ASK MAULANA

Death is not the end of life but a door, on either side of which there exists a world. One side has an incomplete and temporary world, while the other side has a complete and permanent world. On one side, there is a world filled with problems and on the other side, there is a problem-free world. Unfortunately, people take death only in the negative sense, which brings despair and hopelessness. The positive concept of death has a very high meaning—one that gives you a ray of hope and courage. What is the position of freedom of expression in Islam? Islam lays great emphasis on freedom of expression. Blasphemy in Islam is a subject of intellectual discussion rather than a subject of physical punishment. Before the advent of Islam, holding beliefs different from that of the establishment was considered a punishable act. People used to be punished on matters of belief just as they would be if they committed a social crime. This old practice of religious persecution was abolished by Islam. In Islam the culture of dissent and freedom of expression is given utmost importance. The concept of blasphemy therefore is completely alien to the original teachings of Islam. Some Muslims advocate the theory that freedom of expression is good, but that no one has the right to hurt the religious sentiments of others. This theory is quite illogical. Freedom is not a self-acquired right. It is God, who, because of His scheme of putting man to the test, has given him total freedom. Then the modern secular concept of freedom is that everyone is free, provided he does not inflict physical harm on others. In such a situation, the above kind of demand by Muslims is tantamount to abolishing two things: first, it abolished the divine scheme of granting freedom to everyone, and second, it abolishes the modern secular norm. Muslims’ demand that others should not have the freedom to hurt their religious sentiment is thus invalid, as it can never be achieved. o