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Blasphemy law and Kingdom of Kuwait. By Nazir S Bhatti

I just started reading a news item about first fruit of Arab Spring “Tunisia”, on June 7, 2012, which was very surprising for me because there was not any extra-judicial killing on basis of religion of any Tunisian during regimes of dictators but suddenly news flashed that an apostate beheaded in democratic Tunisia.

When going through contents of beheading of an apostate in Tunisia, this commentary forced me see video of beheading “A young man appears held down by masked men. His head is pulled back, with a knife to his throat. He does not struggle and appears resigned to his fate. Speaking in Arabic, the background speaker, or “narrator,” chants a number of Muslim prayers and supplications, mostly condemning Christianity, which, because of the Trinity, is referred to as a polytheistic faith: “Let Allah be avenged on the polytheist apostate”; “Allah empower your religion, make it victorious against the polytheists”; “Allah, defeat the infidels at the hands of the Muslims,” and “There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is his messenger.” Then, to cries of “Allahu Akbar!”— Allah is greater!”—the masked man holding the knife to the apostate’s throat begins to slice away, severing the head completely after approximately one minute of graphic knife-carving, as the victim drowns in blood. Finally, the severed head is held aloft to more Islamic slogans of victory”

There have been many videos of beheading of Journalists and Talban opponents on YouTube who were posted by Talban which I never dared to watch ever but beheading of a Christian apostate in Tunisia forced me to watch it.

It was propagated that democracy in Tunisia will revive human rights and equality among different ethnic and religious communities but attacks on Coptic Christians in Second Fruit of Arab Spring in Egypt raised eyes brows of Christians around globe that Is democracy practicable in Islam by Muslims? The Churches were attacked in Egypt which never happened during dictatorship.

Truly speaking, when I was watching video of beheading of a Christian in Tunisia, I was stunned; I was shocked seeing a masked Muslim slicing head of a Christian like it was not a human but a sheep. I was unable to sleep for days after seeing this video and thinking that where humanity is heading?

When I was in nightmare after watching beheading video of a Christian in Tunisia, on June 11, 2012, I read news from another Islamic country “Kuwait” in which Emir of Kuwait rejected changes that sought the death penalty for those who blaspheme as passed by Kuwait assembly.

As a Christian, I appreciate King of Kuwait on his ruling on death penalty for blasphemer because it reflects enlightened Islam and condemn democratic President of Tunisia who failed to protect life of a Christian who converted to Christianity from Islam.

The blasphemy and Apostasy in Islam claims death in Hadith not in Holy Quran but Muslims left teachings of Holy Quran in 20th century and preferred Hadith for their sectarian interests.

The Islamic state of Pakistan was very first in Islamic world to constitute laws of blasphemy and apostate according to Hadith in its constitution of 1973 of Islamic Republic of Pakistan which was followed by Egypt, Malaysia and Indonesia.

I remember also a decree of higher court of UAE in which court bared to convict a Christian on blasphemy law with argument that Islamic Sharia is for Muslims only and cannot be implemented on non-Muslims.

Is democracy in Islamic states guarantee for human rights? Can democracy in Islamic countries guarantee Universal Human Rights Declaration of UNO? There is very loud and clear answer: No

Islam and followers of Islam are not worthy of democracy because Islam spread on power of sword not on democratic means of evangelism.

Heres Blasphemy law in Pakistan: The controversial Blasphemy laws in Pakistan have targeted Christians, Hindus, Ahamdi and some Muslim sects on business rivalry and to settle scores by Sunni Muslims who are in majority.

The Blasphemy law was introduced in sub-continent of India by British Colonial rulers through 1935 India Act to maintain religious harmony among different religious communities and to prevent hate speeches which carried 3 month jail and fine.

The blasphemy laws maintained as part of constitution of Pakistan after independence of Pakistan in 1947 and same were legislated in constitution of 1973 of Islamic Republic of Pakistan with section 298 A and B punishable up to three to six months or fine.

Military ruler General Zia-Ul-Haq in a bid to Islamization in Pakistan added Section 295 A and B in Pakistan Penal Code in blasphemy law punishable to life in prison instead of six months sentence in 1986

Premier Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz Group PML (N) stepped further and introduced Section 295 C PPC in blasphemy law subject to death penalty.

295-C PPC punishes on 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

295-B PPC punishes on 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.

From 1986 to 2012, more than 1700 hundred cases were registered under Section 295 B and C PPC against Christians and Ahamdi Muslims in Pakistan while more than 3000 cases were registered under Section 298 A, B and C PPC.

Section 298 A and B PPC were legislated to target Ahamdi Muslim sect in Pakistan after 4th Amendment in Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan declaring Ahamdi Muslims to be non-Muslims in Pakistan by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto government. These Sections of blasphemy law prohibited Ahamdi Muslim to call them Muslims or to recite “Kalma” or to write Kalma on their mosques or to write Islamic wishes on their letters or invitations and defying face punishment of 3 years and fine.

There have been 28 victims of blasphemy law murdered during their trials in courts by Islamic extremists and six were killed or poisoned in jail cells.

None of blasphemy accused was hanged to death but released from higher courts after spending years in jails on not provision of enough evidence by complainant or prosecutors.

There had been attacks on churches and worship places of Ahamdi community which killed hundreds after legislation of Section 295 B and C PPC but none was arrested and brought before law.

There are laws to punish those who file false reports under blasphemy laws but government have never dared to book those Islamic extremists in Pakistan.

The blasphemy law is widely misused by Islamic extremists against Christians and Ahamdi community in Pakistan while there are laws to punish those who file false reports under blasphemy laws but government have never dared to book those Islamic extremists under PPC 153 A (a), which reads as “whoever “by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representations or otherwise, promotes or incites, or attempts to promote or incite, on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, caste or community or any other ground whatsoever, disharmony or feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will between different religious, racial, language or regional groups or castes or communities” shall be fined and punished with imprisonment for a term that may extend to five years”


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