Don't let clash of cultures destroy all we hold dear

Published on Sunday 19 February 2006 00:09

THE publication and the republication of the cartoons, in Denmark and other countries, and the subsequent protests and flag burning ceremonies in the Islamic world, prove the mistrust which both societies hold for each other.

Since the days of Imam Khomeini's inauguration in Iran, the West has been bent on ridiculing and mocking anything that is Islamic, and by doing so they have been scoring own goals. Their unfair and biased criticism of Islam has made many young Muslims more aware of themselves and their identity.

In Britain, we now have third or fourth generation British Muslims who, under the influence of Western culture, might have deviated from their religion altogether. But they are coming back into the mosques in their droves. Many girls are happily wearing Hijab (head scarves) in their everyday life as a protest against western aggression and denigration of their identity.

We live in a society which proudly thrives in its great traditions of democracy, human rights and free speech. Yet from time to time we see it contradicting itself. In the London march in front of the Danish embassy, a young man was dressed as a suicide bomber, even though he was not, but we felt it was unacceptable. Last year Prince Harry attended a fancy dress party wearing a Nazi sign. It too was unacceptable. Many years ago, ITV aired a film called Death of a Princess, which angered the Saudi Royal Family so much that they threatened to sever diplomatic links with Britain. The film has never been repeated on our screens because oil is more important than free speech.

Iran does not have the right to do whatever it desires with its stocks of uranium, but Israel can have large stockpiles of the same.

Incidentally the same Danish newspaper that depicted these cartoons had earlier rejected Christoffer Zieler's caricatures of Lord Jesus Christ as offensive to its readers.

In the Islamic world, many religious and political leaders are always seeking these opportunities to oppose the West and further their own objectives and hidden agendas. They know they live in countries where unemployment levels are so high that "rent a mob" are readily available by the hour and in their thousands.

We live in a very multicultural society where respect and tolerance are just as important as free speech.

We need to build bridges of understanding, we have to befriend each other, be courteous and respectful, live side by side, learn from each other, and most importantly trust each other.

Muslims need to revert back to principles of Islam where tolerance is heavily advocated and we in the West need to redefine the meaning of free speech and understand its limits. Otherwise, as President Musharraf put it, we may have a "clash of civilisations" on our doorstep.

Syed Nasir Jaffri

Scottish Asian Network