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11-year-old Christian girl accused of blasphemy
Police say girl burned a Noorani Qaida and threw it in garbage. Accused sent to juvenile jail on judicial remand.
Police say girl burned a Noorani Qaida and threw it in garbage. Accused sent to juvenile jail on judicial remand. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD: An 11-eleven-year old Christian girl was accused of blasphemy and arrested for allegedly burning pages of a Noorani Qaida, a booklet used to learn the basics of the Holy Quran.
Officials of the Ramna Police Station told The Express Tribune that the girl, named Rifta Masih, had burned a Noorani Qaida on August 16 and threw it in garbage after putting it in a plastic bag. Masih belonged to the rural area of Mehrabadi, which is next to the G-11 sector in Islamabad.
Soon after the incident, residents of the area had gathered to lodge their protest. The protesters also allegedly beat up the girl and her mother, while the rest of the girl’s family managed to escape.
The Kashmir Highway was also blocked by the protesters, but they dispersed after the police lodged an FIR of the case and took Rifta into custody.
The girl has been sent to a juvenile jail on judicial remand.
The news emerged when a website called “Christians in Pakistan” reported the incident. The report alleges that Rifta has Down syndrome and was falsely accused of burning 10 pages of the Holy Quran.
The report added that the complaint against the girl was filed by Alsyed Muhammad Ummad. It also states that the girl suffers from Down Syndrome.
Scores of Pakistanis have been harassed and implicated in false cases instituted by misusing the country’s blasphemy laws. Additionally, allegations of blasphemy have led to assassinations, extrajudicial killings and threats to life and property.
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Reader Comments (226)
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@Umer: to hassan
I am sure you have heard the phrase “When I shut my mouth and turn away, it doesn’t mean you’ve won. It simply means that you are not worth any more of my time.”
This is what I do when I detect that the other person has an IQ of single digits. In this case even less then this poor girl who suffers from downs syndrome.
Just read his comments and ask yourself why does he keep posting comments when hardly anyone bothers recommending them. He is raged with hate towards moderates.
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Don’t Generalize it by saying “Pakistani Muslims”. I had the opportunity to meet the best Muslim people and who would become my best friends, and obviously who commented against the girl could not be one of them.
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The first question is .. where did she get a noorani qaida???
It is a grave sin to burn holy pages of quran (though some muslims do it all the time).
We dont know whether an 11 year old could do it on purpose because this could be a Yahood-o-Nisarah ki saazish.
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National Assembly and Senate must revoke these fascist laws pertaining to Blasphemy. If Prophet (peace be upon him) was alive today, he would have never allowed these laws, Islam’s substance is about forgiveness, flexibiliy and patience.
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Allah allows forgiveness in the Quran
Allah name Rahman Rahiem
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This is shameful action agaist the poor girl. Noorani quaida is not Quaran.
We have often seen teendabbas in the streets for putting qurani pages in them .
They are often not vacated for months lying in dust/mud/rain. they are overloaded and the holy pages r seen scattered on ground..
Who is resposible for this disrespect of holy pages. i have seen with my own eyes.
THe lahore canal is cleaned every year and tonnes of Qurans/verses are explored from there where r such honourable persons at that time.Against whome the cases have been registred.
This is realy shameful on behalf ofsuch muslims—–. the poor girl -who never knew what it was.
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This will lead our country no where. We are killing people in the name of religion. We have laws and misuse them. I don’t know where this will lead us in upcoming years.
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so pakistanis will kill everyone they dont like and the government will let the mob rule. This is not a country, but a joke a failed state and an abomination upon earth.
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What the US needs to do is deport all Pakistanis, will stop this in a minute
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before any action, think what Prophet Mohammad would be doing in such a situation, you will get the answer.
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@Ahmed HM:
“…..but I am sure that it serves the purpose of tribune to attack blasphemy law as well as Islamic values.’
And, what would be those “Islamic values be”? Burning, killing and beheading someone for blasphemy and apostasy? How are Islamic values of of Muslims affected when someone disagrees with some aspects of the faith, burns a paper or wants to give up Islam? Does god (or his prophet) need human protection and do they get easily offended by these acts of blasphemy and apostasy? Is this faith so shallow?
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@mmk: Off course this is the pakistan Qaid made for the minorities. He developed a new concept of religious nazism. Ask zaid hamid. He will explain better.
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@Ali:
The best part is that despite the media not reporting it, you still know about it. Way to go charlie, sorry Ali
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This news is no-where to be found in two other English-speaking newspapers and the third reporting the eleven year old girl is a scavenger and suffering from Down’s syndrome. Down’s syndrome causes mental retardation leading to Mongoloid features.
How can this mentally retarded scavenger girl know what she was doing? Was the accuser also in the garbage dump? And what was he doing there?
Lack of education, mullas by the millions, sinking economy, corruption galore, shackles of terrorism, what more can you ask for to crack this nation. The Blasphemy Law and Hudood Ordinance are the catalytic time-bombs and handiwork of sycophants advising General Zia (late). With these hydra-headed demons alive and kicking, what better present on a platter can be handed to our attackers.
Religion is not the exclusive right of the ubiquitous and iniquitous mulla.
Since, Islam is a religion for all times to come, there are reformers and clear headed persons who ask questions and give answers that the banal and cliched mulla does not understand or approve. This invariably leads to an onslaught of fisticuffs.
“The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,
But in ourselves, that we are underlings.” (William Shakespeare)
“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor (Bishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Prize for Peace 1984)
Salams to a better Pakistan
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And we talk about Human rights and rights of muslims in burma and around the world…..
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Shia, Hindu, Ahmadi and now Christian. Every one except Sunni is outcast in Pakistan. Then they complain about Gujarat? Where is Modi when you need him?
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Is there going to be an end to the strategic depth the rulers of the country want the country to fall into before they feel they have achieved their goal.
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@mr. righty rightist:
Looks like out side of Muslims, his sympathies lie with the “people of the book” alone.
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Unfair and unjust on so many levels. My prayers for the little girl and her family. When a country has laws like this, no wonder it is a failure as a nation.
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Headline:
“9 year old Pakistani boy of Muslim faith with neurosis defaced the Bible in Idhao. Christian mob lynches minor and his father. Idaho courts issue non-bailable arrest warrant. “
How many conservative Pakistani Muslims would be up and arms about this and condemn it? This is obviously fictious but whats happening in Pakistan is nothing less.
We cry about injustice being meted out to Aafia Bibi but if this is the situation in our country and our concept of justice, condeming an 11 year old with Down syndrome, I believe even Bibi Aafia would be happier not coming back to Pakistan and instead taking refuge in another country.
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@Mj:
“Ashamed to share my country with such barbaric and intolerant masses.”
While your good sentiments are understood, just one correction. “Barbaric and intolerant masses” don’t allow you, a sensible humanist, to share their country with them,
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@Vikram: I really hope that you have an iq below 40, otherwise I really start to fear how fascist and blind some people here really are!
I think there is such an immensely low self esteem of people that they even attack little children. Even without down syndrom an 11 year old child cannot be prosecuted for its actions! In any civilised society! But Pakistan really becomes fascist, sadly, because it is such a beautiful and friendly place otherwise!! To all still normal Pakistanis: Let us stand up and not tolerate that some dumb idiots take others hostage with their dangerous blindness! To all true muslims who are prctising the peaceful religion of Islam, I hope you will take over tye agenda of Pakistan again!
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@Ali,who says there are thousands of such acts happening in India but Indian media chooses not to report them so that name of the country is not tarnished.my dear Ali If Indian media is not reporting such acts according to you,how such so called thousands of atrocities are coming to your knowledge.may be sleeper cells of LeT sent this message to you or its simply intuition on your part.
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@Ali,who says there are thousands of such acts happening in India but Indian media chooses not to report them so that name of the country is not tarnished.my dear Ali If Indian media is not reporting such acts according to you,how such so called thousands of atrocities are coming to your knowledge.may be sleeper cells of LeT sent this message to you or its simply intuition on your part.Recommend
In a country where majority religion does not celebrate Eid on one day how can we expect that minorities will be safe.Recommend
@Me:
Advice? Separate religion from your government, of course. (Blasphemy is a victimless crime.)
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What I don’t get is why do Muslims expect and want Non-Muslims to respect and honour their religion and its values when they do the same themselves? It’s ironic to note how verses from the Quran are published in books, newspapers, pamphlets, etc. on a massive scale and how they are disseminated. Nobody stops and wonders how those publications are treated. The way the books are loaded onto the delivery. I think that’s disrespecting the religion, too. Go for a walk outside. I’m certain someone is bound to find a newspaper lying in the street with a Quranic verse in it. One may even find something in the big stinking pile of garbage or in the sewers. Go to a shopkeeper who sells commodities to his customers wrapped in newspapers and ask him to let you look at all the newspapers he has.
The fact remains that Muslims disrespect their religion MORE than Non-Muslims do yet it is always the Non-Muslims who are always punished. I don’t know what you call this but to me this is nothing but plain hypocrisy.Recommend
Greatness inhibits great strength, It does not get hurt by conscious or unconscious demeaning act. No laws are required to protect greatness of a school of thought or a personality any where in the world.—– Ejaz Mahmood(Founder of Saanjo Script.)
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This is REDEFINING STUPIDITY
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@the Skunk:
Atleast in the context of the current news you could not stop saying ‘Islam is the religion for all times to come’. The problem is even with the moderates like yourselves this superiority attitude is what makes the problem so difficult to root out in your part of the world.
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Muhammad Ali Siddiqui,
A girl burns noorani qaida…end of story. no harm done. So someone please tell me why they are bothering the nice little girl?
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Pakistani ‘Muslims’ disrespect their religion much more than any so called Non-Muslim by claiming what they do is for Islam – why do they do this? because the Mullahs have replaced Islam with Mullahism and Pakistanis cannot even see the difference! Who will help Pakistan? The scholars of Islam are moving away from Pakistan because even they are under threat from Mullahs. Only Allah can forgive you for the shame you are bringing to Islam and Muslims not just in Pakistan but worldwide with your ‘Mullahism’…Recommend
@sabi:
not only that but with DOWN SYNDROME. a special child. i just can’t stop crying
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@Vikram:
i dont know about the girl but you seem to have an IQ of 40
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Every Muslim who does nothing about the atrocities of radical Islam is guilty. ‘The only requirement for evil to triumph is that good people do nothing.’
If you are a Muslim and you are not ACTIVELY and PUBLICLY speaking out against the atrocities committed in the name of your religion, you are condoning these atrocities. It’s really quite simple. You are either FOR it or AGAINST it. There is no grey area.
I have seen no large Muslim rallies against the atrocities of radical Islam. No scholars fighting the theological principle of ABROGATION – which radical Islamists use as a justification for violence. Until I do, I will NOT believe that Islam is a religion of peace.
Stake your claim, and stand by it. The radical Islamists have done so. It’s time for peaceful and tolerant Muslims to do likewise.
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@indian
You should focus on your country where cases severe that this have happened
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@Concerned: She has Downs Syndrome, I’d say she doesn’t HAVE a faith anymore than a baby does. While the people of faith in the region are misusing laws to further their religious agendas, much the way Christians have tried to warp American laws, don’t foist the adult version of Santa Claus on someone just because they don’t have the full use of their mental faculties.
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Why is the United Nations, Amnesty International, Human Rights organizations silent over this apparent crime against humanity by Islamic republic of Pakistan?
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Is there no charity or kindness in Islam…an 11 yr old with downs syndrome is a special person and should be protected…any mullah who would require punishment is not a man of God…
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what an excuse to kill/torture/convert/rape nonmuslims in pakistanRecommend
Laws shouldn’t be miss used, at 11 years age, how can a girl know about that? its pity that laws in our state are used in such a bad way….
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@Zaman Punyali:
It is the not question of what is burnt but insanity of blaming her for blasphemy and beating 11 year old with down syndrome and her mother for the act?
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@Ali: So sir, how do you get to know about these millions of atrocities happening in India since the Indian media does not report it? That said, I must say Pakistan media is much more alert than Indian media
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Interesting to see how all this has been spun; please use your senses and understand that even if she what she had done, she had only done it to the noorani qaida which is NOT the Quran. The NQ is a basics book which teaches how to read the Quran, it is NOT the Quran itself. Those who have equated it to the Quran, in my opinion, have actually committed blasphemy. Get them first for making everyone think that the NQ is the Quran. If you think the NQ is the Quran then please go ahead and find your nearest copy and you can see it is only a collection of words picked form the Quran in any order that the beginning student will be able to master rules of reading Quran. If you think all those words are Quranic then please think again as the order is so jumbled up that some statements might in fact be contrary to islamic beliefs. Please do your HW Pakistan, don’t show your ignorance.
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Some lines were missing from my earlier posted comment. I’m posting the comment again:
When Pakistan was transformed into a gutter of barbarism by the ignorant mullahs in the name of pure ‘Islam’ and their political bosses, both old and the new ones, the people of Pakistan have been killing each other on sectarian grounds. The seeds sown by Maududi have wrought havoc in Pakistan. In this vicious cycle of violence and inhumanity, the Sunnis have specially targeted Shias, Ahmadis, Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, etc.
The Christians of Pakistan have been the most oppressed and marginalised socially, economically and politically. They are also the most vulnerable people in Pakistan and they become an easy prey of the rage of ignorant Muslim masses, who are always provoked by their preachers and mullahs to commit crimes against the Christians. Now in the name of the so-called blasphemy laws, any Muslim mischief-monger can accuse a Christian of insulting the Prophet Muhammad, the Quran or Islam. As a result, innocent Christians are victimised and penalised by the Muslims. It is high time for the democratic forces and all people of good-will in Pakistan to stand for the equal rights of all religious communities in Pakistan and call for the abrogation of the blasphemy laws. Instead Pakistan should have laws against those people who preach hatred against any religious sect or religious minorities and provoke violence in the name of a pure ‘Islam’. What is happening in Pakistan in the name of pure ‘Islam’ has nothing to do with Islam; it is barbarism, pure and simple.
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Blasphemy laws is an insult to humanity. Now the whole world can what a cruel and inhumane country pakistan is
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@Masroor
Caste sucks, but nobody kills me for telling them it’s dumb. There are tribal regions where it might not be safe, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel and things are improving with people becoming more open, civilized, and progressive as a society. That beats the uncontrolled spiral into the 8th century for Pakistan, which is sad because Pakistan has a very large population of intelligent and bright people being held hostage by a large minority of barbarians.
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If anybody wants to know how sick a nation can get, they just have to read this piece. The word ‘disgusting’ hardly does justice. Pakistan deserves to be in the plight it is in right now.
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next we will see 11 month old baby arrested for “blasphemy” since she was drinking milk from bottle which had Arabic written on it !!!
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@Jat:
Why pakistanis are acting like animals rather than human beings?How can one justify jailing a mentally challenged girl for Blsphemy?Is there no normal human beings in Pak?
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Shame on the residents of G-11.
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What will happen to Pakistan, if people keep behaving like this? When will we ever learn from our mistakes?
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Pakistan is ceased to be a nation and become a club of some fanatics.
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Politicians, religious personnel, and other leaders, seem to be making the world more and more scarier by the day. I always used to think there was some rationality in the world. The aforesaid people appear to be going out of their way to prove me wrong.
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Matthew 24:8-9
King James Version (KJV)
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.
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Just wondering,that before this silly law,I never heard of any christian burning the pages of holy Quran,but as soon as this law has come,every christian has gone mad.Every other day they are doing such things.WHY?Can’t we see that people are using this to take there revenge.We seriously need to do some thing
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This was exactly like the jahalat period before Islam in arabia. Kafirs killing girls and anyone who did not believe the statue gods. What has changed? Nothing except now the same thing is done in the name of Islam.
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come on ppl she is just a kid .. it could be accidental and if it’s intentional then why dont u ppl see she is just a MINOR !! she is not representing Christianity .. and i blame our society for her act if this is real .. since we teach hatred for other religions and sects !! so blame ur selves instead of this kid ….Recommend
It is interesting that pious idiots appear to think they are Allah’s servants and are merely carrying out his will.when they start out on a witch hunt. Well, I have news for them. Allah is quite capable of looking after any situation which may arise, without assistance from petty minded people.
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How about people selling pakoras and samosa wrapped in newspapers bearing Quranic verses ,If you start arresting them or burning them alive it is going to be an uphill task, bomb them ! come on ! insanity is ruling right left and centre.
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We are muslims and have we ever cared about the Quranic verses written on the Front page of every news paper? No we dont care. We used to through it into the Garbage or give it to raddi wala. These newspapers and used for wrapping gift packs or pack Somasa/Pikaro et. Doesn’t it comes under blamesy. If this litte girl is punished then I think that every pakistani is guilty of disgracing Quran and its Holy verses. Everyone should be accused for blasphemy!
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This law is really very painful for all Pakistani. It is being missed used in this country.
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If the people of Pakistan want Islam to be known as the religion of peace then they are going the wrong way. Hardly any day goes by without the Muslim Ummah defaming Islam by their barbaric acts of killings or asking for death sentences. In my humble opinion a human life especially that of a 11 year old mentally challenged girl is more important than burning any holy book. Books can be reprinted but a human life once taken cannot be brought back. There is no nation in the world which asks for death sentence for blaspheming their prophets except in conservative Muslim countries. Let us Muslims join the community of nations and leave the dark ages of barbarity.
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what is next 6 year old….there is nothing wrong with the law the problem are these people in lawenforcement and in public they are the one suffring from down syndrome…!Recommend
its so shameful n undispeakable for a mentally challenged minor, i mean a minor and mentally challed.. minors never make decisions on their on coz they dont know good or bad n when it comes to a minor who is mentally disabled? its so unfair, unrealiastic for challenging a mentally challenged person..
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an 11 year old ??
A lie does not require any proof because it is what ,what you want to listen.
but the truth is opposite of lie.Recommend
i will pray for this little girl ….Recommend
With the kind of legal system in vogue in this country and the rapid rise of muslims clergy with it’s twisted concept of the religeon, Pakistan has effectively been converted into a fascist state and is not worth living in any moreRecommend
At first lets make clear One thing “DOES RELIGION SAVES US OR WE SAVE RELIGION?” As per my FAITH its my religion who in end will save me from the Fire of Hell. Why in Pakistan just to make his govt. strong Zia passed this law of Blasphemy in which People are saving their religion proving themselves pious??? If God wants to florish any religion as HE is the creator of Universe HE can make worshippers for HIM without any help from Zia-ul-Haq.
If we think that religion is that much weak that sinful people are cutting throats/ burning people alive just to save the religion then we all have Down Syndrome.
Please God save the poor child and plz give us wisdom to live in peace and harmony. Recommend
@C. Nandkishore: Exactly what they do in Indian slums and Hindu extremist strongholds.
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@Naeem Malik(Dublin):
dear naeem………………………thousands of muslims are acused or even can say humans acused, there is a mechanism…if it will be a false blame….girl will be released……
have u shown same sympathy with burma muslims….have us & eu poked in that brytal act of genocide so quickly as in this case………aankhen kholo???????????
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oh my dear friends…………..dis US & EU poked in burma muslims Genocecide…so quickly as in this case…although she is acused…not hanged….if will be low IQ,insane or innocent will be released……………….dn’t be biased…………..mulims & especialy pakistanis give a lot of respect to our non muslim pakistanis……………..but no compromise on ALLAH & RASOOL Blesphemy law……………………..when issue is about christians responese & moral values are different…. but when muslims are bombed & slaughtered then humanity champions enjoy a deep…sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeppppppppppppp….
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Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) forgave the chiefs and the people of Taif who stoned.
An angel could have crushed Taif but our Prophet (PBUH) said no. These people of Taif were sane and
also adults and they were forgiven.
In Pakistan, a little girl with down syndrome unknowingly did something and people cry, “Blasphemy!”
In reality, the Blasphemy law of Pakistani is insulting the Sunnah of our Beloved Prophet.
It is something to think about! Our Prophet forgave the Kuffar Chiefs and residents of Taif but
Pakistan can’t let go a little girl who also an Ahley Kitab!
We just finished fasting in the holy Month of Ramadan and finished celebrated Eid. We should reflect
on our fasts and how we should do dawah and share the beauty of Islam.
Pakistan wake up! your blasphemy laws are insulting Islam! Recommend
@Floating float:
if you cant own the country, we’d be better off with the likes of you out of this country, when you’re house is collapsing with your family in it, you dont run away, you stick with them, and play your part in saving them…the problem with people like you is that they never have owned Pakistan, and not just you, majority of the people in the country today, and me as well, i should probably replace “you” with “we” here though….
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@Masroor:
Ha ha
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Unlike most of you “too much literate” people, I think that what the girl did is absolutely wrong. BUT, the people beating her and her family is just absurd. Our Prophet taught us to forgive. I am no religious guy but I am not gonna turn a blind eye to my own religion and other religions as well. I would rather say and try to advise the girl to not do this again rather than just beat her sensless. Those defending the girl for reasons like “Oh wheres the right to do whatever we want blalblababla” just go and jump off a cliff. We dont need people like you. What she did is wrong but she shouldn’t be punished for this. Just try to reason with her and hear her side of the story. We take action first before hearing both sides. Thats whats wrong.Recommend