Danish Mohammed Cartoons

Cartoonist Erik Abild Sørensen dies, age 89. From Flemming Rose's private Blog:

Erik Abild Soerensen, one of the 12 cartoonists that back in 2005 contributed to Jyllands-Postens cartoons of the prophet Muhammed has died at the age of 89.

This is a rather old story, actually it goes back to 1831. From USINFO:

The December 13, 2004, issue of the London-based, pan-Arab newspaper Al Hayat contains an article stating that Cairo’s Al-Azhar Islamic Academy wishes to ban a book critical of Islam authored by the alleged grandfather of President George W. Bush, who was also named George Bush.

Reuters carried a story on the controversy on December 13, 2004, describing the book’s author as an ancestor of the current president.

Reverend George Bush published his "Life of Mohammed" in 1831, and as could be expected, the good reverend did not mollycoddle the "impostor" Mohammed: "All therefore that can now be expected is such a selection and arrangement and investment of the leading particulars of the Impostor's history [. . .]"

Once he got warmed up he started quoting the apocalyptic prophecies - first there was the little horn from Daniel:

"The result, therefore, of the whole inquiry must be, that by the little horn, described in this chapter of Daniel, is symbolized the spiritual kingdom of Mohammedanism."

The locusts from St. John's Revelation was another symbol of the "Saracens":

"In the Revelation of John, this deficiency is supplied ; and we are furnished with two distinct and accurate paintings, both of the Saracenic locusts under their exterminating leader, and of the Euphratean horsemen of the four Turkish Sultanies.

[. . .]

And there came out of the pit locusts upon the earth. Arabia has long been noted for giving birth to prodigious swarms of locusts, which often overspread and lay waste the neighbouring countries ; and it is remarkable, that in a genuine Arabian romance, the locust is introduced as the national emblem of the Ishmaelites. The symbol, therefore, of the locusts issuing out of the smoke strikingly represents the armies of the Saracens, the martial followers of the prophet, first engendered, as it were, amid the fumes of his religion, and then marching forth, at his command, to conquer and to proselyte the world."

The original 1831 edition can be read online or downloaded from The Internet Archive: Life of Mohammed. The book doesn't contain any images, but a later reprint from 1900 with a frontispiece can be downloaded from Muhammadanism.

The book was recently reprinted at least twice, so George Bush is now the cause of at least three Mohammed cartoons. In case you're wondering, the Rev. George Bush, A.M. was the cousin of Obadiah Bush, who was the great-great-great grandfather of president George W. Bush.


Added: If you're wondering why I'm suddenly so interested in a book from 1831, it's because of the latest output from the rumor mill - Christian and Muslim leaders unite against anti-Muslim cartoons:

In our research we discovered that the first one who intentionally published a picture demeaning the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) was one of the forefathers of the current US President, George W. Bush. That was in his book titled “Life of Mohammad,” published in 1831 in which he called for “destroying the empire of Islam to establish the Empire of God represented in a Jewish state exclusive for Jews in Palestine”. The book made dangerous accusations against the Prophet (pbuh) and set the tone for a new ideology geared to stir conflict between religions. It is the same ideology of the current President Bush who during his recent visit to Israel voiced support for the Jewish state.

As already stated, the Reverend Bush was not a forefather of the Current president of U.S. of A., and the 1831 edition does not contain any illustrations at all. Once again precious hours of my life has been spent on chasing another Islamic wild goose.

However, the reprint from 1900 does contain a portrait of Mohammed, although it could hardly be considered "demeaning".