We took the liberty to make some enquiries concerning the ground of their pretensions to make war upon nations who had done them no injury, and observed that we considered all mankind as our friends who had done us no wrong, nor had given us any provocation.

The Ambassador [of Tripoli] answered us that it was founded on the Laws of their Prophet, that it was written in their Koran, that all nations who should not have acknowledged their authority were sinners, that it was their right and duty to make war upon them wherever they could be found, and to make slaves of all they could take as Prisoners, and that every Musselman who should be slain in battle was sure to go to Paradise.

{Letter from the commissioners, John Adams & Thomas Jefferson, to John Jay, 28 March 1786}

ويأتي يوم أحد لتتفاقم الماساة ويشتد الخطب، وتعظم المصيبة، ويقتل القرشيون سبعين من خيرة الصحابة، ويمثل القرشيون بأجساد الشهداء -وفي مقدمتهم حمزة رضي الله عنه- في مخالفة واضحة لأعراف وقيم الجزيرة العربية، ويتقطع الرسول -صلوات الله وسلامه عليه- ألماً وهو يرى أجساد أصحابه ممزقة على أرض أحد، ويتربصون به -صلى الله عليه وسلم - شخصياً، ويجرحونه في كل موضع من جسده حتى لا يقوى على القيام في صلاة الظهر فيصلى جالساً، وتتفجر الدماء من وجهه -صلوات الله وسلامه عليه-، وتُبذل المحاولات المضنية لوقف النزيف، ويُحَاصَرُ الرسول -صلوات الله وسلامه عليه- وبعض أصحابه في الجبل..

إنها لحظة من أشد لحظات حياته -صل الله عليه وسلم - شدة وقسوة..!!

في هذا الجو من الألم والحزن والضيق، يمسح -صلوات الله وسلامه عليه- الدم عن وجهه ويقول :" رب اغفر لقومي فإنهم لا يعلمون"

إنه يعاملهم معاملة الأب الحنون الذي يرى اينه عاقاً ومنحرفاً ومؤذياً له وللمجتمع، فيرفع يده للسماء ليدعو له، لا ليدعو عليه.

We have expressed the Muslim community's concerns about a variety of images of the Prophet Mohammed, whether it be in textbooks, editorial cartoons or even in the Supreme Court.

The strongest man is the one who, when he gets angry and his face reddens and his hackles rise, is able to defeat his anger.
(Reported by Imaam Ahmad, 5/367, and classified as hasan in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 3859)

Treat this world as I do, like a wayfarer; like a horseman who stops in the shade of a tree for a time, and then moves on.

We want to discuss the implications and impact of the caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed and try to come up with initiatives to help calm the situation.