Pakistan

Sunni clerics denounce Aasia sympathisers

Religious clerics condemn govt sympathy, announce sit-in in front of President’s House if Zardari pardons her.

Rana Tanveer November 24, 2010

LAHORE: Religious clerics belonging to the Sunni Tehrik and Aalmi Tanzim Ahle Sunnat (ATAS) on Tuesday condemned government officials and religious figures who expressed sympathy for the Christian woman convicted of blasphemy, during a protest in front of the Lahore Press Club.

The protesters, comprising seminary students and clerics, took out a rally, holding banners and placards, criticising government officials.

The protesters criticised President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah, religious schoolar Allama Javed Ghamdi and Pope Benedict for issuing statements in favour of Aasia Bibi, but Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer remained the focus of their resentment. He had met Aasia at the Sheikhupura jail and committed to take her case to the president.

Addressing the protesters, ATAS central leader, Pir Muhammad Afzal Qadri, asked the chief justice of Pakistan to take suo motu action against the governor for supporting a ‘blasphemer’. Qadri also challenged Ghamdi to debate over the punishment of a blasphemer in Islam.

Referring to Pope Benedict’s statement about Zardari trying to send Aasia aborad, he warned the president that if such a step were taken, the ATAS would stage a sit-in in front of the President’s House for an indefinite period.

He announced that the ATAS would hold a protest in front of Governor’s House on Wednesday (today).

Qadri said that if Justice Arif Iqbal Bhatti of the Lahore High Court could be assassinated for acquitting two Christian brothers accused of blasphemy, government functionaries supporting Aasia Bibi should not expect to be spared.

Bhatti is believed to have been shot in October 1997 for acquitting the two brothers in March, 1995.

Other speakers of the Sunni Tehrik and Aalmi Tanzim Ahle Sunnat included Maulana Muhammad Naeem Noori, Sahibzada Syed Mukhtar Ashraf Rizvi, Tahir Qadri, Maulana Muhammad Ali Naqashbandi and Ziaul Mustafa.

An appeal for protection

Chairman of Free Legal Assistance and Settlements Advocate Anis AA Saadi, in a statement issued on Tuesday, said that there was no evidence against Aasia and that she was given capital punishment under pressure from extremist elements. He said that judges in lower courts remained under intense pressure during trials dealing with blasphemy.He condemned the conviction of Aasia Bibi and said that Aasia and her family’s life was at risk. He said that the human rights activists supporting her were also not safe.

He appealed to President Zardari to take measures to protect Aasia and others falsely accused of blasphemy who led their lives in jails for crimes they had not committed. He said many blasphemy suspects had so far been killed inside jail and on court premises. These included Tahir Iqbal, Haji Yousaf, Samuel Maish, and Naseem Bibi who were killed inside prisons. Pastor Rasheed and Sajad Masih were killed in police custody at courts premises.

Published in The Express Tribune November 24^th, 2010.

COMMENTS (55)

N.A | 13 years ago | Reply At the time when Prophet (p.b.u.h) was alive ,Ibn Khatl who had disrespected/done blasphemy the Prophet (p.b.u.h) was not spared of his life,even though he was holding unto the cloth of Ka'aba. Similarly,about a woman it comes in books of ahadeeth that she used to hurt the Prophet (p.b.u.h) through blasphemy . The Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) himself, for taking revenge from her, appointed a sahabi on duty and then he informed the prophet (p.b.u.h) after killing her....so we do not have any right to change or amend the blasphemy law and if someone is guilty of blaspheming against our beloved Prophet (p.b.u.h),then that person must be killed...When noble and high companions like Hazrat Abu Bakr(r.a) and Hazrat Umar(r.a) and other companions(r.a) were told to lower their voices infront of the Prophet(p.b.u.h),then where do other people stand?

urooj | 14 years ago | Reply Why all the justice shall be applied in the name of "blasphemy" on a poor from minority. We all are shouting to be true muslim and assuring not "let go" aasia anyway. We say we want to stand up for our beloved Prophet(PBUH). Have we ever ever or the clerics protesting ever came up with such protest for interest? for the vulgarity aired by the media? womem rights? Get a life people. Where are we heading towards? We want to stand up for our beloved Prophet(PBUH), ever we stood for his teachings? Why these fanatic clerics ever raise up their voice for anit-islamic laws or culture prevailing in the society. Does this "passionate muslim" wake up only when someone else will be punished. Did these clerics ever scrutinize their own deeds?

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nikita s. | 14 years ago | Reply Until we have zero tolerance for these 'clerics' that incite hatred, nothing can improve.

Jaded | 14 years ago | Reply @Ahmer Ali For starters, please get someone to translate "Assalam-o-Allaikum Warahmatullah" for you.... If that is the decreed and accepted greeting for us muslims... we might as well try to understand what it means and (now this is a huge stretch) maybe really integrate it into our lives so that we actually mean it when we say it.... I would really like to hear about these solid references from reliable and authentic Ahadith books... I hope you do know that we have four imams/schools of thought and there is partial agreement on Ahadith :) Also, would be nice if you could shed some light on this statement: "Allah Almighty didn’t afford blasphemy of His Last Prophet Muhammad (APBUH)". What does this mean? How? Since I am a gunahgaar type and hence have no direct access to the good Lord above, it would help if you could tell me what he told you.... And I do apologize for being a gracious and shameful (wha????) muslim..... I hope with inspiration and guidance from people like you and the Mullahs, I will eventually come around to the path of righteousness and shall wholeheartedly support the worst possible punishment for people who 'think' or 'say' things which are not acceptable to our great and peaceful religion :) Amen !

bold | 14 years ago | Reply These Mullahs need to be convicted under blasphemy law.. now that would make my day

Ahmer Ali | 14 years ago | Reply Assalam-o-Allaikum Warahmatullah.@Anonymous If you read the history of blasphemers in Hazrat Muhammad's (APBUH) regime then most of the blasphemers were non-muslims and were killed and their killings references are available with solid evidences in the most reliable and authentic Ahadith books.Allah Almighty didn't afford blasphemy of His Last Prophet Muhammad (APBUH) and then how the gracious and shameful muslims shall afford that a blasphemer woman no matter from which religion she belongs to,is given relief or any relaxation by any so-called corrupt muslim leaders.

Verboten | 14 years ago | Reply The search for intelligent life continues...

Anonymous | 14 years ago | Reply @ Ahmer Ali : Aasia is Christian. Why should she be juged by the Qura'n and Sunnah? If she has spoken ill against the Prophet of ALLAH, then let ALLAH decide whats right or wrong.

Noor Lodi | 14 years ago | Reply I denounce these Sunni clerics and self assumed custodians of Islam. Please do us a favor. Disappear.

samina | 14 years ago | Reply I think the mullahs should be hanged for preaching the wrong Islam. I have read the tafseer of Maulana Mudoodi twice and I do not recall any punishment given to non muslims for any such thing. I think the women who accuse Asia should be lashed for giving wrong verdict .Islam is the only religion which welcome the people of lower caste to sit together and treat them equally how come these women told Asia that she is napak because she touched the pail of water. I India Islam had spread because Muslims treated the lower caste equally

Shoaib Farooqui | 14 years ago | Reply Popalzai my man...thanks for the early Eids in KPK! ;)

Hamza Baloch | 14 years ago | Reply Dani those who are now supporting asia bibi also were silent even wirtes blogs against here becuse she is muslim? hypocrtes are at both sides. but i dont think these both cases should are compared. Its very strange for me that no christain meet with asia bibi,nor her husband suport her in this case... but still you people are blinding commenting withour knowing the truth.

Karim | 14 years ago | Reply I'm sure the soul of our Holy prophet Muhammad (PBUH) would be unhappy over people killing other people on his name. He never preached killing, never ever - except for the two occasions mentioned in the Quran which certainly does not include killing for blasphemy. Forgiveness was one of his most gleaming virtue. Let us not maul the spirit of HUMANITY for whose service every religion including our dear Islam exists.

Waqar | 14 years ago | Reply When the early Muslims were being persecuted in Mecca by those who were vehemently against their beliefs, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) sent them to the court of a righteous Christian king named Najashi (Negus) in Abyssinia to ask for their protection. A delegation of Quraish unbelievers were also sent to the king's court to set a case against the Muslim companions. 'Amr ibn al-'As, of the clan of Sahm was one of the spokesman for the Quraish. Despite leveling false accusations against the Prophet's (PBUH) companions and trying to bribe some of the king's generals, the unbelievers were unable to convince the wise and righteous king on releasing the Muslims to them. “Ye may go, for by God I will not deliver them unto you; they shall not be betrayed."..."Go your ways, for ye are safe in my land. Not for mountains of gold would I harm a single man of you", was the king's reply to the Muslims, providing them full protection and sanctuary. The king converted to Islam. Let's pray that a righteous person with a moral conscious exonerates an innocent women. Peace.

Cautious | 14 years ago | Reply So much for the religion of peace!

Dani | 14 years ago | Reply and honestly you sicken me, not only you all those hypocrites who were rallying for the release of Dr Aafia siddique and say nothing , nothing at all about Aasia Bibi. why?? just coz she wasnt tried by an american court and just coz she doesnt believe in Islam.

Umayr Masud | 14 years ago | Reply To honor our Prophet we would kill people who don't even believe in him? Have the moulvi's and some people around here ever heard what they are saying? Do you in all honesty believe that The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) needs you to endorse him or his honor? He spent his life struggling and facing hardships showing compassion to be followed by people who think killing someone not even from our faith to somehow restore honor ?

Anoop | 14 years ago | Reply Poor woman. She wont be hanged but she will definitely not be let off either, I think. She will spend the rest of her life in jail for allegedly abusing a person who has been dead for over a millennium.

Disco Molvi | 14 years ago | Reply @ All Blood Thirsty Abu Jahl's here:- A-Rehman states "if this Aasia is really a culprit, and is proved, then no sympathy should be shown to her, and she should be sentenced" Alima Lodhi states “If Aasia has really stated anything against the Prophet, she should be brutally hanged to death.” But my dear misguided Muslim Brother and Sister, your Beloved Takfiri Sunni Clerics want Aasia's head even before her guilt (if any) is proved. They are out for her blood before even the trial has begun! See here what the blood thirsty Pir Muhammad Afzal Qadri has said:- if Justice Arif Iqbal Bhatti of the Lahore High Court could be assassinated for acquitting two Christian brothers accused of blasphemy, government functionaries supporting Aasia Bibi should not expect to be spared.

A Real Muslim | 14 years ago | Reply Finally the pakistanis have given the rest of the world a solution for riding the world of the plague that is "pakistanis". Let's just accuse each one of them of blasphemy... They don't care if it's true or not... And they can't prove that we didn't hear them blaspheme... They will hang each other with no remorse... No guilt of hanging mothers.... Children... The insane... In the name of Allah.... They will remove themselves from this earth and leave the rest of the ummah and real Muslims alone.

Shaheryar Popalzai | 14 years ago | Reply The comment posted by Alina Lodhi has been removed. Best regards, (Web team)

Emmon Khan | 14 years ago | Reply @AIM and Alina Lodhi...both of you thinking of yourselves as the friends and supporters of Islam, a religion of peace, kindness and largeheartedness are actually its worst enemies, presenting it as a religion of violence, narrowmindedness and hate. Grow up both of you and try to learn about the spirit of Islam. In the meantime seek forgiveness from God for presenting his religion in such a pathetic way.

Jaded | 14 years ago | Reply @Alina Lodhi & @AIM If there is a heaven, and if 'devout muslims' like you and @AIM are going to end up in it, then I don't want to go to that heaven. In fact, if your intolerant and hate ridden version of Islam is the true version, then I do not want to be called a muslim anymore... Why is 'moderation' a crime? Why is it a crime to say that minorities, whether they are Christians or Ahmadi's or whatever, have a right to practice their version of religion, and that they are entitled to forgiveness or at least a fair trial? Isn't this what we ask for ourselves? Why should the rules of the game be different for them? You talk about your love for the prophet (PBUH) and about defending his honor. Don't you people register a single word of what you have read about his teachings, his character and his personality. Did you miss everything he said about forgiveness and kindness. Did you miss that whole chapter on how he reacted to the people of Taif when they threw stones at him? By associating his name with anger, intolerance and crying bloody murder every two seconds... you malign his image and his teachings. If there is an enemy of Islam today, it is people like you who pretend to be his followers and then twist his teachings into a violent and non forgiving diatribe against every non muslim and every moderate and peace loving muslim in the world. I can only hope and pray that our religion is protected from the fitnas being perpetrated by people like you and the hate mongering bigots you call Mullahs. You are the threat to Islam today... May Allah help and protect us from you.....

aot_x | 14 years ago | Reply I for one am getting sick and tired of these clerics and mullahs and self proclaimed protectors and knowledge holders of Islam and Muslims.... even If you can recall the whole Qur'an backwards that DOES NOT mean you know Islam! These bearded hypocrites forget the Fundamental rule of Islam, HUMANITY! For Gods sake dont make me hate my religion that i am so proud of! people moving away from Islam is not cause of Media or Israel or a result of the whole damn world conspiring against it! its cause of people like these! spreading so much hate... so much hate! is Islam nothing but hate and murder? heh and then they say that the whole world hate us... that they discriminate us.... how can you possibly blame them?? and all the discrimination WE do is a whole another story! ok... even if she did say something of the sort (which i highly doubt) ever stop to think "what would the Prophet (PBUH) wouldve done? would he have her killed?" Recall the lesson you learned in maybe 1st or 2nd grade... of the woman who threw trash on Him (PBUH)... recalled? thats all... /rant over

Mohammed Abbasi | 14 years ago | Reply AIM, I would encourage you to learn about Islamic history, The Sahaba and especially of the Ways of The Last Prophet pbuh - all is from Allah swt and we will all return to Him. When we persecute the weak and defenceless and yes mostly the innocent simply because they are being targeted by self styled mullahs and assorted cranks and yes terrorists and we do not speak up - we will be answerable along with the muniafiqs who abuse Islam - in this case not the poor Christian lady but the village mullahs and their unquestioning supporters, followers and yes worshippers. We Pakistanis used to be welcomed with our Green Passport wherever we went in the 1950s and 60s and then with our pre-occupation of idolworshipping these uneducated and uncouth mullahs we were led down into the pits of where we are now on the verge of breaking up, terrorists attacks by these same mullahs up and down pakistan. The Blasphemy is not this Lady - The Blasphemy is all of us for allowing these things to happen in the name of our great religion. May Allah swt pardon us for harming others in His name and I hope we follow the teachings of Prophet Muhammad pbuh for peace and forgiveness

G. Din | 14 years ago | Reply @Alina Lodhi "...We shall die for the honor of our great Prophet(PBUH)." And then: "...she should be brutally hanged to death." If you can kill, there will be no need to die for the honour etc. etc. When you ask for a brutal hanging, can you spell out how you would do the honours yourself? This is indeed what has been defined as JIHALAT!

ali sadozai | 14 years ago | Reply @AIM You seem to have missed the point. Its a totally different debate as to what the punishment is or should be for a proven case of blasphemy as per sharia. The point here is that there is a tenedency amongst some extreme factions to pass judgement on an accused without a fair trial to see what actually happened. Is this not a fair common sensical question to ask what if this woman didnt say what she's accused of so we must let the judge decide without pressure? Were these clerics present on the spot when she uttered those words? Did anyone condemning her actually review the evidence against her? If not then why are we so quick to presume that the incident did take place as alleged and its become God's duty to kill a human being.

Free Soul | 14 years ago | Reply Aasi bibi is not a muslim , she is a christian and should be treated either as per the law of the land Pakistan or as per the Chrisian law. If we go through the muslim history, there are various examples where non muslims have been judged by their law / book.

T R Khan | 14 years ago | Reply @Alima Lodhi "If Aasia has really stated anything against the Prophet, she should be brutally hanged to death." Whose Islam are you following? Certainly not the one preached by the Holy Prophet (saw). The Holy Prophet (saw) is the pinnacle of all of God's creation. How can an ignorant and uneducated woman's uttering tarnish or blemish the high station of the Holy Prophet (saw). Islam means submission to God's will, which will include our emotions and our anger and they should be subordinate to His will. His will is that there is no temporal punishment for blasphemy. The biggest jihad is to control our emotions and our anger.

Waqqas Iftikhar | 14 years ago | Reply @AIM - your aim is about as accurate as your prose is sensible..... you dont have the right to tell someone what they can or cannot call themselves....the blasphemy law needs to be repealed with a hate speech law instead, the current law is extremely susceptible to misuse.

Alina Lodhi | 14 years ago | Reply No compromise on the respect of Holy Prophet(PBUH). We shall die for the honor of our great Prophet(PBUH).

AIM | 14 years ago | Reply This woman should be treated according to Islamic provisions those are practiced in such incident. If you guys (the so-called enlightening moderate Muslims) think the death punishment for her blasphemous act is not according to Islam. You guys need to bring up your Quranic evidence to the media and made the court withdraw its death penalty decision. If succeeded in bringing such evidence from Quran and Hadith, not only me but the whole Pakistani nation whether the Sunni clerics or the Shiite will stand with you to help release the accused woman. If you failed to act so, you need to keep quite if you can not support the court decision. Don't throw dirt on Blasphemy law as it's been taken from Quran and Hadith. Yet, if you think punishing her with death penalty is purely according to Islamic law but against your so-called humanity; Don't call yourselves Muslim from now. Thats it!

Ambreen | 14 years ago | Reply I denounce you, sunni clerics

HRK | 14 years ago | Reply "Qadri said that if Justice Arif Iqbal Bhatti of the Lahore High Court could be assassinated for acquitting two Christian brothers accused of blasphemy, government functionaries supporting Aasia Bibi should not expect to be spared." Mulla's Islam in action. The above is hate speech and an extreme incitement to violence. Coming from a learned Muslim it is shocking. Muslims supporting extra-judicial killing and that also a learned Muslim? The Holy Prophet (saw) did not allow the son of Abdullah bin Ubai to kill his hypocrite father for blasphemy. Hazrat Umar (ra) was similarly restrained from killing tormentors and slanders. The mullas of today, against the teachings of the Holy Prophet (saw), are inciting simple and ignorant Muslims to murder and declaring Muslims wajib-ul-qatal.

Usama Zafar | 14 years ago | Reply Agree with MAD!!!

Klues | 14 years ago | Reply Why only tongue happy Christians and Qadianis have problem. Never I saw Hindu, Parsi, Jew, Buddhist disrespect Hazrat Muhammad PBUH or had problem with this law. Also trial was conducted by the court, so I dont see why people are making this a media circus. Why not file for an appeal?

Qadir(murtad) | 14 years ago | Reply The Sunni clerics have gone mad. BTW when were they sane ?

Umayr Masud | 14 years ago | Reply It is interesting to note that cases like these bring out the serious insecurities our clerics feel and our general public fears about. Some comments above , and some television programs with the discourse on the subject really show how insecure as a society we have become. If you want to try someone for blasphemy please try the Ministry of Religious Affairs for the blasphemy they have committed on Hajj with the massive corruption in the name of God.

Shoaib Farooqui | 14 years ago | Reply Qadri said that if Justice Arif Iqbal Bhatti of the Lahore High Court could be assassinated for acquitting two Christian brothers accused of blasphemy, government functionaries supporting Aasia Bibi should not expect to be spared. Didn't Qadri just admit that he was involved in Justice Arif Iqbal's murder?? CJP should really take suo moto notice now! @Rana Tanveer It's called a spell check!!!

KM | 14 years ago | Reply Islam is a religion of peace and patience ... If the blasphemer publicly promises to behave, and affirms that she or he shall never go beyond a certain boundary, then he or she should be pardoned, and if he/she repeats then definitely the fate for blasphemy. Show them that you have bigger hearts, and while we all resent to hear anything against Allah & Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), even they themselves have given second chance to the culprits, and Allah remains RehmatAlil Alimeen, so who gives the right to muslims to not give the blasphemer a second chance. Aren't we suppose to follow their footstep for patience and forgiveness??? For people beating trumpets of violence and murder, should NOT be pardoned at all, for these are the ones who know what Quran and Hadith teaches them, and yet they defy it. It is these Munafiqs that need to be sorted out first, than the non muslims. It is these Munafiqs who do NOT have the guts to stand against the TTP, and rather trumpet slogans on the ones who are weak. What a shame ...

Hamza Baloch | 14 years ago | Reply Good to see people are standing the justice. Well done ATAS

MAD | 14 years ago | Reply @Rizwan T Khan we are already cursed my friend.

Disco Molvi | 14 years ago | Reply @ Jawad Rafiq Here is my proposition. If you don’t straighten up and start condemning this barbaric law then I’ll tear down an Arabian steamy novel, throw its pages into your home, go to a local Masjid Imam and make him declare you as blasphemer, who’s defiled the arab text, through the masjid’s loudspeakers. The pinhead “rote learning” Imam will only see the teared Arabic text and not go about reading what actually written in it. Then the Ulemas and Alims too will surely follow with their death verdicts. See how easy it is for me to implicate you in an act of Blasphemy? Then we'll see whether your statement "none of the blasphemer or its supporters should be pardoned" holds up or not.

Rizwan T Khan | 14 years ago | Reply If injustice is done then Allah will CURSE us all.

MAD | 14 years ago | Reply Why not just let them sit outside the President House. that way we wont have to listen to them.

ahmed | 14 years ago | Reply @Jawad Rafiq Do you actually believe that Allah sent us to kill and maim people on this planet?

Waqqas Iftikhar | 14 years ago | Reply seriously....an abject display of complete incitement to violence.....

Syed | 14 years ago | Reply @Humanity , brilliantly put! What has this got to do with Islam? They never spoke out against release of rape suspects, but here they! President should allow her release, and who so ever stages a sit in outside president house should be jailed for indefinite period of time!

Kashif Chaudhry | 14 years ago | Reply Sunni Clerics threaten to kill govt officials and proudly declare that they have murdered those who dared disagree with them in the past - WOW! Are my Sunni Muslim brothers proud of their 'peace-loving' leaders?

Noor Lodi | 14 years ago | Reply First of all the blasphemy law is complete nonsense. Secondly how do you know that the women accusing this women are telling the truth? Short of them producing a recording voice of the accused with clear blasphemy, nothing can be accepted as evidence. People lie all the time, hence justice cannot be served. Repeal this law and punish the false accusers with the severest of punishments. Last not the least, Islam is a religion of mercy and forgiveness, not vengence, murder and anger. Prophet (Pbuh). What have we turned this religion into. Shame on us. Shame on us. Shame on us!

A-Rehman | 14 years ago | Reply @humanity: when it comes to Our Holy Prophet, the culprits should be given the punishmenet, they deserve. Our Relegion, our Holy Quran, and Ahades Mubarika tells us how in past when such incidents occured, how they were solved, so if this Aasia is really a culprit, and is proved, then no sympathy should be shown to her, and she should be sentenced.

Ahmer Ali | 14 years ago | Reply Assalam-o-Allaikum Warahmatullah.Aasia should be treated according to Quran and Sunnah against her crime and our so-called muslim leaders should consider seriously and must take practical steps on solid ground basis to control such these types of events in the future instead of showing sympathy and instead of considering about this blasphemous crime according to their own hand-made laws truly against the laws of Quran and Sunnah.

parvez | 14 years ago | Reply @Humanity - very well said.

Humanity | 14 years ago | Reply @Jawad Rafiq "none of the blasphemer or its supporters should be pardoned." Worry about whether or not Allah will pardon you ..

Jawad Rafiq | 14 years ago | Reply none of the blasphemer or its supporters should be pardoned.

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