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In November 2010, I posted some research work about Blasphemy Law in Pakistan. I got a great response from all over the world and specially from Pakistan. Since then I was assigned to collect some more and detailed information about Blasphemy Law. During my research I visited several websites, journals and newspapers and also verified their responses. I feel first there is high requirement to chalk out the basic & important details about Blasphemy Law before discussing the detail version about Blasphemy Law. So here I have come up with some basic information about Blasphemy Law in Islam.
What does Blasphemy Law means ?
What does Blasphemy Law means ?
In Islam it is any irreverent behavior toward holy person, religious artifacts, customs, and beliefs that Muslims admire. Let be clear that the Quran and the hadith do not speak about blasphemy. Law experts created the offense, and they made it part of Sharia. Where Sharia applicable, the penalties for blasphemy can include fines, imprisonment, flogging, amputation, hanging, or beheading. Muslim leader (religious) may call for the punishment of an alleged blasphemer by issuing a fatwa.
Who would be Blasphemers?
It is agreed by all Islamic authorities that a blasphemer can be Muslim or non-Muslim. To be declare as guilty of blasphemy offense, an individual must be an adult, of sound mind, and not under threat. Some jurisdictions do not punish individuals who commit blasphemy accidentally. The Maliki school of jurisprudence permits the exoneration of accused individuals who are converts to Islam.
How Blasphemy against holy persons yet?
- Speaking ill of Allah.
- Finding fault with Muhammad.
- Slighting a prophet who is mentioned in the Qur’an, or slighting a member of Muhammad’s family.
- Claiming to be a prophet or a messenger.
- Speculating about how Muhammad would behave if he were alive (happened in Nigeria).
- Drawing a picture to represent Muhammad or any other prophet, or making a film which features a prophet (happened in Egypt).
- Writing Muhammad’s name on the walls of a toilet (happened in Pakistan).
- Naming a teddy bear Muhammad (happened in Sudan).
- Invoking God while committing a forbidden act.
How Blasphemy against beliefs and customs of Islam yet?
- Finding fault with Islam.
- Saying Islam is an Arab religion; prayers five times a day are unnecessary; and the Qur’an is full of lies (happened in Indonesia).
- Believing in transmigration of the soul or reincarnation or disbelieving in the afterlife (happened in Indonesia).
- Finding fault with a belief or a practice which the Muslim community (Ummah) has adopted.
- Finding fault with or cursing apostles (Rasul or Messenger), prophets, or angels.
- Expressing an atheist or a secular point of view or publishing or distributing such a point of view.
- Using words that Muslims use because the individuals were not Muslims (happened in Malaysia).
- Praying that Muslims become something else (happened in Indonesia).
- Whistling during prayers (happened in Indonesia).
- Flouting the rules prescribed for Ramadan.
- Reciting Muslim prayers in a language other than Arabic (happened in Indonesia).
- Consuming alcohol.
- Gambling.
- Being alone with persons of the opposite sex who are not blood relatives.
- Finding amusement in Islamic customs (happened in Bangladesh).
- Publishing an unofficial translation of the Qur’an (happened in Afghanistan).
- Practicing yoga (happened in Malaysia).
- Watching a film or listening to music (happened in Somalia).
- Wearing make-up on television (happened in Iran).
- Insulting religious scholarship.
- Wearing the clothing of Jews or of Zoroastrians.
- Claiming that forbidden acts are not forbidden.
- Uttering “words of infidelity” (sayings that are forbidden).
- Participating in non-Islamic religious festivals.
How Blasphemy against artifacts yet?
- Touching a Qur’an or touching something that has touched a Qur’an because the individuals were not Muslim (happened in Nigeria).
- Damaging a Qur’an or other books of importance to Islam, for example, hadith (happened in Pakistan).
- Spitting at the wall of a mosque (happened in Pakistan).
What would be Punishment in Blasphemy?
The punishments for different instances of blasphemy in Islam vary by jurisdiction / region / country and even cities. A guilty blasphemer may, among other penalties, lose all legal rights. The loss of rights may cause a blasphemer’s marriage to be dissolved, religious acts to be rendered worthless, and claims to property (including any inheritance) to be rendered void. Repentance may restore lost rights except for marital rights; lost marital rights are regained only by remarriage. Women have blasphemed and repented to end a marriage. Women may be permitted to repent, and may receive a lesser punishment than would befall a man who committed the same offense.
Difference between Blasphemy against Allah and Muhammad
There is a distinction between a blasphemer who insults Allah and blasphemenr who finds fault with Muhammad. Difference is based on the notions of the “right of God” and the “right of Man.” A blasphemer who violates the “right of God” can seek forgiveness through repentance.
The Qur’an advises Muslims to reject those who find fault with God. Detail Reference
A blasphemer who violates the “right of Man” must seek forgiveness from the person insulted. In the case of an insult to Muhammad, the Muslim community is considered to be under an obligation to avenge the insult because the possibility of forgiveness expired upon the death of Muhammad.
Here is summary and brief version of my long research work. It took time to collect and verify the information about such sensitive topic. Please share your opinions regarding Blasphemy Law and its relationship with Islam in comment section. Subscribe with my rss for more updates. To get more details and information about project management,web design you can connect to me on twitter, facebook, linked in and google+.
