Reactions against the abuse of the Messenger Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, continued in a number of Arab and Islamic countries, and calls were renewed to boycott French goods, in response to the statements of French President Emmanuel Macron regarding the cartoons insulting to the Messenger and Islam.
During the past few days, France has witnessed the publication of offensive pictures and drawings of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, on the facades of buildings in France, with President Macron insisting not to retreat from the offensive cartoons, while the French Foreign Ministry called on Arab and Islamic countries to stop boycotting French products.
Calls to boycott French products distort the attitudes that France defends for freedom of conscience, freedom of expression, freedom of religion, and the rejection of incitement to hatred
Permission: https://t.co/wDbb6SrpvM ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/bVKXjsSF6d
- French Foreign 🇫🇷 (@francediplo_AR) October 26, 2020
The calls to boycott French goods and hashtags defending the Prophet Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, spread very widely on social media, and a large group of stores in the Arab and Islamic world also withdrew French goods.
Within the framework of the responses, the Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned its French Chargé d'Affairs, Florent Idallo, to protest France's insult to the Islamic religion and the Prophet Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry stated that Tehran delivered the French diplomat a protest note, and informed him of its rejection and denunciation of any statement that harms Islam and reduces the respect of his Messenger, may God bless him and grant him peace, by any official.
In turn, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on European leaders to put an end to what he called the French president's anti-Islam agenda, and also called on the Turkish people to boycott French goods.
For his part, Ayman Safadi, Jordanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, informed the French ambassador, Veronique Voland, in Amman that his country is extremely dissatisfied with the publication of the cartoons insulting to the Prophet Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, stressing that this offense cannot be accepted under the title of freedom of expression.
The Kuwaiti Cabinet also warned against supporting and continuing these offenses, whether for all monotheistic religions or the messengers, peace be upon them, by some official political speeches.
He pointed out the danger of continuing to support these abuses and discriminatory policies, which link Islam with terrorism, as it represents a falsification of reality.
In Pakistan, Parliament approved yesterday, Monday, a resolution urging the government to recall its ambassador from Paris.
Because of the publication of cartoons insulting to the Prophet Muhammad in France, accusing the French President of spreading hatred against Muslims.
Parliament's decision, which is not binding, came hours after the French ambassador in Islamabad was summoned to the Pakistani Foreign Ministry to protest.
In Iraq, the Iraqi Parliament condemned, in its session today, the insulting of the Prophet Muhammad through the offensive cartoons in France.
Also, 25 members of the Parliament of the Kurdistan region (northern Iraq), from various political blocs, signed a memorandum that they delivered to the French consulate in Erbil, expressing concern about Macron's recent statements against Islam.
The Saudi Press Agency said that the Kingdom condemns the cartoons offensive to the Prophet Muhammad, and rejects any attempt to link Islam and terrorism.
She added that it is regrettable for the hatred to increase and play its chord in the name of freedoms.
The prosecution of Charlie Hebdo
In Egypt, the Council of Muslim Elders announced during a meeting held, Monday, headed by the Sheikh of Al-Azhar, its intention to file a lawsuit against the French satirical newspaper "Charlie Hebdo", which published cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, as well as against anyone who offends Islam and its sacred symbols.
The council said in a statement issued following a videoconference that it "strongly rejects the use of the free expression banner to insult the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad and the sanctities of the Islamic religion."
The Mufti of the Sultanate of Oman, Ahmad bin Hamad al-Khalili, also called for a boycott of all products of those who offended the Prophet Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, and to withdraw Muslim money from institutions run by "aggressors" as he described it.
Al-Khalili said in a statement published, Monday, on his official Twitter page, “I salute the enthusiasm of those who were jealous of the sanctities of their Prophet, and called on Muslims to boycott all exports by those who encroached on his great personality, and were indifferent to the feelings of this nation towards this personality, with which God honored the existence. ".
I pay tribute to those who were jealous of the prohibitions of their Prophet, may peace and blessings be upon him, and called on Muslims to boycott all exports by those who transgressed his great character, and did not care about the feelings of this nation towards this personality with which God honored existence, so it was the most generous of those on earth and those in the sky of creation God.
pic.twitter.com/H4zslOJBnr
- Ahmed bin Hamad al-Khalili (@AhmedHAlKhalili) October 26, 2020
In Algeria, the Supreme Islamic Council condemned the insult to Islam and its Messenger, may blessings and peace be upon him, considering that insulting and insulting religious symbols is an offense to humanity as a whole and extremism, especially if it is issued by an official who considers himself the protector of the values of brotherhood, freedom and equality.
For its part, the Supreme Scientific Council in Morocco expressed its rejection and condemnation of all kinds of harm to the sanctities of religions.
In turn, the Association "Collective Against Islamophobia in France" (CCIF) announced its intention to move its headquarters outside France, due to its lack of safety, following the statements of President Emmanuel Macron against Islam and Muslims.
The association - which defends Muslims, who are subjected to discrimination and attacks in France - reported that it had been subjected to many slanders and insults during the last week.
European support
In return, French Trade Minister Franck Riester said, Monday, that his country does not intend to boycott Turkish products, and will continue talks and relations with Turkey and its president.
In radio statements, Rester added that there is no revenge on Paris’s agenda, reiterating his country's government’s condemnation of Turkish President Erdogan’s recent statements regarding President Macron and his treatment of Muslims in France.
The French Minister of Trade emphasized that his country does not fear or expect the possibility of Morocco boycotting French products.
For its part, the European Union said it is working to defend its values, which include freedom of worship and freedom of expression.
He called for cooperation and dialogue in order to reach a common understanding.
Because the alternative is the path of hatred and increasing misunderstanding.
In turn, the spokesman for the European Commission, Eric Mamer, confirmed the support of the European Union countries for France in the face of the Turkish President's statements.
The European official added that there are initial reactions by the European Union to these statements, and other responses that it will take in the long term.
For his part, Peter Stano, spokesman for the European Union's external relations, said that he did not rule out holding an exceptional meeting of European foreign ministers to discuss the tension in relations between Turkey and France.