Court’s Depiction of Muhammad Assailed

More than a dozen U.S. Muslim organizations have quietly asked the U.S. Supreme Court to remove from its courtroom wall a carved stone depiction of a sword-wielding Muhammad, Islam’s revered prophet.

Although they say they appreciate that Muhammad is honored by inclusion in the court’s pantheon of 18 prominent lawgivers of history, the Muslim groups note that Islam discourages its followers from portraying its prophet in paintings, sculptures or other artistic representations--and that they do not like it when non-Muslims do.

Moreover, while the 7th century religious leader is portrayed with the Koran--Islam’s sacred scriptures--in one hand, he has a sword in the other.

“This imagery reflects long-held stereotypes of Muslims as intolerant conquerors and perpetuates misconceptions that continue to have a negative impact on the lives of ordinary American Muslims,” said a statement given to Supreme Court administrators last week by the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations.

Not all U.S. Muslim leaders, however, believe the stone depiction should be removed.

Islamic cultures have tolerated artistic depictions of Muhammad in Turkish and Persian art, said a statement issued by the Muslim Women Lawyers for Human Rights, based in Richmond, Va.

Furthermore, the lawyers’ group said, “swords are repeatedly used as a symbol for the protection of law and justice” in the Supreme Court’s other bas-relief depictions and exterior sculpture. “We do not believe it is necessary to destroy” the carving of Muhammad, it said.

The bas-relief stone carvings of lawgivers such as Moses, Solomon, Confucius, Charlemagne and others have been on the interior walls of the room where the court has held public sessions since 1933.

Ibrahim Hooper, a spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, one of many advocacy groups for the nation’s estimated 3 million to 6 million Muslims, said his organization only became aware of the depiction of Muhammad in December.

“Our council is less than 3 years old,” Hooper said. “The American Muslim community has only in the last few decades grown large enough and sophisticated enough to make its presence known.”

Muslim leaders presented their views in January meetings with James C. Duff, administrative assistant to the chief justice, and Gail Galloway, Supreme Court curator.

Hooper said the council and other Islamic representatives attempted to negotiate changes behind the scenes without making their protest public.

But the Minaret magazine, a Los Angeles-based monthly circulated nationally, published a story in its current issue on the Muslim objections to the Supreme Court artwork. Minaret Editor Aslam Abdullah of Los Angeles also wrote a story on the protest for the newspaper Pakistan Link.

In his Minaret article, Abdullah suggested that an appropriate response by the Supreme Court would be “to remove the picture with the sword and the Quran [Koran] and replace it with a Quranic verse emphasizing law and justice.”

Muslim activist Salam Al-Marayati, director of the Los Angeles-based Muslim Public Affairs Council, one of the groups that signed the protest statement, said discovery of Muhammad’s portrayal in the nation’s highest court produced a mixed response. Many appreciated that Muhammad was included “among history’s greatest lawgivers,” said Al-Marayati, who lives in Glendale. “But Muslims are sensitive about created images of God’s prophets--and showing a sword hits a raw nerve.”

Dr. Maher Hathout, ex-president of the Interreligious Council of Southern California and a longtime spokesman for the Islamic Center of Southern California, said: “Even a well-meant portrayal of the messenger of God with a sword in his hand may unwittingly feed this stereotype [of Islam] as a violent faith.”

Although the fate of the bas-relief remains in question, Hooper and Azizah Al-Hibri--a University of Richmond law professor who is executive director of the Muslim women lawyers’ group--said that Supreme Court administrators responded favorably on another point raised by Muslim leaders. The Supreme Court administration said wording on souvenirs and brochures will be changed, including removal of the words “founder of Islam” in describing Muhammad.

“Muslims do not regard the prophet Muhammad as ‘founder’ but as a messenger who conveyed God’s revelation,” Hooper said.

Islamic tradition says Muhammad, who was born in the Arabian city of Mecca in 570, was the final prophet of God in a line extending back to figures in biblical history, including Jesus.