Dua, Blasphemy
Question:
Salam,
I have two questions.
One that if a group of people are making dua from Allah and molvi says something that shouldn't be said for example "God I ask you for the sake of such and such person". What should we do at that point. Should we just not say Ameen to that and keep quite so that I have not asked that from Allah or should I stand up and leave without dua being finished?
Secondly I wanted to ask that if somebody commits blasphemy, normally state should be informed so that they punish him, but that didn't happened in Ramesha case.Court wanted the person arrested for blaming the girl wrongly and doing blasphemy when Allah forbids plotting the evidence. But state did not did that?What should a muslim who knows that culprit do?
Answer:
Salam,
As for your first question, showing separation and disunity is not appreciated in the Qur'an. If the place belongs to people with whom you drastically differ then going there is a mistake at the first place. If however you are in principle in agreement with the beliefs and the practices of a group of people but they happen to say or do things occasionally that you disagree with then to remain united and to remain respectful to the group you should stay and do not leave. Yes you can simply refrain from saying Amin if you think what is being said is not right. You may even try to peacefully and constructively share your reservations about what being said with the person. He may not agree with your views but at least you will inform him that one among his audience did not appreciate something that he said.
As for your second question, please consider the following points:
1. There is no basis for punishing a blasphemes person in Islam. Therefore if a state has described a punishment for this, it should be treated as a governmental rule and not a religious rule.
2. No Muslim state has a right to make rules that are against the directives of the Qur'an. Accordingly no Muslim state has a right to hold a child or an insane person responsible for what he/she has done, no matter what. Also no Muslim state has a right to prescribe the punishment of death for any crime other than murder or creating anarchy in the land.
3. Since as I wrote the ruling of punishing apostasy has nothing to do with Islam, the question that 'What should a muslim who knows that culprit do?' will not be relevant.
As a last note, I think we Muslims should divert our attention and focus from 'who among them insulted Islam' to 'who among us practices Islam', and by practicving it I mean far more than just worshiping and going to mosque. Morals and morality is in the core of Islam. I think there will be less reason for others to insult Islam if we truly understand what it is really about and practice it.
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June 2013
Salam,
I have two questions.
One that if a group of people are making dua from Allah and molvi says something that shouldn't be said for example "God I ask you for the sake of such and such person". What should we do at that point. Should we just not say Ameen to that and keep quite so that I have not asked that from Allah or should I stand up and leave without dua being finished?
Secondly I wanted to ask that if somebody commits blasphemy, normally state should be informed so that they punish him, but that didn't happened in Ramesha case.Court wanted the person arrested for blaming the girl wrongly and doing blasphemy when Allah forbids plotting the evidence. But state did not did that?What should a muslim who knows that culprit do?
Answer:
Salam,
As for your first question, showing separation and disunity is not appreciated in the Qur'an. If the place belongs to people with whom you drastically differ then going there is a mistake at the first place. If however you are in principle in agreement with the beliefs and the practices of a group of people but they happen to say or do things occasionally that you disagree with then to remain united and to remain respectful to the group you should stay and do not leave. Yes you can simply refrain from saying Amin if you think what is being said is not right. You may even try to peacefully and constructively share your reservations about what being said with the person. He may not agree with your views but at least you will inform him that one among his audience did not appreciate something that he said.
As for your second question, please consider the following points:
1. There is no basis for punishing a blasphemes person in Islam. Therefore if a state has described a punishment for this, it should be treated as a governmental rule and not a religious rule.
2. No Muslim state has a right to make rules that are against the directives of the Qur'an. Accordingly no Muslim state has a right to hold a child or an insane person responsible for what he/she has done, no matter what. Also no Muslim state has a right to prescribe the punishment of death for any crime other than murder or creating anarchy in the land.
3. Since as I wrote the ruling of punishing apostasy has nothing to do with Islam, the question that 'What should a muslim who knows that culprit do?' will not be relevant.
As a last note, I think we Muslims should divert our attention and focus from 'who among them insulted Islam' to 'who among us practices Islam', and by practicving it I mean far more than just worshiping and going to mosque. Morals and morality is in the core of Islam. I think there will be less reason for others to insult Islam if we truly understand what it is really about and practice it.
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June 2013