As an illiterate and impoverished Christian woman faced death-sentence for blasphemy, Salman Taseer, the secular-leaning Governor of Punjab, tried to intervene to get her freed, describing the blasphemy law as a ‘black law’. And he was killed by his own guard Qadri after clerics declared Taseer as ‘wajib ul qatl’, or necessary to be slaughtered.
The history of the law mandating death-penalty for blasphemy can be traced back to an earlier chapter in the history of Pakistan. During the British times, a law was enacted in the then undivided Indian penal code, article 295A, which makes it a criminal offence to “insult the religion or the religious beliefs of any citizen with deliberate and malicious intention to outrage their religious feelings.” This law, still current in India, has been further modified in Pakistan to include article 295B, which mandates “life imprisonment” for defilement of the Quran, and article 295C, which prescribes “death penalty” for the "use of derogatory remarks in respect of the Holy Prophet."
The reason the British found it necessary to bring this law into effect was the Ilm-ud-din episode, which has striking parallels to today’s events.
A book had been written, called Rangeela Rasool (‘colourful prophet’), in Hindi. It quoted embarrassing stories from hadith to paint an unflattering picture of Islam’s founder and was published by a Raj Pal in Lahore. Imams in Lahore incited their congregations to kill the blasphemous publisher; and hearing this, a carpenter called Il-mud-din bought a dagger and stabbed Raj Pal to death.
He was arrested and eventually executed by the British Raj, who seeing how incensed the Muslims had become over the issue introduced the law in 1927 to deal with blasphemy (the above 295).
Ilm-ud-din was deemed a great hero by the Muslim masses. He was represented by up and coming lawyer Jinnah (later to be founder of Pakistan) and his funeral rites were organised by Allama Muhammad Iqbal (later to be Pakistan’s national poet). He was given the honorific title of Ghazi Ilm-ud-din Shaheed. “Ghazi” is a title of honour for a Muslim, who slaughters non-Muslims for the cause of Islam and “Shaheed” means “martyr”. Until now, he remains a great hero in Pakistan and where he was once jailed there now stands a mosque, named in his honour as the Ghazi Ilmuddin Shaheed Mosque.
So, the law that accounted for the death sentence on Asia Bibi, directly evolved from a similar event of Muslims' seeking to murder a blasphemous non-Muslim.
In the way Ilm-ud-din has been revered by Pakistani Muslims, Salman Taseer’s murderer Qadr is receiving similar treatment and reverence. Both are lauded as heroes by many Pakistanis and given the same honorific titles of Ghazi and Shaheed. The Judge, who has sentenced Qadri to death, is in fear for his life and lawyers have trashed his courtroom to protest the death-sentence for Qadri. Huge rallies are being held by Pakistan’s religious parties in support of Qadri, whom they laud as a true lover of Islam’s prophet or "Ashiq-e-Rasool". Not content at just murdering Taseer, his son too has been kidnapped, and is apparently being used as a bargaining chip for the release of Qadri.
It is indeed a bind for the Pakistani Government, caught between honouring its National ideology of Islam and all that entails and being a responsible member of the community of nations. Pakistan is haunted by what it seeded in the past in that both its founding father and national poet had stood on the side of a killer of blasphemers.
Not content at the difficulty faced with its blasphemy law at home, the Pakistani Government, along with other Islamic countries (OIC), has been a leading proponent of trying to export a watered-down version of its blasphemy laws to the United Nations for its application globally. Much of the hullabaloo about Islamophobia you hear of from Islamic organizations in the West is also a similar attempt at trying to criminalize blasphemy or criticism of Islam.
There is an interesting article I read online translated from Urdu in which the author Maulana Nademul Wajidi says:
Does he not know that in undivided India, a Lahore resident had dared to challenge Muslim’s self-respect having written a book called Rangeela Rasool (The colourful Prophet). An illiterate young Muslim Ghazi Ilmuddin had answered him with his sword. Having killed him, he had proven that no one can insult our prophet. Muslims will never tolerate that. Recently Pakistani Punjab’s governor Salman Taseer was killed for showing sympathy for the accursed blasphemer Aaasia Bibi. His own bodyguard Mumtaz Hussain Qadri killed him.
The punishment for blasphemy can be nothing less than death. Muslims have always punished blasphemers with death. But we live here in India. We are merely demanding punishment in accordance with laws of this land. Why should the government have any problems then?
The learned Mullah is indeed correct. Muslims have indeed punished blasphemers with death throughout history, and will use any means at their disposal to shut up the critics of Islam.
For those, unaware of some of these historical killings of blasphemers, can go right back to the time of the holy prophet of Islam and see that he instigated his followers to kill many of his critics (blasphemers). On the orders of Muhammad, a follower went and killed Asma Bint Marwan, a woman suckling her infant child:
Umayr Ibn Adi came to her in the night and entered her house. Her children were sleeping around her. There was one whom she was suckling. He searched her with his hand because he was blind, and separated the child from her. He thrust his sword in her chest till it pierced up to her back. Then he offered the morning prayers with the prophet at al-Medina. The apostle of Allah said to him: "Have you slain the daughter of Marwan?" He said: "Yes. Is there something more for me to do?" He [Muhammad] said: "No. Two goats will butt together about her. This was the word that was first heard from the apostle of Allah. The apostle of Allah called him `Umayr, "basir" (the seeing).
Another critic of Muhammad, Abu Afak, an old man and poet, had composed poetry that doubted Muhammad’s claims to be a prophet. Muhammad said: "Who will deal with this rascal for me?" One of his followers then went and killed Abu Afak.
There are numerous other examples of killing of blasphemers in the time of the prophet such as
Sunan Abu Dawud Book 38, Number 4349:
Narrated Ali ibn AbuTalib:
A Jewess used to abuse the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) and disparage him. A man strangled her till she died. The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) declared that no recompense was payable for her blood.
Throughout the period of Islamic domination in the subcontinent, blasphemers were killed again and again in keeping with the Islamic tradition that Maulana Wajidi writes about above. There is this example I read of about a man, who was murdered for apparently making an incredibly blasphemous claim that both Islam and Hinduism were true:
It is related in the Akbar Sháhí, that there came a Bráhman,* by name Laudhan, who dwelt in the village of Kaner, who had one day asserted in the presence of Musulmáns that Islám was true, as was also his own religion. This speech of his was noised abroad, and came to the ears of the 'Ulamá. Kází Píyára and Shaikh Badr, who resided at Lakhnautí, gave fatwas which did not coincide respecting the merits of the case. Consequently 'Azam Humáyún, the governor of that district, sent the Bráhman, the Kází, and Shaikh Badr, all three into the King's presence at Sambhal. Sultán Sikandar took great pleasure in disputations on religious questions, and on this occasion summoned all the wise men of note from every quarter. Mullá 'Abdu-lla, the son of Mullá Ilahdád, Saiyid Muhammad, and Míán Kádan, from Dehlí, all the Mullás in short of his empire, were summoned to Sambhal, and the assembly of the also present on this occasion. After investigating the matter, the 'Ulamá determined that he should be imprisoned and converted to Muhammadanism, or suffer death, and, since the Bráhman refused to apostatize, he was accordingly put to death by the decree of the 'Ulamá. The Sultán, after rewarding the learned casuists, gave them permission to depart.
The incitement of Muslims to kill blasphemers is a recurring theme throughout history. The basis of it lies within the teachings of Islam. Islam believes it has the right and mandate to murder those, who oppose it in word or deed. This is because the very founder of the religion used such means, and those means, in fact, assisted the rapid expansion of Islam.
The world needs to be aware of methodology in play to shut down debates on Islam by devout Muslims. Devout Muslims will, when in power or in a strong position, seek to kill blasphemers or critics of Islam. When in a weaker position vis-à-vis critics, they seek to use other laws and means to silence critics. The current push for international blasphemy laws and talk of Islamophobia represent that path of action.
Instead of laws to criminalize the criticism of Islam, strict laws that severely punish those, who incite murder in the name of Islam, need enacting and enforcing. This would work towards eliminating this unacceptable menace to societies around the world.
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written by Javad , October 06, 2011
written by Truth Seeker , October 06, 2011
written by Reed Wilson , October 06, 2011
There should be no association of partners of Allah in his divinity.
"Divinity of Christ,Trinity,Resurrection of Christ,all these truths are blasphemous to Muslims."
May be but does not allow any to be mad about all that. "I will gather all of them and I will settle score with them."
إِنَّ إِلَيْنَا إِيَابَهُمْ ثُمَّ إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا حِسَابَهُم
"To me they will all return. In my hands are their accounts. (88:25-26)
"They will never grow out of this backwardness till eternity."
It seems evident unless they 'burn those inflammatory material of the Hadiths. It is all unwarranted.
written by Tuth seeker , October 07, 2011
written by duh_swami , October 07, 2011
Far too many Muslims missed that part about the 'religion of peace'...Islam never claimed it was a religion of peace until the kuffar Bush gave it that title...Allah was sending a new message to Muslims through Bush who was acting as a temporary Prophet...That message was to abandon violence and jihad and become peaceful...Unfortunately, not many Muslims got that message from Prophet George...So they continue to jihad against the truth telling blasphemers to this day...
written by Reed Wilson , October 07, 2011
This may be question. Flags and mosques are not source of any religion. We have to know a religion through its scriptures or message of God. Lets see what Quran says about moon/crescent:
"They ask you, regarding the crescents; say, “They are indicators of time for mankind and for Hajj... ” (2:189)
"It is Allah Who created the skies and the earth, and sent down water from the sky, thus producing fruits for you to eat; and subjected the ships for you, that they may sail upon the sea by His command; and subjected the rivers for you. And have subjected the sun and the moon for you, which are constantly moving; and has subjected the night and the day for you.(14:32-33)
This is the significance of moon in Quran. They are rather subjected to you Mr. Seeker. Not that they are God. They are constantly moving which Man did not know 1000 years back.
What is your source to know that star on flag depicts Muhammad?
I appreciate your question and your asking Mr. Reed Wilson.
written by Reed Wilson , October 07, 2011
The Pharaoh said: "You have come to believe without my dispensation. Surely he is your chief who taught you magic. I will have your hands and feet cut off on alternate sides and crucify you on the trunks of date-palm trees. You will come to know whose punishment is harder and protracted." They replied: "We cannot choose you in the face of the clear testimony we have received, and over Him who created us. So do what you are determined to do. All that you would do will only be confined to our life on earth. We have certainly come to believe in our Lord that He may forgive our trespasses and the magic you have forced us to perform, for God is nobler and his rewards are lasting."
The magicians were also Wajibul Qatl. Their you have seen.
T'seeker if you read Quran you will find it interesting. That is also a book. You would not need any RW to tell you A-Z about Islam. That is why Maulana discourage people reading Quran. It will render them redundant.
written by Guy Macher , October 07, 2011
written by Reed Wilson , October 08, 2011
Are you saying all that Guy Macher? Why? Looks preconceived. Plagiarized does not mean 'incorrect' and 'evil'. Lies and incorrect has no much difference.
Your anger is shrouding your wits.
written by duh_swami , October 08, 2011
written by duh_swami , October 08, 2011
But what is really evil is the demoralizing effect Allah has on submitter's...Allah is incapable of inflicting physical punishment himself, so by means of demands in his book, he enlists submitters to brutalize for him...and they do...Murders, amputation of limbs, and fingers crucifixions, beheadings, lashing of women and men...There is no way a human is not demoralized acting this way, or accepting it as legitimate...Demoralization of individuals (Muslims) and populations (Ummah) is evil...
In the mid ages the Catholic Church sponsored similar demoralized monsters to tortured people in their dungeons...They forced a a great evil on the land at the time...But unlike demoralized Muslims, who are doing all this for Allah, the Catholic priestlies lied when they said they were torturing and killing in Gods name...
Islam does not give, it takes away the moral quotient in humans that makes it possible for Muslims to hate so much they actually enjoy the suffering of others that they deem
'unworthy', usually kuffar of some description...Allah has done this to them...
The demoralizing of humans is evil, and Allah-Islam are guilty as charged...
written by Walter Sieruk , October 08, 2011
written by Tuth seeker , October 08, 2011
written by Rameez Nasir , October 08, 2011
Star and crescent was not known at the time of the Prophet (pbuh)), or at the time of the 1st four caliphs
Crescent and Star is not the symbol of Religion ISLAM but became symbol of Ottoman Empire which ruled muslim world.
During the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), Islamic armies and caravans flew simple solid-colored flags (generally black, green, or white) for identification purposes.
“The symbol of Islam IS NOT the crescent moon and the star, but it was used by the last Islamic Dynasty, the Ottoman’s. The Ottoman Empire deemed it appropriate to use the star and crescent as their symbols, but not the symbols of Islam.
Some historians, believe that the city of Byzantium (later known as Constantinople and Istanbul) adopted the crescent moon as its symbol. The symbol remained in near constant use, it wasn’t until the Ottoman Turks took over Constantinople (Istanbul) in 1453, and they adopted the city’s existing flag and the symbol.
written by duh_swami , October 09, 2011
There are a number of things that hook Islam up with moon symbolism and worship...Allah is the Moon god SIN given a promotion and name change by Mohammad...What ever happened to Al-Rahman?
written by Reed Wilson. , October 09, 2011
It is hadis. Gold jewelry is not in Islam.
O sons of Adam, attire yourselves at every time of worship; eat and drink, but do not be wasteful, for God does not like the prodigals. (31) Ask them: "Who forbids you attire that God has given to His creatures, and the good things that He has provided?" Tell them: "They are for believers in the world, and will be theirs on the Day of Judgement." That is how We explain Our signs to those who know. Tell them: "My Lord has forbidden repugnant acts, whether open or disguised, sin and unjust oppression, associating others with God, of which He has sent down no authority, and saying things of God of which you have no knowledge."
"What ever happened to Al-Rahman?
Al Rahman is popular Islamic name of God. Every chapter of Quran starts with this name.
بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
الرَّحْمَـٰنُ ﴿١﴾ عَلَّمَ الْقُرْآنَ ﴿٢﴾ خَلَقَ الْإِنسَانَ ﴿٣﴾ عَلَّمَهُ الْبَيَانَ
written by Reed Wilson. , October 09, 2011
"What ever happened to Al-Rahman?
It is valid and popular name of Allah.
بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
الرَّحْمَـٰنُ ﴿١﴾ عَلَّمَ الْقُرْآنَ ﴿٢﴾ خَلَقَ الْإِنسَانَ ﴿٣﴾ عَلَّمَهُ الْبَيَانَ
written by Yibel , October 09, 2011
The Pharaoh said: "You have come to believe without my dispensation. Surely he is your chief who taught you magic. I will have your hands and feet cut off on alternate sides and crucify you on the trunks of date-palm trees. You will come to know whose punishment is harder and protracted."
This passage in the Qur'an is very wrong for several reasons:
For one, the kings of Egypt, called Pharaohs by the Hebrews, never crucified people.
Two, they did not cut off hands and feet on alternate sides. The pagan Arabs did this.
Three, the so-called "magicians" tried their best to discredit Moses and Aaron, but failed. They were priests (not magicians) of the various gods worshiped by the Egyptian people, as well as the Pharaoh, and they certainly would never have agreed that YHVH was THE Supreme God, let alone the ONLY GOD.
For, had Moses and Aaron been the representatives of al-Ah (the god the Muslims worship at the Ka'aba), the Egyptians might have been more receptive because Ah's Temple was in Thebes (present day Luxor), and Ah was a well-known lunar god. In fact, Pharaoh made yearly trips to this temple for the fertility rites (hajj) and the Egyptian people would line the roads, foreheads in the dirt, butts in the air, as Pharaoh passed on his way to Ah's temple.
The Ka'aba is a smaller version of Ah's Temple in Thebes. The original 360 idols that Muhammad destroyed represented a truncated solar year and were necessary for reconciling the lunar calendar with solar year. The remaining 5 days, the hajj, belonged to the god Thoth. He won them in a dice game with Ah so that Nut, the sky goddess could give birth to Isis, Osirius, and Seth according to Egyptian mythology.
Long story, but interesting. Unlike the Qur'an which is, to quote Guy Macher:
"confused, violent, boring, filthy, plagiarised, incorrect, EVIL and full of lies.
written by Yibel , October 09, 2011
In Q. 28:39, the Qur'an even has Pharaoh state that the Egyptains had no other god but Pharaoh. How ridiculous is that! The Egyptians had many, many gods, and Pharaoh was considered to be their representative on earth, but not a god himself.
The author(s) of the Qur'an was, quite simply, repeating garbled and invented tales told around campfires by illiterate, ignorant Arab nomads, a fact that Muhammad was often accused of according to the Qur'an.
written by Reed Wilson. , October 10, 2011
1.“For one, the kings of Egypt called Pharaohs by the Hebrews, never crucified people.”
Quran is NOT saying that he crucified people. How you say he never?
2.“Two, they did not cut off hands and feet on alternate sides”.
Quran is NOT saying he cut off hands on alternate sides. How you say they never?
3.“The so-called "magicians" were priests not magicians”.
Quran is NOT calling them magicians here.
Yibel I appreciate your questioning Quran. It is welcomed in Quran. No book, including Bible which is considered word of gog by Christians, in their present shape, calls for challenging itself. You quoted Guy Machur and you yourself proved that Quran was not plagiarized. You yourself write that "it is clear from the story lines that Muhammad (or whoever wrote the Qur'an) was unfamiliar with the actual story".
I have answered Guy and he is comfortable.
written by Reed Wilson. , October 10, 2011
written by Dwito , October 15, 2011
No Reed, your information is wrong. Indian astrologists knew that. Through them, the Arabs also got the knowledge. mo stole everything. so it seems as a new revelation. Study a bit more about Indian science history. You will know yourself.
written by Reed Wilson , October 16, 2011
Indian astrologists knew that but didnt disclose that. Or may be they informed provately in Muhammad's ears. They were astronomers and not astrologist.
I was telling Mr. Seeker that moon has subordinate position in Quran it is not creator.
