Europe, the U.S., and the world at large are eventually going to have to choose: freedom of speech, or submission to Sharia blasphemy laws? Which one they will choose is in doubt at the moment. Submission was galloping forward until Samuel Paty was beheaded. That seems to have galvanized the French government into acting to defend free expression. But how long their resolve will last is an open question.
“Al-Azhar Grand Imam calls for int’l legislation to protect Muslims against acts of hate, discrimination,” by Amr Kandil, Ahram Online, October 28, 2020:
Egypt’s Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed El-Tayyeb called for drafting an international legislation that criminalises acts of hate and discrimination against Muslims worldwide.
El-Tayyeb’s call came at a ceremony to celebrate the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, which was attended by President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, and other state and religious officials.
El-Tayyeb said cartoons insulting to the prophet “are an explicit act of hostility” against Islam and its prophet….
Al-Azhar has also condemned the French president’s charges that Islam encourages “separatism and isolationinsm.”
“Cartoons insulting our great prophet, which are promoted by some newspapers, magazines and even some policies, are absurd. They are a break from all moral restrictions, international customs, and general law.”
The grand imam reiterated the condemnation by the Islamic world and religious institutions of the murder of the recent of French teacher in Paris, after he had exhibited anti-prophet cartoons in his classroom, calling the crime a “painful” incident.
“But it is most regrettable and extremely painful to see insulting Islam and Muslims becoming a tool for mobilising votes and being used in election markets,” he added….