@Muhammad Ali,dear kindly quote that hadees with refrence in which hazart Muhammad(pbuh) said penalty for blasphemy is death.

Qadri's penalty of death will become one of the hottest and talk shows mouth piece discussion reason is very simple and straight Human Rights will post their views and inside pakistan different religious groups will start protest, burning, They will be of opinion that Qadri did not violate Rule of Law why he hanged? and They will quote different quranic verses, hadith, citations and sayings. We should not forget one thing that we are living in "Islamic Republic of Pakistan". The constitution of Pakistan does not allow such sorts of freedom and neither Islam, actually the history of Qadri why he killed Late Gov. Salman Taseer, Qadri was inspired by one of the Imam during friday's Sermon and he decided to kill Him. it would have allowed if pakistan would under Shari'ah otherwise it creates Hate against Islam.

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“It is better for a leader to make a mistake in forgiving than to make a mistake in punishing.”(MUHAMMAD PBUH)

Unfortunately, certain misguided Muslim groups are attributing teachings to Islam that have nothing whatsoever to do with it; the media happily relay these stories to the world without considering the fact that such acts are not representative of Islam’s true teachings.
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There has been no prophet upon whom derogatory words were not used. The Holy Qur’an confirms that God sent a Warner to every people, and that each and every one of the prophets has been the subject of mockery:

Then We sent Our Messengers one after another. Every time there came to a people their Messenger, they treated him as a liar.… (Ch.23:V.45)

Another verse of the Holy Qur’an also emphasises this:

Alas for My servants! There comes not a Messenger to them but they mock at him. (Ch.36:V.31)

The Holy Qur’an also points out that blasphemous speech was uttered against Mary(ra) and Jesus(as): For their disbelief and for their uttering against Mary a grievous calumny (Ch.4:V.157). According to this verse, the Jews during the time of Jesus(as) committed a grave blasphemy by declaring Mary(ra) to be unchaste and alleging that Jesus(as) was a child of questionable birth.

Yet despite the fact that the Holy Qur’an confirms that all prophets have been subject to attacks by others, there is no evidence that any of the offenders were ever ordered to be punished.

I have pasted here Ahadith and Quranic verse relevant to the blasphemy issue (go to previous posts and read them) that clearly prove that blasphemers be only dead and no other way, but a self-blindfolded eye is impossible to see the light despite the eagerness to see and an unwilling heart can even the world united change not despite the last of effort, Mehria, it is all about self. Only your self is the obstruction, only your self is the drive.

The Holy Qur’an mentions many blasphemous utterances by non-believers and hypocrites against the Holy Prophet Muhammad(saw) without sanctioning any physical punishment for the perpetrators:

Verily, those who annoy Allah and His Messenger—Allah has cursed them in this world and in the Hereafter, and has prepared for them an abasing punishment. And those who malign believing men and believing women for what they have not earned shall bear the guilt of calumny and a manifest sin. (Ch.33:Vs.58-59)

It should be noted that the ‘abasing punishment’ of blaspheming God and His Messenger rests with God alone and it is up to Him whether He punishes such persons in this world or in the hereafter. The authority to punish blasphemers has not been delegated to anyone, not even to the Holy Prophet(saw).

The Holy Prophet(saw) was repeatedly mocked by the believers. The Holy Qur’an points out that his opponents claimed he was “a madman” (Ch.15:V.7) and that “there is madness in him” (Ch.23:V.71). Indeed, many of the disbelievers thought that he was “a victim of deception” (Ch.17:V.48) and treated him as a liar. Furthermore, he was labelled a “poet” and “a fabricator” by the disbelievers (Ch.16:V.102).

But the blasphemous statements did not stop there. Not only did they make personal attacks on the Holy Prophet(saw), they also insulted the Holy Qur’an, calling it a book of “confused dreams.” Indeed, the Holy Qur’an itself points to the fact that they saw its instructions as “mere stories of the ancients” (Ch.16:V.25).

But this was not enough for the disbelievers—in addition, they tore the Qur’an into pieces and urged people not to listen to it; in fact, they encouraged others to make noise when it was being recited.


Despite the ill-treatment and disrespect shown to both the Holy Prophet(saw) and the Holy Qur’an, God instructed him not to retaliate, because, says God: “We will, surely, suffice thee against those who mock” (Ch.15:V.96). In other words, God Himself is sufficient to deal with those who commit blasphemy against Him, the Holy Prophet(saw) or the Holy Qur’an and He does not allow anyone else to mete out punishment in this regard. The Holy Prophet(saw) was advised by God to remain patient and to …follow not the disbelievers and hypocrites, and leave alone their annoyance, and put thy trust in Allah; for Allah is sufficient as a Guardian (Ch.33:V.49).

The Holy Qur’an gives clear guidance on how Muslims should behave when they are faced with those committing blasphemy. Instead of punishing the blasphemers, believers are advised to leave the company of such people until they change the topic of their conversation. Allah says:

…when you hear the Signs of Allah being denied and mocked at, sit not with them until they engage in a talk other than that; for in that case you would be like them… (Ch.4:V.141).

With such beautiful guidance promoted in the Holy Qur’an, how can anyone contend that the punishment of death for blasphemy is justified in Islam?

The level of benightedness amongst the denizens of the so-called "Land of the Pure" is appalling. Here Ghamidi is a blasphemer and and probably anyone whose opinion does not reconcile with yours.

Since when have the Brailvis become a school of thought ? Since when has their consensus become the yardstick for judging and penalizing people without any due process of law? They are a sect and Islam has witnessed plenty of such cliques over aeons. Had you guys lived in times of Mutazillites, you might have been termed Kafir.

You think Taseer committed blasphemy, I refuse to concede that in entirety. No one had any right to interpret his statements as per their whims. He alone had the right to explain what he meant.

Glutting the forum with traditions that serve your purpose is easy; the intricate and scientific study of each tradition is difficult. Remember, nothing but Allah's word is final and definite. I am sure Allah will not give you a ride in hell just because you did not kill a(n alleged) blashphemer
In an attempt to improve the understanding of serious readers, here is a link.

http://www.dawn.com/news/1149558

Its a series of articles which is one of the few priceless and exhaustive works ever done in the realm of blasphemy in Pakistan. Let us be mindful of our reverence for Imam Abu Hanifa and let us stop playing God.

Edited: And yes, it is high time we set a precedent for those who are too eager to follow Qadri's footsteps.

THERE was nothing surprising about the Supreme Court upholding the death sentence of a self-professed murderer; much more significant is the part of the ruling that says criticising blasphemy law does not amount to blasphemy. This brave judgement may not bring an end to religious vigilantism and fanaticism that is deep-rooted in our society, yet it is certainly a victory for those who dare to question the rationale of a law so open to misuse. The landmark ruling has vindicated the late Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer and other courageous people who lost their lives for merely calling for reform of the blasphemy law.

Only a presidential clemency can now save Mumtaz Qadri from the gallows. One may not be in favour of capital punishment, but this should be an exception, as it would help break the climate of fear and weaken the ‘hero image’ of a murderer. In the end, it may be a small step towards changing the extremist narrative of religion in this country.

It was perhaps one of the country’s darkest days when a self-confessed murderer was hailed as a ‘warrior of Islam’ by the so-called custodians of law and justice. Those who had lined up to defend Qadri also included a former chief justice and a judge of the high court. The three judges on the bench were unequivocal in rejecting the argument that Qadri had the right to take the law into his own hands and that merely criticising the blasphemy law constitutes an insult to Islam.

Acceptance of killings in the name of Islam even by educated sections of society is most alarming.

From his death cell, the former police commando incited others to commit murder in the name of blasphemy. All that shame may not be washed away by Qadri’s execution, but the punishment would save many lives vulnerable to rampant insanity.

Not surprisingly, killings over blasphemy in Pakistan have spiralled in the last few years. According to one report, at least 65 people have been killed in cases linked to blasphemy since 1990. For sure most of the victims are poor. And many are non-Muslims. Often they are killed to settle personal scores. Now the lives of even lawmakers, politicians and human rights activists advocating for reforming the law are threatened. The Qadri case had certainly given a new stridency to the zealots.

Two months after Taseer’s murder, the minister for minorities Shahbaz Bhatti, a Christian, was killed apparently for demanding changes to the blasphemy law. Last year, gunmen killed Rashid Rehman, a prominent human rights lawyer for defending a professor accused of blasphemy. He received death threats from his own community of lawyers in the courtroom in full view of the judge. His killers are still believed to be absconding.

But what is most alarming is the acceptance of those killings in the name of Islam even by educated sections of society and the criminal silence of successive governments on these deeds. That has reinforced the sense of fear among the people making it extremely difficult to have a rational discourse on the issue of blasphemy.

Such had been the fear that a media report quoted Gen Kayani, the army chief at the time of Salmaan Taseer’s murder, telling a group of Western ambassadors that he could not publicly condemn Qadri because too many of his soldiers sympathised with the killer. The judge of the anti-terrorism court who first convicted Qadri had to leave the court from a back door as hundreds of zealots surrounded the court building. He reportedly fled the country with his family, as the state could not guarantee their security. Large numbers of supporters would gather around Qadri in the courtroom during the trial in violation of the law. But no action was taken against them.

While the government failed to protect the victims of false blasphemy charges, Qadri reportedly enjoyed all amenities on death row. It is said he was even allowed to record naats and religious sermons that are freely sold in markets and aired in religious gatherings.

Perhaps the ruling by the Supreme Court will help break that sense of fear and open the way for an enlightened debate on the blasphemy law. One hopes that the political leadership is also now able to show some courage to initiate changes in the law that has become such a handy weapon in the hands of religious fanatics and criminals and is used to settle personal vendettas. The blasphemy law in its current form has only fuelled bigotry and provided justification for vigilantism.

Rising religious intolerance and persecution of minorities are the major sources of terrorism tearing apart the social fabric of the country and national unity. The Supreme Court has thus done absolutely the right thing by restoring the charge of terrorism against Qadri. Killing on trumped-up blasphemy charges must be treated as a form of terrorism. But unfortunately we don’t see any sign yet of the state taking up the challenge upfront.

Qadri’s execution will be a test for the government’s resolve to fight violent extremism. So far there has not been much reaction from his supporters on the Supreme Court ruling. But his devotees will go to any extent to save his life. Hence a delay in carrying out the sentence can create more problems for the government. One can only hope that the president does not give in to the pressure of religious extremists.

The judges have done their job of restoring public faith in the law, and now it is up to the government to confront the demon. Dithering on the part of the government will only embolden the extremists with disastrous consequences for the country.

There is also now an urgent need for the political leadership to develop a consensus on measures to stop blasphemy-related killings. It is the weakness of the state that allows religious vigilantism and produces murderers like Qadri. It is the time now to exorcise those demons.

The writer is an author and journalist.

Published in Dawn, October 14th, 2015