The Guardian yesterday printed a disagreement between Salman Rushdie and Germaine Greer.
Reading it, I was reminded about the spat following Rushdie’s Satanic Verses. In particular, the issue that came to my mind was Khomeini’s fatwa and the subsequent offer of a reward for anyone who can execute Rushdie.
In the fatwa, Khomeini said:
“that the blood of the author of this book….. which has been compiled, printed, and published in opposition to Islam, the Prophet, and the Qur’an, as also of those involved in its publication who were aware of its contents, is hereby declared forfeit. I call on all zealous Muslims to dispatch them quickly, wherever they may be found, so that no one will dare to insult Islamic sanctities again. Anyone who is himself killed in this path will be deemed a martyr.”
This is a direct call for Rushdie’s assasination. It is also a call for the assasination of those who were involved in the publication of the Satanic Verses.
Admittedly, in Islamic law, there are jurists who say that the punishment for insulting prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) is death, if one is found guilty.
But it is extremely important to remember that the punishment is prescribed in Islamic law. The term law implies fair trial and due process. It does not mean anyone on the street can simply go out and lynch Rushdie to death. That is not at all an Islamic act. That is cold blooded, barbaric murder.
Anyone who died while trying to carry out this call for murder is in no way a martyr. He is, simply, a murderer.
Filed under: Misc
are you in somewhat putting those who goes suicide bombing as one unnecessary death as well?…whoa…check your aqidah bro…
sorry…always had to do this…you see…one thing about Islam is…you can’t use your own judgement in delivering your perception…In Islam everything is referred to the Al Quran and As Sunnah…if there is no conclusion…then the ulama will then gather and results will be based on their ijtihad…surely you would know that wouldn’t you?…
back to the khomeini’s fatwa…it seems that i don’t find anything is wrong with it…no muslim can stand if somebody mocks Rasulullah in that way…i don’t know about you…but from the way you said it…well…he he he
in times i hope you would not find that :
1. Qurban is wrong just because it is worshipped by the hindus
2. Rejam or caining to the penzina / adulterer is too inhumane
3. Israel is the good guys…and the Hizbollah is the bad guys…
your going far away from “it” i see…
salam and may Allah bless you bro
Muhammad Rizal, thanks for your comment and thank you for visiting.
1. It would be great if you do not put words into my mouth and do not make assumptions on things I did not comment about.
2. In your second comment, the second para contradicts the first. You say one cannot use one’s own judgement. But you just used your own judgement in your second para. And, you are definitely using your own judgement in the penultimate line of your second comment. Should I take your self-contradicting comments seriously?
There is one further point that you left out, namely the fact that the Shariah, although its aims, objectives and aspirations are universal, is nevertheless implemented in its concrete form in different ways and is limited to the territory in which it applies. Thus even if we go through the due process of law, it is still not, I think, appropriate for Khomeini to impose Iran’s law to Rushdie, a British citizen. If we take the view that ours is necessarily the one and only right way of implementing the Shariah which we believe others not inhabiting our country should obey, then we are at risk of succumbing to neo-Kharijite interpretation of Islam, which is no doubt exceedingly dangerous.
i invite u to download a clip includes some letters to Imam khomeini by non-muslims. you can judge yourself if he was wrong.
http://thepureislam.wordpress.com/2008/06/03/letters-to-imam-khomeini/