Laiq ahmed atif, malta the issue of blasphemy is a hot issue that remains in news particularly in pakistan. Blasphemy is condemned on moral and ethical grounds, no doubt, but no physical punishment is prescribed for blasphemy in islam despite the commonly held view in the contemporary world. Present blasphemy law of pakistan is against quran and. This research study is related to the same issue, that is, blasphemy law of islam misconceptions and fallacy. In south asia, the islamic states of afghanistan and pakistan have blasphemy laws that are actively enforced, and india has a blasphemy law that reportedly is used by all of india s faith groups when their religious sensibilities are hurt. The assassination of a pakistani christian cabinet minister for speaking against the blasphemy law is a stab in the heart of islam and a humiliation of the prophet by those who claim to be his followers. What is clear is the close connection between anti blasphemy laws and ahmadism and how this connection has been highlighted by the relationship between the finality of the prophethood, parliamentary legislation and subsequent violence in this particular instance.
The high court upheld her conviction and death sentence in 2014. Under the new penal code of the islamic republic of iran, blasphemy was given a dedicated new chapter, and remains punishable by death. In other words, blasphemous speech may be regarded as a kind of hate speecha now internationally well recognized category of speech that can be validly prohibited. Some of the similar ways to blaspheme would be speaking negatively about any of the prophets found in the quran, or that there are any other gods, or, to say that jesus christ. Asian journal of comparative law northwestern university. Blasphemy in islam blasphemy in the islamic religion is similar in many ways to christian blasphemy, but in other ways, contrasts sharply away from that of christianity. In islamic law, for example, both god and the prophet muhammad not only have value for the believers, but also have interests and rights themselves. A new pew research center analysis finds that, as of 2014, about a quarter of the worlds countries and territories 26% had anti blasphemy laws or policies, and that more than oneinten % nations had laws or policies penalizing apostasy.
Exhaustive, courageous research is on brilliant display in silenced. In 1969, four years after the blasphemy law was introduced in the form of a presidential decree, it was strengthened and upgraded to the status of a law. Killing critics what is the punishment for insulting islam or muhammad. The editors of the encyclopedia of the bible and its reception berlin. Assistant professor, comsats institute of infomation and technology. The prophet of islam, muhammadsa consistently forgave those who mocked and insulted him, demonstrating that there was no punishment for blasphemy. In fact, this trend is a defensive reaction to the uns offensive by the organization of the islamic conference to create in international law a crime of blasphemy under the name of defamation of islam. While the quran condemns blasphemy on moral and ethical grounds the. Under sharia, those who insult muhammad or allah are to be executed. Apostasy, blasphemy, heresy the three most evil bully gasoline words, ever coined by religious gangster dictators. Blasphemy in islam is impious utterance or action concerning god, blasphemy against the. His entire article centres on the quran while ignoring hadith, the second most important source of islamic faith and shariah, which prescribes death penalty as the punishment for blasphemy against the prophet p. It strongly argues that the death penalty in the laws of apostasy and blasphemy is untenable in the modern period.
While resident as a professor at the nizamaya madrasa in baghdad, alghazali made a thorough study of philosophy greek philosophy, in particular that of aristotle, plato and plotinus, as well as islamic philosophy, in particular that of ibn sina avicenna and alfarabi in order better to refute it. Asia noreen, also known as asia bibi, was convicted and sentenced to death in 2010 following allegations of blasphemy against the prophet muhammad. Why the united states cannot agree to disagree on blasphemy laws. In 2010, a christian woman asia bibi, who was charged with blasphemy in pakistan, made the international headlines. Such laws are more likely to exist and be actively enforced in islamic countries. The question of blasphemy in islam and its sharia punishment keeps popping up in current news reports, especially since muslim protest against the publication of salman rushdies novel satanic verses. During the entire muslim rule in india, islam was never made the state religion and shariah never became the dominant law of the land. Those who are supporting his killing or similar actions are the worst enemy of islam who neither understands islam nor respects the prophet. Further, despite being acquitted by the supreme court, asia bibi lost nearly a decade of her life in prison due to a false accusation of blasphemy, a fate shared by many individuals accused of blasphemy who similarly languish in jail during the. Blasphemy is condemned on moral and ethical grounds, no doubt, but no physical punishment is prescribed for blasphemy in islam despite the. The trial of ahok find, read and cite all the research you need on researchgate. Usually, being found guilty of blasphemy in the islamic religion means either life imprisonment or execution.
The penal code of iran was formally changed in 2012. In addition to numerous other human rights issues that remain under the new penal code, the crimes of apostasy and blasphemy are still in force. Request pdf on jan 7, 2020, daniel peterson and others published islam, blasphemy, and human rights in indonesia. Click download or read online button to get blasphemy heresy and apostasy book now. Blasphemy laws are widely dispersed around the globe.
In indonesia, officials impose criminal penalties on the ahmadiyya and other groups whose teachings are deemed deviant from the statesanctioned religions. Freedom of expression, apostasy, and blasphemy within islam. Although apostasy and blasphemy have been much researched the notion of takfir excommunication, which is a key trigger for intrareligious conflict in islam, has received much less attention. Blasphemy, is generally defined as the exhibition of irreverent behavior or language towards god, religion or anything held sacred. Blasphemy, her next major work, promises to generate the same degree of excitement. Blasphemy laws and sharia in pakistan tradional family. The islamic republic of pakistan also has in its penal code laws that prohibit and punish blasphemy against islam ranging from a fine to death. In egypt, officials use blasphemy laws to prevent conversions, inhibit proselytism, and silence critics. The local police arrested her and, in 2010, a pakistani court condemned her to death for the crime of blasphemy against islam s prophet.
Muslims on blasphemy arif humayun the quranic teaching on blasphemy is in direct conflict with the general muslims practice of this doctrine. Blasphemy in islam is impious utterance or action concerning god, muhammad or anything considered sacred in islam. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. Blasphemy transgresses a boundary and violates the sacred.
One incident is mentioned in both the quran and ahadith. With its comprehensiveness, clarity and simplicity, it occupies a unique position in the history of islamic thought. Pdf in pakistan, courts use blasphemy laws to bully religious minorities, as well as muslims, and to justify broad censorship on speech. The political history of islam and the prophet muhammads life is central to any discussion of blasphemy laws in an islamic state.
Blasphemy and related laws in selected jurisdictions library of. Critics complain that pakistans blasphemy laws are overwhelmingly being used to persecute religious minorities and settle personal vendettas, but calls for change in blasphemy laws have been strongly resisted by islamic parties most prominently the barelvi school of islam. In the islamic context, blasphemy refers to a wide range of acts ranging from apostasy to cursing or slandering allah the most high and exalted, and the prophet muhammad s. An accounting of the prophets biography and the early history of islam will illuminate muhammads position on blasphemy, heresy, apostasy, and heterodoxy, especially as muhammad never advocated blasphemy laws or a shari. But charging asia bibi under the blasphemy law did not apparently.
Blasphemy heresy and apostasy download ebook pdf, epub. Cases under blasphemy law have also been registered against muslims. While in some countries they are never enforced, there have been prosecutions in recent years in austria. In western europe, many countries retain blasphemy and related laws. Islam goes one step further than any other religion in granting man the freedom of speech and expression. Pdf blasphemy laws in muslim majority countries researchgate. In pakistan, courts use blasphemy laws to bully religious minorities, as well as muslims, and to justify broad censorship on speech. Blasphemy also includes disrespect toward other holy messengers or religious beliefs. The cultural construction of defamation and blasphemy as crimes in islamic law 18 literary works as evidence of unbelief 19 religions, opinions and beliefs are nothing but roads and paths.
So are those who desecrate the quran or commit other acts of blasphemy. Set in south pakistan, the novel inspired by a true story, is a searing study of evil. Apostasy, blasphemy, heresy allan ivarsson author of. In principle, hadith is the best interpretation of the quran as has been stated in the quran itself. Thus, hadith reports such as the above become the legal justification for the death penalty for both apostasy and blasphemy in traditional islamic law. Blasphemy law of islammisconceptions and fallacy journal of. Since then, her appeal has been pending in the supreme court. The quran admonishes blasphemy, but does not specify any worldly punishment for blasphemy. The hadiths, which are another source of sharia, suggest various punishments for blasphemy, which may include death. It is a sensitive issue for many, especially those who have an unshakable faith in their beliefs, religious leaders. View islam and blasphemy research papers on academia. Blasphemy in islam is impious utterance or action concerning god, blasphemy against the prophet muhammad and his companions sabb alrasul, sabb alsahabah, insulting an angel or to deny the prophethood of one of the islamic prophets. How apostasy and blasphemy codes are choking freedom worldwide.
The quran admonishes blasphemy, but does not specify any worldly punishment. This tradition began with muhammad, as recorded in the hadith and by his biographers. The legal punishments for such transgressions vary from fines to death. However, it has been argued that the death penalty applies only. Which countries still outlaw apostasy and blasphemy. The criminal courts often decide a case of blasphemy on the basis of public emotions and political interests rather than the divine writ. The question of blasphemy in islam and its sharia punishment keeps popping up in current news reports, especially since muslim protest against the publication of salman rushdies novel satanic verses in 1989. They say, if we return to medina, the one most honourable will surely drive out therefrom. Islam and blasphemy wikimili, the best wikipedia reader.
Whole building of present blasphemy law is based upon only. In this sense, blasphemy is similar to other kinds of speech which may be restricted by the state on the basis of such a cost benefit analysis. Many describe the novel to be about religious exploitation, however. The hadiths, which are another source of sharia, suggest various. Blasphemy and the holy prophet muhammadsaw al islam.
Tehmina durrani is a pakistani author, artist, and activist on womens and childrens rights. Blasphemy and related laws in selected jurisdictions. From the perspective of the religious, this is greatest harm in blasphemy. Marshall and shea compile a thorough dossier of existing islamic blasphemy restrictions, show how they operate to bludgeon dissent, and chronicle a concerted campaign to export them around the globe. The chapter demonstrates that these laws conflict with a variety of foundational teachings of islam and with the current ethos of human rights, in particular the freedom to choose ones religion and the freedom to express oneself. It remains unclear why they went ahead with their protest in the first place given that the government had already reversed course. Blasphemy is tehmina durranis novel about the exploitation at the hands of her husband. Supporters of present blasphemy law are able to bring only and only 2 sahih traditions about killing in case of blasphemy rest of the traditions which they bring are dhaif i. Themain reason of selecting this topic is to search out the laws regarding punishment of blasphemy in the light of islam, to identify the misconceptions and fallacy in the society.
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