About time, the Council for Islamic Ideology (CII) clarified the position of Sharia law as it applies to individuals accused of blasphemy. Urging relevant authorities to move quickly against all those involved in the recent grizzly murder of a Sri Lankan citizen in Sialkot, and other such incidents, the CII has finally clarified that “violence against anyone on allegations of blasphemy is contrary to Islamic principles and Sharia.” This statement is as welcome as it was necessary even though it took its sweet time coming. For, the biggest reason for the liberal civil society to be shocked into silence about such matters is the fear of being branded blasphemers themselves, with very obvious consequences.
The Council’s recommendation that a special commission should be set up to deliberate on ways to prevent such incidents, and that psychologists, experts in sociology, law and religion should be part of it, is also a pretty smart idea. But the most important of all suggestions is using verses from the Holy Quran and Hadiths of the Holy Prophet relating to such matters to knock some sense, as well as religious ethics, into people. These are all very sensible steps and should be implemented sooner rather than later.
Yet, for some reason, the CII did not say too much about the atmosphere in mosques whose pulpits and loudspeakers are always the principal catalysts that turn normal people into enraged mobs ready to gut and lynch people in broad daylight just because they’re told that their religious sentiments have been hurt. There can be no denying that much of the Pakistani society has been nudged to the farthest stretches of what is called the extreme religious right over the last few decades because of a whole host of factors. The ones that stand out among them are; one, a very visible decline in the quality and scope of basic education. And two, the fact that much of the county’s political elite embraced such tendencies itself during and after the so-called Afghan jihad of the 1980s and those that came later found themselves hurtling down this road without giving it much thought.
Over time, even Pakistan’s political leaders have grown fearful of confronting religious outfits out of fear of the latter using the religion card to question the former’s credentials, etc. Such things must end; not the least because they have brought nothing but accusations, murders, and inhuman public violence over the years. And if CII can help get this ball rolling in the right direction, it must be appreciated and backed for it.
