Whom do you fear, public opinion, fatwa or Allah?

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Continuation of exchange on Blasphemy at WorldMuslimcongress@yahoogroups.com it is a public forum, all are welcome to join by sending an email to: WorldMuslimCongress-subscribe@yahoogroups.com  The group is about nurturing the pluralistic ideals embedded in Islam

Whom do you fear, public opinion, fatwa or Allah?
Good fatwa against Qadri
Dear Javed,
I am copying a few paragraphs from the material published in Arab News yesterday.
Islam forbids killing anyone, unless it is in self-defense and it is indeed a morbid sin to commit suicide. This statement breeds an enormous confusion among a few Muslims and non-Muslims, they want to know what to believe, what the radicals are doing in the name of Islam or the ones who say they are misrepresenting it. http://arabnews.com/world/article232984.ece

If we take Brother Shamim’s position and your partial agreement with him, you are making Islam look like a religion of dominance, punishment and revenge. Let me submit to you, Islam is a religion of leadership, leading people out of chaos into peace through free will, it is a religion of peace and the majority of the Muslims believe that.  Prophet Muhammad is indeed the mercy to mankind; Salaam us per ke jis nay bekasoon pay dastagiri ki.  He brought the idea of equality and showed how to work it through the rituals embedded in Islam, he raised the level of consciousness towards the oppressed, forgave the wrong doers, he took over Mecca peacefully and did not order killing of the very people who were determined to kill him.
It calls for a serious discussion, in the name of the man of the peace, you guys are creating chaos, you are making the prophet of peace look like a man of revenge, you have to stop this and stop denigrating the prophet that we admire, adore and hold him as the ultimate peace maker, the Rahmatul Aalameen.
A few, very few in every majority community, be it Christian, Hindu, Muslim or Jewish claim themselves to be the guardians of the community and act out bullying with the power bestowed in them as a majority and make the lives of the minorities difficult.  Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) showed the examples of how to subdue the arrogance within oneself and not exercise the power of the beast for the sake of peace. He initiated the Madina Treaty as a man in charge of the political, military and religious power to protect the minorities from the onslaught of the majoritarianism. The Prophet taught us to stand up for the oppressed.
Javed, ruefully, brother Shamim and his ilk is discarding the examples of kindness prophet set; towards a lady who threw trash on him, praying for the ones who pelted stones on him and more and more at …http://www.petitiononline.com/Asiabibi/petition.html 
Javed, let’s wake ourselves up from our arrogance and do the inner Jihad, Islam is about peace and not dominance. For the conversion-bent among us, this an opportunity missed out.

The silent majority needs to speak out at crucial times like this where the murderer Qadri is being hailed as a hero in defending the very Prophet who was a mercy to mankind. This entire sordid affair started when Bibi, a Christian woman was denied the water by a few senseless individuals, they are the ones that need to be questioned (not punished). Does not Quraan and Hadith say, don’t denigrate the faith of others, lest they do that to you?

Javed, please speak up your mind, you don’t need to appease any one, you are one of the leaders and you need to lead and not worry what others say and compromise.  Standing up will bring fatwas on your door, the question is whom do you fear, Allah or Fatwa?

Mike Ghouse
www.MikeGhouse
From: doctorforu
To: TSidd, WorldMuslimCongress@yahoogroups.com, MikeGhouse@aol.com, hasniessa, Sent: 1/12/2011 7:30:46 A.M. Central Standard Time
Subj: Re: MuslimAgenda :: RE: Good fatwa against Qadri…
Mohatram Shamim Sb
ASAK
I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that the punishment for what is called in Fiqh as “Shatim-e Rasool” is nothing but death. A person who has blasphemed against a personality or book, which is dearer to a community more than their own nafoos certainly deserves to be sentenced to death because his action is an insult to the beliefs of huge numbers of people and also because it can cause widespread trouble leading to a great number of deaths. Death to him is therefore a preventive measure against greater number of deaths. But my point is that we have to understand the finer differences when deciding on the issues:
1. There is difference between committing blasphemy and supporting for condonement of a person accused of blasphemy. Both are not crimes of equal severity. The person who supports condonement of a person for crime of blasphemy does not necessarily have disrespect for Prophet himself. Many people whose Iman cannot be doubted did not support the fatwa by Khomeini against Rushdie. Does that mean that they committed blasphemy themselves and deserve to be given the same punishment as Rushdie? I have no first hand knowledge but my feeling is that Taseer did not support the views of Asia Bibi and only spoke against the punishment of death for her. I do not think that Taseer had ever expressed any views that make him a shatim-e rasool. Does he deserve death for merely advocating mercy for a person who committed a serious offence? I have my doubts. If Taseer had been tried in a shariah court, would a Mufti declare his crime worthy of punishment by death?
2. If a person does not deserve death for an offence committed by him, howsoever serious or condemnable his offence is, can his killing be justified?
3. Even if his killing is justified under Sharaiah, would anyone be allowed to kill him without any fatwa issues for it or without proceeding in a court in a country where the current laws punish blasphemy by death?
Emotions and sentiments must not dither us from making judgements in accordance with Quran. Allah forgive me if I am wrong!
Javed Jamil

From: “TSidd @ >
To: doctorforu123@yahoo.com; WorldMuslimCongress@yahoogroups.com; MikeGhouse@aol.com; hasniessa; .. and the list
Sent: Tue, January 11, 2011 7:21:57 PM
Subject: Re: MuslimAgenda :: RE: Good fatwa against Qadri…
Mohtram Javed Bhai,  ASA
Perhaps you are otherwise busy and had no time to go through the write-up by the  undersigned and that of HK Saheb. You are missing the very genesis  of the issue.
I. Act of blasphemy is crime against humanity when one insults the personality of our beloved Prophet (S), he injures the finest feelings of the Muslim Ummah as a whole. His punishment is death as prescribed in law.
2. If government is hesitant and shows sympathy with the person who has been committing this horrible crime, the  Muslims who love him (S) will have to take the law in their hands as it is the matter of “crime” against an individual person, specially when the person is arrogant and feel proud of doing it as Taseer was behaving.
3, The law of blasphemy is the target of the government  to change under the outside pressure from the secular West, the entire Christendom and the prejudiced Vatican.
4. General Muslim masses have natural sympathy with the assailant who did a noble job to revenge the insult of their Mahboob Prophet Muhammad (S). He act was not a crime but the need of time,
5. The issue is the inefficiency and weakness of Pakistani Government and the lopsided propaganda of the secular vested press that is siding  with the late  secular Governor. and the wilful interference of foreign powers.    
6. If the government  declares that the  Act of Blasphemy  will stay as it is, the Movement  will subside immediately and the fate of the assailant will then be sealed by the legal process. 
7. It will be left to public pressure wether to set him free or hanged to death. Let love for Prophet (S) decide  the  issue on the streets of Pakistan – the most authentic court of democracy that west loves most.         
Justice  demands it.
Shamim Siddiqi
In a message dated 1/11/2011 7:46:28 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, doctorforu @yahoo.com writes:
I have been closely following the discussion emanating from the murder of Punjab Governor and support for the one who killed him because he defended a person who insulted Prophet Muhammad SAW. Two opinions are emerging and I have a middle position. If anyone says that there should be no punishment for blasphemy, he is only befoolng himself. In a world where denial of holocaust is a punishable act, where burning of flags and insult to the constitutions are punishable crimes, to think that insult to religious figures should be made illegal is nothing but an open attempt to defeat religion as a system and institution. The Law aims to keep society away from drifting to chaos, disorder and such conditions where life and honour of the people is at stake. Blasphemous actions are an insult not only of the figures related to a religion but an insult to the conviction and commitment of a vast section of society or almost the whole society in a country dominated by single religion. Such acts of blasphemy are bound to creat chaos at a large scale and cannot be condoned. In such cases the law must act swiftly s that the hurt feelings of the people do not convert into open violence.
If the Law does not act rightly or swiftly, there is every chance that Qadris will emerge.  If the acts of blasphemy are committed or are supported in one way or the other by the custodians of law themelves, people will surely lose confiedence in Legal institutions. But to openly admire an act of reprisal without a legal aurtority in a country where legal recourse was available is not justified. Such an action could have been justified in a country where the culprit cannot be boked under law (for example, Salman Rushdi). In that case, the one who acts like that must be reay to face the law for his act. But in Pakistan, there is a blasphemy law in force. Instead of taking recourse to that, if someone kills a person taking law in his own hands, he should definitely be put to trial for murder. It is another matter that the judge should take all the circumstances into consideration before declaring his punishment. If he hasd one something that has pleased Allah, He will have his reward in Hereafter; but in the world he should face the law.  The sympathies of the people towards him are understandable but the Law must not act on sympathies.
Javed Jamil

From: Faiz <tahir
To: MikeGhouse@aol.com; hasniessa  ; and the list
Sent: Mon, January 10, 2011 5:05:55 PM
Subject: MuslimAgenda :: RE: Good fatwa against Qadri…
 From another forum:
Brother Munir alHaq,
 I am not blaming the whole nation.  All I am saying is that a large section of Pakistani society is sympathetic towards Qadri. So much so that many ‘educated people” (some on this forum as well) have lost their minds in this frenzy—and that I find VERY disturbing. There are more facebook pages on Qadri side than on Taseer side.
I am still a citizen of Pakistan and I love my country from the core of my heart. I have spent 32 years of my life living in it in good old days.
 When I see a large segment of society (which means most of the villagers who are unlettered, but also many of the educated class), it tears apart my heart.  I say, how come we don’t think, how come we don’t reflect, how come we don’t listen to the voice of reason? 
I have yet to find a person in the US who opened his mouth to praise Jared Loughton!  And that’s the point I am making.
On the other hand, Qadri—as of today—is being treated with some respect, flower petals and garlands—even the lawyers are willing to fight his case out when the government had a real hard time to lead the funeral prayers for the slain governor!
This is rape of common sense—a ‘toofaan-e-badtameezi’ that I simply fail to understand.
People are scared to death to speak about how they feel about the whole orgy. I am waiting for the day when some enlightened people will pick up the courage and appear in rallies and TV shows to let people know that the concept we call “tahaffuz-e-namoos-e-risalat” can best be achieved by following the Qur’an—the book that Prophet Muhammad (sws) himself followed and commanded all of us to follow.  That Book has clear guideline about all kinds of blasphemies.
And that book never ever allowed its followers to take law in their own hands and commit murderous activities—for any reason whatsoever.  The legislative bodies have the responsibility to make and enact laws, and the Law enforcement agencies will be enforcing them.  There are no ifs and buts in this governing protocol.  If we are not happy with a law, let’s make it known our concerns and let’s adopt legally allowed ways to change it by mutual discussion and deliberation in the legislative domain.
All people of conscience and enlightenment in Pakistan should stand up as one man and push forward to modify this law in a way that the mischief-mongers will find it real hard to misuse and manipulate.  I am hoping this  but I realized it’s not going to happen any time soon because of the presence of ‘scare crows’ everywhere.  The government is weak and corrupt—so is a significant segment of the opposition contingent. The scare tactics of the religious clergy is dancing naked and there’s chaos that can only promote further irrational behavior.
As for as I am concerned, I believe that these blasphemy laws MUST be repealed immediately before anyone else gets hurt.  I call these laws barbaric and draconian—not because they would seem so to anyone sane around—but because these laws violate the basic tenets of the Holy Qur’an.  They do not protect the noble name of the blessed protect at all; in fact, believe me or not, they have the opposite effect.  These laws go way to the ‘tauheen’ o the Prophet because the reasons behind making these laws—the cruel, fabricated historical stories—go a long way to vilify the blessed prophet.  Let anyone go over those stories and you will appreciate what I am saying.   We are not realizing it because many of our enlightened minds are ‘disoriented’ and benumbed at the moment—thanks to the military dictator Zia-ul-Haq; he gave us a murder and vilification gift that, sadly, we love to keep close to our hearts. 
Best,
Irfan
From: Moderate s@yahoogroups.com  
Sent: Monday, January 10, 2011 5:12 PM
To: fff
Subject: Re: [ModerateMuslims] RE: Asia Bibi Petition for Signature
Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I understand the anger we all have against Qadri and that is justified. But the point was that these murderers do not represent the entire society. 
All societies are different from different aspects, some greatly better than others but from specific angles, of course, and vice versa. No religions, races or societies are monoliths that we just paint these with a broad brush as essentially good or evil.
The fanatic zealots supporting Qadri exist as well but my point is one should also realize that there are rallies and protests that were also held against Qadri’s horrific actions as well in different parts of the country.
Just wanted to toss out that it seems we should keep the target of our anger to specific groups responsible and not entire religions or entire nations because that tends to undermine our criticism.
Thanks again,
Munir
From: MikeGhouse@aol.com [mailto:MikeGhouse@aol.com]
Sent: Monday, January 10, 2011 4:04 PM
To: hasniessa
Check it out at:
Mike
In a message dated 1/10/2011 2:53:45 P.M. Central Standard Time, hasniessa.com writes:

  • Pope Asks Pakistan To Reverse Blasphemy Law

ASSOCIATED PRESS

VATICAN CITY— Pope Benedict XVI urged Pakistan to reverse its blasphemy laws, saying Monday they were a pretext for violence against non-Muslims, and demanded that all governments do more so Christians can practice their faith without fear

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