A British teacher has been arrested in Sudan for letting her children name a teddy bear Mohammed, the British Embassy said.
Gillian Gibbons, 54, from Liverpool, was detained on Sunday on suspicion of insulting Islam's prophet.
The teacher let her class of seven year olds choose the name as part of a school project.
........
A spokesman for the British Embassy in Khartoum said Ms Gibbons taught at Unity High School in central Khartoum.
He said: "The children chose the name because it is very common here.
"This happened in September and the parents did not have a problem with it.
"We are in contact with the authorities here and they have visited the teacher and she is in a good condition."
...........................
A news item on the Sudanese Media Centre website - closely associated with the Sudanese government - reported that the teacher could be prosecuted under "faith and religions" legislation.
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/pressass/20...6323e80_2.html
I thought this was just bizarre. Aside from the fact that arresting anyone for naming a teddy is utterly pathetic in the first place, Mohammed is an extremely common name. It's just as likely it was named after someone's father as after their prophet.
Its just muslim muscle flexing, seriously they need to drag their asses out of the 12th century
Some people just go out of their way to be offendedOriginally Posted by Cuddles
What is the story then with all these men called Mohammed? I'm sure someone told me the reason why they are allowed to do it, but I can't remember.
I wonder if women in Catholic countries, who named their vibrator "Jesus" would be arrested.
[That was rather tasteless, I think.]
Im sure theres a joke about the second coming somewhere in there?
Doesn't quite feel right posting this, when that poor woman must be so terrified.
--------[As Brian and his mum come over the top of a hill, they see a large
number of people stoning some unfortunate. MC hurries Brian along to
get to the next victim in time. When he is, we see that he crowd
consists entirely of women wearing fake beards. An elder stands in
front of the next prisoner holding a scroll as he waits for the
crowd to settle down.]
Elder Mathias, son of Deuteronomy of Gath.
Mathias [to a guard] Do I say yes?
Guard Yes.
Mathias [To the elder] Yes.
Elder You have been found guilty by the elders of the town of uttering
the name of our lord, and so as a BLASPHEMER...
Crowd Ooooh.
Elder ...you are to be stoned
to death.
--------[The crowd look anxious to kill Mathias]
Mathias Look. I'd had a lovely supper, and all I said to my wife was 'That
piece of hallibut was good enough for Jehovah'.
Crowd Oooooooh!
Elder BLASPHEMY!!!! He said it again
Crowd Yes, yes.
Elder Did you hear him?
Crowd Yes, yes.
Woman1 Really.
--------[There is a moment of silence as the elder thinks, after hearing the
woman's voice.]
Elder Are there any women here today?
Crowd [Guiltily]
Elder Very well. By virtue of the authority vested in me...
--------[One of the more impatient women throws a stone and hits mathias on
the head.]
Mathias Oh lay off... we haven't started yet.
Elder Come on. Who threw that? Who threw that stone? Come on.
Crowd She did, she did, he, he, he, him, him, him, he did.
[Their voices drop as they realise their mistake.]
Woman1 Sorry, I thought we'd started. {Said lovelyly.}
Elder Go to the back. There's always one, isn't there. Now where were we?
Mathias Look, I don't think it ought to be blasphey, just saying Jehovah.
Crowd [Shocked] He said it again!
Edler You're only making it worse for yourself.
Mathias Making it worse? How could it be worse? Jehovah, Jehovah, Jehovah.
Crowd Ooooooh!
Elder I'm warning you... If you say Jehovah once more...
[A stone flys by and hits the elder.]
Right. Who threw that? Come on. Who threw that?
Crowd She did she did, he, him, him, him, him, him, him.
Elder Was it you?
Woman2 Yes.
Elder Right...
Woman2 Well you did say Jehovah.
[She gets stoned {the blasphemer}]
Elder Stop, stop. Will you stop that... stop it. Now look. No-one is to
stone anyone until I blow this whistle. Do you understand? Even, and
I want to make this absolutely clear; even if they do say Jehovah.
--------[The skocked women stone the elder to death, ending in the dropping
of a huge bolder on his fallen body.]
Woman3 Good shot.
--------[One of the two roman guards looks at the other, who shakes his head.
They do nothing.]
Yes it was. Nuns in any country have a special dispensation and you should not be so nationalisticI wonder if women in Catholic countries, who named their vibrator "Jesus" would be arrested.
[That was rather tasteless, I think
Well you're not the only one. Me and me other half were making exactly the same joke last night in front of Newsnight.Doesn't quite feel right posting this, when that poor woman must be so terrified.
That and talking about arresting the bear for blasphemy and cutting off its paws.
Wouldn't that be for stealing? Surely you're not suggesting the [strike]Prophet[/strike] Teddy Bear Mohammed is a thief?
Re: Teddy bear insults the Prophet
In the Islamic Religion this is a great insult. The lady who has been arrested was perhaps not aware that it is not allowed in an Islamic Country to name a doll/teddy bear and any animal after their Prophet. The correct way in handling this situation, was to approach her first, explain that in the Hadeth the Prophet gave his permission and blessing to allow people to name their children after him, but no animal or recreated images of people and animals (dolls), as this is seen as an insult. Even though the children named the teddy bear, and no one complained, I feel one of the Muslim Parents should have told her it is not allowed. (Perhaps a Mullah discovered it and caused a problem for her). I feel very sorry for her, trust that her Embassy intervenes and this incident is quickly resolved. All expatriates should truly be fully advised through their Foreign Affairs Ministry and visits to the intended country's embassy in their own country, first, to get the right advice, such as what may be said in public, behaviour, dress code and basics on Islam etc. is acceptable, before taking up positions in Islamic Countries, one can never comprehend what living conditions in these countries are like, unless you live and experience it. Its a very harsh life to adapt too in Muslim Countries as an expatriate. This will save a lot of unnecessary incidents in the future. It can be seen as a culture shock in certain countries. There are many other Islamic countries that are absolutely wonderful to live in, others leave little to be desired.
Last edited by InForAPennyInForApound; 27th November 2007 at 12:26 PM.
Re: Teddy bear insults the Prophet
British teacher held in Sudan over teddy bear''s name
Andrew Heavens
Reuters
KHARTOUM: A British primary school teacher has been arrested in Sudan, accused of insulting Islam''s Prophet by letting her class of sevenـyearـolds name a teddy bear Mohammed, her school said on Monday.
Police arrested Gillian Gibbons, 54 of Liverpool, on Sunday at her home inside the Unity High School premises after a number of parents complained to Sudan''s Ministry of Education, said Unity director Robert Boulos.
The country''s stateـcontrolled Sudanese Media Center reported late Sunday that Gibbons had been accused of "insulting the Prophet Mohammed." It said charges were being prepared "under article 125 of the criminal law" which covers insults against faith and religion.
Teachers at the school in central Khartoum said Gibbons made an innocent mistake and simply let her pupils choose their favorite name for the toy as part of a school project.
"We are very worried about her safety," he added. "This was a completely innocent mistake. Miss Gibbons would have never wanted to insult Islam."
A spokesperson from the British Embassy in Khartoum said she had not yet been charged with violating state law against insulting religion. An embassy official visited her on Monday and said she was in good health but shaken.
If convicted, Gibbons could be sentenced to 40 lashes, six months in prison or a fine, said Ghazi Suleiman, the head of the Sudan Human Rights Group.
No one was immediately available for comment from Sudan''s Ministries of Education or Justice.
Boulos said he had decided to close down the school until January for fear of reprisals in Sudan''s predominantly Muslim capital. "This is a very sensitive issue."
Earlier Gibbons'' colleagues said they feared for her safety after receiving reports that young men had started gathering outside the Khartoum police station where she was being held.
But a Reuters witness at the police station said no one was gathering there.
Boulos said Gibbons was following a British National Curriculum course designed to teach young pupils about animals and their habitats. This year''s animal was the bear.
Gibbons, who joined Unity in August, asked a girl to bring in her teddy bear to help the Year 2 class focus, said Boulos.
The teacher then asked the class to name the toy. "They came up with eight names including Abdullah, Hassan and Mohammed. Then she explained what it meant to vote and asked them to choose the name." Twenty out of the 23 children chose Mohammed.
Each child was allowed to take the bear home at weekends and asked to write a diary about what they did with the toy. Each entry was collected in a book with a picture of the bear on the cover, next to the message "My name is Mohammed," said Boulos.
The bear itself was not marked or labeled with the name in any way, he added, saying Sudanese police had now seized the book and had asked to interview the sevenـyearـold girl.
Boulos said the first he knew about the course was last week when he got a phone call from the Ministry of Education, saying a number of Muslim parents had made formal complaints.
One Muslim teacher at Unity, who also has a child in Gibbons'' class, said she had not found the project offensive.
"I had no problem with it at all," the teacher said. "I know Gillian and she would never have meant it as an insult. I was just impressed that she got them to vote."
Unity, an independent school founded in 1902, is governed by a board representing major Christian denominations in Sudan, but teaches both Christians and Muslims aged four to 18.
But what does their prophet have to do with anything? Mohammed is an extremely common name. Calling a bear Mohammed is like someone in Britain calling it John. Official sources even specifically state "The children chose the name because it is very common here". This is nothing to do with Islamic law, it is simply another case of extremist Muslims desperately trying to find something to be offended about.
Re: Teddy bear insults the Prophet
This lady has only been in Sudan for 3 months, she knows absolutely nothing really about their religion. Muslims do not see things as we do, they take their Prophet and religion extremely seriously. You wont understand unless you have been witness to it yourself. The children innocently chose Mohammed as its a favourite name amongst Muslim families, but its not allowed to be given to a teddy bear or doll. I am sure there was no harm intended, she is new to that country and probably is in a state of stress. Lets hope the authorities will see it in a lighter note and she will be allowed to return to what she enjoys most, and that is teaching! I seriously hope she wont be whipped!! I really feel for her, she innocently got herself into a very serious situation!
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