President may free condemned Christian woman

[Ahmad]

^^^ free the woman and probaly notice more suicide bombing or at least many wild and destructive demostrations in citites with burnt shops, cars and killed citizens.

 

[T-Faz]

^^^ free the woman and probaly notice more suicide bombing or at least many wild and destructive demostrations in citites with burnt shops, cars and killed citizens.

Perhaps, but only because of weak leaders.

When Pakistan was created our leaders would roar against the poisonous Mullahs and take action. But not today, that is out of the question.

You have to fight in a similar manner and I am afraid many of our own are willing to take up that challenge.

 

[Hyde]

excellent news.... very glad to hear that

 

[StingRoy]

Excellent news for sure... but it should not have had to come this far. Time to take a look at the blasphemy laws in retrospect.

 

[muse]

It's interesting that CJP Iftikar refuses to take this case, but has not shown restraint in taking up cases against the present government and in particular against Zardari - it's interesting, that's all.

 

[T-Faz]

It's interesting that CJP Iftikar refuses to take this case, but has not shown restraint in taking up cases against the present government and in particular against Zardari - it's interesting, that's all.

Apt observation, many have noted that he is quick to take action against PPP but when scrutiny is required for important incidents, he remains quiet.

Selective work makes for collective failure.

 

[Mughal1]

Dear friends, blasphemy law is an insult to islam in the very name of islam or rarther an insult to god in his very name.

God did not ask anyone to protect him, he can take care of himself. Those who claim to stand for god, do they think that they are better at protecting god from his own creation? Are they more than god? How silly of these people.

In the quran allah teaches the prophets and their followers how to argue their cases using their brains and not how they should kill each other in the name of god.

In time of prophet of islam when he was in makkah, was he not insulted every now and then because he stood for fairness and justice amongst people? The arrogant chiefs of makkah insulted him by calling him by various names and even was harmed physically yet he did not sought bloodshed of anyone. He was very forgiving. Not only that but if any of his companions tried to take any action against anyone who insulted him, he stopped them straight away.

Why did he do that? Because he claimed that he was sent as a mercy for all. Now if a person who stands for soicial justice and fairness for all (and that is what he taught his followers as well) and yet his followers execute anyone in his name for the same reason what will that prove? Are these people therefore not trying to prove that they are better than the companions of the prophet? The companions of the prophet gave their lives for him yet did not react to those who insulted the prophet.

The quran tells us that people used to make fun of the quran right in front of the prophet himself and his companions yet all muslims used to do was walk away or they used to try to change the subject. This is teaching of the quran for muslims ie do not react to actions of such people as have no sense. In fact in 25/63 muslim are told there is no point in getting into arguements with foolish poeple just walk away 25/63.

The quran does not stop people from arguing their cases against each other in a civilised manner. This is the context in which the quran itself criticises beliefs of other religions and likewise nonmuslims always have been arguing their cases against islam. The idea is always to try and reach the truth or the right position regarding an issue or thing.

The quran repeatedly tells prophet to go on jihad with nonmuslims by way of the quran ie use mind making arguments to convince people. Islam is not about conquering the world by sword but about trying to explain islam to poeple as to what it stands for and then let people freely make up their own minds. It is because some muslims rulers have been fooling muslims with help of their corrupt mullahs that is why some rulers used them to expand their own kingdoms in the name of religion.

There is no compulsion in religion as for as the quran is concerned in its own context.

Blasphemy law is creation of less knowledgeable muslims who have been made fool of by corrupt mullahs and their friends the corrupt political leaders to create divide between people so that they could use and abuse the people and rule them.

If people were united, they will become a huge problem for these mullahs and politicians because they will demand to see what they have been doing for them and the country. Since they have no answers they try to make people fight with each other instead so that the while people fight with each other they could continue what they have been doing ie stealing from the people what little they had or have.

It is time we people became a bit more sensible and saw where these leaders of our are leading us rather than letting them lead us to the slaughter house like sheep. Eevn if this lady is released, this law must be repealed just like hudood ordinance. These laws are brought in by corrupt rulers to frighten people into submission so that they could abuse them easily. So many women behind bars have been abused by prison guards and at police stations by policemen etc. Who is responsible for all this? What life have these women after they have been locked up in police cells and prison cells? We must protest about these like things in our country till they stop. Laws should be based on social justice and fairness not on whims of mad mullahs. If at all possible these mullahs should be locked up in prison and taught the quran properly and must not be let out till they know the quran properly.

Kindly read my other posts as well to see where I asm coming from.

regards and all the best.

 

[muse]

Mughal, Solomon


There is a power dynamic here that it may serve us all to be more conscious of - look at who the victims of all these so called "islamic" laws are - the poor, the rural peasants and overwhelmingly, women, look who the oppressors are, the rich, the powerful -- for friends in the US and elsewhere, it is rather unfair to ask what individuals have or have not done to reject these laws, after all, what actions did individuals in the US take protect the right to build Masajid on property owned by Muslims?

Generally speaking, the kinds of people who find these so called "Islamic" laws abhorrent are not the kinds of people who take to the streets and such - similarly in the US, the "Don't ask, Don't tell" is widely rejected by society, but remains on the books.

Yes, either that's just not good enough, that's simply a given, but lets not cut into each other, we neither deserve it nor does it further what we all seek.

 

[Gin ka Pakistan]

The Government should change this law , why are we turning our own minorities to hate Pakistan.
India's Muslim out side India loves their country but because of Pakistani Zai time laws our Christian brothers hates us. I meet two ex Christian Pakistani Air force personal here and both had nothing good to say about Pakistan and how shameful is that. Pakistan has failed in protecting its minorities thanks to Zai rule.

 

[muse]

Will Nawaz discard these so called "laws"?? Will the playboy, Imran who divorced his wife, mother of his children, discard these laws?? Who then, friends, can discard these so called "Islamic" laws? Whom do these laws target? Do these laws broaden the world of Islam or shrink it? Whom do they serve??

 

[Gin ka Pakistan]

Will Nawaz discard these so called "laws"?? Will the playboy, Imran who divorced his wife, mother of his children, discard these laws?? Who then, friends, can discard these so called "Islamic" laws? Whom do these laws target? Do these laws broaden the world of Islam or shrink it? Whom do they serve??

PPPP can , who is stopping them

 

[muse]

PPPP can , who is stopping them

FEAR, of retaliation, you know the kind these so called Muslims favor.



Blasphemy Law
Yasser Latif Hamdani


Arundhati Roy committed blasphemy of another kind when she asked the Americans to reconsider their alliance with India without resolving the Kashmir issue in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiri people. Earlier she had upset many Indians when she claimed that Kashmir was not an integral part of India, a statement that had every gung-ho Indian, those Oscar Wilde’s vicious patriots and there are about a billion of them, baying for her blood, proving that India is and will remain an intolerant society for some time to come.

Well, taking inspiration from her, Pakistanis should also ask President Obama why his government continues to aid a government and a country that continues to trample on the rights of its own people. No I am not talking about India. I am talking about Pakistan, where the state continues to persecute religious minorities by using a law that cannot be justified on any grounds, whether democracy or Islam. In my previous article I briefly touched on the issue of the Blasphemy Law and the verdict against the Christian woman, a mother of five, who was beaten up and then handed over to the police. It is likely that she will get a presidential pardon. That however is not enough. In the process Pakistan has been humiliated for the umpteenth time simply because we want to appease the mullahs as we have done so consistently since 1949, who in any event have declared a war on Pakistan. I had predicted this much in my article.

So when Obama says “we will act if Pakistan is unwilling or unable to act”, he should walk the walk as well. Nothing will cripple the terrorists more decisively than a tolerant, moderate and democratic Pakistan that respects human rights and treats all its citizens equally. No victory would be permanent if such a Pakistan is not achieved. President Obama, the US, the IMF, the World Bank and the entire western world should immediately stop assisting Pakistan in every field from humanitarian aid to military aid till Pakistan puts its house in order. Being a signatory and having ratified the International Convention on Political and Civil Rights, Pakistan is bound by international law and its own constitution to provide all its citizens the right to life and liberty and religious belief unconditionally.

I do not favour arguments referring to religious interpretation, but our Blasphemy Law is untenable even from an Islamic angle. There is nothing in the Holy Quran or even the Hadith that definitively prescribes such a Blasphemy Law. On the contrary we have a clear example set by the Holy Prophet (PBUH) when he forgave his worst enemies and offenders like Hinda. Almost everyone knows the story of the old woman who would throw garbage daily on the path that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) took. When she fell ill, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) went to visit her and nursed her back to health. Less known is the story of another old woman who the Holy Prophet (PBUH) helped by carrying wood to her house. Along the way, not knowing the identity of her helper, she began to speak about the “trouble maker” of Makkah. It was only after their journey was at an end that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) told her that he was the same Muhammad (PBUH) she had spent the greater part of the journey abusing. This was the Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) character. This is why he is referred to as Rahmatul-lil-Alameen or the mercy for all worlds.

Islamic law and jurisprudence is derived from four sources, known as the Usul-ul-Fiqh (fundamentals of the law), i.e. the Holy Quran, the Sunnah, Qiyas (analogy) and Ijma (consensus). The Holy Quran is silent on the issue of blasphemy. The Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) seems to suggest the exact opposite. By using Qiyas, one can only conclude that the Blasphemy Law is patently un-Islamic and there is no Ijmah or consensus amongst the scholars of Islam on the punishment of blasphemy.

Islamic civilisation has a rich history of not only tolerating but even celebrating dissent. Needless to say some of the greatest scientists in Islamic history, Al Razi, the father of medicine, and Avicenna, would have been lynched many times over had Islam actually favoured a Blasphemy Law as is currently on the statute books of Pakistan. I am told that our local textbooks on science all have a chapter on the achievements of Muslim scientists and the contribution of Islamic civilisation to science and enlightenment of humanity. It is forgotten that this was achieved by a culture of tolerance, acceptance and openness. In my last column, I quoted the founder of this nation as stating as clearly as possible that bona fide criticisms and investigations into religion must be protected and safeguarded from any Blasphemy Law. So must be the fundamental rights of life, liberty and religious belief.

A nation is its laws ultimately. The intolerance permeating down to every segment of our society is the direct result of the laws that evade common sense and logic. It is therefore time to repeal the Blasphemy Law.

The writer is a lawyer. He also blogs at Pak Tea House and can be reached at yasser.hamdani@gmail.com

 

[Gin ka Pakistan]

our Blasphemy Law is untenable even from an Islamic angle. There is nothing in the Holy Quran or even the Hadith that definitively prescribes such a Blasphemy Law. On the contrary we have a clear example set by the Holy Prophet (PBUH) when he forgave his worst enemies and offenders like Hinda. Almost everyone knows the story of the old woman who would throw garbage daily on the path that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) took. When she fell ill, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) went to visit her and nursed her back to health. Less known is the story of another old woman who the Holy Prophet (PBUH) helped by carrying wood to her house. Along the way, not knowing the identity of her helper, she began to speak about the “trouble maker” of Makkah. It was only after their journey was at an end that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) told her that he was the same Muhammad (PBUH) she had spent the greater part of the journey abusing. This was the Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) character. This is why he is referred to as Rahmatul-lil-Alameen or the mercy for all worlds.

That's the teaching we should follow.

 

[muse]

We can't out "islam" the Islamican - we tried that under Ayub Khan and a great scholar was sent packing only to die alone in Chicago, look at the people Musharraf brought in

The only time Mullahism (it does not matter whether Wahabi or any other other) has been put back on it's leash was with AttaTurk, Kemal Pasha -- You know the Pakistani nation just does not have the stomach, the will, for something like that.

 

[flameboard]

Last time I heard the law doesn't apply to non-Muslims. Plus the president should not save her only by court. People need to start doing things according to the law.