A French Lesson For Our Media

A profound event has awakened a lethargic world. Millions of people have instantly materialized in city squares across Europe and in cities elsewhere around the globe in peaceful demonstrations of solidarity with those slain in the Muslim terrorist attacks on the offices of the Charlie Hebdo magazine in Paris. Most of the signs carried by the mourners held very simple and very telling words, “Je Suis Charlie.”

Distorting a distortion: Depicting Muhammad in Art

So is it true that the Prophet Muhammad really can’t be depicted in visual representation, even when done respectfully? The wiki short answer is:

The Islamic faith has strict injunctions against depictions of humans or animals which might result in idol-worship. Therefore there are no depictions of any person or animal.

With a historical caveat:

Pictures of Muhammad and Allah have been painted for time immemorial. Many paintings were made during the Ottoman Years of Muhammad, depicting his many actions and encounters with other folks of his time period. These pictures are often disputed as being counter to Muslim ideals, BUT often times these pictures were created by Muslims themselves. The ideal that pictures of Muhammad should not be created is a very modern ideal.