bluestocking
FULL MEMBER
New Recruit
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2010
- Messages
- 34
- Reaction score
- 0
Blasphemy Law and hypocrisy
By Nazia Nazar
After the assassination of Governor of Punjab Salman Taseer, the issue of Blasphemy law has become a focal point of discussion not only in national and international media but also in every nook and corner of our country.
In view of the fact that blasphemy law was misused in the past, and some non-Muslims as well Muslims were framed by their opponents, some scholars like Javed Ahmed Ghamidi were of the view that it needed to be amended. The major problem is not whether the law needs an amendment or another piece of law could be enacted to ward off possibility of misuse of the law. The most disturbing aspect is that extremism has ingrained in our society, as the people take law into their own hands in the name of religion. And the worst part is that they are projected as heroes.
Nevertheless, terrorism and extremism cannot be rooted out from our society unless we stop seeing murderers as good killers and bad killers. The fact of the matter is that there is no difference between a suicide bomber and the assassinator of Sulman Taseer, since both have a tendency to kill people in the name of religion. And to find out similarities between Malik Mumtaz Qadri and Ghazi Ilm Din Shaheed reflects our inability to see things in the right perspective. Ghazi Ilm Din had killed a blasphemer when British courts were unable to punish him for writing a hate-mongering and blasphemous book. In fact, after this incidence British government had introduced the clause of imprisonment for punishing those who hurt the religious feelings of others. However, Malik Qadari killed a person when the strictest blasphemy law is there in Pakistan. In fact, extra-judicial killings and threatening of judges and lawyers involved in court proceedings of blasphemy cases are the most worrying aspects of blasphemy issues in Pakistan, which need our urgent attention. So far as the importance of blasphemy law is concerned, there is no denying the fact that a law dealing with blasphemy issues is inevitable to save a society from civil war like situation. For that very reason, British government had enacted a similar law in the Sub-continent in 1860, and amended it with imprisonment clause for blasphemers in 1927 soon after Ghazi Ilm Dins incident. However, the disputed point regarding blasphemy law in Pakistan between the divided sections is not blasphemy law itself but only its death penalty clause, which was inserted into law by General Zia-ul-Haq.
At this juncture, some logical questions could be asked as to why one cant criticize the law amended by a usurper and dictator. If the changes made by Zia-ul-Haq in blasphemy law were in accordance with Quran & Sunnah then why was it not done in Pakistan before Zia? Whether the Pakistani Muslims living before Zias era were not true Muslims? Should we question the Islamic knowledge and learning of those Ulema who never demanded death penalty for blasphemers some three or four decades ago? Are those majority of Muslim states, which endorses maximum five years punishment for a blasphemer, far from Islam? One also wonders as to why the number of blasphemy cases increased suddenly soon after death penalty clause was included into blasphemy law in Pakistan? According to an estimate, there were only two blasphemy cases registered before Zia while the number reached 962 after the inclusion of death penalty clause in blasphemy law by Zia-ul-Haq. What could be more disturbing than the fact that some of the people convicted in blasphemy have been living as practicing Muslims? Doesnt it indicate that Zias amended blasphemy law is being manipulated than to be a useful jurisprudence for prevention of blasphemy incidences? So far as the Islamic perspective of this issue is concerned, a section of Islamic scholars from all over the world dont recognize death penalty for blasphemers as an Islamic jurisprudence. Javed Ahmad Ghamidi, a renowned religious scholar, says in this regard that Quran does not lay down a punishment for blasphemy and the current blasphemy laws are not Islamic.
In fact, Islam rejects extremism in all of its forms and manifestations, and the sunnah of our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has also been exemplary so far as the virtues of tolerance and forgiveness are concerned. Had the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) recommended death penalty for blasphemers, he would have punished almost all of the Makkans who were the worst blasphemers of Holy Prophet (pbuh) and Allah. But history bears witness that he had pardoned all of his enemies at the time of conquest of Makkah. Unfortunately, we are living in an extremist society where Islam does not seem to prevail in its true spirit. Our actions, dealings and characters are devoid of the teachings of Islam. Our moral degeneration could be gauged by the fact that Pakistan is one of the most corrupt countries of the world despite the fact that Islam ordains honesty and fair play in human dealings.
Likewise, Islam makes it obligatory to receive education but the malaise of illiteracy is rampant in Pakistan. Our Ulema are felicitous over the fact that Pakistan is an Islamic republic with an Islamic constitution but they hardly pay heed to the interest-based banking system prevalent in our country in utter violation of Islamic economic concept. It also makes no difference that the Muslims consume wine more than non-Muslims in Pakistan though it is forbidden in Islam. It is also not something unusual that women are suffering from inhuman and un-Islamic traditions such as vani, swara, honor killing, burying alive, and wedlock with Quran (to save family property) etc. How many Maulvies have ever come to roads to raise their voice against such evils and vices? Is fighting against social evils not recommended in Islam?
It is said, Actions speak louder than words. Unfortunately, the difference between our actions and words has widened so much that our words have lost credibility. Islam has never been applied but used in Pakistan. Islam, in spirit, is a code of life which is applicable to all aspect of human lives, but in Pakistan, Islam is just a slogan used in religious rallies, elections campaigns and militants training. In fact, hollow slogans and violent emotions in regard of religion have made us a laughing stock in the eyes of the whole world. Most of the political parties are shining their politics with the tint of religion.
Blasphemy Law and hypocrisy | PK ARTICLES HUB
By Nazia Nazar
After the assassination of Governor of Punjab Salman Taseer, the issue of Blasphemy law has become a focal point of discussion not only in national and international media but also in every nook and corner of our country.
In view of the fact that blasphemy law was misused in the past, and some non-Muslims as well Muslims were framed by their opponents, some scholars like Javed Ahmed Ghamidi were of the view that it needed to be amended. The major problem is not whether the law needs an amendment or another piece of law could be enacted to ward off possibility of misuse of the law. The most disturbing aspect is that extremism has ingrained in our society, as the people take law into their own hands in the name of religion. And the worst part is that they are projected as heroes.
Nevertheless, terrorism and extremism cannot be rooted out from our society unless we stop seeing murderers as good killers and bad killers. The fact of the matter is that there is no difference between a suicide bomber and the assassinator of Sulman Taseer, since both have a tendency to kill people in the name of religion. And to find out similarities between Malik Mumtaz Qadri and Ghazi Ilm Din Shaheed reflects our inability to see things in the right perspective. Ghazi Ilm Din had killed a blasphemer when British courts were unable to punish him for writing a hate-mongering and blasphemous book. In fact, after this incidence British government had introduced the clause of imprisonment for punishing those who hurt the religious feelings of others. However, Malik Qadari killed a person when the strictest blasphemy law is there in Pakistan. In fact, extra-judicial killings and threatening of judges and lawyers involved in court proceedings of blasphemy cases are the most worrying aspects of blasphemy issues in Pakistan, which need our urgent attention. So far as the importance of blasphemy law is concerned, there is no denying the fact that a law dealing with blasphemy issues is inevitable to save a society from civil war like situation. For that very reason, British government had enacted a similar law in the Sub-continent in 1860, and amended it with imprisonment clause for blasphemers in 1927 soon after Ghazi Ilm Dins incident. However, the disputed point regarding blasphemy law in Pakistan between the divided sections is not blasphemy law itself but only its death penalty clause, which was inserted into law by General Zia-ul-Haq.
At this juncture, some logical questions could be asked as to why one cant criticize the law amended by a usurper and dictator. If the changes made by Zia-ul-Haq in blasphemy law were in accordance with Quran & Sunnah then why was it not done in Pakistan before Zia? Whether the Pakistani Muslims living before Zias era were not true Muslims? Should we question the Islamic knowledge and learning of those Ulema who never demanded death penalty for blasphemers some three or four decades ago? Are those majority of Muslim states, which endorses maximum five years punishment for a blasphemer, far from Islam? One also wonders as to why the number of blasphemy cases increased suddenly soon after death penalty clause was included into blasphemy law in Pakistan? According to an estimate, there were only two blasphemy cases registered before Zia while the number reached 962 after the inclusion of death penalty clause in blasphemy law by Zia-ul-Haq. What could be more disturbing than the fact that some of the people convicted in blasphemy have been living as practicing Muslims? Doesnt it indicate that Zias amended blasphemy law is being manipulated than to be a useful jurisprudence for prevention of blasphemy incidences? So far as the Islamic perspective of this issue is concerned, a section of Islamic scholars from all over the world dont recognize death penalty for blasphemers as an Islamic jurisprudence. Javed Ahmad Ghamidi, a renowned religious scholar, says in this regard that Quran does not lay down a punishment for blasphemy and the current blasphemy laws are not Islamic.
In fact, Islam rejects extremism in all of its forms and manifestations, and the sunnah of our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has also been exemplary so far as the virtues of tolerance and forgiveness are concerned. Had the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) recommended death penalty for blasphemers, he would have punished almost all of the Makkans who were the worst blasphemers of Holy Prophet (pbuh) and Allah. But history bears witness that he had pardoned all of his enemies at the time of conquest of Makkah. Unfortunately, we are living in an extremist society where Islam does not seem to prevail in its true spirit. Our actions, dealings and characters are devoid of the teachings of Islam. Our moral degeneration could be gauged by the fact that Pakistan is one of the most corrupt countries of the world despite the fact that Islam ordains honesty and fair play in human dealings.
Likewise, Islam makes it obligatory to receive education but the malaise of illiteracy is rampant in Pakistan. Our Ulema are felicitous over the fact that Pakistan is an Islamic republic with an Islamic constitution but they hardly pay heed to the interest-based banking system prevalent in our country in utter violation of Islamic economic concept. It also makes no difference that the Muslims consume wine more than non-Muslims in Pakistan though it is forbidden in Islam. It is also not something unusual that women are suffering from inhuman and un-Islamic traditions such as vani, swara, honor killing, burying alive, and wedlock with Quran (to save family property) etc. How many Maulvies have ever come to roads to raise their voice against such evils and vices? Is fighting against social evils not recommended in Islam?
It is said, Actions speak louder than words. Unfortunately, the difference between our actions and words has widened so much that our words have lost credibility. Islam has never been applied but used in Pakistan. Islam, in spirit, is a code of life which is applicable to all aspect of human lives, but in Pakistan, Islam is just a slogan used in religious rallies, elections campaigns and militants training. In fact, hollow slogans and violent emotions in regard of religion have made us a laughing stock in the eyes of the whole world. Most of the political parties are shining their politics with the tint of religion.
Blasphemy Law and hypocrisy | PK ARTICLES HUB
