- Crossed the line

DIFFERENT CREEDS: -- Drawings of God and Jesus are altogether a different story because we do not forbid depictions of our gods like the Muslims do, Hofseth Hovland says.
FOTO: Mari Hagen

The leaders of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Student Association (AMS) and the Oslo Student Christian Movement (OKSF) both dissociate themselves from the drawings of Prophet Muhammad.

AGREEING: Christine Hofseth Hovland of the Oslo Student Christian Movement and Hamzan Rajpoot of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Student Association are both highly critical of the recent portrayal of the prophet Muhammad in the Christian periodical Magazinet.
FOTO: Mari Hagen

- Has this been done in the name of freedom of speech, or are there alternative reasons behind this? Why are people never lashing out at Hindus or Jews? Hamzan Rajpoot, leader of AMS says. He feels it is regrettable that Magazinet mocks Islam.

Three weeks ago, drawings of Muslim Prophet Muhammad were published in the Norwegian Christian periodical Magazinet. They were initially published in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten and have created quite a stir in Muslim circles worldwide.

- Beyond comparison for Christians

Leader of OKSF, Kristine Hofseth Hovland, regards the publication of the drawings as unwise and uncareful.

- Drawings of God and Jesus are altogether a different story because we do not forbid depictions of our gods like the Muslims do. To them, an important line is crossed, which holds highly symbolic implications. Provocation is only due when it is carried out with respect, and when dialogue is the objective, Hovland says.

- We Muslims react because Muhammad condemned idolatry. Nobody knows what Muhammad looked like, thus it is deceitful to depict him, Rajpot says, and adds that Muslims are not supposed to punish those who practise blasphemy, but turn the other way.

Freedom of speech comes first

Sigurd Allern, Professor of Journalism at the University of Oslo, does not defend the drawings. Nevertheless, he thinks that the freedom of speech must prevail.

- I neither sympatise with this, nor do I find any reason to defend this. However, freedom of speech also means that you have to be able to print stupidities as well without being punished. Magazinet`s publication must not lead to a limitation of the freedom of speech, Allern says.

Allern thinks that Magazinet has got involved in a provocation that originated from right-wing political circles in Denmark.

Kristin Jonassen Nordby • Mari Hagen • Translated by Egil Ellenes