Monday, November 1, 2010

Blasphemy law in Pakistan is out of order


I am the Chairman of Christian Rights Pakistan and im very upset about blasphemy law in Pakistan.  This article will helpful for those who are researching about Blasphemy law and cases.

Blasphemy law is very pathetic in Pakistan.

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. 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, (son of Mary and Joseph) is the son of God. However, it’s not blasphemy, (such as it is in Christianity) to use interjections such as “God!”, “Oh my God!”, for example, as expletives. It’s blasphemy instead, if you were to say, “Jesus” or “Holy Crap!” because it denotes worship to something other than God. There are several different verses within the Quran that deal with blasphemy, such as:
“When ye hear the signs of Allah held in defiance and ridicule, ye are not to sit with them unless they turn to a different theme. [Qur'an 4:140]”
“And when they hear vain talk, they turn away therefrom and say: “to us our deeds and to you yours; peace be to you. [Qur'an 28: 55]”
“Hold to forgiveness, command what is right; but turn away from the ignorant. [Qur'an 7:199]”
The thing is, when reviewing the different verses found in the Quran that speak out about blasphemy, many of them contradict Muslim laws against blasphemy. Usually, being found guilty of blasphemy in the Islamic religion means either life imprisonment or execution. However, these lines from the Quran suggest that there should be no earthly sentencing for blasphemy. Blasphemy in Muslim religion is a sin; if a Muslim individual was to die before they had repented the sin of blasphemy, they would not be able to enter into Heaven. This comes from what is stated in the Quran; “He forgives all sins, except disbelieving in God (blasphemy)”.

Blasphemy In Catholic, Christian, and Jewish Culture

Blasphemy is thought of in many different ways by different Christian denominations, such as Catholic, Baptists, etc. Blasphemy, disrespect of God or the Torah is condemned entirely in the Jewish religion. The Torah states that anyone found guilty of committing blasphemy “shall surely be put to death,” as per the third book of the Torah, in Leviticus 24:16. There are several other capital crimes in the Torah as well, such as prostitution, disobedience to one’s parents, murder, sacrifices to Molech (a bull god who supposedly eats children, otherwise thought to be a demon). The list goes on and on. Suffice to say, that you had to be a particularly good person to be a Jew in ancient times.
In Christianity, forms of blasphemy are sometimes disputed, but many sources agree that it is an “eternal sin.” In Luke 12:10 the sin of blasphemy is spoken of as unforgivable. However, there are no actual definitions of what blasphemy is, or how it’s punishable in the different Biblical and apocryphal books. When the Christian religion was still emerging, and in the time of Christ, blasphemy and warning against blasphemy, may have been thought of as warnings. Awareness against the possibility that the deity might create a direct action against the individual that spoke out against Him, such as a curse, or being “struck dead by lightning.”
In the Catholic religious denomination of Christianity, individuals are able to make reparation prayers to be forgiven for the sin of blasphemy. The prayers were introduced first by Sister Marie of St Peter in 1844, one example being The Golden Arrow Holy Face Devotion, that was eventually approved by the Pope Leo XIII in 1885. The Catholic Raccolta prayer book contains a number of such prayers, that can be spoken aloud and repeated as reparations for blasphemy.

Blasphemy laws in Pakistan

295-B Defiling, etc, of copy of Holy Quran. Whoever will fully defiles, damages or desecrates a copy of the Holy Quran or of an extract therefrom or uses it in any derogatory manner or for any unlawful purpose shall be punishable for imprisonment for life. 295-C Use of derogatory remarks, etc; in respect of the Holy Prophet. Whoever by words, either spoken or written or by visible representation, or by any imputation, innuendo, or insinuation, directly or indirectly, defiles the sacred name of the Holy Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) shall be punished with death, or imprisonment for life, and shall also be liable to fine. 298-A Use of derogatory remarks, etc..., in respect of holy personages. Whoever by words, either spoken or written, or by visible representation, or by any imputation, innuendo or insinuation, directly or indirectly defiles a sacred name of any wife (Ummul Mumineen), or members of the family (Ahle-bait), of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), or any of the righteous caliphs (Khulafa-e-Rashideen) or companions (Sahaaba) of the Holy Prophet description for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both. 298-B Misuse of epithet, descriptions and titles, etc. Reserved for certain holy personages or places.
1.      Any person of the Qadiani group or the Lahori group (who call themselves Ahmadis or by any other name) who by words, either spoken or written or by visible representation:
a.      refers to or addresses, any person, other than a Caliph or companion of the Holy Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), as "Ameerul Momneen", "Khalifat-ul-Momneen", "Khalifat-ul-Muslimeen", "Sahaabi" or "Razi Allah Anho";
b.      refers to or addresses, any person, other than a wife of the Holy Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), as Ummul-Mumineen;
c.      refers to, or addresses, any person, other than a member of the family (Ahle-Bait) of the Holy Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), as Ahle-Bait; or
d.      refers to, or addresses, any person, other than a member of the family (Ahle-Bait) of the Holy Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), as Ahle-Bait; or
e.      refers to, or names, or calls, his place of worship as Masjid; shall be punished with imprisonment or either description for a term which may extend to three years, and shall also be liable to fine.
2.      Any person of the Qadiani group or Lahore group, (who call themselves Ahmadis or by any other names), who by words, either spoken or written, or by visible representations, refers to the mode or from of call to prayers followed by his faith as "Azan" or redites Azan as used by the Muslims, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years and shall also be liable to fine.
298-C Persons of Qadiani group, etc, calling himself a Muslim or preaching or propagating his faith. Any person of the Qadiani group or the Lahori group (who call themselves Ahmadis or any other name), who directly or indirectly, posses himself as a Muslim, or calls, or refers to, his faith as Islam, or preaches or propagates his faith, or invites others to accept his faith, by words, either spoken or written, or by visible representation or in any manner whatsoever outrages the religious feelings of Muslims, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years ans shall also be liable to fine.
Tahir Iqbal was a Christian convert from Islam.
Chand Barkat, 28, a bangle stall holder in Mangle Bazaar,
Gull Masih of Faisalabad was charged under section 295-C for using sacrilegious language about the Prophet and his wives on 10 December 1991.
Naimat Ahmar 43, a Christian teacher,
Salamat Masih, 12 years old, along with Manzoor Masih, 37, and Rehamat Masih, 42
Bantu Masih, 80, and Mukhtar Masih, 50

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