Malaysiakini reported that Penang-based Muslim convert Siti Fatimah Tan Abdullah who wants to revert to Buddhism will have to wait until March 16 to know if she can leave Islam.Her problem is a direct consequence of the absence of a clear and direct legal ruling for muslim converts wishing to return to their original faith or any other faiths. People converting from any religion except Islam to any other faith except Islam has no issue. This pertains to Islam being "the issue" that needs clarity.
Enshrined under the Malaysian constitution, all citizens have the freedom of religion. However, as many interpret, this freedom does not apply to muslims.
The hudud laws on apostasy, which is promoted by PAS, is supported by the following hadith:
Sahih Bukhari-Volume 4, Book 52, Number 260:
Narrated Ikrima:
Ali burnt some people and this news reached Ibn 'Abbas, who said, "Had I been in his place I would not have burnt them, as the Prophet said, 'Don't punish (anybody) with Allah's Punishment.' No doubt, I would have killed them, for the Prophet said, 'If somebody (a Muslim) discards his religion, kill him.' "
Thus, many muslims in Malaysia believes that apostates should be dealt with the death penalty. However, death should be meeted, not by burning. The most acceptable norm is to behead them as under Saudi Arabia's hudud laws.
There are different levels you may argue on whether hudud laws will affect the non-muslims in Malaysia or not. One way to argue is that Lina Joy has renounced Islam and has converted to Christianity. Thus, from a technical viewpoint, she is a non-muslim. Nonetheless, from a legal viewpoint, she remains a muslims. One can say that she, being a non-muslim by substance, is to be subject to hudud laws, which calls for capital punishment.
As the Chinese expects to celebrate their 4707th year in three weeks time and the civilised world celebrated their 2009th last week, the Free People of today cannot accept a law where we intend to kill people who do not have the same faith as us.
All great religion promotes love, peace and tolerance.
1 comment:
The source of all religious conflicts can be found in the vagueness of religious texts. In particular those texts that encourage violence against unbelievers.
Just put a few ingredients together: ethnic hate + religious misinterpretations + land issues + persecution complex, and you have the makings of an timeless war.
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