Muhammad's image is far from a rarity

News Sentinel ^ | Feb. 09, 2006 | Andrew Maykuth

[Ben Mugged]

When the U.S. Supreme Court convenes in Washington, the justices sit in their grand courtroom beneath a carved marble frieze depicting 18 great lawgivers from the ages.

On the south wall are the ancients - Confucius, Octavian, and Moses holding the Ten Commandments. And on the north wall, along with Justice John Marshall and Napoleon Bonaparte, standing between Charlemagne and Justinian, is Muhammad, cradling a sword and a copy of the Holy Koran.

In the furor caused by the Danish cartoons of Muhammad, many stories have circulated about Islam's prohibitions about artistic depictions of the prophet, or any human figures.

But Muhammad's image is portrayed far more widely than many believe, and not just in the West, in the highest court in America, where his likeness was chiseled in stone about 70 years ago.

In Iran, images of Muhammad are widely circulated among the predominantly Shiite population. The 1994 book Arab Comic Strips shows a modern cartoon image of an infant Muhammad in the arms of his nurse, though his face is obscured in a brilliant halo.

In the 15 centuries since Muhammad lived, Islamic artists have portrayed the prophet heroically in paintings now on display in such institutions as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.

Nor does there appear to be any uniform prohibition against portraying the human figure in Islam. "Right from the beginning of Islamic history, and in a number of periods since, paintings of figures on walls and in art have been practiced in Islam," said Renata Holod, curator of the University of Pennsylvania Museum's Islamic art collection.

[Ben Mugged]

The current excuse to riot and kill is a non-starter.

[llevrok]

I'm betting Justice Ginsburg sits beneath the sculpture of Mohamed.

[Semper Paratus]

The Belmont Club has a good commentary today on how the image prohibition came to be in Islam. has nothing to do with the Koran.

http://fallbackbelmont.blogspot.com/

[El Gato]

Since images of Mo the pedophile so disturb his flock, I say we remove the offending figure from the frieze. Put up Buddha instead.

[Redbob]

I suggest that Moe Hamad's image be removed from the Supreme Court Bldg - purely out of respect for the delicate sensibilities of his followers, mind you!

[freepatriot32]

[mikeus_maximus]

Certainly his image is everywhere. If you've ever seen the south side of a north-bound pig....

[From One - Many]

The mohammads can't cope with reality, thus the mohammads continue to live in a dream world. When your wife is a goat (I mean a real live goat) how far from reality can one go. I believe this explains most of the mohammads, we are witnessing rioting and killing.

[expatguy]

The shite is about to hit the fan.

An American Expat in Southeast Asia

[Malesherbes]

If you Google Image "Mohammed" you get all sorts of interesting pictures.

[CarrotAndStick]

The Mad Mo carving on the US Supreme Court building

[Recovering Ex-hippie]

did anyone here on today's Rush Limaugh show the commnetary about a blow up doll with a Muslim name?

[CarrotAndStick]

I think that's because of some crazy artistic rules.

[houeto]

I want it chiseled away. I am serious.

[conservative physics]

I see his image in the bowl every time I relieve myself.

[CarrotAndStick]

With this cartoon-offense thingie, you can really have a good shot at getting rid of it. Not at all kidding.

[yobid]

As Mo said "Are you SH*tin' me?"

[lilylangtree]

Down with Mohammed, the pedophile!

[redgolum]

The History Channel used to show old painting of muhammad from Persian painters. Now whenever those shows are re aired, the picture has been whited out.

I guess that I missed the memo where the First Amendment got repealed totally.