The full title is "Self portrait of the artist as Prophet Mohammad, disapprobingly raising his eyebrow at the misdeeds of his followers". It is drawn with one long brush stroke of a camel hair brush, dipped in japanese ink called "sumi".

This piece is done for the "Draw Mohammed Day", celebrated on internet on 5/20/2010 in defence of the Freedom of Speech against fanatical extremists.

Initially I was planning to draw a scathing cartoon; but there is no greater moment of truth than when your brush actually touches the paper. It cannot lie, or it will be untrue. I realized that I don't have it in me to do that.

No, I didn't get scared. But the truth is, I love Arab and Middle Eastern culture, music, food, arts, attitudes; I have many Muslim friends who haven't done anything wrong to anyone and don't deserve to be pocked at; and most importantly, it's not my genre of art.

What Muslims do deserve, however, is a reminder of the former greatness of their culture, almost lost to expansionist fantasies and stupidity of fundamentalists. Almost.

So here it is, a statement for the unlimited artistic freedom as I see it.

Peace be upon y'all.