Blasphemy is a Latin word which means using abusive language or irrelevant behavior towards a religion, God, Holy Book or anything else which is considered as holy or sacred. Blasphemy is a sensitive issue especially for those who are very devoted to their religion. Blasphemy can be of God, Prophet, Angel, and Holy Book, rituals, places of worshiping and religious leaders. There should be a proper law of blasphemy, this has been in debate for many years and is still under discussion. However in the past, a few incidents of blasphemy came forward in which Muslims punished the responsible severely, these images displayed were horrific, and they effected western media which turned westerns even more against Islam. They saw how people were murdered and punished severely for blasphemy; this left a very bad impact upon the westerns.

There are certain misguided extremist Islamic groups who are portraying teachings of Islam very badly which is creating a bad image of the religion all around the world. And media very happily airs this face of Islam around the world which is really not true; it is time that the media also takes a step forward towards restoring the religion and airing the good part as well as bad. People consider it wrong when someone disgraces someone’s religion as it disturbs the culture, peace and harmony in the society, and the person himself gets hurt morally when something sacred to him is disgraced. Countries should give freedom to its residents to practice their religion freely, so no one has the right to disgrace their practices or say anything wrong about it.

So what does Islam has to say about punishing a person who committed Blasphemy? A true Muslim can tolerate mocking of his parents, but not of his Prophet, it is regarded as highly unacceptable. Islam emphasis over equal treatment of everyone, in the Qu’ran it has been mentioned: “… Let not a people’s enmity incite you to act otherwise than with justice. Be always just, that is nearer to righteousness” . Islam does not allow the killing of Blasphemers, and Muslims are even forbidden from attacking or destroying idols of non believers. Islam teaches Muslims to be sensitive to other people and respect their views and religion, so killing is not an option.

A person who has done Blasphemy can be punished by heavy fines or jail time, but torturing to death is not an option, as Allah has better plans, and the Blasphemer will pay on the Day of Judgment. Just imagine the time of the Prophet Muhammad when he was abused by hundreds of people when he was attacked by so many people, he used to bleed and was wounded. Did he kill them? Did Muhammad’s followers kill him? No they did not, in fact they just prayed to Allah to guide these people to the straight path. The very recent event of Blasphemy took place in Lahore, Pakistan where one Christian blasphemed on Prophet Muhammad. Over 3000 misguided Muslims came and burned down the complete settlement of Christians who are now left without shelter. One Christian did something wrong, why was the whole community being punished? It’s time some high authorities take serious actions and media portrays the correct image of Islam to the world.

About the author

View the Original article

After six years of litigation, Orange County settled a religious discrimination lawsuit filed on behalf of a Muslim woman who was forced to remove her traditional head scarf while she was in a courthouse holding cell, the ACLU announced today.

Orange County officials will no longer require Muslim women in custody to remove their head scarf, known as a hijab, said attorney Mark Rosenbaum of the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California.

Said plaintiff Souhair Khatib of Anaheim: "I praise Allah and thank Him that I live in a country where I can practice my religion freely. While not everyone understands Islam or what it requires of me, I'm grateful that the U.S. government protects my right to fulfill my duty to Allah, whether at work, on a public street or, yes, even in a sheriff's holding facility."

Law enforcement officers will be trained about ordering Muslim women to remove hijabs, and the county will pay $85,000 in damages, fees and court costs.

Los Alamitos Patch, 13 February 2013

View the Original article

The D.C. transit system must allow a pro-Israel ad that equates Muslim radicals with savages, a federal judge ruled Friday. A spokesman for the Metro system said it would comply with the judge’s decision and that the advertisements would go up over the weekend.

"The result is absolutely correct," said David Yerushalmi, a lawyer representing the American Freedom Defense Initiative, the organization behind the advertisements. "There simply was no way under the First Amendment jurisprudence that we have today that this ad should not have gone up when contracted."

The one-page ruling from U.S. District Judge Mary Collyer follows a similar court order in New York that cleared the way for anti-jihad ads to go up in that city’s subway system last month. The ads read: "In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel. Defeat Jihad."

Associated Press, 5 October 2012

See also "CAIR: Take action against anti-Muslim hate in DC Metro stations", CAIR press release, 5 October 2012

View the Original article

In the Islamic press conferences, which were held in the different countries of the Fatwa (Religious edict) has issued against Honor killings, domestic violence and Misogyny. Different Imams addressed to the masses that ties all things such as honor killings, domestic violence and misogyny are totally UN-Islamic.

If I talk about the honor killings, misogyny and domestic violence and its values in Islam so, honor killings are not allowed in Islam. Those people who kill women in the name of hijab or for other sins they know that honor killing is against the teachings of Islam. On one hand many Muslims have a belief that they can stone a person to death for committing fornication. While on the other hand, sometimes Muslims go to further extremes, for instance cutting the people off completely or disowning them, but to kill them is really not allowed.

So it has been proved that honor killings are UN-Islamic in all ways. The death of innocent people is completely UN-ethical and illegal. There is nothing in the Qur’an that justifies honor killings, and there is nothing that says that you should kill for the honor of the family or for other cause. Honor killings are considered as the major crime.

Domestic violence is also UN-Islamic. Committing violence and fear among the people of the world is not OK or even allowed in Islam. Islamic Imams have issued a Fatwa regarding the domestic violence. In an Islamic press conference, Islamic Imams considered the domestic violence as the UN-Islamic activities. Most people Do that believing that it is their right, but they do not have an understanding about the good and bad deeds.

Muslims are not allowed to Do such bad deeds causing damage or any harm to others. Actually, the relation between the Islam and the domestic violence is disputed in all ways. Domestic violence among the Muslim community is so common; in fact it is a human rights issue. For instance, in Muslim community, Muslim women are often considered inferior to the men or their husbands. But Islam totally condemns Domestic violence. In the regard of domestic violence the prophet Muhammad, on who is peace, said that “no believing man should hold a grudge against a believing woman”. Many verses of the Qur’an prove that the domestic violence is not allowed in Islam.

If I talk about Misogyny, so it is also not allowed in Islam, and we can consider it as UN-Islamic. Basically, misogyny is the hatred for women. If you dislike a woman and consider her as lower than man, so it will be UN-ethical. Because of these types of discrimination, a society gap can develop. And this gap will be harmful to the people of society especially for the women. There are numerous ways of Misogyny such as sexual discrimination, violence against women and the denigration of women.

In this way Honor Killings, Domestic Violence and Misogyny Are UN-Islamic and Major Crimes. And fatwa have already issued regarding these activities.

View the Original article