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It's not simply about drawing pictures. In Islam, certain people are considered holy and revered. Before Islam, notable people in society would be drawn or por
by kloncks 17y ago
It's not simply about drawing pictures. In Islam, certain people are considered holy and revered.
Before Islam, notable people in society would be drawn or portrayed after they die, and that would sometimes lead people to worship them or raise their level to holy, which is not right.
Thus, Islam has a very firm policy against depicting anyone who is important in our religious tradition. That will include God, Muhammad, the Angels (Gabriel, etc). Interestingly, portrayal of the people we consider were prophets before Muhammed - Jesus, Moses, Abraham, Noah, Adam, etc - is also very strictly prohibited.
That being said, since Islam's base of followers is oh so diverse, certain cultures (some in India and some in Turkey) have at some points drawn picture stories of Muhammad and other prophets but to the base of the religion that was considered taboo.
It's more or less a huge sign of respect...
- nfnaaron 17y agoProbably an unfair question to you, since you're not one who riots, but if it's strictly prohibited in Islam to draw Jesus and the others you mention, why are there not riots, death threats and killings in response to their portrayals?
- chc 17y agoSame reason that killing a little kid will bring a lot more legal heat than killing a gangbanger — just because two things are strictly prohibited doesn't mean people respond to them equally.
- kloncks 17y agochc makes a lot of sense and brings up a nice point (see below or above?) another thing I can think of is this. portrayals of muhammad to this day, compared with those of jesus and others, have been fairly limited. there are cathedrals, paintings, murals, etc of jesus depicted with every skin color and body features. muhammad, on the other hand, isn't that much. but the concept of a drawn jesus, to most of the world, isn't a new thing at all. so if i were picking a fight...wouldn't i pick one where i don't automatically lose?