ELI5: Why do Muslims get angry when Muhammad depicted, but not when Jesus, Moses, Abraham, Isac, etc are, despite all of them being being prophets of God in the faith of Islam like that pamphlet told me?

As a Muslim the real reason why Muslims are offended is not because they fear that people will worship him or because he didn't look like that, the real reason why Muslims are offended is because it is mockery which Muslims get sad over. Now in the past drawings of Muhammad were made and no one was offended simply because the purpose wasn't to mock it was to inform and to show off the artistic skills. Although some people may argue that it's the images were made by shias and that sunnis wouldn't make such images which simply isn't true, the ottomans were sunnis and they were known to make images of Muhammad. The images would usually tell a story like when Muhammad first received the revelation from Gabriel no one was offended by this because it wasn't mockery and it had a genuine purpose. Muhammad is also the most sacred man to Muslims. He's seen as sinless and the perfect man and God's chosen one, all Muslims will try to live like he did, they will follow his actions which are known as sunnah. Muslims are meant to love the prophet on such a high level. Sunnis excluding wahabis,salafis and deobandis will send salutations to the prophet through their prayers. Another reason why Muslims are offended is because we have no idea what he looks like, we know the basics that he had a beard, long hair, usually wore a turban not like the one in the pictureshad white skin and a few other descriptions but that's it so when these images of him show him having brown skin long nose it's kind of inaccurate. Also Muslims aren't allowed to draw Muhammad its not in the quran but it's in several hadith that it's forbidden. In Christianity it isn't forbidden so that's why they aren't offended. The rule isn't important enough to be in the quran like many rules because if they were the quran would be full of rulings. The quran only covers the most important stuff. But anyway it has been forbidden because it was feared that he would be worshipped. Now this rule can't be changed by saying we won't worship him so we can draw him, it's a fixed rule which can't be changed. So all of these reasons is why Muslims would be offended by the drawings. I'm not offended i honestly don't give a shit but a lot of Muslims will be offended and some will commit acts of terror.

/r/explainlikeimfive Thread