The blasphemy laws are alive and well in Saudi Arabia. Those who say that they have no part of Sharia as it comes to the West are not being honest; there is no school of Islamic jurisprudence that does not call for death for blasphemy.
Hamza Kashgari has fled the country, but was detained in Malaysia. “Saudi Hamza Kashgari faces death calls after prophet tweets,” from AFP, February 10:
A Saudi internet surfer checking her twitter account at a coffee shop in Riyadh. Twitter and Facebook are controversial forms of communication in the conservative country.
A YOUNG Saudi journalist is facing calls for his execution after tweeting about the Prophet Mohammed, and the kingdom’s top clerics are demanding his trial after denouncing him as an “apostate”.
On the occasion of the Muslim prophet’s birthday last week, 23-year-old Hamza Kashgari tweeted: “I have loved things about you and I have hated things about you and there is a lot I don’t understand about you.”
“I will not pray for you,” he added.
The controversial tweet sparked a frenzy of responses – some 30,000, according to an online service that tracks tweets in the Arab world.
In one response, Abdullah, a lawyer, said that since Mr Kashgari was “an adult… we should accept nothing but implementing the ruling according to Islamic law” or sharia.
Insulting the prophet is considered blasphemous in Islam, and is a crime punishable by death.
Mr Kashgari quickly apologised for his remarks, but the calls for his execution only multiplied….
Thanks to Carol for the video.