Abdi-Hakim Yasin Ararse, vice chairman of the Islamic Society of Finland, examined copies of Danish cartoons depicting the prophet Mohammed in a Helsinki mosque on Tuesady. Photo: MIKA RANTA

Muslims living in Finland have expressed understanding for the uproar in the Middle East over cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad published by a Danish newspaper.

The newspaper Jyllands-Posten has been accused of insulting Islam, or at the very least, of using poor editorial judgement.

Although the 12 offending cartoons have not been shown in the Finnish media, with the exception of a few brief flashes on television, they have been readily available on the Internet.

The greatest offence was caused by a cartoon depicting Muhammad wearing a turban that had been turned into a bomb.

Imam Khodr Chehab of the Islamic Society of Finland, which represents several different groups of Muslim immigrants in Finland, says that the cartoons are "deliberately offensive", as they try to portray Islam as a violent religion.

He says that the angry reactions, and threats to boycott Denmark are justified, because the Danish government, and ordinary citizens have expressed their support for the newspaper.
"Desecrating the Prophet is a very serious matter", he said.
Chehab says that he is certain that if the pictures were published in Finland, the reactions would be the same as in Denmark.

The vice-chairman of the same congregation, Abdi-Hakim Yasin Ararse, who has a Somali background and works as an engineer for Nokia, says that he saw the cartoons on the Internet last autumn. "My first reaction is that I became very angry."

Yasin Ararse notes that Islam does not permit any images depicting Muhammad. "Freedom of expression has progressed very far in the Nordic Countries, but common sense should tell that this is slanderous."

He also feels that the drawings do not bring anything new to the two stereotypes concerning Islam that are often seen in Western countries - that it is a religion of violence and the oppression of women.

However, he does not agree with calls for a boycott of Danish goods. "Muslims in the Nordic Countries have bigger problems than these cartoons."

The chairman of the Finnish Islam Congregation, Okhan Daher of Finland's long-established Tatar community, feels that the core issue of the uproar is that people should respect each others’ religions. "These are sensitive issues especially in the Middle East, and in societies where faith has a strong presence in people’s everyday lives."

Daher says that in the more secular West, reactions over stunts that insult Christianity, for instance, would be more moderate.

His advice to both sides in the Danish dispute is: "Do not provoke, or be provoked".
Daher also says that demands from the Middle East that the Danish government should apologise for what Jyllands-Posten has printed could stem from "ignorance". He notes that people do not understand that in the West, governments cannot dictate, and are not responsible for the content of the media.

Imam Chehab notes that freedom of expression is not unlimited even in the West. "If you make jokes about the holocaust, you go to jail. Racism in Finland is illegal, and these drawings have racist characteristics."

Source: Helsingin Sanomat, Feb. 01, 2006