Respect all religions: FM
Web posted at: 1/31/2006 3:47:38
Source ::: The Peninsula

Earlier, addressing the opening session of the conference on the Middle East’s economic future, the First Deputy Premier emphasised the need for economic and social stability to achieve economic growth in the countries of the region.

Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim said the countries of the region should keep clear of crisis and conflicts, urging the world community to resolve the crisis in the region in accordance with the rules and principles of International Law.

Meanwhile, Islamic scholar Dr Yousuf Al Qaradawi, in a speech delivered through the Qatar Television, yesterday urged the United Nations to ban defaming of any prophet or revered personality belonging to any religion in the world.

He was talking in the context of the strong protests across the Muslim world triggered by the caricatures of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) published by some newspapers in Denmark and Norway recently. “We Muslims consider it as a major crime to abuse or denigrate any Prophet, including Jesus and Moses. Any Muslim who is doing this will not continue as a Muslim,” Qaradawi said.

He said, press freedom didn’t mean the freedom to abuse or humiliate people. This is encroachment to others’ rights and reflects the uncultured mannerism of the doer. If this is the case with any ordinary individual, what to say about ridiculing a Prophet (pbuh) who is respected by 1.3 billion Muslims across the globe, wondered Qaradawi. “This is tantamount to inciting racial and religious sentiments,” he added.