January 7, 2015

The Muslim Public Affairs Council strongly condemns the deplorable attack on the French satirical magazine, Charlie Hebdo, which occurred today in Paris. Three gunmen, armed with Kalashnikov rifles, killed a total of 12 individuals, including employees of the magazine and police officers. MPAC offers its deepest condolences to the victims and their families of this horrible attack. As of the release of this statement, the gunmen are still at large.

SEE: “Charlie Hebdo Attack: 12 Dead at Paris Offices of Satirical Magazine - Live Updates” (The Guardian)

The magazine, which in the past has satirized the Prophet Muhammad, has been the target of violence before, prompting law enforcement to offer protection to the editor. The gunmen are reported to have shouted during their rampage that the Prophet Muhammad had been avenged.

The Quran upholds the importance of the freedom to express one's own thoughts, even when they may be seen as distasteful or disrespectful by others. The Quran documents the countless attempts to defame the Prophet as a "madman," "magician" and as one who spreads discord.

“The tragic irony that these criminals displayed is that if they actually gave a cursory look over the Prophet Muhammad’s life, they’d see how he reacted to insults and degrading treatment,” said Haris Tarin, Director of the Washington, DC, Office. “The Prophet always responded with mercy and forgiveness. No matter what grievances individuals or communities might have, violence is never the answer.”

The attack highlights the need for communities and law enforcement to work together in addressing violent extremism. The causes that drive such violence must be firmly dealt with at its core: theologically, socially and politically.

In 2013, the Brookings Institution published a paper titled “Rethinking the ‘Red Line’: The Intersection of Free Speech, Religious Freedom, and Social Change” co-authored by Haris Tarin, Director of MPAC’s Washington, DC, office and Asma Uddin, Legal Counsel for the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. The paper addresses freedom of expression and violent extremism. 

MPAC is available for all media inquiries. Please contact Haris Tarin at 818-468-5428 or haris@mpac.org.