National Assembly of Pakistan
(Reuters) – Pakistani police have registered a case of blasphemy against 68 lawyers who made a public protest after a police officer detained one of their colleagues, officials said on Tuesday, the latest in a tidal wave of such accusations flooding the country.
Analysts say the surge in accusations is a worrying sign the nuclear-armed nation of 180 million people is becoming less tolerant as militant ideas enter mainstream politics.
The colonial-era law does not define blasphemy, but the charge carries the death penalty. Presenting evidence can be considered a new infringement, so judges are reluctant to hear cases.
Judges who free those accused of blasphemy have been attacked and two politicians who suggested reforming the law were shot dead. Those acquitted have often been lynched.
Monday’s charges followed a protest in which lawyers shouted slogans against senior police officer Umar Daraz for allegedly illegally detaining a lawyer in the Jhang district of central Pakistan.
“Lawyers were protesting against police, using foul language and the name of the inspector,” the district’s police officer, Zeeshan Asghar, told Reuters.
One of the companions of the Prophet Muhammad, founder of the Islamic religion, was called Hazrat Umar.
A member of a far-right sectarian party complained his religious feelings were offended because the lawyers used the name “Umar” in their protest, and lodged charges with police.
Blasphemy accusations have spiked in Pakistan recently, a 2012 study by the Islamabad-based think tank, the Center for Research and Security Studies, showed, with 80 complaints in 2011, up from a single case in 2001.
Additional Reading
TO MODERATOR TMT
I would like to ask you about “blasphemy law” in Pakistan.
Do you agree that “blasphemy law” should be implemented?
.
Whereas, when Prophet conveyed God’s messages, some people insulted prophet Muhammad (saw)
.
Did Allah ask Prophet to punish those who insult / offend him?
.
Do you agree that freedom of speak, and expression are the tenets of Islamic teaching?
.
Do you delete my respond, if you feel offended ?
All love
hmmm – not a good event – but I pray the outcome be good, and the laws may be amended. Amin!
BLASPHEMY LAW–VS–IBN KATSIR INTERPRETATION.
.
FROM MY HEART TO YOU ALL.
I am so disappointed. so sad, pity, heart breaking and embarrassing when I hear a bad /sad news such as Boko Haram and Blasphemy laws in Pakistan etc.
,
Let us learn from Holy Al Quran as our excellent guidance from Allah and Prophet.
.
If anyone contends with the Messenger even after guidance has been plainly conveyed to him, and follows a path other than that becoming to men to Faith, We shall leave him in the path he has chosen, and land him in Hell,-what an evil refuge!QS 4:115.
.
FROM EXTREMIST SCHOLAR;
.
Al Imam Ibn Kathir said: “Let anyone who insults the Prophet, both physically and spiritually, in his fear maligned form of infidelity, hypocrisy, heresy, a painful punishment in the world, he was executed, imprisoned.”
.
Those who follow ancient scholar Ibn Katsir will became extremist and commit violence and kill people who insult prophet and Islam.
.
Where do Muslim Ahmadiyah stand for?
.
I believe that the interpretation of Ibn Kathir is very dependent on the condition of Arab society. Arab society is always facing the enemy around the country, namely Israel. His interpretation is absolutely wrong against the tenets of Islam.
.
Modren interpretation; We have to amid that the ancient interpretation created violence, discrimination, oppression, injustice, and poverty.
.
Based on al Quran, we, moderately educated Muslim who live in 21st century, have to correct or to reform the old interpretation of Islam, if we want to show and prove that Islam is really peaceful religion and bring mercy to all mankind.
.
How did prophet Muhammad (saw) spread Islam 1400 year ago? Prophet Muhammad (saw) always was insulted by his people every where he went to convey God’s messages. How did prophet Muhammad’s respond?
Prophet Muhammad said through Al Quran as follow;
.
Invite (people) to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good counsel. And argue with them in the best of manners. Surely, your Lord knows best the one who deviates from His way, and He knows best the ones who are on the right path. QS 4;125.
.
Invite (people) to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good counsel. And argue with them in the best of manners. Surely, your Lord knows best the one who deviates from His way, and He knows best the ones who are on the right path. (125) QS.16:125.
.
It is part of the Mercy of Allah that thou dost deal gently with them. Wert thou severe or harsh-hearted, they would have broken away from about thee: so pass over (their faults), and ask for (Allah’s) forgiveness for them; and consult them in affairs wordly). Then, when thou hast taken a decision, put thy trust in Allah. For Allah loves those who put their trust (in Him).QS 3:159.
.
REVENGE;
.
Repel evil with that which is best.QS.23;96
.
And turn off Evil with good: for such there is the final attainment of the (Eternal) Home.QS 13;22.
.
If your enemies is hungry, feed him if he is thirty, give him a drink, for doing this you make him burn with shame. Do not let evil defeat you, instead, conquer evil with good.(Roman.12: 17-21)
.
There is no punishment who insult Prophet and Islam at all,
.
If all Muslim around the world can implement those verses above in our daily lives, we show to the world the beauty of Islamic teaching. We prove that Islam is really peaceful religion and mercy fol all people.
.
For You from My Heart.
All those who read shall pass on my words to others and those to others again; O Allah,
be my witness, that I have conveyed your message to your people.
With my love
alatif, you have asked, as to what is the Ahmadiyya position about blasphemy laws.
For the answer, let me share a small book with you, written by the previous international head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad:
An online book: Murder in the Name of Allah
Additional Reading:
A. For our large collection of articles, about blasphemy laws, please click here.
B. Solomonic wisdom needed to establish Separation of Mosque-Church-Synagogue and State
Allah knew that this kind of difference of opinion will be seen in later days. It is no wonder that He sent the Messiah & Mehdi of this age to give us the correct interpretation of the Holy Quran & the Hadith & guide us in these matters. People of the world, please take heed before you fall into the abyss of ignorance.
Everyone defines blasphemy according to his own criteria. In Islam there is no fixed criteria for blasphemy. In fact if you look at the conduct of the Holy Prophet in the matter of Abdullah ibn Ubay, one has to conclude that there is no such thing in Islam. The so called ulema and fuqaha may have carved out such a crime for emotional reasons.
Since Islam does not mention blasphemy as a crime, there is obviously no legal standing or punishment for this either.
Of course decency is an Islamic value. One should be respectful of everything which is held dear by anyone else even a false god!!