Free Speech: There's no such thing in Islam
From WikiIslam
This view completely contradicts Islam. In Islam it is the Creator of human beings Allah سبحانه وتعالى who gave the right of speech to people and defined the limits on what is acceptable and unacceptable speech.
The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Whosoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, then let him speak good (khair) or remain silent.”[Agreed upon. Narrated by Abu Hurayra.]
Khair in this hadith means Islam or what Islam approves of.[Hizb ut-Tahrir, ‘American Campaign to Suppress Islam,’ p. 23]According to Islamic law, it is a criminal offense to speak ill of Islam, its Prophet, and its holy Scriptures (Qur'an and Hadith). Blasphemy is punishable by death.
[edit] What is Blasphemy?
As defined by Muslims:
Excerpts and examples to further illustrate what constitutes blasphemy in Islam
It is necessary to have evidence of two reliable witnesses corroborating each other before a Khazi (judge) shall be required to question the witnesses. Thereupon the witnesses will have to make statements describing the words uttered or the acts done which constitute apostasy.
Apostasy can be committed in two ways: (1) by uttering expressly by tongue that he is (or has become) a Mushrik , a polytheist (i.e. one who associates others with the One God and considers them to be worthy of worship) or, by saying something which is bound to connote in its meaning a denial of the existence of God, for instance to say that God has corporeal (physical, material) existence just like any other corporeal object, or (2) by the performance of an act in which one cannot avoid the clear conclusion that it is tantamount to 'kufr' (infidelity, denial of Islam), for example, to throw away with contempt the holy Qur'an or any part of it or even a single word of it; or to throw it in the fire in an insulting, contemptuous manner; or to throw it in such a place as a garbage dump where there are filthy, dirty and repulsive things; or in a spittoon etc. These acts would be blasphemous and constitute apostasy. The same rules apply to the Most Beautiful Names of Allah as well as to books of Ahadith (Prophetic Traditions - i.e. records of the Prophet's sayings, doings and tacit approvals) and it would be considered blasphemy amounting to apostasy. The same rules apply to books of Fiqh (Muslim jurisprudence) provided the acts are done with the intention of defaming or belittling with contempt the Islamic injunctions or the Islamic code of law. This would be regarded as blasphemy/apostasy. Other examples of blasphemy/apostasy are:
• To believe in transmigration of souls or reincarnation because this amounts to rejecting the belief in life-after-death and the world of the Hereafter.
• To deny or reject something of which the whole Muslim Community (Ummah) is agreed upon, e.g. to hold that the obligatory ritual prayers or fasting are not obligatory or to deny legal permissibility (halal) of a thing on which the whole Muslim Community is agreed upon and which is definitely proven to be so on the basis of its proof from the holy Qur'an and Hadith mutawatir.
• To call names and use swear-words in respect of all such Messengers of God, Apostles, Prophets who are accepted as such by the whole Muslim Community.
• This same rule applies to angels.
• This same rule applies to angels and prophets with regard to fault-finding using taunting or derogatory or sarcastic language against them even in respect of their physical/bodily defects.
• To use sarcasm and belittling words in respect of the moral character or the way of life (religion) of the Prophet Muhammad or other prophets.
[edit] Punishment for Blasphemy
[edit] Qur'an
The Qur'an does not specify a specific punishment for blasphemy, however it does specify a punishment for "spreading mischief":
- For further details please see: Mischief and "If anyone slew a person" Verse 5:32?
[edit] Hadith & Other Islamic Writings
There are many example of people during Muhammad's time who were guilty of blaspheming Islam and its Prophet. Most of these people were assassinated with Muhammad's blessing, and no punishment or compensation was imposed on the murderer.
- 'Abdullah bin Ubai (bin Salul) - Muhammad asked his followers to kill this man for making "evil" statements about Muhammad's family.
- Abu `Afak - Muhammad asked his followers to kill this man for making negative remarks about Muhammad and Islam.
- Ka’b bin Ashraf - Muhammad asked his followers to kill this man for writing inflammatory poetry about Muhammad and Muslim women.
- Asma Bint Marwan - Muhammad asked his followers to kill this woman for composing inflammatory poetry about Islam and Muslims.
- Blind Man's Slave-Mother - When Muhammad learned that one of his followers had stabbed and killed his slave (other sources refer to her as a freed concubine: Umm walad) for making derogatory remarks about Muhammad, he declared that "no retaliation is payable for her blood."
[edit] Scholars
Of course, Dr. Naik fails to mention that the other world religions are not political ideologies and therefore are not incorporated in state penal codes.
State has the right to punish - Usman Ghafoor - The News, Jang Group Online Edition
A clan of Banu Layth in Madeenah was of two minds. A man had proposed marriage to one of their womenfolk during the Jaahiliyyah but they did not accept his proposal. He came to them wearing a hullah (a suit of clothing) and said: “The Messenger of Allaah gave me this hullah to wear and told me to rule over your wealth and your blood.” Then he went and stayed with that woman whom he loved. The people sent word to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and he said: “The enemy of Allaah is lying.” Then he sent a man and said: “If you find him alive – although I do not think that you will find him alive – then strike his neck (kill him). And if you find him dead then burn him with fire.” He said: This is what the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said concerning “one who tells lies about me deliberately.” Shaykh al-Islam said: “This is a saheeh isnaad according to the conditions of al-Saheeh and we do not find any fault in it.”
Then he said: There are two opinions concerning this hadeeth:
1 – That the apparent meaning should be followed and the one who deliberately tells lies about the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) should be killed. Among those who were of this view were some who said that the one who does that becomes a kaafir thereby. This was the view of several including Abu Muhammad al-Juwayni. Ibn ‘Aqeel quoted his Shaykh, Abu’l-Fadl al-Hamdaani, as saying: “The innovators, liars and fabricators of hadeeth are worse than the heretics because the heretics want to attack Islam from without but these people want to attack it from within. They are like people who try to destroy a city from within whilst the heretics are like those who are laying siege to it from without, and those who are inside open up the fortress. So they are more dangerous to Islam than those who do not appear outwardly to be Muslims.”
The main point of this opinion is that telling lies about him (the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)) is tantamount to telling lies about Allaah. Hence he said: “Telling lies about me is not like telling lies about one of you.” What the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded is what Allaah commanded, and it must be followed just as the commands of Allaah must be followed. Whatever he told us must be believed, just as whatever Allaah told us must be believed. Whoever rejects what he told us or refuses to follow his command is like one who rejects what Allaah told us or refuses to follow the command of Allaah. It is well known that the one who tells lies about Allaah by claiming to be a messenger or prophet of Allaah, or tells false things about Allaah, such as Musaylimah and other fabricators of his ilk, is a kaafir whose blood may be shed, and the same applies to one who tells lies about the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
Thus it is clear that telling lies about him is tantamount to disbelieving in him. Hence Allaah mentions the two things together in the verse where He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And who does more wrong than he who invents a lie against Allaah or denies the truth, when it comes to him?” [al-‘Ankaboot 29:68]
Islam Q&A - Fatwa No. 43725
It is essential to respond to those who defame the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
Islam Q&A - Fatwa No. 14305
Islam Web Fatwa Center - Fatwa Number 17316, December 11, 2007
[edit] Practical Application in Islamic Countries
[edit] Saudi Arabia
- 2009 - Hadi bin Sa’id bin Hamad Al Mutif, an Isma'ili death row prisoner, was sentenced to an additional 5 years imprisonment for criticizing the Saudi justice system.[3] He was sentenced to death in 1996 for allegedly insulting the Prophet Muhammad in 1993. His trial had violated numerous international fair trial standards, and basic rules of due process had not been observed from the time of his arrest to his conviction.[4]
- 2008 - Ra'if Badawa was charged with “setting up an electronic site that insults Islam” for his website that details abuses by the Saudi religious police and questions the predominant interpretation of Islam (Wahhabism). Jeddah's prosecution service referred the case to the court and requested a 5-year prison sentence and a 3 million riyal (US$800,000) fine. Amidst arrest threats and death threats, Badawa fled the country.[5]
- 2007 - Sabri Bogday, a Turkish barber, was sentenced to death on blasphemy charges after an unfair trial.[6] Thankfully, King Abdullah, after receiving correspondence from Turkey's president and prime minister, pardoned Bogday and he was released to Turkey.[7]
- 2005 - Muhammad al-Harbi was sentenced by a Saudi court to more than three years in prison and 750 lashes for speaking to his students about his views on a number of current topics, such as Christianity, Judaism and the causes of terrorism.[8]
- 2004 - Muhammad al-Sahimi was banned from teaching and sentenced to three years in prison and 300 lashes for endorsing allegedly un-Islamic sexual, social and religious practices because of his discussion on the varying concepts of love in poetry.[9]
[edit] Iran
- 2010 - Mohammad Reza Ali Zamani and Arash Rahmanipour were hanged on January 28 after being convicted of being "enemies of God" and members of an outlawed pro-monarchist group. The semi-official ISNA news agency said the two were charged with plotting to topple the government and had been tried in August – apparently implying that they were part of the protest movement over June's disputed presidential election. But opposition sources said the two were arrested three months before the elections.[10]
- 2002 - Hashem Aghajari, an Iranian university professor, was originally sentenced to death on blasphemy charges after calling for religious reforms and declaring that Muslims were not "monkeys" who should blindly follow the teachings of clerics.[11] The case led to an international outcry, protests from thousands of Iranian students, and the resignation of twenty Tarbiat-Modarres University department chiefs.[12] Although he decided not to appeal the original verdict, his lawyer filed on his behalf.[13] Under pressure from Iranians as well as the international community, the court reduced his sentence to three years imprisonment, and after serving two he was released on bail in 2004.[14]
[edit] Pakistan
295. Injuring or defiling place of worship, with intent to insult the religion of any class
295-A. Deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any classby insulting Its religionor religious beliefs
295-B. Defiling, etc., of Holy Qur'an295-C. Use of derogatory remarks, etc., in respect of the Holy Prophet
296. Disturbing religious assembly
297. Trespassing on burial places, etc.
298. Uttering words, etc., with deliberate intent to wound religious feelings
298-A. Use of derogatory remarks, etc. in respect of holy personages
298-B.Misuse of epithets, descriptions and titles, etc. reserved for certain holy personagesor places
298-C.Person of Quadiani group, etc., calling himself a Muslim or preaching or propagating his faith'Death only punishment for blasphemy' - The DAWN Media Group, April 22, 2009
Pakistani hardliners oppose suggestion to repeal Blasphemy Laws - Dan Wooding & Sheraz Khurram Khan - ASSIST News Service, September 18, 2009
- 2010 - Imran Masih, a 22-year-old Christian shopkeeper, was beaten by a Muslim mob, arrested, and sentenced to life imprisonment for burning what a rival shopkeeper claimed were pages of the Qur'an.[15]
- 2009 - Hector Aleem, a 51-year-old human rights activist, was severely beaten and tortured in January 2009 for objecting to the destruction of a church. As of early 2010, Aleem is still imprisoned.[16]
- 2005 - Younus Shaik, author of Shaitan Maulvi (Satanic Cleric), was arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment for writing the allegedly blasphemous book about the Qur’an and the Islamic justice system.[17]
- 2002 - Anwar Keneth, a 40-year-old former government official, was sentenced to death for declaring that he is the Christ and that Islam is a fake religion. Khalid Gill, a leader and spokesman for Pakistan's Christian Liberation Front, said, "We think justice has not been done in the case of Anwar Keneth. [He] should have been treated at a mental hospital."[18]
- 1996 - Zebunnisa, a mentally retarded woman, has been imprisoned for over 13 years for blasphemy and has never seen the inside of a courtroom.[19]
[edit] Afghanistan
- 2008 - Pervez Kambakhsh, a journalist, was sentenced to death by a city court in Mazar-e-Sharif for downloading and distributing an article insulting Islam. He was arrested in 2007 after downloading material relating to the role of women in Islamic societies. His conviction and sentence was upheld by Afghanistan's upper house of parliament.[20] A day later the upper house quickly withdrew its support for his death sentence claiming that it had been a 'technical mistake' and had been unconstitutional. The support for the death sentence had been signed by the senate leader Sibghatullah Mojaddedi.[21] The death sentence was later changed to twenty years imprisonment,[22] but President Karzai secretly pardoned Kambakhsh and he was able to escape the country.[23] Afghanistan's upper house of parliament condemned the release of Kambakhsh as contrary to Islamic values and issued the following statement:[24]
[edit] In History
The Wikipedia article on free speech in Sharia: Freedom of speech presents a few historical examples of Islamic leaders who allowed forms of "free speech." It neglects, however, to mention the countless examples of Islamic countries suppressing freedom of speech of Muslims and non-Muslims alike. It also fails to provide the passages in the Qur'an and Hadith that condemn people who publicly speak out against Islam. This, of course, comes as no surprise, but one can do a quick search of blasphemy law and be rewarded with an abundance of material.
[edit] 'Umar bin Al-Khattab's Restrictions on Expression and Speech
[edit] Classic Islamic Law
The following excerpts are from the Reliance of the Traveller: A Classic Manual of Islamic Sacred Law (Umdat Al-Salik) by Ahmad ibn Naqib al-Misri and Nuh Ha Mim Keller:
Acts of disbelief (including verbal denials) are punished by death:
Non-Muslims do not have freedom of expression or speech:
(6) are forbidden to openly display wine or pork, (A: to ring church bells or display crosses,) recite the Torah or Evangel aloud, or make a public display of their funerals and feastdays;
o11.10 The agreement [with the state] is also violated (A: with respect to the offender alone) if the state has stipulated that any of the following things break it, and one of the subjects does so anyway, though if the state has not stipulated that these break agreement, then they do not; namely, if one of the subject people:
(3) leads a Mulim away from Islam;
(5) or mentions something impermissible about Allah, the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), or Islam.
o11.11 When a subject's agreement with the state has been violated, the caliph chooses between the four alternatives mentioned above in connection with prisoners of war (o9.14). [See information below.]
o9.13 When a child or woman is taken captive, they become slaves by the fact of capture, and the woman's previous marriage is immediately annulled.
o9.14 When an adult male is taken captive, the caliph (def: o25) considers the interests (O: of Islam and the Muslims) and decides between the prisoner's death, slavery, release without paying anything, or ransoming himself in exchange for money or for a Muslim captive held by the enemy. If the prisoner becomes a Muslim (O: before the caliph chooses any of the four alternatives) then he may not be killed, and one of the other three alternatives is chosen.[edit] In the Modern World
[edit] The Muhammad Cartoons Controversy
One of the most well-known examples of Muslim intolerance and disregard for freedom of speech is the Danish cartoon controversy. 5,000 Muslims took to the streets in Denmark in protest of the cartoons published in the Jyllands-Posten, and further publication of the cartoons around the globe led to international protests that escalated to violence and numerous deaths, including that of Father Andrea Santoro, a Catholic priest in Turkey, who was murdered by a 16-year-old "Allahu Akbar" screaming high school student[25][26] in retaliation to the cartoons.[27] The priest was shot from behind, while he remained knelt in prayer at church. The cartoonist's life was also threatened, and three men were arrested for plotting his murder.[28] By the end of February 2006 more than 40 people had died[1] as a result of the angry reaction from Muslims, and its continued republication has resulted in more than 200 deaths and hundreds of injuries.[2] In October 2009, FBI agents arrested two Chicago men, David Headley (aka Daood Gilani) and Tahawwur Hussain Rana, for plotting to kill employees of the Danish newspaper Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten.[29] On January 2, 2010 a Muslim Somali knife-wielding man with ties to al Qaeda used an axe to break into the home of cartoonist Kurt Westergaard. Westergaard fled to a panic room and hid there until police arrived within minutes and shot the suspect, wounding him in the right leg and left hand. Danish intelligence officials said the suspect is connected to al-Shabaab, al Qaeda's ally in east Africa.[30][31] On January 15, 2010 a dozen Pakistani Muslim extremists in Lahore burned a Norwegian flag and chanted slogans after a Norwegian newspaper reprinted the famous Danish Mohammed cartoons and a Norwegian Member of Parliament changed his Facebook profile picture to the caricature of Mohammed with a bomb in his turban.[32] After the devastating earthquake that shook Haiti in January 2010, TV2’s morning lifestyle programme Go’morgen Danmark organized a fundraiser to help the victims of the natural disaster. They asked well known politicians and personalities to donate personal items for the charity fundraiser auction, but when cartoonist Kurt Westergaard was asked to submit a new drawing for the auction, the auctioneers refused to accept it for fear of instigating terror threats.[33]
- For further details please see: The Danish Cartoons: Noting Episodes of Violence
[edit] Nigeria and the Miss World Pageant
In November of 2002, thousands rioted in the city of Kaduna. Many Christians were beaten and killed (total deaths numbered over 200), cars and houses were torched, and more than twenty Christian churches were burnt down. The reason for such violence? It was due to a newspaper article commenting on the Islamic opposition to the Miss World pageant which was to be held there but was eventually moved to London. The following comment was not only regarded as insulting by Muslims, but blasphemous and deserving death. It also earned Isioma Daniel (the journalist who wrote the article) a fatwa calling for her beheading:
The Zamfara state Deputy Governor Mamuda Aliyu Dallatun Shinkafi stated "Like Salman Rushdie, the blood of the ThisDay writer can be shed."[35] The ThisDay newspaper immediately and repeatedly apologized in print for the offence caused, and this was accepted by Nigeria's Muslim leaders who called for calm among the Muslim rioters yet failed to condemn their violence towards non-Muslims. The ThisDay office was burnt down and Isioma Daniel arrested by the State Security Service.
- For further details please see Dennis Prager's article: Understand Nigeria and you understand the Islamic threat
- For photographs please see the BBC's article: In pictures: Nigeria's Miss World riots
[edit] Two Pastors in Australia Battle for the Right to Criticize Islam
In 2004 two pastors in Australia, Daniel Scot and Danny Nalliah, were villified for speaking out against Islam and its teachings at a Christian conference. Found guilty in the first case, the pastors appealed all the way to the Supreme Court of Victoria where they eventually won their case after spending tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees.
- Islamic Council of Victoria v Catch the Fire Ministries Inc (Final) 2004 VCAT 2510 (22 December 2004)
- Catch the Fire Ministries Inc & Ors v Islamic Council of Victoria Inc 2006 VSCA 284 (14 December 2006)
[edit] The Murder of Theo van Gogh
Theo van Gogh was an outspoken Dutch film director and columnist. He was murdered on November 2, 2004 in retaliation for his short-film Submission which was deemed blasphemous due to its depiction of women with Qur'anic verses written on their flesh. He was shot eight times, stabbed with two knives and nearly decapitated in the street. A Muslim cleric Imam Fawaz gave a sermon several weeks before the murder (in reaction to watching the short-film) in which he called Theo Van Gogh a 'criminal bastard' and called on Allah to visit an incurable disease upon him.[36]
The killer, Mohammed Bouyeri, left a letter on Van Gogh's body in which he also threatened Western governments, Jews and Ayaan Hirsi Ali- the writer of the film who also received several death threats and was given 24 hour protection by government bodyguards.[37]
- For further details please see: Theo van Gogh
[edit] You Can't Call Muhammad a 'Pedophile' in Finland
Jussi Halla-aho, prominent Finnish writer and elected member of Helsinki City Council, was indicted for incitement against a national group and the disturbance of religious worship[38] for posting an essay addressed to Mika Illman, the Finnish state prosecuting attorney, in response to the Finnish state's prosecution of Seppo Lehto (a well-known racist) in 2008 for posting a blog featuring a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad having sex with a pig.[39]. In the essay, Halla-aho stated emphatically: Prophet Muhammad was a pedophile and Islam revers pedophilia as a religion. Islam is a religion of pedophilia. Pedophilia is Allah’s will.
- Interview with Jussi Halla-aho on Homma TV - Tundra Tabloids - EuropeNews, September 17, 2009
[edit] Geert Wilders and Fitna
Great Britain's Home Office denied entry to Dutch MP Geert Wilders when he attempted to enter England on invitation from the UK Independence Party's Lord Pearson to show his controversial film Fitna at the House of Lords.[42] The movie raised ire among Muslims around the world. Jordan charged Wilders with blasphemy and contempt of Muslims for making an anti-Koran film and ordered him to stand trial in the kingdom.[43] In 2009, the Dutch court ordered prosecutors to put Wilders on trial for making anti-Islamic statements.[44] In response to the indictments, Wilders said he wants to put Islam on trial and that he is “considering calling on radical imams and other idiots as witnesses.”[45] His trial was set for January 2010.[46] On October 13, 2009 Geert Wilders won his appeal to Britain's Asylum and Immigration Tribunal against the British government ban.[47] On November 24, 2009 the Turkish Foreign Ministry said that a planned visit to Turkey by Dutch members of parliament would not be welcome if the delegation included Geert Wilders.[48] Wilders' called the Turkish Foreign Ministry's reaction "very stupid."[49]
[edit] The Pope and the Ummah
On September 12, 2006 the Pope gave a speech now known as the Regensburg lecture at Germany's University of Regensburg. The speech brought a swift response from Muslims around the globe who were angry at his 'offensive' words and demanded an apology from him.[50] In Gaza, Palestinians took to the streets in protest, setting ablaze seven churches over the weekend following the lecture,[51] and in Somalia, a 65 year-old Italian nun was shot dead in what was most likely a revenge attack.[52] The 'offensive' passage in context is as follows:
Since his speech had been intended to bridge divides between people of different religions, it is likely he was not quite prepared for such a vehement response from the followers of the 'religion of peace.'
The Malaysian Prime Minister expected the Pope to take full responsibility for any violence that might have been incited by his speech:
Rational thinkers can easily see the hypocrisy in this. If Islam truly is a religion of peace and tolerance, then insults against it would not inspire violent retaliation. However, what this leader was implying is that violence incited by negative remarks about Islam are justified and the speaker is completely responsible for any violence committed by angry Muslims.
And here we see the blatant denial of facts regarding Islamic expansion:
And then the absolute insanity of this statement cannot be denied:
Why is it that extremism of the 'religion of peace' leads to hate?
The Pope attempted to appease the Islamic community by apologizing to Muslims for his 'offensive' speech:[59]
Indeed it was he who, before the religious fervour of Muslim believers, warned secularised Western culture to guard against "the contempt for God and the cynicism that considers mockery of the sacred to be an exercise of freedom".
In reiterating his respect and esteem for those who profess Islam, he hopes they will be helped to understand the correct meaning of his words so that, quickly surmounting this present uneasy moment, witness to the "Creator of heaven and earth, Who has spoken to men" may be reinforced, and collaboration may intensify "to promote together for the benefit of all mankind social justice and moral welfare, as well as peace and freedom' (Nostra Aetate no. 3).[60]When the Pope visited Turkey two months later, more than 25,000 Turks protested in the streets displaying posters such as "Jesus is not the Son of God. He is a Prophet of Islam" and "The true religion in the sight of Allah is Islam."[61][62]
His visit was marked by increased security due to threats against his life. Naval units were to patrol the Bosphorus armed with machine guns after warnings to police and security services that the life of Benedict XVI might be threatened by Islamic extremists.[63]
Whatever appeasement the papacy had attempted with the 2006 apology, it appears that the Pope may have "seen the light" regarding the real threat of Islam to the West when, in 2007, his aide blatantly warned about the influence of Islam. He defended the Pope's 2006 speech and said that the pontiff had been attempting to "act against a certain naivety".[64]
Two years later the Pope visited Jordan and raised Muslim ire again when he did not apologize once more for the speech he had made in 2006.[66] Perhaps groveling and 'reverting' to Islam would have calmed the Ummah's 'righteous indignation'.
[edit] The Satanic Verses Controversy
Sir Ahmed Salman Rushdie caused a storm in 1988, with the release of his fourth novel The Satanic Verses. Muslims were offended even by its title, thinking it implied that the Qur'an was "the work of the Devil."[67] It was subsequently banned in India, Bangladesh, Sudan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Thailand, Tanzania, Indonesia, Singapore, and Venezuela following the angry and violent reaction from Muslims.[68] In America, numerous bookstores received threats, and two bookstores were bombed for stocking the novel. In addition, the Riverdale Press newspaper office was bombed in retaliation for criticising the many stores which decided to pull the novel from their shelves.[69] In the UK, there were six separate bombings at various bookstores in London and York, and an additional three stores around the UK discovered unexploded devices on their premises. This unexpected level of violence resulted in almost no-one daring to sell the novel openly in the UK.[70] In 1989 Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwa ordering Muslims to kill Rushdie, and Ayatollah Hassan Saneii in 2003 offered a bounty of $3 million[71] to whomever accomplishes the task. In 2003, the Revolutionary Guards of Iran renewed the fatwa.[72] The Japanese translator of his novel was stabbed to death, the Italian translator seriously wounded, the Norwegian publisher seriously injured in a shooting, and thirty-seven people were also burnt to death by a mob of 2,000 Muslims in a Turkish hotel for their refusal to hand over the Turkish translator of the novel.[73]
Fresh protests were sparked around the world following Salman Rushdie's knighthood in 2007. The Pakistani Ulema Council, a body claiming to be the biggest of its kind in Pakistan with 2000 scholars, announced that they had awarded Osama bin Laden with the title Saifullah (Sword of Allah), their highest honour, in response to the knighthood, calling Bin Laden a “ Muslim warrior “.[74] Effigies of the writer were publicly burnt in Pakistan and Malaysia,[75] and further bounties were offered from Iran and Pakistan.[76][77] Some have linked the knighthood to the 2007 attempted car bombings in London.[78][79]
[edit] Hurting the Sentiments of Muslims is a Crime in India
During a summer of 2009 interview with Time 'N Style Luxury magazine, the Muslim Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan reportedly made this statement when asked his opinion about the most impressive figure in history:[80]
In India a complaint was registered against Khan and the publisher of Time 'N Style:[81]
Mufti Mohammed Shoeb Raza Qadri and Mufti Muti-ur-Rehman of the Darul-uloom-Mazhar-e- Islam stated that the entire Muslim community was hurt by Khan's statements and they issued a fatwa. Mufti Mohammad called Shahrukh a Kafir (non-believer) and such person should be thrown out of Islam. He also said that in an Islamic state such remarks would have called for a death penalty against the accused. He declared that Shahrukh's marriage with Gauri was nullified and Shahrukh must not be allowed to be buried in any Muslim graveyard.[82]
Shah Rukh responded to the accusations in an SMS message to IANS:[83]
Time 'N Style clarified the interview and corrected the quote:[84]
There are lots of them, some negative ones like Hitler. On the other hand there are nice ones like Napoleon, Winston Churchill and if I can call it history, then Prophet Mohammed and from recent times - Nelson Mandela. And also Gandhiji and Mother Teresa who are equally impressive.
Bareilly-based Markazi Darul Ifta, an authority for issuing fatwas, dismissed the fatwas issued by clerics. They stated that since Shahrukh has issued clarification that he was misrepresented in his alleged statements he should not be held guilty.[85]
[edit] The Muhammad Teddy Bear Blasphemy Case
November 2007 in Sudan, following complaints from parents and colleagues, fifty-four year-old British schoolteacher Gillian Gibbons was arrested on charges of blasphemy. Her crime was allowing her class of 7-year-old primary school pupils, at Unity High School in Khartoumto, to name a teddy bear 'Muhammad.' She was officially charged with "insulting religion, inciting hatred and showing contempt for religious beliefs."[86][87] Ironically on the 30th of November, as Gibbons appealed for non-Muslim tolerance towards Muslims, ten thousand[88][89] Muslim protesters took to the streets, many waving swords, machetes, and clubs, demanding Gibbons's execution after imams across the city denounced her actions during Jumu'ah (Friday prayers), some even calling for violence.[90][91][92] During the march, protester chanted "Shame, shame on the UK", "No tolerance: execution", "Kill her, kill her by firing squad"[90] Western journalists were harrassed, and newspapers bearing her photographs were burnt.[93] Hundreds of riot police were deployed, but they did not attempt to stop the protest.[89] Due to fears for her safety, she was then moved to a secret location.[94] The Sudanese Assembly of the Ulemas, which is made up of some of Sudan's top clerics, called for a harsh punishment, "What has happened was not haphazard or carried out of ignorance, but rather a calculated action and another ring in the circles of plotting against Islam,"[95] Thankfully, following the outrage in the UK, she was spared flogging or a long sentence. Instead, the fifty-four year-old was sentenced to 15 days' imprisonment, after which she was deported.[96]
[edit] Malaysian Christians can't use the word "Allah" in worship
In 2007, Malaysia's internal security ministry ruled the term Allah -- long used by Christians in Malaysia to refer to God -- could no longer be used by non-Muslims.[97] When the Herald, the Catholic Church's weekly newsletter, used the word "Allah" it was warned that it was at risk of losing its publication permit.[98]
In early 2009, the Malaysian government issued a new decree restoring a ban on Christian publications using the word "Allah" to refer to God. Home Affairs Minister Syed Hamid Albar said a previous Feb. 16 decree that allowed Christian publications to use the word as long as they specified the material was not for Muslims was a mistake.[99]
In November 2009, the Malaysian government seized 10,000 Bibles because they contained the word Allah to refer to God. The government claimed that the word Allah is Islamic and that its use in Bibles could upset Muslims.[100]
The Roman Catholic Church challenged the ban in court, and in late December 2009 the High Court said it was the constitutional right for the Catholic newspaper, the Herald, to use the word "Allah."[101] The public outcry was intense. On Friday, January 8, three churches in Malaysia were attacked: one was gutted and the other two firebombed. Muslims held rallies after the attacks to protest against Christians using the word "Allah" for God.[102] The next day, a fourth church was damaged when unidentified attackers flung a home-made petrol bomb,[103] and on Sunday three more churches were firebombed and another splashed with black paint.[104][105] On Monday, January 11, a ninth church was vandalized when someone set fire to its door.[106] On Thursday, January 14, intruders ransacked the offices of the legal team that's defending a Malaysian Roman Catholic newspaper's right to use the word Allah in its Malay-language pages.[107] The Grace Global Prayer church in Rasah, Seremban, became the tenth attacked after its windows were found broken on Friday, January 15.[108] On January 20, Malaysian police announced that they had arrested 8 suspects in connection to the January 7 attack on Kuala Lumpur's Metro Tabernacle Church, which had its office gutted by fire. It was the first and most serious of all the attacks on churches.[109]
According to a PTI report for ZeeNews.com:
If a formal complaint is lodged, the violator could be charged in a court under Selangor Shariah Criminal Offences Enactment 1995 and can be fined upto RM3,000 (about 35,000 rupees) or face two years' in jail or both.
The list of terms not to be used by non-Muslims include Allah, Firman Allah (Allah's decree), solat (daily prayers), Rasul (prophet), mubaligh (missionary), mufti, iman (faith), Kaabah (the Holy cubicle), Qiblat (direction in which the Muslims pray), and Haji (Muslims who have done his pilgrimage), Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) director Mohammed Khusrin Munawi said.
"These are listed under the Control and Restriction of the Propagation of Non-Islamic Religious Enactment. They cannot be used to promote religions other than Islam," he noted.
The religious diktat comes amid attacks on nine churches and a Gurdwara in Malaysia following a court verdict to allow a Catholic magazine 'Herald' to use the word "Allah" when referring to God.[110]In a further attempt to justify the ban, Islamic experts at a conference held by the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (IKIM) on January 21, 2010 in Kuala Lumpur declared that the translation of Allah as God was factually wrong because it contradicted the concept of God as espoused by Islam in Malaysia.[111] According to IKIM chairman Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the forum succeeded in achieving its objectives, which was to identify the causes and clarify the background of the problem on the translation from the perspective of religion, language social aspects and law. He stated,
Abdullah added that the stand of the experts would be brought to the attention of the government and that another forum on managing crises between religions would also be organised by IKIM on Jan 25. This forum would involve leaders of the Malaysian Consultative Council on Buddhsim, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) and was aimed at seeking solutions to misunderstandings to preserve the multi-racial harmony in the country. Abdullah said IKIM hoped the followers of all religions respected the boundaries of their own religions so that unwanted incidents like what happened recently would not recur. He stated,
[edit] News & External Links
The Latest:
- Christian teacher 'forced out' after complaining Muslim pupils praised 9/11 hijackers 'as heroes' - Lucy Ballinger - Daily Mail, February 9, 2010
[edit] Afghanistan
- Afghan officials: 6 killed in Quran protest - Amir Shah, Associated Press - Yahoo! News, January 12, 2010
- Afghans accuse US troops of burning Quran - Al Arabiya News Channel, October 25, 2009
[edit] Germany
- German publisher cancels book seen insulting Islam - Sarah Marsh - Reuters, October 6, 2009
- Berlin gallery shuts after Muslim threats - Madeline Chambers - Reuters, February 28, 2008
[edit] India
- Islam Can be Criticised, But Not Maliciously: HC - Outlookindia.com, January 6, 2010
[edit] Malaysia
- Stay Away From Book On Muslim Women, Muslims Advised - Bernama.com - Malaysian National News Agency, January 26, 2010
- Malaysian Court Ends Ban on Book - Liz Gooch - The New York Times, January 25, 2010
[edit] Netherlands
- Dutch anti-Islam lawmaker faces hate speech trial - Associated Press - Yahoo!News, January 20, 2010
- Free Speech Versus Islam - Alex Rossi - Sky News blog, January 20, 2010
- Islam and freedom of speech - Geert Wilders - The Boston Globe, March 8, 2009
- Islam and Free Speech - Peter Hoekstra - The Wall Street Journal, March 26, 2008
[edit] Pakistan
- Muslims torch Christians for 'blasphemy' of Quran - Chelsea Schilling - WorldNetDaily, August 3, 2009
[edit] Singapore
- McDonald's pulls pig toy - The Malaysian Insider, January 13, 2010
[edit] Sweden
- Sweden's Free-Speech Charade - Benjamin Birnbaum - CBS News, September 18, 2009
[edit] United Kingdom
- Stormtrooper satirists take on the jihadists - Chris Hastings - The Sunday Times Online, January 17, 2010
- Newest attack on Christianity: Just shut up! - Bob Unruh - WorldNetDaily, January 16, 2010
- Christian hoteliers charged with insulting Muslim guest - Jonathan Wynne-Jones - Telegraph, September 19, 2009
- Hotelier Ben Vogelenzang cleared of insulting Muslim guest - Russell Jenkins - The Times Online, December 9, 2009
- Christian hoteliers received violent threats over Muslim guest 'insult' - Jonathan Wynne-Jones - The Telegraph, December 12, 2009
- Religious Hate Law Aimed At Protecting Muslims Passes UK Vote - Patrick Goodenough - Cybercast News Service, July 12, 2005
[edit] United States
- Lancaster Mayor Under Fire For Christian Remarks - KTLA News, February 1, 2010
- Muslim Advocates Protest Lancaster Councilwoman's Facebook Post - KTLA News, January 29, 2010
- Victory for Free Speech in Texas - Robert Spencer - FrontPageMagazine.com, January 18, 2010
- 'Jihad' jitters at Met - Isabel Vincent - New York Post, January 10, 2010
- Google Blocking Negative Search Recommendations On Islam – Why? - Alex Wilhelm - The Next Web blog, January 5, 2010
- Google Islam search "bug" continues, Day 10 - Robert Spencer - Jihad Watch, January 16, 2010
- CAIR's One-way Attack on Free Speech - Christopher Logan - Loganswarning.com, December 26, 2009
- Free Speech Silenced at Columbia and Princeton - Pamela Geller - HumanEvents.com, November 25, 2009
- Roland Emmerich Spares the Kaaba in '2012' (saying he doesn't want a fatwa on his head over a movie) - Associated Content, November 4, 2009
- Yale chose Shariah over U.S. Constitution - Diana West - The Washington Examiner, October 11, 2009
- St. Louis U. cancels speech by activist David Horowitz - Kavita Kumar - St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 3, 2009
- All Campus Free Speech Is Acceptable - Except About Islam - Richard L. Cravatts - American Thinker, October 9, 2009
- Calif. College Shows Islamic Bias in Treatment of Speaker - Steve Emerson - Newsmax, September 22, 2009
- Filthy lucre is behind Yale cartoon censorship - Diana West - The Washington Examiner, August 23, 2009
- Maine Fines Group for ‘Inflammatory Anti-Muslim Message’ - Patrick Poole - Pajamas Media, June 25, 2009
[edit] International
- A Facebook Controversy - DL Adams - SIOE: Stop Islamisation of Europe, February 7, 2010
- Islamic Nations Seek Legally Binding Way to Counter Religious ‘Defamation’ - Patrick Goodenough - CNS News - November 16, 2009
- UN rights body approves US-Egypt free speech text - Frank Jordans, Associated Press - The Miami Herald, October 2, 2009
- One-Way Free Speech - Janet Levy - American Thinker, July 20, 2009
- No Free Speech for Them - Robert Spencer - Human Events, May 14, 2009
- Push to criminalise criticism of Islam - Christopher Hitchens - The Australian, March 9, 2009
- Ingrid Mattson vs. Freedom of Speech - Robert Spencer - IPT News, July 11, 2008
- Religious Constitution Invites Blasphemy Death Sentence - The Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights, February 21, 2008
- Islam vs. Free Speech - Jed Babbin - HumanEvents.com, December 28, 2007
- Censorship and Persecution in the Name of Islam: A Tunisian Weekly Counts the Ways - MEMRI: Special Dispatch - No. 1392, December 13, 2006
- Hirsi Ali: 'Everyone Is Afraid to Criticize Islam' - Hirsi Ali Interview with Der Speigel - Jihad Watch, February 6, 2006
[edit] General Info
- Blasphemy in Islam and Its Implications - Arslan Shaukat - Islam Watch, September 22, 2009
- Muhammad's critics and their deaths - Why the West must protect freedom of speech - James M. Arlandson
- The Peace FAQ: Blasphemy
- First Amendment freedoms include the right to criticize Islam and Muhammad - Petition
- Murder, Mayhem & Self-Censorship - pdf - A timeline of reactions to images and descriptions of Muhammad
[edit] See Also
- Statistics - Cartoon Violence
- Islam and Apostasy
- Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Muhammad the Mass Murderer
- Assassination and Murder
[edit] References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 JOURNALISM FOR INTEGRATION - THE MUHAMMAD CARTOONS - Encyclopedia Britannica
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Yale Removes Cartoons of Prophet Muhammad From Forthcoming Book, Citing Fears of Violence - Fox News, September 08, 2009
- ↑ Man on death row gets jail term for TV criticism – Reuters, September 3, 2009
- ↑ Saudi Arabia: Pardon Isma'ili Sentenced to Death – Letter to King Abdullah bin ‘Abd al-‘Aziz al-Sa’ud , Human Rights Watch, October 9, 2006
- ↑ Saudi Arabia: Stop Trials for 'Insulting' Islam – Human Rights Watch – UNHCR, May 13, 2008
- ↑ Saudi Arabia: Death penalty/ unfair trial, Sabri Bogday - Amnesty International, April 23, 2008
- ↑ Freed Turkish barber reaches home - Ghazanfar Ali Khan - Arab News, January 28, 2009
- ↑ Saudia Arabia: Teachers Silenced on Blasphemy Charges - Human Rights Watch, November 16, 2005
- ↑ Saudia Arabia: Teachers Silenced on Blasphemy Charges - Human Rights Watch, November 16, 2005
- ↑ Iran executes two opposition supporters - Ian Black - Guardian.co.uk, January 28, 2010
- ↑ The Call for Islamic Protestantism: Dr. Hashem Aghajari's Speech and Subsequent Death Sentence - Ayelet Savyon - MEMRI: Special Dispatch - No. 445, December 2, 2002
- ↑ Iranian Scholars Protest - The New York Times, November 17, 2002
- ↑ World Briefing | Middle East: Iran: Scholar's Death Sentence Appealed - Nazila Fathi - The New York Times, December 3, 2002
- ↑ Iran Frees Professor Set to Die for Speech - The New York Times, August 1, 2004
- ↑ Pakistani Christian Sentenced to Life under ‘Blasphemy’ Law - Compass Direct News, January 22, 2010
- ↑ Pakistan: Human rights activist jailed on blasphemy charge for objecting to the destruction of a church - "Save My Father Hector Aleem" by Mehwish Aleem - Posted by Robert Spencer, Jihad Watch, February 8, 2010
- ↑ Court gives life term to blasphemy author - AFP - Gulf Times, August 13, 2005
- ↑ Man Sentenced to Die in Blasphemy Case - Los Angeles Times, July 19, 2002
- ↑ Mentally challenged woman accused of blasphemy: ‘Woman not presented in court for 13 years’ - Daily Times, September 17, 2009
- ↑ Afghan senate backs death penalty - BBC News, January 30, 2008
- ↑ Afghan senate's blasphemy retreat - Charles Haviland - BBC News, January 31, 2008
- ↑ Afghanistan: 20-Year Sentence for Journalist Upheld - Human Rights Watch, March 10, 2009
- ↑ Free at last: Student in hiding after Karzai's intervention - Kim Sengupta - The Independent, September 7, 2009
- ↑ Afghan parliament calls for punishment of "blasphemy" reporter - Reuters - World Bulletin, September 14, 2009
- ↑ Gerger, Adnan (2007-02-23). "Kayıp silahlar Türkiye’de kullanıldı" (in Turkish). NTV-MSNBC
- ↑ Reuters: Turkish court upholds sentence for priest's killer, October 4, 2007
- ↑ "Murder of priest 'religious revenge'". Independent Online. 2006-02-08
- ↑ Three arrested for plot to kill Mohamed Cartoonist - The Independent
- ↑ Two Chicago men charged in terror scheme - Natasha Korecki - Naperville Sun, October 28, 2009
- ↑ Somali shot after allegedly attempting to attack Danish cartoonist - CNN, January 2, 2010
- ↑ Danish cartoonist hid in 'panic room' during attack - CNN, January 2, 2010
- ↑ Muslim extremists flip out over Facebook photo - Jim Robbins, Water Cooler: A Global Blog - The Washington Times, January 15, 2010
- ↑ Charity cartoon rejected over terror fears - KR News - The Copenhagen Post, January 19, 2010
- ↑ Guest Column: Ingrid Mattson vs. Freedom of Speech - Robert Spencer - IPT News, July 11, 2008
- ↑ Annie Brisibe - "Fatwa" and Isioma Daniel a Nigerian "fatwa" nigeriaworld.com
- ↑ Barry Thorne and Claire Cavanagh - Did imam's sermon incite Van Gogh murder? radionetherlands.nl, October 31, 2006
- ↑ Marlise Simons - Amsterdam Journal; A Graphic Film of Protest, and Cries of Blasphemy nytimes.com, September 27, 2004
- ↑ The Trial of Jussi Halla-aho - James Cohen - The International Free Press Society, August 27, 2009
- ↑ Finnish blogger sentenced for two years - Vasarahammer
- ↑ Iran Warns Netherlands Not to Air Controversial 'Anti-Muslim' Film - Fox News, January 21, 2008
- ↑ Taliban threatens attacks because of Wilders film - Expatica, February 28, 2008
- ↑ Dutch MP refused entry to Britain - BBC News, February 12, 2009
- ↑ Jordan charges Dutch politician with blasphemy - Reuters, July 1, 2008
- ↑ Islam film Dutch MP to be charged - BBC News, January 21, 2009
- ↑ Geert Wilders May Ask 'Muslim Idiots' to Testify in Hate Trial - Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu - Israel National News, September 14, 2009
- ↑ Wilders' discrimination case in January - DutchNews.nl, September 14, 2009
- ↑ Dutch anti-Islam MP overturns British ban - Reuters, October 13, 2009
- ↑ Turkey Frets about Geert Wilders' Planned Visit - Bram Vermeulen - Spiegel Online International, November 26, 2009
- ↑ Far-right politician slams Turkey's reaction as 'stupid' - Fulya Ozerkan - Hurriyet Daily News, November 26, 2009
- ↑ Pope's speech stirs Muslim anger - BBC, September 14, 2006
- ↑ Churches attacked in protest of Pope’s statements - Israel Today, September 17, 2006
- ↑ Italian nun shot dead in Somalia - BBC News, September 18, 2006
- ↑ Full text of Benedict XVI's speech in Germany - MSNBC, September 15, 2006
- ↑ Muslims condemn Pope for insulting Prophet - Damien McElroy - The Telegraph, September 16, 2006
- ↑ Somali cleric calls for pope's death - The Age, September 17, 2006
- ↑ In quotes: Muslim reaction to Pope - BBC News, September 16, 2006
- ↑ In quotes: Muslim reaction to Pope - BBC News, September 16, 2006
- ↑ Turkish hosts scold conciliatory Pope - Malcolm Moore - The Telegraph, November 28, 2006.
- ↑ Pope 'sorry' for offence to Islam - BBC News, September 16, 2006
- ↑ Pope reacts to row: Full text - BBC News, September 16, 2006
- ↑ 20,000 Turks protest over visit by Pope - Malcolm Moore - The Telegraph, November 27, 2006
- ↑ Muslim Cleric Warns Pope Of 'Islamophobia'; Benedict XVI Urges Leaders Of All Religions To Condemn Violence - CBS News, November 28, 2006
- ↑ Pope death threats put Turkey on high alert - Malcolm Moore - The Telegraph, November 26, 2006
- ↑ Pope's aide warns of 'threat by Islam' - The Telegraph, July 27, 2007
- ↑ Pope's aide warns of 'threat by Islam' - The Telegraph, July 27, 2007
- ↑ Pope Benedict XVI under fire from Muslims for not doing enough to heal rift with Islam - Richard Spencer - The Telegraph, May 10, 2009
- ↑ John D. Erickson. (1998). Islam and Postcolonial Narrative. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
- ↑ Ian Richard Netton. (1996). Text and Trauma: An East-West Primer. Richmond, UK: Routledge Curzon.
- ↑ Riverdale Press To Be Honored - New York Times - Tuesday, May 9, 1989
- ↑ Pipes, (1990) p.169-171
- ↑ Hamilton, James (2003-02-16). "Revived fatwa puts $3m bounty on Rushdie" (in English). Sunday Herald.
- ↑ Iran 'renews' Rushdie death sentence - BBC News, February 15, 2003
- ↑ Dr. Koenraad Elst - Afterword: The Rushdie Affair's Legacy
- ↑ Muslim Scholars Give Osama bin Laden “Title” - sweetness & light
- ↑ "Day of Pakistan Rushdie protests". BBC. 22 June 2007.
- ↑ Tom Hundley (20 June 2007). "Rushdie, Britain stir Muslim world's fury". Chicago Tribune.
- ↑ "Pak traders offer Rs 10 mn reward for Rushdie's head". Times of India. 22 June 2007.
- ↑ Doug Saunders (30 June 2007). "Luck averts car-bomb carnage in London". Saturday's Globe and Mail.
- ↑ "London bomb warning on internet website". Malaysia Sun. 29 June 2007.
- ↑ Did Shahrukh Khan Compare the Prophet Mohammad to Hitler? - Desi Hits!, June 18, 2009
- ↑ Shah Rukh Khan accused of insult to Islam – Gulf News, June 21, 2009
- ↑ Shahrukh Khan gets a 'fatwa' - Subhadeep Bhattacharjee – One India, June 23, 2009
- ↑ Shah Rukh Khan Reacts: Comments on Prophet Mohammad a Writing Error – Omer Jamil – Haqeeqat.org, June 22, 2009
- ↑ Interview with Shah Rukh Khan - Time 'N Style Luxury, Issue June-July 2009
- ↑ Shahrukh Khan gets a 'fatwa' - Subhadeep Bhattacharjee – One India, June 23, 2009
- ↑ Teacher charged over teddy row - BBC News, November 28, 2007
- ↑ British Teacher Charged in Teddy Bear Flap - Nick McMaster - Newser, November 28, 2007
- ↑ Teddy teacher: Lawyer expects her to be pardoned after visit from British Muslim peers - Mail Online, December 01, 2007
- ↑ 89.0 89.1 Jailed teddy row teacher appeals for tolerance - Allegra Stratton - Guardian, November 30, 2007
- ↑ 90.0 90.1 Calls in Sudan for Execution of British Teacher - The New York Times, November 30, 2007
- ↑ Calls in Sudan for execution of Briton - Mohamed Osman - Associated Press, November 30, 2007
- ↑ Khartoum demo calls for teacher to be shot - Charles Onians - Agence France Press, 30 November 2007
- ↑ Armed Mob Wants British Teacher Dead - Sam Gale Rosen - Newser, November 30, 2007
- ↑ UK peers in bid to free teacher - BBC News, December 1, 2007
- ↑ Teacher charged over teddy row - BBC News, November 28, 2007
- ↑ UK teacher jailed over teddy row - BBC News, November 29, 2007
- ↑ Malaysia faces Christian outcry over word "Allah" - Jalil Hamid & David Fogarty - Reuters UK, December 28, 2007
- ↑ Christians banned from saying 'Allah' - WorldNetDaily, December 28, 2007
- ↑ Malaysia Restores 'Allah' Ban for Christians - Associated Press - Fox News, March 2, 2009
- ↑ Malaysia withholds 'Allah Bibles' - Robert Pigott - BBC News, November 4, 2009
- ↑ Malaysian court rules Catholic paper can use "Allah" - Royce Cheah - Reuters, December 31, 2009
- ↑ Malaysian Muslims rally after church attacks - Razak Ahmad and Julie Goh - Reuters, January 8, 2010
- ↑ Fourth church attacked in Malaysia as Allah row deepens - Niluksi Koswanage - Reuters, January 9, 2010
- ↑ 2 more churches in Malaysia firebombed in 'Allah' row - CNN, January 10, 2010
- ↑ Church attacks in Malaysia deepen racial tension - Eileen Ng, Associated Press - Yahoo! News, January 10, 2010
- ↑ Ninth Church Vandalized in Malaysia as Tensions Rise - Seth Mydans - The New York Times, January 11, 2010
- ↑ Malaysian Catholics' Lawyers Offices Ransacked - James Hookway - Wall Street Journal, January 15, 2010
- ↑ Tenth church hit, attack in Seremban - Syed Jaymal Zahiid - The Malaysian Insider, January 16, 2010
- ↑ Malaysia Police Arrest 8 in Attack on Church - Associated Press - Fox News, January 20, 2010
- ↑ Non-Muslims not to use 35 Islamic terms: Diktat - PTI - ZeeNews.com, January 15, 2010
- ↑ Allah Not An Accurate Translation For God - Bernama.com (Malaysian News Agency), January 23, 2010
