Why I will not boycott Facebook on May 20, 2010
My name is Adnan Ali and this is why I will not sign off or boycott Facebook on May 20, 2010.
As you know someone has created a page on Facebook to collaborate the “Draw Muhammad Day”, NauzibAllah , Astaghfar, shame on the antagonist and participants.
Muslims on Facebook are outraged by this act of blasphemy and due to our immense respect and love for our Prophet Muhammad PBUH, have been reporting the page in the Racist / Hate Speech category. I have done so myself. Apparently Facebook has not acted upon what we Muslims think are its own rules and policies about user generated content on Facebook.
Since then, there has been a growing demand by the Muslims on Facebook to boycott the platform and it has been rumored that Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has been asked by the Pakistan government to block Facebook or the disputed Page’s URL. [Update: ProPakistani.pk is reporting that PTA has indeed blocked the Page URL.]
I will not be supporting any such boycott by Muslim users of Facebook, nor shall I support any block or ban by the PTA. Here is why:
1. Boycotts are the easy way out. Boycotts achieve little and they are just a self satisfaction tool.
2. If the 2,359,620 Pakistanis choose to delete their accounts on Facebook, it is going to make no economic or social difference on Facebook.
3. This is a media war. Muslims have always been prone to emotional discourse which provides immense pleasure to our enemies. Moreover, boycotts are going to leave the social media space open for those who hold wrong beliefs about our Prophet PBUH.
4. Why should PTA ban this page in Pakistan? It does not have jurisdiction over other countries. So, PTA is stopping Muslims in Pakistan from accessing this page? How does that make sense? Why are Muslims in Pakistanis visiting this page in the first place? I think that no Muslim worth his salt would visit such pages and therefore PTA can stay away from banning the internet.
5. Allowing government interruption and censure on the internet will lead to precedence. Which sites will be next? Local sites where the government is criticized for politics and policy? This is a wrong and dangerous step and we should not in any case accept government censure of the internet in Pakistan.
6. Boycotting something like this will only give it more life. Imagine all the status messages that have the link of the page. We are actually spreading this virus rather than burying it. Add to this, other pages and groups created by Muslims which highlight the content of the blasphemous page. This is ridiculous behavior.
7. Our emotional outbursts are only going to be picked up by mainstream media and then everyone can join and laugh at our activities.
8. For most of us so called aggrieved people, we disrespect, ridicule and deny the teachings of Prophet Muhammad PBUH when we do not offer prayers, do not fast, lie, steal, bribe or accept bribes, engage in immoral activities etc. So I do not consider that being a Muslim gives us any moral high ground in this situation. As Muslim youth, we are the least educated in Islam. A majority has not opened the Quran or read a Tafseer in ages. A little introspection never hurts.
Here is what I would do if I was so inclined to do so:
1. Instead of promoting the blasphemous content by adding the link to my status message and creating groups and pages that showcase this content, I would sit and contemplate why this is happening.
2. Have no confusion; this is another organized attack just like the original cartoons. They know how we will react to such outrageous behavior. They know that we will boil our blood in emotional outrage and then destroy our own properties, kill our own citizens and provide another body blow to our weak economy.
3. As a reply, I would create a Facebook Group or Page to praise the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, highlight his teachings, his achievements, and his famous sayings, how he taught us to treat the poor and the children and the women. How the Prophet Muhammad PBUH urged caution and care and taught rules even for war.
4. I would ask people to record 1 minute videos about why they love Prophet Muhammad PBUH and recite their favorite Hadeeth.
5. I would narrate how Islam teaches respect for all Prophets of Allah and our faith is incomplete without believing in the Prophets of Allah.
6. I would encourage western and non-muslim scholars to visit the page and add their comments about this issue.
7. I would hope and encourage all Muslims to join this page rather than having small silos of their own. In fact, unity is the only solution here.
I am confident that my solution is better than emotional outbursts and impotent activities like boycotts and governments bans of websites.
You can find the note here
Please leave your comments below whether you support this or not.
Those were golden days when there was only one TV, run by state and it shows only positive side of every government. During Prime Time (from 7 pm – 11 pm, when whole family used to sit together and watch TV), they shows best dramas and tele-plays which reflects our culture and society. People used to rely more on Newspapers to get exclusive and authenticated news. Journalist used to be more cautious when submitting any news because they knew that proof reader or editor will check for the authenticity of it and then only it will get published, ensuring, readers get the best and true insight of the news. 
content towards viewers just to get more TRP. They don’t care whether the news they are broadcasting is valid or being authenticated from concerned authorities. Media, especially Electronic, is trying to do only thing, To Win the WAR of EXCLUSIVE CONTENT. They just want to claim that they were the first one who brought this news towards you. And they get senseless don’t even care whether its a Bomb Blast news or any other terrorist activity. They don’t even care that by showing those images and dead people they are making all those who are watching a physicist. Now prime time is covered with Talk shows culture, where you don’t see a solution to any problem. One political party blame other and they blame other. And rather then moderating the forum and coming out with a solution at the end of the show, Anchor or Host just do the provoking job and we at home watching it, get more negative minded that if our politicians are like this, then what is going to happen with this country. 
Do we even know that Cricket World Cup is just a week away and PAKISTAN is a defending champion. But not a single TV channel or any media company promoting our team nor showing any campaign. 
Posts
