Re: On Shahadat and the correct implementation of blasphemy laws in Pakistan
Peace Naabigh
The issue is not about blasphemy … or at least it should not be. It should be about the fitnah of the blasphemer. Now an atheist does not believe in God this is blasphemy of course it is. However, because it does not affect the society if this particular atheist happens to live in Pakistan then he should not be touched by the law. He is free to believe as he believes.
If however he declares in public his beliefs and tries to propagate them or tries to ridicule the beliefs of Muslims in public, under oath or has written and published a book or addressed a media channel with the intent of propagating the belief then his blasphemy is causing a fitnah and must be stopped with punishment.
So if someone says anything against our prophet Muhammad (SAW) they should be brought to court, but if they apologise then the fitnah ends, if under oath they explain that they said such and such in anger and didn’t mean to create a public outcry they should be free to go. Only when they try to create a social problem with intent and not apologise about it … then it should result in punishment for the state that implements blasphemy law.
Now if a person declares himself a prophet in a state that implements blasphemy law he is actually causing fitnah openly in public and by so doing he is taken to court, he is given the opportunity to take back what he said and have his recant on record, if he does not choose this option and continues in his mission even under oath then he should be given the punishment as per the law.
The point is the law needs to be made clear and practical … and correct as per Islam. At the moment it is not fully correct because of the examples given above.
No one is dearer to us than Muhammad (SAW) it does not mean that we lose our senses over him, but it means we should work with hikmah and do things to make people love him (SAW) instead … How will our actions in recent events about blasphemy make others love Muhammad (SAW) ???
I truly believe in societies where Islam is not the major religion Muslims are forced to use reason and conversation more and that is proving to be a better setting for attracting more converts, but places like Pakistan at the moment are not managing to achieve the same thing yet.