Malaysia outraged over “Muslim Rage” cover

KUALA LUMPUR- At a small Arab cafe in Malaysia’s trendy Bukit Bintang area of Kuala Lumpur, a group of Malaysians are relaxing, puffing away on their shisha, or water-pipe. But their faces are tense as their discussion turns to Newsweek’s recent “Muslim Rage” cover that has created controversy across the Islamic world.

“Do they just not have a clue?” said Yussif Ahmad Aziz, a 22-year-old political science student in the city. “It’s like these people in the west want to get Muslims upset, they want to have fighting words and they want to insult.”

For these university students, Newsweek’s recent cover has become a new point of contention among Muslims in the country. For Ayub Salim, a recent graduate and journalism intern with a leading daily in Malaysia, the magazine failed in its duty to uphold honesty and impartiality.

“I have nothing wrong really with using the cover ‘Muslim Rage’ but what really angers me is the writer of the cover story, Ayaan Hirsi Ali. She is someone who knows how to insult Islam all too well and she has done so in the past. Her being the one to write the article is a sign that the magazine wanted to continue to stir hatred and anger,” he argued.

The magazine claimed that their issue “accurately depicts the events of the past week.” Last week, Muslims across the world took to the streets to protest an anti-Islam film that insulted and defamed Islam and Prophet Mohamed. Protests were held in over 20 countries, and in a few places turned violent.

Malaysia saw a number of small demonstrations against the film, produced by a Coptic Christian in the United States, but they remained peaceful.

The Newsweek issue has hit a nerve with Muslims across the country, with one online Twitter user writing, “we talk about creating acceptance and understanding of events, but then the magazine goes and insults.”

For these students here, they told Bikyamasr.com that by having Ali write the cover story, the magazine has lost all its credibility in the situation.

“It is clear to me that whoever made the decision for this cover and this article has no idea about Islam, because their goal appears to be to inflame Muslim hate and anger,” Aziz continued.

Newsweek went a step further, arguing that the cover was to spark debate. “Our covers and hashtags bring attention and spark debate around topics of major global importance and the internet is an open forum for people to continue their own discussion,” spokesman Andrew Kirk told AFP.

But for Aziz, Salim and millions of Muslims in Malaysia and across the Islamic world, it highlights the growing gulf that exists between the west and Islam.

“They obviously don’t understand, or want to avoid a real discussion on Islam and what Muslims think. Ali does not represent Muslims and this is another blatant attack on our way of thinking and what angers us,” said Salim.

-BM