The Islamic spokesmen in the U.S. who insist that Islam mandates no penalty for apostasy are no doubt jetting over to the West Bank as we speak, to clear up this Islamic court's misunderstanding of Islam. "Palestinian Islamic court forcibly divorces West Bank couple after declaring them 'apostates,'" by Diaa Hadid for the Canadian Press, January 20:
For more than a year, a Palestinian couple belonging to an Islamic sect rejected by many mainstream Muslims endured insults from some of their neighbours and even death threats while struggling to maintain a quiet existence in this West Bank town.As word spread about them, things got worse. A local Islamic court branded them apostates and dissolved their marriage. The couple, Mohammed and Samah Alawneh, now live in legal limbo.
Their plight demonstrates the tensions between a still largely conservative Palestinian society and a Western-backed government expected by the international community to ensure democratic freedoms....
Memo to Diaa Hadid of Canadian Press: "Conservatives" do not generally forcibly dissolve the marriages of those who disagree with them on religious questions.
"It's like we are still living in the Middle Ages," said Mohammed Alawneh, 35. "They are deciding whether you are a believer or not. Whether you'll go to heaven or hell -- and whether you are an apostate."Followers of the Islamic Ahmadi Community are shunned by many mainstream Muslims because they recognize a 19th-century cleric as their prophet. A central tenet of Islam is that the Muhammad was the last prophet sent by God....
The Alawnehs converted to the Ahmadi sect separately six years ago, marrying in 2009. Both faced insults and death threats from Muslim preachers when news of their conversions filtered out, they said. Mohammed's family renounced them. Some of Samah's colleagues at the university where she works shun her, though others do not.
Then last year, a prosecutor in the local Islamic court, which regulates Muslim marriages, filed a complaint against them, accusing them of apostasy. They were found guilty in August, according to documents the couple showed The Associated Press.
The court forcibly divorced the couple by cancelling their marriage registration, because they were no longer considered Muslims.
The Alawnehs say the complaint against them was initiated by Mohammed Alawneh's first wife, who was upset by his decision to take another wife. Islamic law permits a man to have up to four wives....
The Alawnehs said they would take their case all the way to the Palestinian Supreme Court. They said they feared a dangerous precedent has been set that could engulf not only people with unconventional religious views, but also the many non-practicing Muslims in the West Bank.
"If they open the door to declaring people apostates, anybody could accuse anybody," said the young woman, her hair covered with a Muslim headscarf, her eyes widening in fear. "But I believe I follow the real Islam. They can't break open my heart to see if I believe or not."
Good luck with that.
"It's like we are still living in the Middle Ages," said Mohammed Alawneh, 35. "They are deciding whether you are a believer or not. Whether you'll go to heaven or hell -- and whether you are an apostate."
Does he read the Koran? Apparently Alawneh doesn't know that the words of the prophet Mohamed are considered pure for all time and cannot be abrogated. Your archaic religion goes way back before the the middle ages,-- try the 6th century AD.
Live and let live.
A venerated non-Islamic adage.
Gag!
GerbilTea? Defender O' Islam, any able-bodied Islamic apologist? Quick, like a bunny, tell us this is all some sort of misunderstanding and that "real" Muslims would never, ever do such an inhumane thing.
Remember, silence is consent.
Palestinian Islamic court forcibly divorces West Bank couple after declaring them "apostates"
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I know Islamic courts have often unilaterally divorced couples where the husband "apostizes" and the woman remains mainstream Muslim—but this is the first time I have heard about forcible divorce when both parties are "apostates".
And this is in the "West Bank"—remember, these are the "moderate Palestinians".
Only slightly off-topic, here is a letter to the San Francisco East Bay newspaper The Montclarion from last week:
"Interfaith harmony a wonderful ideal"
On Christmas Day, the Pope expressed his desire for "just and peaceful coexisistence" in "the land where Jesus was born."
As a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, I feel Muhammed, the prophet of Islam, would share these sentiments.
As an Ahmadi Muslim, it is saddening to see fellow Muslims in the Middle East persecute their Christian brethren, especially when Muhammed advocated for interfaith harmony. In fact, Muhammed sent a letter to the Christian monks of St. Catherine's Monastery in Mount Sinai (present-day Egypt) ensuring them not only freedom of worship and respect of their Christian monuments, but also of protection during times of war.
As the Quran (2:257) states, "There is no compulsion in religion." Muhammed did not impose Islam on the Christians in his land, but instead upheld interfaith harmony.
Osaama Saifi
Berkeley
It is difficult to know if this is Taqiyya, or if this Berkeleyite is merely deeply deluded. Does he know that the St. Catherine's Monastery letter has been exposed as a desperate forgery—created by the monks themselves in the hope that it would lead Muslims to leave them in peace? Or that the "Prophet" Muhammed, far from "upholding interfaith harmony", was quoted thusly in the Hadith:
"I will expel the Jews and Christians from the Arabian Peninsula (Ar. Jazîrat Al-'Arab) and will not leave any but Muslims." (Sahîh Muslim)
Impossible to know. But we do know how he—as an Ahmadi—would be received in "the land where Jesus was born" by what he cluelessly considers his "fellow Muslims".
All those Western lefities should be ashamed of themselves - for the evil they're supporting to rule in Palestine!
I admire the courage of the Ahmadi couple to press on with their case to the Palestinian Supreme Court. That they have not melted and gone into hiding must expose them to great danger. I will remember them in my prayers.
(In 250 AD the small persecuted band of Christians would have been discounted as being able to have any impact on the power of Roman authority and Civilization?)
"If they open the door to declaring people apostates, anybody could accuse anybody," said the young woman..."
Welcome to Salem Village, 1692. Are you starting to "get" Islam, now?
Again, a religion that is so weak!!! The only way to protect it is through the use of force, violence, intimidation and blasphemy laws.
Muslims, your religion is weak, your Allah is less than nothing. God never uses force to keep his followers from leaving him. Allah does. God never woos his devotees in the name of sex, but the Qur’an does, as it was the handiwork of a cunning Prophet Muhammad who created his own concept of Allah to satisfy his unbound lust for women, power and money. Poor slaves of Muhammad, wake up!
http://crossmuslims.blogspot.com/2010/07/perfect-man.html
"If they open the door to declaring people apostates, anybody could accuse anybody"
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Well, duh. This is the situation in Somalia, and Afghanistan, and Pakistan, and increasingly in places like Egypt and Indonesia.
All those Western lefities should be ashamed of themselves...
The key word here is "should." You're a careful writer, Kath.
Geezers and Moslems are incapapble of shame. That's what floated their respective boats in the first place.
he is on drugs.
Alarmed Pig Farmer - thanks for reminding me!
"The Alawnehs say the complaint against them was initiated by Mohammed Alawneh's first wife, who was upset by his decision to take another wife. Islamic law permits a man to have up to four wives...."
So basically, the polygamist follower of the polygamist prophet needs the infidels to defend him.....
They should apply for assylum in the neighboring state that provides religious freedom for everyone, including Muslims: Israel.
"They can't break open my heart to see if I believe or not."
True, but that won't stop them from breaking open your heart, or cutting off your head. Ahmadi's, with their non-violent interpretation of Islam, are the true "misunderstanders" of Islam. They are the marginalized fringe, unfortunately.
Had Naseem been around, she'd have asked us to convert to Ahmadiya and go there so that the main Muslims are a minority. Wish she had been sent there from her native La-whore.