Pakistan: All students -- Muslim and non-Muslim -- required to study Islam

Pakistan is, of course, an Islamic Republic, but why is it that "there is no compulsion in religion" (2:256) seems only to be invoked by Islamic apologists in the West, and never where it could actually do some good for non-Muslims in an Islamic state? Hmmm, now why might that be?

Islamic Tolerance Alert from the Land of the Pure: "All students in Pakistan's schools required to study Islam," from AsiaNews, September 26 (thanks to C. Cantoni):

Islamabad (AsiaNews) - The new guidelines for school students in Pakistan requires non-Muslims to study Islam and ignore other religious traditions in the country.
The National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP) of the Church of Pakistan is critical of the National Education Policy 2009, launched September 9 by the government in Islamabad. Mgr. John Saldanha, Archbishop of Lahore and chairman of the NCJP, and Peter Jacob, secretary of the Commission are concerned about the often implicit discriminatory and coercive aspects of the new guidelines content.
In a press release issued on 25 September, the two leaders of NCJP point the finger at Chapter 4 of the document, dedicated to Islamic Education. They claim that "If government thinks public education is not possible without a compulsory subject of Islamic Studies and Arabic, then we are forced to demand religious education for Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Parsi, etc. in their respective religions".
The program drawn up by the Government contemplates that Islamiyat (Islamic studies) become compulsory until the 12th class (15 and 16 years). For students that from then on will not want to follow the lessons of Islam attendance of alternative courses of public ethics is permitted, but the Commission notes also on this front the discrimination, though latent, is clear....

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13 Comments

Jew_Lover | September 27, 2009 2:06 PM

The more people learn about non-PC Islam (truth), the more repulsed reasonable people become.

Hey Pakistan - here's some crossword puzzles, word searches and quizzes - all free, to teach non-Muslims about Islam. WARNING, WARNING: The truth hurts.
http://crazyislam.typepad.com/home/priceless-freebies/

darcy | September 27, 2009 2:25 PM

"There is no compulsion in religion" (2:256)

Abrogated. Carries no authority. Superseded by the Medinan Verses of the Sword.

Bad Mo Foe | September 27, 2009 2:39 PM

Not. a. surprise.

I'm actually kind of surprised there ARE non-Muslims in Pakistan, though!

CHOI | September 27, 2009 2:51 PM

"The program drawn up by the Government contemplates that Islamiyat (Islamic studies) become compulsory until the 12th class (15 and 16 years). For students that from then on will not want to follow the lessons of Islam attendance of alternative courses of public ethics is permitted"-
After which one can Choose to be an APOSTATE according to Islam and SUBJECT to the PUNISHMENT of DEATH as prescribed by Sharia.
Now there's a Choice>
And now the Democratic CONTROLLED Senate just voted to TRIPLE American 'AID"/Jizya to this "Paragon' of "Tolerance".

How SICK is the American LEFT?

rammer replied to comment from CHOI | September 27, 2009 3:21 PM

Yes that's right America has tripled the amount of money they are sending to pakistan. BUT that bill was co-sponsered by a republican to and if i can recall correctly that bill passed the senate unanimously meaning that the republicans voted with the democrats for tripling the amount of money given to pakistan.
It has become increasingly clear that for decades now America has had a soft spot for pakistan and it doesn't matter if democrats are in charge or republicans. Regarding the USA-Pakistan alliance they both look the same in my eyes

DP111 | September 27, 2009 3:25 PM

Discrimination and intolerance works, as President Obama is going to triple the aid that America gives Pakistan.

Serious Shiite | September 27, 2009 5:33 PM

Who cares...I wouldn't go to pakiland if you paid me. Unloike obama I have some principles.

Cornelius | September 27, 2009 6:28 PM

"Pakistan is, of course, an Islamic Republic, but why is it that "there is no compulsion in religion" (2:256) seems only to be invoked by Islamic apologists in the West, and never where it could actually do some good for non-Muslims in an Islamic state?"

And if the Islamic apologists in the West were confronted with this question, we would hear a carbon copy of what Western Communists used to say about all the grotesque, earthly manifestations of communism, that they "weren't TRUE communism". Ask a sophisticated Western Muslim about Sharia societies like Saudi Arabia and Iran, he'll insist they're not the real thing. Ask him about mixed societies like Egypt and Jordan; again, not the real thing...but for different reasons.

This is the flight from reality of all believers in utopia, be it religious or political. In the end, they are most adept at destroying what already exists in pursuit of their earthly paradise. For when it comes time to actually construct something new, they are inevitably mired in the human imperfection that has afflicted every society since the dawn of man....and the attempt to reconcile the Utopian dream with the imperfection of reality has historically found expression in mass murder.

This is why conservatism is so attractive to me; it makes no pretense regarding societal perfection, it merely seeks to preserve what has long been established as worthwhile in the human condition. But it took me until my late 30s to arrive at such a belief. Better late than never.

Infidel | September 27, 2009 6:50 PM

I sympathize w/ non-Muslims in Pakistan who want to leave, but can't. I have no sympathy for those who can leave, but don't.

If only the Mohammedans would teach us about Islam exactly what they teach non-Muslims in Pakistan, un-threatened by them.

And if only we could round up all Mohammedans and forcibly teach them that Jesus was the son of God, or that Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva are the central deities of the universe, or that Zarathustra was the ultimate prophet...

pulsar182 | September 27, 2009 6:59 PM

Islamic education is not far removed from Islam political indoctrination...

joeblough | September 28, 2009 12:18 AM

There is no compunction in religion, or at least not in mohammedanism.

Wintergreen000 | September 28, 2009 1:45 AM

Constant doses of Islam are necessary, since it is not naturally ingested by the sane or semi-intelligent.

NALWA | September 28, 2009 11:41 PM

Islamic education includes Lab. experiments such as 'how to purify Camel urine'

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