Saudi arrested in Malaysia over "sacrilegious" Twitter posting, could face death

His crime, again, was reported earlier as comparing his poetry to the Qur'an. The Qur'an is adamant that no one can "produce a sura like thereof," and that it has no rival (2:23). The author of the offending tweet has been hunted down like an armed and dangerous fugitive terrorist and captured in Malaysia after Saudi King Abdullah ordered his arrest.

An update on this story. "Sacrilegious Saudi writer arrested in Malaysia," from Emirates 24-7, February 9 (thanks to The Religion of Peace):

Malaysian authorities arrested a Saudi newspaper writer wanted by the Gulf kingdom for offending Islam and Prophet Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him) and local reports said he could face death.
Hamza Kashgari was seized as he arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday following his escape from Saudi Arabia on news that King Abdullah has ordered him arrested and prosecuted for religious insults in his articles on Twitter.

“The Malaysian authorities are coordinating with Saudi Arabia to hand Kashgari over,” the Saudi Arabic language daily 'Al Youm' said. In a separate report, newspapers quoted a statement by the kingdom’s Islamic Fatwa Committee calling for punishing Kashgari in line with Islamic law, which means he could be executed.

King Abdullah’s order to arrest the writer, a columnist in the Saudi Arabic language daily 'Al Bilad', followed public furor inside the kingdom over some of his articles, considered as abusive of Islam and the Prophet. “The order came after many scholars, dignitaries and citizens in the kingdom sent messages to the Monarch expressing indignation at Kashgari offences,” 'Ajel' Arabic language daily said on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Saudi Information minister Abdul Aziz Khowja was reported as telling all local newspapers and magazine not to carry any article by Kashgari for what he described as persistent offences against Islam.“I have instructed all newspapers and magazines in the kingdom not to allow him to write any thing and we will take legal measures against him,” he said.

“When I read his articles, I wept and got very angry to have someone in the country of the two holy shrines address our Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) in this offending way,” he added without giving further details.
Newspapers said Khowja’s move came after thousands of readers and schools sent letters to the local media and online demanding Kashgari’s prosecution. After the order, many Saudi newspapers carried a letter written by Kashgari on his Twitter page apologizing for any offence, which he said was inadvertent.

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14 Comments

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greenpen | February 9, 2012 9:05 AM | Reply

I bet those sauds are working on an islamic time machine to take them back 1400 years right now?

Stash | February 9, 2012 9:13 AM | Reply

What a bunch of knuckle-draggers. There is a massive amount of literature that is far superior to the Quran. If only they could read and think for themselves.

Abu_Lahab | February 9, 2012 9:25 AM | Reply

Saudi Information minister Abdul Aziz Khowja said:

“When I read his articles, I wept and got very angry...."

Is it islam that creates these emotionally stunted imbeciles or does islam just attract that type of intellectual pygmy?

Pathetic.

miriam rove replied to comment from Abu_Lahab | February 9, 2012 9:43 AM | Reply

both
m

john spielman | February 9, 2012 10:03 AM | Reply

Is Allah compleletly IMPOTENT That he cannot defend his own honor? Why do muslims always have to do his bidding? YWHW, the LORD GOD, IS omnipotent and said "Vengence is Mine I will repay!" He, not allah is worthy of worhip and honour.
Any muslims want to answer my question, " why not let Allah do his own punishing rather you sinners who are unqualified by reason of your sins."

eliasX | February 9, 2012 10:15 AM | Reply

There is better poetry, and certainly writing, in any language than the translations of the Koran in such languages.

If the source of the Koran is "allah," then certainly the almighty, omnipotent, omniscient creator could craft his "revelation" so that it would resonate for anyone who reads or hears it, in whatever language that is.

Alas, that is not the case. Thus, the requirement that the only "authentic" text of "allah's revelation" has to be in Arabic, and Arabic is claimed to be the language of paradise.

Shakespeare, Voltaire, Goethe, Rumi, etc. trump the revelation of "allah" in any comparative contest.

greenpen replied to comment from eliasX | February 9, 2012 11:06 AM | Reply

Shakespeare, Voltaire, Goethe, Rumi, etc. trump the revelation of "allah" in any comparative contest.

Me too:-)

tanstaafl replied to comment from john spielman | February 9, 2012 11:19 AM | Reply

Could it be that Allah doesn't exist and thus is unable to defend his honor? Just saying'.

greenpen replied to comment from tanstaafl | February 9, 2012 11:49 AM | Reply

How many sock puppets that belonged to dead paedophiles do you know that are capable of defending anything?

Unknown998 | February 9, 2012 1:31 PM | Reply

So no one knows?

I just read that some of his high government officials praised Osama.....But I am interested if there was any official statment from Sudans side concerning Osamas death.

Canto28 | February 9, 2012 3:05 PM | Reply

The absurd Qur'an is adamant that no one can "produce a sura like thereof".

Oh yeah? Some Arabic speaking chaps have taken up this stupid challenge
:
suralikeit.com

PorkFatRules | February 9, 2012 4:12 PM | Reply

What on earth was this journalist thinking when he "escaped" from Saudi Arabia only find himself in...Malaysia.

Out of all the possible countries he could have run to, he picked Malaysia? I wonder what his plan B was--Pakistan, or Iran?

Is there still any doubt that being raised in an islamic country addles the brain?

I rest my case.

Kinana of Khaybar | February 9, 2012 4:15 PM | Reply

I wonder how much the myth of moderate Malaysia might have influenced Hamza Kashgari's thinking when he decided to flee there. Perhaps he erroneously assumed that Malaysia would be a safe haven. But in fact Malaysia also has laws against blasphemy and apostasy. The fact that they cooperated with Saudi authorities instead of granting this journalist asylum shows that Malaysia does not oppose the death penalty for apostasy and blasphemy.

Kashgari should have fled to a non-Muslim western country that would be willing to grant him asylum.

Committee To Protect Journalists
http://www.cpj.org/2012/02/saudi-arabian-columnist-under-threat-for-twitter-p.php

Daily Beast story also has good coverage of this (though if you watch the brief video clip the Daily Beast commentators are rather clueless about Islam in Saudi Arabia).
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/02/08/twitter-aflame-with-fatwa-against-saudi-writer-hamza-kashgari.html

David, Thailand | February 9, 2012 5:03 PM | Reply

Not very bright to run from one nutty nation to another.

He should have done the sensible thing as a true Muslim that happens to meet up with reality, and sought refuge in the lands of his sacred enemy the West.

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