This is a Muslim depiction of Muhammad, found in an Ottoman copy of a classic text. The manuscript is from the 17th century, but the work itself is much older.
This is a useful reminder of two important points. First, religious freedom does not mean the right to never be offended by the exercise of others’ freedom. Indeed, religious freedom for all can only exist where your right to offend me is as protected as my right to offend you.
Second, modern religious fundamentalism always tries to depict a tradition as uniform, and itself as the faithful preserver of that tradition in its orthodox form. I am not aware of any instances in which this fundamentalist depiction accurately reflects reality. Historically, all religions have found expression in a diverse variety of ways. And it is unfortunate that it is so often the fundamentalists and extremists who get the most attention and are taken to be typical representatives of their faith.
And so I share this picture, not merely to protest extremism, but to celebrate the rich and diverse history of Islam, which contributed so much to science, philosophy, culture, and religious tolerance down the ages. Extremists may find this post and the picture in it offensive. But many Muslims will join with me, a Christian, in celebrating the religious freedom that allows me to post it, and which allows them to not have their lives dominated by a narrow-minded minority within their tradition. And we can also join and work together whenever possible to spread that freedom to those who presently do not enjoy it.
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