Supreme court judge Mawlavizada on March 19 holds a Bible that belongs to Abdul Rahman, who converted from Islam to Christianity. (REUTERS)
Posted on 03/19/2006 9:44:45 AM PST by cgk
This story deserves much more attention than it's getting. Via VOA News (hat tip: Doug at Below the Beltway):
An Afghan man who recently admitted he converted to Christianity faces the death penalty under the country's strict Islamic legal system. The trial is a critical test of Afghanistan's new constitution and democratic government.
The case is attracting widespread attention in Afghanistan, where local media are closely monitoring the landmark proceedings.
Abdul Rahman, 40, was arrested last month, accused of converting to Christianity. Under Afghanistan's new constitution, minority religious rights are protected but Muslims are still subject to strict Islamic laws. And so, officially, Muslim-born Rahman is charged with rejecting Islam and not for practicing Christianity.
Appearing in court earlier this week Rahman insisted he should not be considered an infidel, but admitted he is a Christian. He says he still believes in the almighty Allah, but cannot say for sure who God really is. "I am," he says, "a Christian and I believe in Jesus Christ."
Rahman reportedly converted more than 16 years ago after spending time working in Germany. Officials say his family, who remain observant Muslims, turned him over to the authorities. On Thursday the prosecution told the court Rahman has rejected numerous offers to embrace Islam. Prosecuting attorney Abdul Wasi told the judge that the punishment should fit the crime.
He says Rahman is a traitor to Islam and is like a cancer inside Afghanistan. Under Islamic law and under the Afghan constitution, he says, the defendant should be executed. The court has ordered a delay in the proceedings to give Rahman time to hire an attorney. Under Afghan law, once a verdict is given, the case can be appealed twice to higher courts.
This is the first case in which the defendant has admitted to converting and is refusing to back down, even while facing the death penalty.
Here, via the Middle East Times, is the "evidence" against Rahman that may lead to his execution:
Supreme court judge Mawlavizada on March 19 holds a Bible that belongs to Abdul Rahman, who converted from Islam to Christianity. (REUTERS)
What do Afghan President Hamid Karzai and President Bush have to say about the monstrous possibility that Rahman may be executed for professing faith in Jesus Christ and possessing a Bible?
So far, nothing.
You are implying that no one would be shut of it.. if they could live through it.. I don't believe that for a minute."
To be a muslim, you obey the koran. The koran is the holy book of islam.The koran says,to be a muslim you will think, practice, do,specific things.
Nowhere in the koran does it say if you don't think, practice, do, specific things, that you are still a muslim.
In fact, it says you are kufr and you will be killed.
Afghanistan Constitution | Preamble 8. For creation of a civil society free of oppression, atrocity, discrimination, and violence and based on the rule of law, social justice, protection of human rights, and dignity, and ensuring the fundamental rights and freedoms of the people,
Afghanistan Constitution | Article 7: (1) The state shall abide by the UN charter, international treaties, international conventions that Afghanistan has signed, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights | Article 18. Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.
Afghanistan Constitution | Article 24: (1) Liberty is the natural right of human beings. This right has no limits unless affecting the rights of others or public interests, which are regulated by law. (2) Liberty and dignity of human beings are inviolable. (3) The state has the duty to respect and protect the
Read the full Afghan Constitution.
Lying in Islam
By Abdullah Al Araby
Like most religions, Islam in general, forbids lying. The Quran says, "Truly Allah guides not one who transgresses and lies." Surah 40:28. In the Hadith, Mohammed was also quoted as saying, "Be honest because honesty leads to goodness, and goodness leads to Paradise. Beware of falsehood because it leads to immorality, and immorality leads to Hell."
However, unlike most religions, within Islam there are certain provisions under which lying is not simply tolerated, but actually encouraged. The book "The spirit of Islam," by the Muslim scholar, Afif A. Tabbarah was written to promote Islam. On page 247, Tabbarah stated: "Lying is not always bad, to be sure; there are times when telling a lie is more profitable and better for the general welfare, and for the settlement of conciliation among people, than telling the truth. To this effect, the Prophet says: 'He is not a false person who (through lies) settles conciliation among people, supports good or says what is good."
In exploring this puzzling duplicity within Islam, we will examine first some examples from recent and ancient Islamic history. These examples demonstrate that lying is a common policy amongst Islamic clerics and statesmen.
http://www.islamreview.com/articles/lyingprint.htm
That's the beauty of 'clauses'.
You can say all the wonderful, flowery, acceptable, things you want, but they are utterly meaningless if there is a provision in the fine print that undoes them all.
Go find an Islamic cleric or statemen and tell him to quit lying.
Thanks.
Why are you including a provision of the 'Universal Declaration of Human Rights' in the middle of your list of provisions of the Afghan constitution?
Does the Afghan constitution contain a clause that says, "No law can be contrary to the sacred religion of Islam."', as was claimed in post #9?
So I give you "clauses" and you give me "provisions"?
LOL!
If you wish to make a point, you will need to move past your flowery response and specifically document why the Afghanistan Constitution will pull the rope around this guys neck.
Yes. See post #101.
Because the Afghanistan Constitution specifically states that "the state shall abide by...the Universal Declaration of Human Rights".
Any other questions?
We appear to be in agreement that it's the religions themselves that are significantly different. Thanks for your careful reading of my post!
What if that is in opposition to this?
"No law can be contrary to the sacred religion of Islam."
If he is in custody and being tried, it would seem that the latter is holding sway, wouldn't you think?
The case is attracting widespread attention in Afghanistan, where local media are closely monitoring the landmark proceedings.
Abdul Rahman, 40, was arrested last month, accused of converting to Christianity.
See post #122.
I simply said: "I will make the full case...by adding the following".
If there are contradicting statements in a Constitution, the objective thing to do is acknowledge that there are contradicting statements in the Constitution. That's what I did.
You would disagree?
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
"Any other questions?
I have one. If rahman is not being prosecuted under afghan law (which happens to be sharia), then why is he being prosecuted and under what provision of law? anywhere is he being prosecuted?
If the rope is put around his neck then latter is holding sway. If not, then the former holds sway.
P.S. Karzai most likely will not put the rope around his neck.
Okey dokey.
I would simply say that it would seem that people's concerns are warranted if the man is going on trial for his life simply for having converted to Christ.
She is. Her hysteria over the Dubai ports issue proved it, once and for all, for me.
Chances are she's gone off half-cocked on this story as well.
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