LAHORE, Pakistan – Usually whenever the government announces a holiday, everyone’s faces brighten up with the thought of enjoying an extra holiday, especially if it’s coinciding with the weekend.
But this time, it’s a lot different. The Pakistani government has announced a holiday on Friday, the day when 25 official and numerous unofficial rallies and processions will be carried out as a protest against the anti-Islamic movie “Innocence of Muslims.”
Along with neighboring Afghanistan and nearby Bangladesh, Pakistan has already banned the use of YouTube because of the film.
Several times those against Islam have devised vile maneuvers to outwit Islam, and at the same time, it would be wrong to say that no Muslims ever defiled others.
But first of all, I would quote a dialogue from a Pakistani movie, “Khuda Ke Liye” (In The Name of God).
In that 2007 movie, a torture victim – thought by the American government to be responsible for the 9/11 attacks, writes in a letter to his American wife, “I don’t hate all Americans because some of them harmed me. Please don’t hate all Muslims because some of them harmed your country.”
Many people think that all Muslims hate all Americans and vice versa but this is absolutely wrong.
Obviously, when someone, anywhere in the world, would perform such an immoral act as making a film like this, all the Muslims all over the world will protest.
Islam is a very peaceful religion and it does not encourage any contradiction with anyone, even of another religion.
It teaches us to respect and not harm believers of other religions. What recently happened was totally unbearable and wrong. At least they should try to build a peaceful relationship at the international level.
How can it happen when we don’t even respect each other’s beliefs?
It is our right and we will protest against this film, but the protests shall be peaceful rather than those which end up in destroying property, and I surely hope that no Christian institutions
or people will be harmed.
or people will be harmed.
I don’t even get the point of it because it’s not them who are responsible. As a whole, I think that these people should be punished for this act and further attempts like this shall be stopped.
We love our religion and our Holy Prophet Muhammad and this is disrespectful of our religion. No one shall ever tolerate such nonsense.
Arooj Khalid is a Reporter for Youth Journalism International
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