The Illiberal Democracy of France
France and the United States are rightly considered the birthplaces of modern democracy. It is very common saying that usually democracies don’t go to war but when we see the history of these countries we will learn how many wars they had fought in the past and how they were part of major parts of the world. So these countries should not be used as perfect examples of democracies in the world because they are not the liberal democracies that liberals want in this world.
The French revolution of 1789 was full of ideas of equality, liberty, freedom, and fraternity. It is said that the French people defended freedom and democracy against domestic and foreign foes alike, often at the peril of their lives. But France is lacking true democracy and this is what we all should be worried about. This is not just about the present but it has been the history of France that it has involved in wars. We have seen in the past the French genocide in Algeria where it killed thousands of innocent people just due to achieve its imperialist ends. Also with time, Islamophobia has been increasing in France and they haven’t taken any preventive measures against Islamophobia. Isn’t it someone’s personal opinion to cover the face with a hijab? Why France has been suppressing this freedom of individuals? Why France is being so illiberal? This is the freedom of speech that West has been trying to spread? They just want to spread their cultural values. They did not care about the true freedom of speech and liberty.
France as in past did try a blasphemous act with cartoons of Holy Prophet PBUH. But Sultan Abdul Hamid with his strong response threatened them for war at which they did not play that. France feared the unity of Muslims under the leadership of Abdul Hamid. But now France is once again playing blaspheme cartoons of Holy Prophet PBUH with the full backing of the French government. Is this freedom of speech? Our Prophet Muhammad PBUH is the apple of the eye of all the Muslims. We, Muslims can’t remain quiet on this insult of our Prophet which has hurt our feelings. He is the biggest blessing to humanity who fought against human rights violations and was the first person who provided everyone their deserved rights. He was the champion of human rights. He taught the world compassion, kindness, humility, humbleness, to help others without seeing personal interests, etc. But the noblest man of this world is being insulted in the light of freedom of speech. It is hurting our sentiments. It can’t be freedom of speech. This is clearly hate speech which is forbidden everywhere but the French government is full backing it. Muslims are protesting everywhere in the world but no one cares about it because it’s against Muslims. If it would have against any other religion then they would have even ready for the war. This shows that there is no true democracy in the world. There are only interests based democracy in the world. The human rights in the world are not based on universal means but they are culturally based human rights due to which the West has created its common laws that have formed a new type of Western imperialism. International law is also based on western ideas and not on universal ideas.
Muslim countries are protesting against it but most of the major Muslim powerful countries are silent just due to their interests and trade with the West. Muslims need to be united against this tyranny of the West in which they are hurting our feelings. All Muslim countries need to boycott France at every level. France has targeted Islam and our beloved Holy Prophet. We as Muslims should never compromise on the respect of our religion and our Holy Prophet. Because we can not be true Muslims till we love our Holy Prophet more than anyone in our life.
Narrated Abu Huraira:
“Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “By Him in Whose Hands my life is, none of you will have faith till he loves me more than his father and his children.” Sahih-al-Bukhari
We should not bear the insult of the beloved Holy Prophet at any cost. We should learn from our history how Sultan Alaudin Ayubi and Sultan Abdul Hamid tackle blasphemous issues. Pakistan is an atomic power they should not be silent and should threaten France with their nuclear bombs. Also, the economy and trade are considered the biggest power of this present world. So all Muslim countries should ban and boycott all the French products which will disastrously affect France in this pandemic situation. The enemies of Islam and our Prophet can never be our friends. Muslim countries should end all the diplomatic relations with France until they don’t accept their mistake and ask for forgiveness publicly. Cutting diplomatic relations is the lowest thing that we can do in the contemporary world where the West is in all terms of power.
These so-called democracies have created rules of their own. They have created human rights according to their culture. They consider hate speech as a crime but they are supporting this blasphemous act which shows their hypocrisy. The whole world especially the democratic world is silent on this blasphemy. This also shows which type of freedom they want. They are just illiberal democracies. This poses a deep antidemocratic dilemma. Although they respect the rule of law but fail to protect the rights of Muslims as Islamophobia is increasing and increasing in the world especially in the West.
