These days every Tom, Dick and Harry in Media and politics hurl advices to Muslims on being tolerant. Let us see the status of tolerance in the 'most advanced nations'

Few years back Professor Irving was jailed on the account of “refusal of Holocaust”? I don’t know any western newspaper that dared to protest against Irving’s arrest.  No highlight of the news! There is a hidden fear of being labeled “anti Semitic” in the western media, political circle and campus.

Nobody dares a healthy discussion on Holocaust in the West.

Few years back also when a small coffee house in a corner Navi Mumbai India was named with "Hitler" the whole Jewish world protested. Finally when the shop was renamed, instead of protesting for freedom of naming a business the world media celebrated the Jewish victory.

Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson, Arun Gandhi’s observation in Washington Post’s Religious blog on Jews being the biggest players in a " culture of violence" made him a victim of Pro Israeli’s lobby. No section of media dared to reprint that article.

Norman Frankenstein’s arguments against Jews cost him a denial for tenure in De Paul University. It just went away as passing news.

Jimmy Carter too is labeled as Jew hater because he took the side of Palestinians in his book.

John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt authors of “the Israel Lobby and Us policy” comment that” You cannot make these arguments in US without incurring the wrath of Israel lobby”

Targets for firing the cannon of free speech is chosen on the basis of benefits in TRPs and politics, and in many cases the weakness of the target, in this case Muslims.

When your stand is based upon your partial choice, it is a hypocritical stand, rightly termed as freedom of foul speech.

 In fact Islam encourages freedom of speech. The Qur'an declares in the Qur'an [33.70] " O you who believe fear Allah (and not others) and speak a word directed to the truth'

 There are many Sahih Hadith saying "Speaking a word against tyrant government is a type of Jihad"

There are instances when noted Khalifa Umar bin al Khattab was also questioned as to where did he get that extra sheet  of cloth when the rest of the warriors were given only one sheet. He had to inform them that he had taken his son Abdullah's sheet.

By Nisaar Yusuf

(Nisaar Yusuf is a renowned speaker on socio-religious issues in Mumbai India. He has been invited to speak at various Seminars by Institutions and Universities in India. He can be contacted at nisaar_yusuf@yahoo.com )