Islam requires believers to assist and protect vulnerable people and offers a number of mechanisms for their care and support.
Allah said in the Holy Qur’an in Surah Ma’idah 5:32:
“That is why We decreed for the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul,1 without [it’s being guilty of] manslaughter or corruption on the earth, is as though he had killed all mankind, and whoever saves a life is as though he had saved all mankind.
Our apostles certainly brought them manifest signs, yet even after that many of them commit excesses on the earth”.
The Holy Qur’an, further speaks explicitly about the issue of asylum-seekers and refugees in Surah Al-Tawbah 9:6:
“And if anyone of the disbelievers seeks your protection, then grant him protection so that he may hear the word of Allah, and then escort him to where he will be secure. (Surah 9:6)
The despicable incident occurred in Sialkot, the nation has been traumatized by the news that a Sri Lankan citizen, Priyantha Kumara, manager of a factory in Sialkot, after accusing him of blasphemy for tearing down a poster with Islamic holy verses, was lynched inside his factory, dragged him brutally damaged body outdoors, where they torched it.
Almost all political-religious parties, religious clerics, and speakers condemned this horrific incident and agreed that no one should take the law into their own hands when the law of capital punishment exists in full force and the courts are working so independently, so let the courts work and sentence the responsible after due process. We must learn from the life of our great prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Once, he sent
Hazrat Ali and another person to Yemen as judges and inquired of them how they would reach a judgment. They responded with the guidance of the Quran, Hadees, and common sense, and Muhmmad PBUH said they needed to listen to both sides before giving any judgment. Our beloved prophet teaches us to listen to both sides before making a decision, but in such cases, the mob accuses the person, passes the death penalty, and executes it without knowing the other side of the story. Are these people not disobeying their beloved Prophet Muhammad PBUH’s teachings?
Once a delegation of Christians came to prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and inquired what Muslims would do to them as rulers? Hazrat Muhammad PBUH then signed an agreement with them, which is valid till the end of time and is still protected in Egypt with Muhammad PBUH’s stamp.
“Interpretation” “Until the end of the world (final judgment day), I (Muhammad PBUH) and my Ummah shall be responsible for your safety.”
Our prophet had signed that agreement, and as his ummah, we are bound to follow it. We couldn’t possibly be a threat to non-Muslims if they are living peacefully in our jurisdiction.
Further, the provision of Pakistan Penal Code 295 says no one could be allowed to outrage the ‘religious feelings, damages or desecrates a copy of the Holy Qur’an and defy the name of the Holy Prophet Muhammad ( ىلص الله ھیلع ملسو ( and be left unpunished, but there is another aspect of the matter; sometimes, to fulfill nefarious designs the law is misused by leveling false allegations of blasphemy.
However, we have witnessed the same arrogance of authorities and local mobsters in a case of one Ayub Masih, who was accused of blasphemy by his neighbor Muhammad Akram. The alleged occurrence took place on 14th October 1996, the accused was arrested, but despite the arrest, houses of Christians were set afire, and the entire Christian population of the village (fourteen families) was forced to leave the village. Ayub was shot and injured in the Sessions Court and was also further attacked in jail.
After the trial was concluded, Ayub was convicted and sentenced to death, which was upheld by the High Court. However, in an appeal before this Supreme Court, it was observed that the complainant wanted to grab the plot on which Ayub Masih and his father was residing and after implicating him in the said case, he managed to grab the seven-marla plot.
It is a bitter reality that there are few cases like Ayub Masih, but it is also a fact that there are cases in which the accused are rightly convicted under section 295 PPC. However, a sentence is the duty of the state, and no one else has the authority to take the law into their own hands and punish someone on their own. Islam may tolerate everything, but it teaches zero tolerance for injustice, oppression, and violations of other people’s rights.
We need to find out why our people have become soulless monsters. How did we get to the point where we have no mercy for humanity while our faith (Islam) teaches us to be kind and merciful even with animals? Our society has grown intolerant and extremist in its beliefs and viewpoints. Our people have no faith in the justice system.
Not only in religious matters but also in other matters people have no confidence in courts and law enforcement agencies. If it was only religious extremism, then people wouldn’t beat and burn robbers and thieves. People have an absolute belief that whatever the matter, it is better to punish the accused themselves instead of handing them over to the state.
The fact is that people cheer, celebrate, and encourage the shooting of a robber or a thief who probably commit a minor crime and the punishment for which was not the death penalty. A country where there is no justice becomes a banana republic. If we do not realize and take this situation seriously this country will not be suitable for living for noble people. It is a time where all the political and religious parties join their minds and sort out the justice system. The criminals must be punished swiftly so that the people of my nation and foreigners who visit, work, and invest in Pakistan feel protected that their lives are in safe hands.
Priyantha Kumar’s family, friends, and nation must be incredibly angry at us as we have failed to protect him, but we as a nation ensure them that culprits must get maximum punishment and we sincerely apologize to all of them and share their loss equally.
