While agreeing with the need to abolish blasphemy
laws, it is not easy. The ones who are screaming have the back up for them,
books that support them... we as Muslims need to come up with books on the
topic, endorsed by at least a few Ulema's for them to have something in their
hands. They rather believe in the book
they have, however wrong it may be, than you and I.
We have a site www.Blasphemylaws.com where I will
post this piece, courtesy of New Age Islam. Md Yunus has a few good pieces...
indeed, there are good videos by Ghamidi Saheb, Mirza Masroor Ahmed and debates
in Pakistan, most of them are in Urdu language. They all have done it well -
but books need to be written and published and passed onto them. Then things
will change.
Mike Ghouse
Courtesy - New Age Islam
Abolish Patently
Inhuman Blasphemy laws of Pakistan
By
Aiman Reyaz, New Age Islam
29
August 2012
How
low can one get? A little girl, Rimsha, who suffers from Down’s Syndrome, is
charged with blasphemy and handed over to the police. The Imam, Hafiz Mohammed
Khalid Chishti, says that he saved the girl from the fuming mob by handing her
to the police. But Chishti insisted she was fully aware of what she was doing.
“The girl who burnt the Holy Quran has no mental illness and is a normal girl.
She did it knowingly; this is a conspiracy and not a mistake.” During his
sermon at Friday prayers Chishti told worshippers it was “time for Muslims to
wake up” and protect the Holy Quran.
The
penal code of Pakistan proscribes blasphemy against any religion (in reality it
applies only to Islam), having penalties ranging from a fine (which is seldom
applied when a Muslim blasphemes) to death (which one will certainly get if
anyone speaks against Islam).
In Pakistan, murderers and killers are extolled. Ameer
Jamaat-e-Islami in Sindh Asadullah Bhutto has declared that Salman Taseer’s
assassin will directly go to the “seventh heaven”. “Aasia Bibi will suffer the
same fate if the punishment awarded to her by the court for using derogatory
remarks against Hazrat Mohammed Mustafa is not implemented,” he added.
These groups have no fear. They talk and act as if they are
the true masters of the country. I fail to understand who is actually running
the country of Pakistan, Zardari and Raja Ashraf or the army or these mullahs?
This
is not a new phenomenon in Pakistan. Out of date blasphemy laws were applied in
the past as they are also applied in the present; the only difference is that
in the present age the laws have become stricter, more foolish and more
unislamic.
In
1996 a Christian was arrested because he had said that Christianity is also
right! The charge against him was violation of § 295-C. In 2000, a doctor was
charged of blasphemy because he, in his lecture, had said that the parents of
Muhammad were non-Muslims as they died before the Prophethood of Muhammad. In
2009, a FIR was registered against two teenager brothers, complainant falsely
accusing them that they had spoke against Prophet Mohammad and this family had
to leave the country for their safety. In November 2010, Asia Bibi
was sentenced to death by hanging on a charge of blasphemy. Punjab Governor Salman Taseer
was shot dead by his security guard for supporting Asia Bibi.
He visited her in jail and tried to sympathize with her and this led to mass
protests. In 2011 Shahbaz Bhatti Pakistan's Federal Minister for Minorities
Affairs (a Roman Catholic member of the National Assembly was killed by gunmen
after he had declared of his intentions to reform the blasphemy laws of
Pakistan.
The
two most worrisome things that should be noticed are: 1) not only the person
concerned, but also his family is subject to the wrath of the mob as well as
the outlandish law because of blasphemy; and 2) a continuous rise in
fanaticism.
The Quran is a book (is this also blasphemy as I have not
used the word “holy” and intentionally not used (pbuh) after the name of our
Prophet?) that has been revealed in stages. Islam gives us a solution to the
problem through various means; it is for us to choose which way is the best.
For example: for blasphemy some scholars say that death penalty should be given
or mutilation of the opposite limbs or exile from the land; while some
scholars, with whom I agree with, quote:
“Invite all to the way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful
preaching and argue with them and reason with them in the ways that are best
and most gracious.”
So instead of giving using out-of-date methods we can talk
to them and “come to common terms”.
Why
is there only one-sided picture seen by these radical Islamic groups. They talk
about blasphemy and they think about things that have anti-Islamic sides; but
what about anti-Christian or anti-Hindu or anti-Jew. They too have their
religious beliefs, like ours; they too have one supreme God, like ours; they
too believe in Prophets or Avatars, like ours. So where is the difference?
Actually there is no difference if a logical person sees it, but for a fanatic
there is a world of a difference between Islam and others.
If
a Muslim says anything against the Bible or the Vedas then he is praised and is
considered to be a very good Muslim, as if criticising other religions is
Islam’s demand. But if a non-Muslim, even if he asks a difficult question
regarding Islam, then he is put to death. What justice and what equality! The
Quran says most emphatically ‘Do justice or stand out for justice, even it is
against yourself, or your parents or your friends or relatives.”
Islam
means ‘peace’, peace to all, even to non-Muslims. But there is no ‘Islam’ in
Pakistan. True Islam is not followed in Pakistan; there is only outer exposure
of religious identity. If anyone is alleged to have spoken anything against
Prophet Muhammad the result is certain death with or without a fine (no
evidence is required). If anyone is alleged to have insulted the Quran there
will be life imprisonment, again without any need for any evidence whatsoever.
The
Prophet is an epitome of mercy to all the worlds (Rehmatul-lil– Aalameen).
There are many instances where the Prophet forgives even his staunchest
enemies. One of the best and the most well-known examples is of an old woman
who threw garbage on Muhammad every time he passed in front of her house. One
day the garbage was not thrown; Muhammad got worried and inquired about the
woman. He found out that she is sick, when he went to meet her, she felt guilty
and finally she accepted Islam.
We
are completely losing the link with our Prophet’s teachings. Islam gives
freedom to all, even to those who go against it. There are numerous verses
which supports this.
"But if the enemy incline towards peace, do thou
(also) incline towards peace, and trust in God: for He is One that heareth
and knoweth (all things). (The Noble Quran, 8:61)"
"Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth
stands out clear from error: whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah hath
grasped the most trustworthy handhold, that never breaks. And Allah heareth and
knoweth all things. (The Noble Quran, 2:256)"
Let
him who will believe, and let him who will, reject (it):......(The Noble Quran, 18:29)"
"If
it had been thy Lord's will, they would all have believed,- all who are on
earth! wilt thou then COMPEL mankind, against their will, to believe!
(The Noble Quran, 10:99)"
The
Messenger's duty is only to preach the clear (Message). (The Noble Quran, 24:54)"
"Say : O ye that reject Faith! I worship not that which
ye worship, Nor will ye worship that which I worship. And I will not worship
that which ye have been wont to worship, Nor will ye worship that which I
worship. To you be your Way, and to me mine. (The Noble Quran,
109:1-6)"
It
is high time these vague, ludicrous and blatantly inhuman blasphemy laws of
Pakistan are abolished. There is no possibility of reforming them. This is one
law that cannot be even debated. Any fruitful discussion on various provisions
of blasphemy laws will also be seen as an act of blasphemy. How can you debate
the nuances of every word in an article of law with any precision without
quoting possible blasphemous statements? The anti-blasphemy law of Pakistan
says that if anyone speaks anything against the Prophet, the punishment for it
is certain death. All one needs to do is to allege that a person has abused the
Prophet and the end result would be sure death, with no chance for the victim
of this law to defend himself or herself. The judge cannot give any verdict
less than the death penalty. It is no surprise that this law has been
criticised on many fronts and by many international organizations. This law has
been misused by the people to score personal vendetta, the police and the
courts simply cannot investigate the matter. As long as this law remains, there
will be death sentences to innocent people, particularly religious and
sectarian minorities. This law must be opposed on all fronts.
------
Reference:
Blasphemy laws in Pakistan
Offenses relating to religion: Pakistan Penal code
|
295-B
|
Defiling, etc, of copy of Holy
Quran. Whoever will fully defiles, damages or desecrates a copy of the Holy
Quran or of an extract therefrom or uses it in any derogatory manner or for
any unlawful purpose shall be punishable for imprisonment for life.
|
|
295-C
|
Use of derogatory remarks, etc; in
respect of the Holy Prophet. Whoever by words, either spoken or written or by
visible representation, or by any imputation, innuendo, or insinuation,
directly or indirectly, defiles the sacred name of the Holy Prophet Mohammed
(PBUH) shall be punished with death, or imprisonment for life, and shall also
be liable to fine.
|
|
298-A
|
Use of derogatory remarks, etc...,
in respect of holy personages. Whoever by words, either spoken or written, or
by visible representation, or by any imputation, innuendo or insinuation,
directly or indirectly defiles a sacred name of any wife (Ummul Mumineen), or
members of the family (Ahle-bait), of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), or any of the
righteous caliphs (Khulafa-e-Rashideen) or companions (Sahaaba) of the Holy
Prophet description for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine,
or with both.
|
|
298-B
|
Misuse of epithet, descriptions
and titles, etc. Reserved for certain holy personages or places.
Any person of the Qadiani group or
the Lahori group (who call themselves Ahmadis or by any other name) who by
words, either spoken or written or by visible representation: refers to or
addresses, any person, other than a Caliph or companion of the Holy Prophet
Mohammad (PBUH), as "Ameerul Momneen",
"Khalifat-ul-Momneen", "Khalifat-ul-Muslimeen",
"Sahaabi" or "Razi Allah Anho"; refers to or addresses,
any person, other than a wife of the Holy Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), as
Ummul-Mumineen; refers to, or addresses, any person, other than a member of
the family (Ahle-Bait) of the Holy Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), as Ahle-Bait; or
refers to, or addresses, any person, other than a member of the family
(Ahle-Bait) of the Holy Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), as Ahle-Bait; or refers to,
or names, or calls, his place of worship as Masjid; shall be punished with
imprisonment or either description for a term which may extend to three
years, and shall also be liable to fine. Any person of the Qadiani group or
Lahore group, (who call themselves Ahmadis or by any other names), who by
words, either spoken or written, or by visible representations, refers to the
mode or from of call to prayers followed by his faith as "Azan" or
redites Azan as used by the Muslims, shall be punished with imprisonment of
either description for a term which may extend to three years and shall also
be liable to fine.
|
|
298-C
|
Persons of Qadiani group, etc,
calling himself a Muslim or preaching or propagating his faith. Any person of
the Qadiani group or the Lahori group (who call themselves Ahmadis or any
other name), who directly or indirectly, posses himself as a Muslim, or
calls, or refers to, his faith as Islam, or preaches or propagates his faith,
or invites others to accept his faith, by words, either spoken or written, or
by visible representation or in any manner whatsoever outrages the religious
feelings of Muslims, shall be punished with imprisonment of either
description for a term which may extend to three years and shall also be
liable to fine.
----
|
