Speaking out: Views on cartoon outcry

Jonathan Sachs, Chief Rabbi: "The only way to have freedom of speech and freedom from religious hatred is to exercise restraint. The question is: can we learn to respect what others hold holy?"

Abdullah Wahim, teacher, outside the Danish Embassy in London: "If someone said something offensive about my mother, I would deal with it, but if they insulted the Prophet it would be worse."

Munira Mizra, British journalist: "Many Muslims want the same freedoms as everyone else to debate and criticise."

Richard Harries, Bishop of Oxford: "Freedom of speech is fundamental but this needs to be exercised responsibly."

Afreen Parvez, in Saudi Arabia: "Europe and the West doesn't understand Muslims. Shops here are removing Danish products. The boycott is the only peaceful way we can retaliate."

Hamid Karzai, Afghan president: "As much as we condemn this, we must have the courage to forgive. But that doesn't mean that insulting cartoons about Islam must continue."

LA Times editorial: "The cartoons are undeniably offensive ... Yet the overreaction by authoritarian governments and back-peddling European officials has been disappointing."

Jihad Momani, editor, Al Shihan, Jordan: "Muslims of the world be reasonable. What brings more prejudice against Islam, these caricatures or pictures of a hostage-taker slashing the throat of his victim in front of the cameras."

Ramzy Baroud, of the Al Ahram Weekly, Egypt: "The anti-Danish campaign will widen a chasm separating both worlds, bolstering the Arabs' reputation of being intolerant while providing an unimportant cartoonist with the opportunity of a lifetime."

Die Welt editorial, Germany: "Islam will only become an accepted religion when there are as many jokes about Mohamed as there are about Jesus, Moses and Buddha."