Photograph by GH avisualagency
Headline: “Teacher charged over Sudan row”
“A British teacher has been charged in Sudan with insulting religion, inciting hatred and showing contempt for religious beliefs.” – BBC
And all because the students in her class decided to name their pet teddy bear Muhammad (pbuh), which is the most common name in the whole world, and which is probably the most popularly used name in this little town. These little kids probably never named a teddy bear in their life, thus making the occasion in their eyes something special and what could be more special then the name of their religious Prophet? They most likely named this bear as one does a newborn! I’m sure everyone’s read or heard about this already and why not? It’s all over the News sites and papers because it is so astonishingly ridiculous. I wonder if the Sudanese government and judicial system realize they have a LITTLE more to worry about than a teddy bear sharing the same name as a religious Prophet? Matters such as famine, disease, and crimes against humanity in a little place of no consequence called Darfur, maybe? A whole population is dieing and starving left and right and these people create a national issue about a teddy bear! How pathetic! Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m sure a name can be changed, however, the death of innocent lives is not a reversible matter.
Lastly, do you see how much attention this matter of the teddy bear is getting? Perhaps, because it defies logic so much that it’s funny. The charges will probably be dropped against this teacher due to the national attention and drama, but think for a moment, if all this national attention for such a ridicules matter can help reserve it then what would such a force of the people do to the serious matter occurring in Darfur? The people and their outrage is a force to be reckoned with, perhaps we should make better use of this power.
"The Oxford History of Islam" by John L. Esposito (Editor)
"O wave! Plunge headlong into the dark seas,
And change thyself with many a twist and turn;
Thou wast not born for tile solace of the shore;
Arise, untamed, and find a path for thyself."
- Allama Muhammad Iqbal
Even if i had thought that this was blasphemous i would not have charged the women as it is obvious that offending people was not her intention. all the problems they are having in Sudan and this is what they are doing with thier time. sad for oh so many reasons.