Sunday, November 21, 2010

Said Musa, Afghan Christian, Faces Trial for Apostasy

Wow! CNN finally admitted that the penalty for apostasy under Sharia is death. This is a major leap forward for the mainstream media, which usually waters down Islam until it's indistinguishable from Western values.

CNN--An Afghan Christian, detained for months for allegedly converting to Christianity from Islam, could face trial as early as next week - and could face a potential death penalty, officials said Sunday.

Said Musa was arrested by Afghan Interior Ministry intelligence authorities near the German Embassy in Kabul because of the allegations, said Qamaruddin Shenwari, director of the Kabul courts' north zone. The exact date of his arrest is not known.

The case against Musa has not yet been finalized, said Mohammad Najim Hamidi, director of public security at Zone 3 of the Kabul courts. He could face trial next week if the case is prepared by then, Hamidi said. It was earlier thought Musa's trial would begin on Sunday.

The Afghan Constitution does not mention converting from one religion to another, so the judge will take Islamic law into account, officials said.

"According to Afghanistan's constitution, if there is no clear verdict as to whether an act is criminal or not in the penal code of the Afghan Constitution, then it would be referred to sharia law where the judge has an open hand in reaching a verdict," Shenwari said.

Under sharia law, converting from Islam to Christianity is punishable by death.

It was not immediately clear where Musa was being held and whether he has access to his attorney or relatives.

The U.S. State Department said last week in its annual International Religious Freedom Report that "respect for religious freedom" decreased in Afghanistan in the last year, "particularly toward Christian groups and individuals."

Christians, Hindus and Sikhs - as well as Muslims whose practices don't satisfy the government or society - suffer "intolerance in the form of harassment, occasional violence, discrimination and inflammatory public statements," the report said. It estimated the Afghan Christian community ranges from 500 to 8,000 people. (Source)

If you'd like more details on Islam and apostasy, here's a video I made during the Rifqa Bary trial (when virtually everyone in the media was falsely claiming that Islam doesn't promote the death penalty for apostates).

8 comments:

jons said...

what are you afraid of? finish the quote; are you scared of people finding out the truth? the rest of the ayat continues; "[4:90] Exempted are those who join people with whom you have signed a peace treaty, and those who come to you wishing not to fight you, nor fight their relatives. Had GOD willed, He could have permitted them to fight against you. Therefore, if they leave you alone, refrain from fighting you, and offer you peace, then GOD gives you no excuse to fight them.

Christians, get upset when atheists quote the Bible out of context during their attacks on our faith.

It is therefore indefensible for a Christian to practice the same deceit.

why do you lie by ommission?

goethechosemercy said...

Quote:
Under sharia law, converting from Islam to Christianity is punishable by death.
end quote.

Under the Constitution and Bill of Rights, converting from Islam to Christianity is punishable by nothing.
Killing a convert from Islam to Christianity is known as murder.
And while this may not seem very nice, I believe that this standard should be applied universally.

Sophie said...

4:91 -

"Others you will find that wish to gain your confidence as well as that of their people: Every time they are sent back to temptation, they succumb thereto: if they withdraw not from you nor give you (guarantees) of peace besides restraining their hands, seize them and slay them wherever ye get them: In their case We have provided you with a clear argument against them"

I don't see any kind of clear argument here, in 4:89-91. "Kill them, but don't kill them, but maybe kill them". Perhaps it all makes perfect sense but I wouldn't blame anyone for thinking it points to killing for aposatcy, and I wouldn't blame anyone for thinking it didn't point to killing for apostacy.

This is the kind of ayat that really needs commentary.

jons said...

Sophie said:
"This is the kind of ayat that really needs commentary."

In the name of the Allah the most compassionate and merciful; you are exactly correct sister. Out of ignorance you try to make sense out of something you have no background (study) and/or knowledge. So I provided for you a more clear interpretation; hope it helps you.

[4:91] You will find others (hypocrites)who wish to make peace with you, and also with their people. However, as soon as war erupts, they fight against you. Unless these people leave you alone, offer you peace, and stop fighting you, you may fight them when you encounter them. Against these, we (Allah) give you a clear authorization.

By the way do you know the punishment for hypocrites in the Scripture?????? I shall leave as homework for you.

goethechosemercy said...

Quote:
In their case We have provided you with a clear argument against them"
end quote.

The clear argument is a knife to the throat. That's what it is.
Here in the West we have another principle-- any agreement, relationship, commitment or request that is made under duress has no standing in law.
If the infidel makes peace under duress, no peace has been made at all.

goethechosemercy said...

Quote:
Unless these people leave you alone, offer you peace, and stop fighting you, you may fight them when you encounter them. Against these, we (Allah) give you a clear authorization.
end quote.

A clear authorization for what?
Terror today and conquest tomorrow?

Ron said...

"The letter of the law killeth, but the spirit of the law giveth life."

1. From my experience, about as many Muslims as Christians hold to this philosophy, perhaps more.

2. We have at least one US Senator that favors the death penalty for abortion, and several people have been convicted of murder or attempted murder on abortion doctors.

3. If the letter of the scriptures of _any_ religion were held to be binding, we would consider that society barbaric.

4. Islamic shools of jurisprudence are not unanimous on apostasy being a capital crime, or on the Quran calling for the death penalty for apostasy, or on the Hadith being binding.

5. Muslims who want to be modern and liberal will find a way to interpret that religion that way, and it will not be any harder than it was for liberal Christians.

6. Ironically, those who despise Muslim for its backwardness tend to be the most backward Christians.

Jabari said...

jons said:
what are you afraid of? finish the quote; are you scared of people finding out the truth? the rest of the ayat continues; "[4:90] Exempted are those who join people with whom you have signed a peace treaty, and those who come to you wishing not to fight you, nor fight their relatives. Had GOD willed, He could have permitted them to fight against you. Therefore, if they leave you alone, refrain from fighting you, and offer you peace, then GOD gives you no excuse to fight them.

And SophieB said:
4:91 -

"Others you will find that wish to gain your confidence as well as that of their people: Every time they are sent back to temptation, they succumb thereto: if they withdraw not from you nor give you (guarantees) of peace besides restraining their hands, seize them and slay them wherever ye get them: In their case We have provided you with a clear argument against them"

I don't see any kind of clear argument here, in 4:89-91. "Kill them, but don't kill them, but maybe kill them". Perhaps it all makes perfect sense but I wouldn't blame anyone for thinking it points to killing for aposatcy, and I wouldn't blame anyone for thinking it didn't point to killing for apostacy.

This is the kind of ayat that really needs commentary.

Here is my response:

Tafsir Jalalayn commenting on 4:90-
Except those who attach themselves to, [who] seek refuge with, a people between whom and you there is a covenant, a pledge of security for them and for whoever attaches himself to them, in the manner of the Prophet’s (s) covenant with Hilāl b. ‘Uwaymir al-Aslamī; or, those who, come to you with their breasts constricted, dejected, about the prospect of fighting you, [being] on the side of their people, or fighting their people, siding with you, in other words, [those who come to you] refraining from fighting either you or them, then do not interfere with them, neither taking them as captives nor slaying them: this statement and what follows was abrogated by the ‘sword’ verse. Had God willed, to give them sway over you, He would have given them sway over you, by strengthening their hearts, so that assuredly they would have fought you: but God did not will it and so He cast terror into their hearts. And so if they stay away from you and do not fight you, and offer you peace, reconciliation, that is, [if] they submit, then God does not allow you any way against them, [He does not allow you] a means to take them captive or to slay them.

In other words, Sura 4:90 was abrogated by Sura 9:5 which says:
Then when the Sacred Months (the Ist, 7th, 11th, and 12th months of the Islamic calendar) have passed, then kill the Mushrikun (see V.2:105) wherever you find them, and capture them and besiege them, and prepare for them each and every ambush. But if they repent and perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat), and give Zakat, then leave their way free. Verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
Hilali-Khan version

So jons, David is NOT quoting the Quran out of context.