MUSLIMS, TERRORISTS OR SOFT TARGETS?

We all have recently witnessed what is termed the "Ground Shaking - Charlie Hebdo" incident. So much has taken place post incident around the same issue across the globe. A few events have even gone to the extent of branding and spreading hatred towards the Muslim community, a sect which believes in claiming of The One Supreme God as Only and Sole being worthy of worship.

Me being of the same belief as of a Muslim would like to take a stand by exercising my freedom of Speech.

To begin with, Let me clarify our religion Islam does not allow us to kill any innocent human-being even on the battle field. So the followers of Islam i.e. Muslims being branded as Killers or Terrorists is unfair.

Let us now zoom more into the Charlie Hebdo incident which has created a sudden fuss in our lives and have disturbed many lives.

Charlie Hebdo is a French weekly News - Cartoon Magazine which first appeared in 1970 as a successor to the Hara-Kiri magazine, which was banned for mocking the death of former French President Charles de Gaulle. Among French media, Charlie Hebdo was well-known for not running advertisements. Instead, it relied primarily on newsstand sales and subscriptions, as well as the occasional donor drive. Its most recent call for donations was in November, when the now-murdered Editor-in-Chief Stéphane “Charb” Charbonneau admitted that “We’ve already cut back on everything: paper, printing, and even salaries.”

And in an age where publications are pushed to generate new online content round the clock, Charlie Hebdo kept a simple website and put out a single weekly print publication.

To be honest I have been alive on this Blue Planet Earth for the past several Decades, But I only came to know about the existence of this Magazine named "Charlie Hebdo" only recently. I am sure there are many more like me who were to hear this name for the first time in their life a week ago.

And how did we come to know about this? The Controversial Cartoon followed by a deadly terrorist attack on their 12 workers which caught the world's attention. This attention increased the magazine's usual weekly sale of 60,000 prints to 5 million copies and many more in the print line.

For an average normal thinking person, It is obvious that despite the attack the only ones to benefit from this incident was the Brand name "Charlie Hebdo" which got itself advertised to more than 6 Billion people around the World without spending a single penny of investment and Yes not to forget their skyrocketing profit share which rose to around 833% in just a week time and they are still earning through donations, Humanitarian Organizations and Individuals.

I also learnt that they pledged to give away the money collected through donations to the families of the victims. Well that's very kind of you Charlie Hebdo, What do you say about the free branding you received and the 833% plus sales?

I am not here to oppose anyone of their earnings by whichever Business strategy they use to make their Organizations grow. What I am more concerned about is the aftermath of this incident-the wrongful labeling and abusing of Muslims as Terrorists as has been happening after every attack.

We are an innocent group of people busy with our own lives. Neither us or our religion intends to harm anyone. Even Killing of animals by torturing them is prohibited in Islam.

We believe and try to spread Peace at all times, We love and respect Muhammed (P.B.U.H). Yes, There are a few Radical, Anti-Social, Extremist, Psychopath individuals in every Religion, Community, Country and we are not proud of such individuals who bear Muslim names.

I am not taking sides here, I am just telling we are not so bad as we are projected. We also believe in Abraham, Moses and Jesus. We do not make fun of others' faith and practices. So dear West and the great Media, stop bothering us.

We already have a lot of big things to worry about. Our brothers and sisters being killed since 60 years in Palestine, Our beautiful children are dying homeless due to cold, We have been bleeding in our hearts, Yet we condemn and apologize for the wrongful killings in Paris attack even though the act may not have been committed by Muslims nor do we know who's responsible for the attack and their motives. And Muslims are not the one to benefit from such dastardly attacks.

I don't want to conclude by blaming anyone on their wrong doing. But I ask you to decide if Muslims are really Terrorists or are they just a Soft and Easy Target for achieving gains.

By Mustafa Hashmi

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The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to The Hans India.