companions (RA) who were around Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) when he received the ayaat reminding us to
ُﺧذُوا ﻣَﺎ آﺗ َ ْﯾﻧَﺎﻛُم ﺑِﻘُوﱠ ٍة
"Take what We have given you with determination”
Surat Al-Baqarah (The Cow - ﺳ ورة اﻟﺑﻘ رةAyah 63)
May Allah (ta’ala) give us the understanding and strength we need in order to worship Him correctly and seek His
pleasure in both our belief and actions inshallah.
And that is being productive as a result of coming to Islam correctly.
The cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed (saw) indicate a specific type of productivity that was based on a
specific point of view of life. Why Muslims are unable to be productive is an indication that they do not understand
their specific view point of life.
Life can be controlled by religion i.e. the submission and acceptance that actions are controlled by rules
determined by Allah (ta’ala). Or it can be the opposite. That is life can be controlled completely or partially by
man, i.e., the submission and acceptance that actions are controlled by rules determined by man. Productivity in
both cases will therefore be different. This is because one (Islam) views life as attaining the pleasure of the Creator
of everything. The other, (created worshiping creation) view life as attaining the pleasure of man. When you buy a
car, go to the bathroom, get married, eat, or even have a problem it is Islam that determines what you can or
cannot buy, where you can and cannot ease yourself, who you can or cannot marry, when you can or cannot eat
and what is or is not a problem. Contrast this with how a human being devoid of hidaya (Islamic guidance) views it
and the difference is clear. Therefore life controlled by Islam is diametrically opposite to life controlled by man.
Productivity for both of them will also be different.
The cartoons drawn depicting the Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) were based on how the person
drawing it viewed life. For him it was about making ‘the self’ happy. Since he has no connection between the
Creator of life, people and their environments, it is natural for him to curse the Prophet one moment and the next
glorify him. Everyone has heard or read of the famous quote by Michele Hart’s ‘scientific research’ on ‘The 100: A
Ranking Of The Most Influential Persons In History’ declaring that Mohammed (PBUH) being number one in the list
of 100 of the world’s most influential people. On the other hand, the same human being who also views life in the
same way as Michele Hart did depicts the Prophet (PBUH) in the most deplorable way, because he felt satisfaction
brought about by how he views life. This is a specific type of productivity. This means that a person who believes
that life has nothing to do with religion will live life in that manner. This productivity is no different for Hart or the
cartoonist in that they both sought the pleasure of nothing other than their own desires.
Insulting any Prophet on the hand is not only at the level of prohibition in Islam it is anti Islam. This is why it is not
allowed to insult Adam, Abraham, David, Moses, Jesus and Mohammed may the peace and blessings of Allah
be upon them, their families and their noble companions. This specific productivity is protected by Islam.
The act of going against Islam stops the Muslim from insulting the religion of the Jews simply because they follow
Moses (AS). It is what stops the Muslim from insulting the religion of the Christians simply because they follow
Jesus (AS). It is not, however, the same as a person who decides to separate life from religion and worship the
creation such as they do disguised in words like democracy, freedom, liberty and so on. Pointing out it is an
incorrect basis for life is not the same as pointing out why Moses (AS) had a successor after him who should be
followed. Pointing out that the human being is incapable of knowing what is right or wrong is different from
pointing out that the books of At-Tawrat or Al-Injeel contain contradictions and therefore cannot be followed.
Pointing out that the human being lives life in misery and causes others to live in misery when he detaches life
from his creator is different from correcting the person who follows Isa (as) but does not follow Mohammed
(PBUH). This is the productivity defined by Islam. It draws a line and the Muslim follows it. Islam draws a line in
what the Muslim believes in and the Muslim believes in it. Islam draws a line in what actions the Muslim must
revolve around and the Muslim does accordingly.
Insulting the Prophet (PBUH) has not been the first indication that as Muslims we are unproductive or we do not
refer to Islam in order to find solutions for our problems. This will get worse to the point where it is no longer an
issue for anyone to insult Islam because Muslims have hit rock bottom as a collective force to be reckoned with. It
has happened and it has been documented that in the past Muslims were respected, dignified, honorable, and
their lives as well as the lives of those under their care were protected. That only happened because we referred
to Islam collectively to move forward, to solve our everyday problems and to seek the pleasure of Allah subhanawho-wa-tala. Perhaps this will continue the sooner we realize Islam is not merely about prayer, fasting, growing
a beard, dressing in a specific way, pretending that separating life from Islam is fine. Rather we will believe like
those sent to Musa (AS) when they were asked to hold onto what was given to them with strength. We will believe
like Yahya (AS) when he was also asked to take what was given to him with strength. We will believe like the
companions (RA) who were around Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) when he received the ayaat reminding us to
ُﺧذُوا ﻣَﺎ آﺗ َ ْﯾﻧَﺎﻛُم ﺑِﻘُوﱠ ٍة
"Take what We have given you with determination”
Surat Al-Baqarah (The Cow - ﺳ ورة اﻟﺑﻘ رةAyah 63)
May Allah (ta’ala) give us the understanding and strength we need in order to worship Him correctly and seek His
pleasure in both our belief and actions inshallah.
And that is being productive as a result of coming to Islam correctly.
