M. BASHEER AHMED, M.D.
The Seminar was moderated by Rifat Malik, editor-in-chief of American Muslims Today. The presenters were Dr. Basheer Ahmed & Dr. Zulfiqar Ali-Shah, Executive Director of Fiqh Council of the United States
Historic Event Hears Quranic Evidence Condemning Modern Blasphemy Laws Used in Muslim-Majority Countries
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AMT moderates blasphemy Laws panel at the 2024 Islamic Society of North America(ISNA) convention
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Sep 12, 2024 03:25 PM CDT
In response to the growing incidents of attacks on religious minorities in Muslim-majority countries, community leaders and scholars, Dr. Basheer Ahmed and Dr. Zulfiqar Ali-Shah presented at a recent ISNA convention session entitled “Do Blasphemy Laws Violate Quranic Teachings?”
Also known as Apostasy laws, they are a rare topic of discussion in diaspora communities, due to the sensitivity surrounding criticism of ancestral homelands.
One of the event organizers, Dallas peace activist, Hadi Jawad, who is part of a newly launched organization called American Muslims for Human Rights (AMHR) said in his introduction to the session this needs to change.
“We have many privileges and rights that are not available to our brethren back in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran or other countries,” said Jawad. “With that privilege comes a few responsibilities as American citizens … because we can bring this subject up. We are protected in this nation.”
Blasphemy laws in approximately 13 Muslim-majority countries involve penalties for actions or speech considered disrespectful or insulting to Islam, its prophets or religious symbols. These laws are often thought to be rooted in religious doctrine, particularly Islamic Sharia law, however, Ahmed and Ali-Shah argue that blasphemy laws are not based on instructions given in the Quran and Hadiths.
DFW-based Ahmed, who has founded multiple non-profits, including the Institute of Medieval and Post Medieval Studies, Institute of Quranic Knowledge and Interfaith Religious Acceptance is also one of the founders of AMHR.
In his presentation, Dr. Ahmed highlighted Quranic verses that contradict the practice of modern blasphemy laws, “The ignorance and abuse of the blasphemy laws in Muslim countries result in injustice against Muslims, minority sects and people of other faiths.”
Ahmed described the fallout of Salman Rushdie’s “The Satanic Verses” in 1989 after the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, called for the death of Rushdie and his publishers.
Although Rushdie survived multiple assassination attacks, some book translators were killed. He argued the “fatwa” and resulting furore meant that a book with questionable content which would have had little exposure became an international bestseller and resulted in hate on Muslims due to the burning of books and effigies.
Ahmed stresses that when these incidents happen, they should be condemned by the greater Muslim population, as the Quran does not instruct them to take any action against those who commit blasphemy or apostasy.
Dr. Ali-Shah elaborated on Ahmed’s points while pointing to early Islam when the teachings gave religious freedom to other faiths, in comparison to Europe’s Dark Ages when Christianity threatened religious persecution for alternate beliefs.
“In the history of humanity, before Islam, nobody had given the freedom of religion to anybody,” said Ali-Shah. “It was Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in the city of Madina, who had what we call the constitution of Madina, in which he allowed the Jews and Christians to be members of Islamic State Madina.”
Ali-Shah, who is the executive director and Secretary General of the Fiqh Council of North America and a former president of the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) said God did not make everyone Muslim, therefore, “diversity is part of divine plans.” He further explains that Islam teaches that there should be no compulsion in religion, meaning no one can be forced to believe one way or another.
AMT editor-in-chief, Rifat Malik, moderated the event which was attended by hundreds of convention attendees.
After both presenters finished, the audience engaged in a question-and-answer session, leading to a spirited debate about what should be done politically to prohibit blasphemy laws with a strong focus on South Asian countries like Pakistan, where numerous attacks on religious minorities have made international headlines.
Organizers said they hoped to build on the success of the event and planned to raise this issue through AMHR across the US, to build momentum for a cause that should concern all Muslims, at home or abroad.
