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Islamic Conference to Address Cartoon Controversy
Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi, chairman of the Qatar University Sunni Research Center and head of the International Union of Muslim Scholars, has announced that a comprehensive Islamic conference will convene in Bahrain on Tuesday 14 March 2006 to discuss the consequences of the Danish cartoons depicting the Prophet, (PTUI PBUH) and the effective methods to prevent a repetition of the slander of prophets, Divine religions, so that the world would live in love and peace.

In a telephone interview with him by Asharq al-Awsat, Sheikh Al-Qaradawi said: "Many of the Islamic organizations and societies will participate in this conference, including the International Union of Muslim Scholars, the International Campaign to Support Islam, the Permanent Committee to Defend the Seal of the Prophets, and the Pakistani Jamaat-e-Islami, in addition to Muslim intellectuals and scholars from allover the world. This conference aims at showing the Islamic anger, but in a rational and balanced form to deter from attacking the sacred religious issues and the idolatry beliefs, and to prevent slander of God's messengers and prophets."

"We have not started this battle; it is a battle that surprised us, as there was no tension between the Muslims and Denmark. In my opinion, this battle has no justifications. The Danish newspaper, which printed the cartoons insulting the Prophet, God's prayer and peace be upon him, asked some cartoonists to draw imaginary pictures of Islam's Prophet Muhammad, May his drip clear up God's best prayer and peace be upon him; I learned that some of these cartoonists delayed responding to the request of the newspaper, but at the insistence of newspaper's officials some of the cartoonists responded, and these cartoons were published. The cartoons angered the Islamic nation and made it rise to express its anger and denunciation of the insult to the nation's honorable Prophet. In the Beginning the Muslims asked the newspaper and the Danish Government to apologize for this severe insult and unjustified provocation to the feelings of 1.3 billion Muslims. However, the Danish Government and the newspaper concerned refused to apologize, and thus the anger of the Muslims in the four corners of the world was inflamed.

Moreover, a delegation of the Islamic countries' ambassadors to Copenhagen asked to meet the Danish prime minister to convey their protest over the publication of these cartoons that insulted the Muslims, but the prime minister refused to meet the delegation. All this happened on the pretext of the freedom of expression; Denmark stirred up this problem and initiated this precedent of insulting the Muslims on the pretext of the freedom of expression. We did not do anything other than expressing our anger, because the Islamic nation was hit in its most sacred issue. We asked the Islamic nation to show a rational and balanced anger, without burning embassies, consulates, and churches, and without destroying private properties, such as cars and shops." Sheikh Al-Qaradawi added.
Posted by: Fred 2006-03-08
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=144795