It is a message of defiance, but also forgivenessand many Muslims responded with similarly mixed emotions.
A magazine cover depicting the Prophet Mohammed with a tear falling from his cheek, holding a sign that says, “Je suis Charlie,” the slogan that became a worldwide meme. Above Mohammed are the words “All Is Forgiven.”
On Wednesday, two Muslim extremists attacked the offices of Charlie Hebdo, a French satirical magazine with a history of mocking Mohammed. Twelve were killed, including several top editors, by two men with terrorist connections who said they were avenging the prophet.
Many Muslims object to any depictions of Mohammed — respectful or not — saying that such images defy his teachings and lead to idolatry.
For the secular satirists at Charlie Hedbo, neither of those concerns seemed to matter much. Instead, they often lampooned Mohammad, crudely caricaturing him as a backward, foolish figure.
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“Did you happen to notice any cartoons mocking the death of the cartoonists themselves, and lampooning their work and efforts?” Qadhi asked.
Satire of the type attempted by Charlie Hebdo often serves a valuable end, said Omid Safi, director of Islamic studies at Duke University. But, like Qadhi, Safi faulted the French magazine for misfiring in its choice of targets.
“I see satire as always having a purpose of mocking the powers that be, hierarchy, power, unearned privileged. So who are we speaking power to today?” Safi said. “Sure, violent terrorists. But what about all the other agents of violence, including the state-sponsored ones? That’s why I don’t find Charlie Hebdo particularly good satire.”
Good satire or not, many Muslims seemed content not to comment on Hebdo’s latest depiction of their prophet, or to ignore it altogether.
“Let us ignore the provocations and defamation and get about the work of being a source of good and mercy to all we may come into contact with,” Imam Zaid Shakir, a popular cleric and scholar from California, posted on Facebook this week. “May Allah bless you all and make things easy for you and your families during these trying times.”
