The cold north wind is blowing in vain-Danish and Dutch futile attacks on Islam

[اليمامة]

• • The North Wind was trying to demonstrate its stronger power over that of the sun by blowing so hard to make a man wearing a coat to take it off. Instead of removing his coat the man held tightly onto it. When the sun had its turn it just had to send warmth to make that man willingly take off his coat. From Aesop's fables.

With the republishing of the so called "Mohammed cartoons" most Muslim websites and newspapers now exhibit signs displaying "except Mohamed" urging visitors and readers to boycott all Danish products. This public campaign has worked to the extent of making people detest any Danish product.

Privately many Muslim leaders or Imams are gleaming with joy for the reaction that such provocative moves have caused and many of them can not remember any thing like it. They wonder whether is it a rekindled love or dormant emotions or feelings that have been awakened.

These Imams have never seen such a show of love by the masses for prophet Mohamed, and now the stage is set for the anti-Koran film which perhaps would also reignite the interest in reciting the Quran.

At the end of the day if these provocations turn out to be counter productive, should Muslims be thankful ? Certainly but not to Jyllands Posten or Geert Wilders. Instead they should be thankful to Allah who put at their disposal such an arrogant and ignorant enemy whose actions only served to strengthen their beliefs.

Denmark has chosen to embrace the role of the whipping boy to whom all angry emotions are vented and Denmark is probably taking over the USA in one area, the country which has its flag suffer most frequent flag desecration or burning. So the previously respected Danish flag is now being widely used as a floor mat.

Denmark followed by the Netherlands have chosen to be the football players who score the auto goal, or the soldiers who carry the guns that backfire.

While Muslims are not happy with such provocations and do not appreciate these actions they are certainly grateful for the result. So why shall they pray for the replacement of conveniently placed players or soldiers?

Obviously the source of these irresponsible provocations is not the cunning British or the sly French but rather they originated from the land from where the north wind blows or the land of the blond which proves that blond stupidity does have certain merits. Shakespeare was thoughtful in saying: “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark”

But why did the Danes or the Dutch choose this time? Probably it is just miscalculation on their part. They may have thought that this is the best time to defeat Islam morally as it has so far resisted all attacks militarily.

A similar situation where attacks have backfired was mentioned in the Quran in the chapter of light or "Sura Noor". There is a verse that refers to an incident when Aisha the wife of prophet Mohamed was accused of adultery. The verse says:

• • "Those who have brought forth the false accusation were a group from within you. Do not think it is bad for you, for it is good for you. Every person amongst them will have what he deserves of the sin. And as for he who had the greatest portion of it, he will have a great retribution."

This systematic attack on Islam has so far been directed towards the most sacred person in Islam; the prophet Mohamed and to the most sacred book the Quran.

We should expect the next attack to be directed towards Makkah (Mecca ) the most sacred place for Muslims, where the Saudis would not welcome that attack publicly but privately would love to see millions of Muslims flock to Makkah exactly as the man wearing the coat was holding it tightly as the north wind blows stronger.

One can not help but ask the question: What have the Danes or the Dutch gained from all of this? And have they ran out of other ideas to demonstrate the right for free press?

Mohamed Alkilani