A Petition to Ban Defamation of Allah's Prophets, Especially Prophet Muhammad
By
Rashid Samnakay, New Age Islam
15 December
2020
A
petitioned is circulated asking for signatures, to request The Australian
Federal Government to legislate to “Ban Defamation of Especially Prophet
Muhammad and Allah's Prophets: https://www.aph.gov.au/petition_list?id=EN2121
As can be
seen the petition singles out Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) for protection, and also
refers to other Prophets (SAW) of Allah.
It is obvious
from the style of language used in the petition, that it is requested by a
particular community of people Muslim for their particular Prophet, with
particular salutation PBUH and Prophets of Allah as secondary prophets with
different salutation SAW.
Then, an
Arabic name Allah for a godhead mentioned in a particular Scripture The Quran,
that they consider as a Scripture meant specifically for them.
Therefore
this particularity must be examined with reference to Quran in order to
validate the claim from that Scripture.
It is found
that the scripture Quran does not mince words. It claims itself as revealed for
All humanity. The “Allah” (God) is the Creator Supreme godhead for all creation
in the Universe including human beings. The Quran is for Humanity's guidance – Hudal
Lil Naas.
The fact
that Allah is an Arabic word is for the simple logic that the Scripture Quran
was Revealed to and compiled by the Messenger who was an Arab, born in Arabia,
speaking Arabic and imparting the Message to predominantly Arab audience and so
in their own language. It rightly questions that how can a Messenger an Arab
then speak a different language other than of his own people?
The Arabic
Scripture stresses the fact that the Message is common as was delivered by ALL
the previous Messengers, who were NOT Arabic speaking and so delivered the
Message in their own languages so their audience would comprehend it. Those
previous Messengers were not differentiated between. Therefore, belief of Faith
in All those Messengers including Muhammad is essential for Muslims to be
considered as Believers, verse:
2-4, And those who Believe in that which was
revealed to you (Muhammad) and that which was revealed to those before you...
There is no
exception and differentiation of any kind between the Messengers. Not even of
the kind suggested by the abbreviated salutations PBUH and SAW; as the petition
indicates as a difference between Muhammad and other Allah's Prophets!
God's
Blessings, assistance and support was granted equally to all His Messengers and
is assured to all Believers acting righteously, as embedded in His fixed laws.
As such it
is the essential feature of the Scripture that establishes the unity of
humanity - “as one nation”, by promoting without differentiation, a universal
moral code for all to follow.
The above
differentiation however minor, between the Community of God's Messengers, made
by Muslims is a breach of ordained Faith of the Scripture Quran. It is
allegedly based on that Scripture the Muslim at large, specially pin their
sensitivity to the Defamation of Muhammad and somewhat grudgingly to other
God's Prophets. Religious prohibition declared from the pulpits to offer
Christmas greetings to Christians of the country, let alone to other citizens
is an example.
In the petition
is argued that - It is that special reverence and sensitivity that they is the
root cause of the ire that leads to some in their community to violence against
the alleged perpetrators of defamation. The petition therefore requests:
“We
therefore ask the House to present a bill for following legislation; that
Australian Government to comply with international covenant on civil and
political rights (ICCPR, Effective 1976) especially Article 20 which explicitly
obligates states to prohibit " any advocacy of national, racial, or
religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility, or
violence. This provision is the one used now in western countries to apply
religious hate speech laws and limit the rights found in article 18 and 19 DEFAMING
prophets of ALLAH(SAW) will be a crime and there will be penalty enforced on
individuals breaking this law. Australian Government will condemn such an
action on media.”
For an
untrained person in Law, there does not appear to be any provision for “speciality”
built in the referred Articles.
The demand
for exclusiveness therefore, has become a hallmark of Muslim community,
particularly in non-Muslim majority countries; where although they wish to
“join the crowd”, never the less want to be distinctly visible by various means
that they have adopted. As the Quran says – want to be seen by others 107-6,
4-142; quixotic fashion charging at the windmills.
Internationally
it is interesting to note that out of the thirteen top of the list countries
out of seventy one on the list of the Economist on Blasphemy laws, Italy a
non-Muslim country comes in at seventh.
It is
interesting because Italy a modern European country stands out as a religious
country by virtue of the Vatican City in the midst of its capital city Rome.
Reference: https://www.economist.com/irasmus/2017/08/13/ranking-countries-by-their-blasphemy-laws
As Italy is
very much a religious Catholic majority country, a google search was made that
came up with this, given here in part, Ref. https://end-blasphemy-laws.org/countries/europe/italy/
“It was
only in 1979 that the Constitutional Court affirmed the equality of rights for
the non-religious, and only in 1987 that laicità (secular neutrality with
respect to religions) became a Constitutional Principle (again thanks to a
judicial ruling of the Court). However, separate laws on “defamation of
religion” and “blasphemy” remain in force”. Religions are all pervasive!
With
reference to the above petition however it is appreciated that the petition
does not call for legislation to impose 'death penalty', not even by stoning,
for the crime of Defamation of special prophet, as is in many Muslim majority
countries under allegedly “Islamic” law.
May be the
petitioners have realised that Legislation does not necessarily eradicate
crimes totally. If it did there would be no murders and stealing in human
society by now as every nation in the world, centuries ago has legislated
against it. It is therefore obvious that some other approach is also necessary
to address this problem and education/knowledge/enlightenment seems to be the
foremost strategy to adopt.
Muslims in
non-Muslim majority countries where they have chosen to build their home away
from home, should not demand “special” status and treatment that may project
them as insular and exclusive. Living by example for harmony is the best form
of imparting knowledge to the 'others'. In Australia, other than Muslims there
are many different religious communities who live in peace without overtly
proclaiming 'pax vobiscum'.
One would
wish that the petition could have been worded differently for all to sign to
set an example, to be all inclusive for all the people of the country and for
all God's Apostles treated on equal basis. The Muslims community can
demonstrate then its stance of being a peaceful inclusive part of the nation.
That would be in accordance of Quran too:
2-213: Mankind
is a single nation. So God raised Messengers as bearers of good news and as
warners...
Merry
Christmas All.
-----
A
regular contributor to New Age Islam, Rashid Samnakay is a (Retd.) Engineer
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-west/a-petition-ban-defamation-allah/d/123762
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