Questions about Letter on Blasphemy laws.

Society Religion & Philosophy
1

This letter appeared in Dailytimes. It says a few things that I have had to deal with and I do not have answers that I am comfortable with. So perhaps someone knowledgable can guide me on this one.

  1. Why the difference between the Medina and Mecca Phase. Are the people named in the letter valid. The reason I ask is because a lot of people arguing against Islam always bring up this difference between the commands in the earlier Mecca times and the later more strict Medina times.

  2. There are blasphemy laws in many muslim countries punishable by death. Is it completely decided issue. In my heart I think that this is wrong. If someone is speaking their mind and heart openly and it is blasphemy, I still think that they should have the right to do so.

First there is another first reported under Blasphemy laws:

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_21-8-2002_pg7_12

‘Blasphemy case against councillor be dropped’

LAHORE: The Women’s Action Forum (WAF) has demanded that the blasphemy case against Ms Rukhsana Bunyad, a local social activist and district councillor, be dropped immediately.

Ms Bunyad has been charged with having made remarks against the Holy Quran.

In a statement issued here on Tuesday, the WAF said Ms Bunyad’s remarks, made during a seminar on the proposed constitutional amendments, were misunderstood. It added that the case against her was registered at the behest of local politicians settling old scores and the religious lobby in Mianwali. The statement further says that Ms Bunyad was granted bail on August 8, but despite the fact that 35 participants of the seminar and four local religious scholars recorded statements in her favour, bail was not confirmed in the next hearing, which took place on August 15. The next day of hearing for Ms Bunyad’s bail has been set for August 22.This is the first time in the history of Pakistan that a woman has been charged with blasphemy, and that too for merely trying to stress the importance of the constitution.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_21-8-2002_pg3_9

Blasphemy Law, some facts

Sir: I write you with reference to Umer Bajwa’s letter “Let’s be impartial about Blasphemy Law” (Daily Times Aug., 17) Mr Bajwa is right that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) exhibited forbearance, tolerance, humanity and justice for all. He was mocked at and ridiculed but he never took revenge or prescribed any punishment for any such person. **However, the Holy Quran testifies to the fact that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) tolerated all such cruelties with patience in Mecca in accordance with Allah’s commandment. After migration to Madina, however, the punishment of death was administrated to many Jews and hypocrite Muslims over charges of blasphemy. The names of such persons are on record in all the authentic books of Hadith and History. A few such persons who were killed on the orders of Holy Prophet (PBUH) himself are Ka’b bin Ashraf, Abu Raf’e, Nazar bin Harith and Abu Uzza Jahmi. **.Many verses in the Holy Quran help us to evaluate the respect the Holy Prophet (PBUH) deserves in the eyes of God and what a serious matter blasphemy is. According to verses 1,2 of Sura Al- Hujarat even an attitude of slight disrespect towards the Holy Prophet (PBUH) is enough to spoil the good deeds of that person.

On the basis of such clear-cut injunctions of the Holy Quran and Sunnah **Muslim jurists are agreed that death is the only punishment for blasphemy and has been in force since the times of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). **Punishment for blasphemy was also meted out sometimes to blasphemers in England and other European countries until religion was ousted from state politics. Blasphemous remarks against the Christianity and the Bible are still an offence in Great Britain and other Western countries, though blasphemy against the Holy Prophet (PBUH) is not punishable under European laws. On the other hand the blasphemy law implemented in Pakistan is equally applicable to contempt against all the prophets mentioned in the Holy Quran and applicable to all including the Muslims. Bajwa Sahib may decide, who is partial and who is impartial.

It is a fact that it is only for the last few years that a tremendous increase has been witnessed in the incidents of Blasphemy. This may be pre-planned. No doubt this law has been occasionally misused, but is it only this law that has been misused? We should be careful in issuing fatwas on such a sensitive issue and should not become a tool in the hands of others especially in this era of crusade against Islam
DR MUHAMMAD TAHIR
Islamabad

2

The prophet's right to punish someone by death for blashphemy is different from the right of Pakistan to do the same.

Why?

Because not all laws in Pakistan are Islamic. Not all the rulers, nay not even a slim majority of the rulers, are Islamic in actions.

Just because someone says they're muslim...does that give them the right to carry out this punishment? Are they judge for blashphemy, since they themselves are doing it?

Also, just saying that the Prophet gave these punishments isn't justifying the cases of blasphemy today in Pakistan. You've gotta look at the circumstances of those cases, and the people, and what it was that they did. The prophet didn't deal out death for blasphemy on a regular basis. He tried very hard to avoid death punishments. Obviously, someone must really have done something WRONG to deserve death.

Debate was perfectly permitted. Women would come from afar to debate with Rasul on many subjects. But today, if women wish to debate similarly, they're accused of blasphemy.

Silly. Totally Silly.