Salaam!

I have been browsing your Q&A section occasionally and have not seen anything added for some time.  I am very interested in your view on the recent news item -- the Rahman conversion in Afghanistan.

Don Jones

 

Answer:

Hi Don! Yes I was out of the country for a while. Hope you are all ok.

Here is my finding regarding one Abdul Rahman in Afghanistan, who had become a Christian sixteen years back. He created a controversy, when he went to his family to demand the custody of his two daughters. Abdul Rahman in demanding the custody became hostile, and threatened his in-laws of dire consequences, if his daughters were not handed over. This created a tension and police was called and he was arrested.

He was arrested because he displayed unruly behavior with his family and in-laws, and not for changing his religion. Just because he is a Christian, media started giving the case a color of persecution of Christians.

He has been living as an aid worker with for an international Christian group, and living a comfortable life for the last sixteen years as a Christian. (Extracted from a news analysis, Independent Voice, New York, Friday, April 14, 2006)

 

It is interesting to note that there is not a single case in any Muslim country where a convert has been executed because of change of religion.

 

The above facts clearly show that Abdul Rahman’s case was not of conversion, but of law and order. However, those who have deliberately raised the storm against Shari’ah Law in order to malign Islam should rather look in to their own Bible regarding punishment of blasphemy:

1.      The Lord spoke to Moses and said, “Take the man who blasphemed out of the camp. Everyone who heard him shall put a hand on his head, and then all the community shall stone him to death. (Leviticus 24: 13-14) Also: Thus did Moses speak to the Israelites, and they took the man who blasphemed out of the camp and stoned him to death. (Le 24: 23)

2.      “Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever says a word against the Son of man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.” (Mathew 12: 31-32)

 

I hope this will clarify the whole episode.

 

Syed Hasanuddin Ahmad