What Constitutes Blasphemy?

Mannyd #101

I`m beggining to get fed up with this double standard bull...where one talking utter filth and crap is pardoned but if a person dares present an idea that the liberals may not find suitable, everyone pounces on him/her like a bunch of rabid Woof Woofs.

[and advocates a dark room and a leather belt as a solution]

My comment -- words versus words is very different from words versus arson, lathis and swords.

-Arun Gupta

BLASPHEMY OF ANOTHER KIND?

ALTAF HUSSAINS WEDDING CELEBRATIONS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF KARACHI



The art lobby of the university is known for its history of politics and violence. Known as the APMSO(All Pakistan Mohajir students Organization)lobby it is here that Altaf Hussain would hold court to his followers in his days as a student leader.

January 31st(2 days ago)saw the APMSO followers dancing like no tomorrow to the beat of a Dhole. Bhangra on `luddi hae jamalo` amidst naraaz of `Jieaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay Mohajir!!!Jiey Jiey Jiey Altaaaaaaaaf Hussain`, `Allah hamaree Bhabi aur Bhai ko khush rakhae..Ameeeeeeeeeeeen`.

Most intersting was ``Quaid e awaaaaaam Altaf Hussain zindabaaaaad!!``

Is this not blasphemy then?

Jang which carried a picture of the newly wed on its front page was distributed as were truckloads of mithai.

The head of secuirity, head of rangers and head of the police of KU with these petrified looks on their faces, came some 8 times trying to talk sense into these young men and women who were making a ruckus that could be heard till about 2 miles. Highly hilarious was the scene where these boys patted them on the shoulder sending them back telling them `aik mint aur`. Nedless to say that they continued till the heads came again to reprimand them. This went on for some 45 minutes after which mithai was distributed. A policeman was seen stuffing all the mithai that he could in his face.

Heads of Security at the State owned university of which the Governor of Sindh is Vice Chancellor, not being able to stop 40 or so boys indulging in gross indiscipline.

This whole episode would be truly hilarious if not for the simple reason that some innocent people may end up losing their lives over it or in the least may have to go through some horrible trials and tribulations because of it.I seriously doubt if any of these people really knew what they were putting in print; more then likely the inept management must have left the job to some one who was `nabalad` in english and only knew how to cut and paste. An e-mail came through who knows from where? written by whome? and for what purpose? but it was late hour,space had to be filled and wham it went into press. Illa masahaallah the rest is history.Boringly predictable to say the least.

The only way to gain a reasonable understanding of situation in Pakistan in these matters is to develop a view of an anthropologist when he encounters a tribe of isolated people in the middle of a jungle. These junglees follow customs and rules they have fashioned in response to their particular environment and before you can make any move in their surrounding you would be best advised to be cognizant of their sensibilities lest you end up pissing on a stick they may hold sacred and thus hurting their feelings and unless you are there to observe and study their war dance you would be best advised to be aware.

As for chowk folks!! come on, you people should know better then that. All you transitioning junglees!!! What is the big deal with some one writing what they think? If tomorrow your own teen age progeny were to question any article of your faith what are you going to do? Burn their school books and writing instruments besides locking them in the basement and try them under your blast me laws? I doubt that.

No one has the sole proprietary rights on islam, mohammad or any other religion. mohammad is not mickey mouse that only disney can say how it may be used or displayed and only they can produce or alter its image. Religion is a matter of personal choice and a matter between that person and their particular interpretation of it.Like it or not it is open to debate and perhaps abuse if you may and nothing can alter that now.

Mannyd #105 You write ``If an article in Dawn is good enough for you, it should be good enough for those, whose faith may not be as strong as yours.``

Your faith is definitely not strong, in fact it is non-existent. You are in direct violation of the Quran when you are willing to raise another man to a stature when he in effect becomes a partner of God. I think you need to study the Quran, you fool, and repent your evil ways.

As for the Indian interactors who jumped on Mannyd`s article: How come you ignore posts which clearly indicate that people like Mannyd are in fact in violation of Islam, and use his post as an example of how backward Islam is?

hamidm:

[...god knows, i need a drink - bad ! if only it were halal ..... what the heck - i know dua-i-qanoot and can always go for haj next year !``]

I do not think that you need a drink. You`ve crossed that barrier! BTW, you can find many halal drinks around you. So please stop this constant mourning!

Identifying the hypocrisises is one thing, beating the same drum again and again is irritating. Well, then you may love to wear that hat!!!

Good for you!

AlHaaj Moulana Zahra:

since when you have turned into a Taliban:)

Ummm, slight correction here fellows. Post #105 was by Mannyd and it was sarcasm, not meant to be taken literally. I actually thought that it captured the obscurantist mindset quite well: I believe it and there is no need for me to think about it because I`ve been told that its good for me. Post #101, which is what actually has a few posters upset, was by Neurogen and it was meant to be taken seriously.

So before we all jump on Mannyd, lets make sure that we are criticizing the right author.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Re: Hamidm`s posts.

Not that he needs defending but quite a few of us find him screamingly funny and encourage him to post more fequently. And I`ll second his statement that we all need a good stiff drink or three to get us through times like these! And none of this qahwa stuff either, times like these call for the hard stuff.

bahmad:
[As far as the Frontier Post issue is concerned, the F. P. staff had made an honest mistake (or bad judgment) and the real culprit is the person who actually wrote the letter. Blasphemy is a bad practice, so is our desire to punish severely. Nonetheless, we cannot bring an end to blasphemy through severe punishments.]

I disagree with you Mr. Ahmad. The culprit is the one who published it than the one who wrote it. In this case, the newspaper seemed to be sniffing the Cannabi from across the border than thinking straight. Well, the newspapers receive a lot of stuff from all over the world -- it`s their task to post and/or reject what is not appropriate. Now you may say, who are they to decide?
Well, they are at a responsible position and are not running a website or a discussion board -- free access to all. So they better behave responsibly as well! You cannot stop people from thinking rotten stuff, or making obnoxious remarks, but you can certainly prevent publishing those views in national interest.

In this case, it was not said that all the Pakistani women dislike Imran Khan`s munhoos shakul or Miandad is becoming a pain in the neck or Junoon`s latest hairstyle makes them look like hippies - it went way farther than that.

Religion is indeed, a personal matter. And people all over the world are SENSITIVE about it. I have close friends and colleagues from different religions[christians, jews and hindus], my observations have been the same for all the practising[whatever the % is]believers.

Unfortunately, the crowd over-reacted, displaying their hot-bloodedness!

Sorry for the typo:
It is, Cannabis!

In chowk`s interest, I thought I`d rather provide the corrected version -- in case, some would like to look into it.

Kind Regards to all!

In response to Zahra (Reply # 121)
Dear Zahra:

I wonder if you have read my other posts too.

The Frontier Post may not be a high class newspaper but it has provided an avenue for a relatively more free expression under extremely difficult conditions. The Frontier Post has already apologized for its mistake (or perhaps for a bad judgment). Yet I don’t disagree with your position regarding the responsibility of the newspaper.

I am also attracted to the view that we cannot (and in many cases should not) stop the individuals for thinking, believing, and writing in what they consciously, intendedly, and/or honestly do. I am a strong proponent of the freedom of expression, but as the Editor of the Frontier Post or any such avenue I would have asked the author to expunge some parts and to rephrase some other parts of the letter under consideration.

Sincerely, Bilal Ahmad

bahmad:

[I wonder if you have read my other posts too.]

Not at all! Sorry, did not have the time! And I usually do not read everything posted on this esteemed ezine. I was just skimming through certain viewpoints when ``your paragraph`` stood out.

[The Frontier Post may not be a high class newspaper but it has provided an avenue for a relatively more free expression under extremely difficult conditions.]

I am not arguing Frontier Post`s standard or anything of that sort. I am least interested if they publish things upside down or whatever. In any case, I do not read them at all! Had the riots not happened, people would have only condemned their oversight and lack of prudence. Since the riots took place, they got more publicity.

[I am also attracted to the view that we cannot (and in many cases should not) stop the individuals for thinking, believing, and writing in what they consciously, intendedly, and/or honestly do. I am a strong proponent of the freedom of expression, but as the Editor of the Frontier Post or any such avenue I would have asked the author to expunge some parts and to rephrase some other parts of the letter under consideration.]

I would buy into their plea that it was a miscreant`s deed than an intentional one. If it was an intentional one, then they should pack their boriyaa bistur and head out somewhere else.

Sorry, Mr. Ahmad in that nonsense there was nothing that was worth communicating to the masses. Things should be rephrased if there is some substance. In my opinion, it was not worth looking at. I agree with Sameer`s initial post/also few thoughts expressed by Sadhna regarding the lack of sense in that letter.

I don`t have enough time to write on:
``[I am also attracted to the view that we cannot (and in many cases should not) stop the individuals for thinking, believing, and writing in what they consciously, intendedly, and/or honestly do. ``

I`ll come back to the above later.


Take Care

Keep on writing here Hamidm!

For your inspiration
Words from one of the greatest Pakistanis that
ever lived (again from the archives):

``I passed through this world
when it was so ordained,
the dark of the night in my eyes
and the blaze of the sun in my heart.
And at the time ordained,
I came to stand before
the throne of the Almighty,
a paean of praise on my lips
and a glass of wine in my hand.``

By Faiz Ahmed Faiz

DOESN’T IT THICKEN THE PLOT?

The following opinion piece seems to suggest that the publication of Ben D. Zac’s blasphemous letter is more than a simple mistake.

Sincerely, Bilal Ahmad

The Nation, Opinion, January 3, 2001
Frontier Post and Blasphemy
Farhatullah Babar

The unfortunate incident of the publication of a highly blasphemous letter in the January 29th issue of the Frontier Post under the name of one Ben D Zac has raised a number of serious questions, which beg answers.

That the piece was most offensive not only to the Muslims but also to any person having faith in a divine religion is not in the doubt. The blasphemy law under which the offender faces death penalty is unsparing. That the Muslims can put up with anything but blasphemous utterance is well known. Why and how the blasphemous material got its way into the print then?.

When I read the piece I could not believe that it had been published in the Frontier Post of which I was managing editor during its early days and which had such a glorious tradition of fighting dictatorship and upholding journalistic ethics. I immediately looked up for the masthead to reconfirm the composition of its editorial board. Finding the name of editor missing I suspected some foul play. Could it be a forged copy of the paper and not the real FP?

Hesitantly, I rang up the newspaper`s Islamabad bureau where a friend blurted that the paper had run into serious trouble because of the publication of a blasphemous letter. What initially appeared unbelievable to me was unfortunately true.

Immediately, I rang up the owner/proprietor who was on his way to Peshawar from Islamabad. He sounded deeply upset and was at a loss to understand how it happened. It was reassuring that literally within minutes he had already arranged for publication of apologies on the front pages of country`s major newspapers, had the stuff removed from the Internet edition. He had begun investigations, taken initial disciplinary action against the staffers who appeared prima facie responsible and even filed a case against the suspects. What else could he do?
The Frontier government immediately suspended the paper`s declaration, arrested five staffers who were present at the time of raid, including the 80 year old Kazi Sarwar (who because of failing eyesight cannot even read) and reportedly a visitor to the newspaper`s office. It promised to hold enquiry and also registered a case.

The professional newspaper bodies including the APNS and the CPNE have done well to have raised their voice and demanded a judicial probe into the matter. The newspaper management, apart from tendering unqualified apology, also maintains that it has been `the victim of a conspiracy`.
Two questions need to be addressed urgently. One, if the blunder was unintentional and the newspaper has tendered unqualified apology how it is to be handled. The blasphemy law is silent on the issue of a person seeking unqualified apology for an unintentional act of blasphemy. This issue of unintentional act of blasphemy also came up some years ago when a bookseller in Islamabad was charged with blasphemy for offering on sale a book, which contained allegedly blasphemous material. The bookshop owner was arrested, summarily charged and sent to jail.

The bookshop owner promptly regretted and apologised for unintentionally keeping a book containing allegedly blasphemous material. He took the position that it was impossible for him to check each and every book whether it contained objectionable material. He also raised the question as to who was responsible for checking the contents of the book, the state agency that cleared the imported consignment or the bookshop keeping, several thousand books in his book shop.
The bookshop owner alleged that he was having to the victim of some business rivalry and the protest demonstrations in front of his bookshop were engineered at a short notice. He was released on bail after some 6 weeks in jail. The government took up consideration of amending the law to provide for the element as unintentional offence in a blasphemy case but before it materialised the Benazir government was dismissed.
The second issue, which needs to be addressed by the newspapers professional bodies, relates to how to prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future, intentional or unintentional. It is important for them to address this issue because the FP incident has all the elements of manipulation by vested interest groups against the very institution of free press.

Already the straws are visible in the wind blowing over the issue. Some protesters in Peshawar turned towards the Press Club and sought to vandalise it. The enemies of free press have got a God sent opportunity to advance their agenda. The Chief Executive did not help matters when he declared in Karachi that while the government believed in complete freedom of the press it would not allow publication of blasphemous material. Why flaunt the press freedom when the FP incident is neither such an issue nor anyone has pressed it into service as a mitigating circumstance for the offenders. It is indeed significant that an attempt was made on Tuesday to divert the wrath of the enraged people towards the Peshawar Press Club. Does someone want to turn it into an issue of press freedom and use it as a stick to beat the whole press?
There is a point in the demand of the Frontier Post, the APNS, the CPNE and also the Reporters Sans Frontiers to hold a judicial enquiry into whether the Frontier Post has been the victim of a macabre conspiracy.

A few elements are noteworthy in the conspiracy theory. The paper has been ailing for quite some time from lack of editorial supervision and almost anything could get printed in it. It may have been due to the fact that its editor-in-chief-cum-proprietor has been in jail for the last two years on what appears to be a trumped up narcotics charge. Or it may have been due to serious financial problems due to which the employees were not paid for long and the workers were growingly disinterested and disenchanted. It would be worth investigating if some one exploited and how this professional weakness of the newspaper.

Press reports say that the Frontier government also ordered the proscription of the Urdu translation of the blasphemous material. One would expect any Muslim to destroy the blasphemous material rather then translate it and further distribute it. Who translated it and why? Doesn`t it thicken the plot?

Hey, am I alone in thinking that Mannyd was being

sarcastic on Asif Naqshbandi and a number of

people here have forgotten their sense of humor or

what?

It is sad to see the state that Muslims have sunk to. If someone insults Jinnah or Bhutto or Ataturk or anyone else some of us like we are quick to jump in to defend them....but a sik evil devil has the nerves to insult the Best of Creation sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam, the Beloved of Allah, the raison d`etre of the Universe`s existence, Our Beloved Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam and we do not get angry? Astaghfirullah! Our blood should be boiling! Of course the perpetrators of this heinous crime must be publically executed and their foul corpses should be thrown into a ditch and burnt. Do you not know that Islam IS the Love of the Beloved Prophet alayhi salato salam?

All those who are so busy defending freedom of speech and the like would no doubt get annoyed if someone swore at their parents or called them names but they are not angry that Allah`s Darling is insulted? It is enough to make the skies cleft asunder and the zameen to split open!

Know that to LOVE Allah`s Habib is to Love Allah which = ISLAM. Have you not read of the stories of the Companions? They happily struck of the heads of their own relatives during Badr and Uhud to defend the honour of Allah`s Messenger alayhi salato salaam. Do you not remember the case of Hazrat Abu Hurayra radhi Allah anhu who asked permission to kill his own mother because she insulted his Beloved Nabi? That is true love.

And yet here are the so called Muslims who can tolerate that a person insult Allah`s Messenger and still claim to be within Islam! Wallahi if QAdi Iyad or Imam Malik or any of the other great Muslims were alive they would not hesitate in killing the kafir murtad apostate infidels who wrote this twisted email, who published it and who also defend it. I swear by Allah all of them are kaafirs and should be killed so that in future no Muslim dare insult Allah`s Nabi ever again.

Read what Qadi Iyad has to say [see my previous post # 69].

May Allah protect us from the insulters of Allah`s Beloved alayhisalato salaam and make us live and die in the love and ishq of Our Lord and Master Sayyidina Muhammad sal allahu alayhi wa sallam about whom Allah said in a hadith qudsi, ``Lawlaka, Lawlaka maa khalaqtul aflaka!`` (But for thee, but for the I would not have created the Heavens [i..e creation]!

I pray that Gen. Musharraf gives the death sentence to all those involved in this sick letter business.

A reading of the book ``The Penalty for Insulting the Prophet`` by Ala Hazrat Imam e Ahle Sunnat, Faazil e Bareilly, Mawlana ash-Shah Ahmad Raza Khan Barelvi alayhirahmat (Urdu title: Gustaakh-e-Rasool ki sazaa) will be enough to dispel any doubts as to what should be done about the people who perpetrated this most evil of crimes.

Astaghfirullah. La hawla wa la quwwata ilah billah.

I strongly advise the Chowk staff to not publish the letter on this site as they might well be risking their imaans by doing so and becoming also kaafir murtad apostates. (May Allah protect us all!)

Bando dekho ke yeh khulee hain uskii jura`atein ke kare Mustafa ki ahaanatein

Phir kehe kya main nahin hoon Muhammadi, arey haaN nahin, arey haan nahin!

It is sad to see the state that Muslims have sunk to. If someone insults Jinnah or Bhutto or Ataturk or anyone else some of us like we are quick to jump in to defend them....but a sik evil devil has the nerves to insult the Best of Creation sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam, the Beloved of Allah, the raison d`etre of the Universe`s existence, Our Beloved Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam and we do not get angry? Astaghfirullah! Our blood should be boiling! Of course the perpetrators of this heinous crime must be publically executed and their foul corpses should be thrown into a ditch and burnt. Do you not know that Islam IS the Love of the Beloved Prophet alayhi salato salam?

All those who are so busy defending freedom of speech and the like would no doubt get annoyed if someone swore at their parents or called them names but they are not angry that Allah`s Darling is insulted? It is enough to make the skies cleft asunder and the zameen to split open!

Know that to LOVE Allah`s Habib is to Love Allah which = ISLAM. Have you not read of the stories of the Companions? They happily struck of the heads of their own relatives during Badr and Uhud to defend the honour of Allah`s Messenger alayhi salato salaam. Do you not remember the case of Hazrat Abu Hurayra radhi Allah anhu who asked permission to kill his own mother because she insulted his Beloved Nabi? That is true love.

And yet here are the so called Muslims who can tolerate that a person insult Allah`s Messenger and still claim to be within Islam! Wallahi if QAdi Iyad or Imam Malik or any of the other great Muslims were alive they would not hesitate in killing the kafir murtad apostate infidels who wrote this twisted email, who published it and who also defend it. I swear by Allah all of them are kaafirs and should be killed so that in future no Muslim dare insult Allah`s Nabi ever again.

Read what Qadi Iyad has to say [see my previous post # 69].

May Allah protect us from the insulters of Allah`s Beloved alayhisalato salaam and make us live and die in the love and ishq of Our Lord and Master Sayyidina Muhammad sal allahu alayhi wa sallam about whom Allah said in a hadith qudsi, ``Lawlaka, Lawlaka maa khalaqtul aflaka!`` (But for thee, but for the I would not have created the Heavens [i..e creation]!

I pray that Gen. Musharraf gives the death sentence to all those involved in this sick letter business.

A reading of the book ``The Penalty for Insulting the Prophet`` by Ala Hazrat Imam e Ahle Sunnat, Faazil e Bareilly, Mawlana ash-Shah Ahmad Raza Khan Barelvi alayhirahmat (Urdu title: Gustaakh-e-Rasool ki sazaa) will be enough to dispel any doubts as to what should be done about the people who perpetrated this most evil of crimes.

Astaghfirullah. La hawla wa la quwwata ilah billah.

I strongly advise the Chowk staff to not publish the letter on this site as they might well be risking their imaans by doing so and becoming also kaafir murtad apostates. (May Allah protect us all!)

Bando dekho yeh khulee hain uskii jura`atein ke kare Mustafa ki ahaanatein

Phir kehe kya main nahin hoon Muhammadi, arey haaN nahin, arey haan nahin!

Ala Hazrat