Acting National Assembly Speaker Mubarak Al-Khrainij deplored in a press statement on Wednesday some media outlets republishing the offensive cartoons lampooning Prophet Mohammad, saying such an act insulted the sensibilities of one and a half billion Muslims worldwide.
At the same time, Al-Khrainij condemned the manner of responding to the publishing of the cartoons through murder and terrorism, calling for calmness and wisdom in dealing with such situations.
Emphasizing that Islam is a religion of peace, compassion, and moderation, the Acting Speaker said at this time "we need wise people who stand for humanity against racism and seek the choice of life against the choice of death and wish for opening channels of dialogue with others." He added "all this violence, cruelty, and killing around us are camouflaged with wrongful interpretation of religion." He considered the killing of the cartoonists who insulted Prophet Mohammad unacceptable by the Prophet himself and by Islam as well.
He stressed that republishing the offensive cartoons stokes the fire of hatred among people and does not contribute to peaceful coexistence among nations of the world, and prevents expatriate Muslims living in western societies from assimilating with their new adopted homes.
He urged Muslims to exercise restraint in the face of the republishing of the cartoons, noting at the same time that publishing them should not be used in the west as a pretext for freedom of speech or practicing democracy.
He decried assaults on people's sacred beliefs in the name of freedom of speech as such assaults only feed the frenzy of religious extremists, who represent a tiny minority in Muslim societies and in no way or shape represent the majority of Muslims who spurn killing the innocent. It is this sliver of a minority whose murderous victims are more Muslims than people of other faiths, said Al-Kharainij.