“O you who have believed, do not ask about things which, if they are shown to you, will distress you….A people asked such before you; then they became thereby disbelievers.” (Qur’an 5:101-102)
Such a passage hardly inculcates a spirit of free inquiry and intellectual curiosity. And this is the wave of the future: since the Western government and media elites are now dedicated to avoiding offending Muslims at all costs, and even asking theological questions can offend Muslims, we all just must accept the dictates of our new overlords without question. Wan Sulaiman Wan Ismail should have known better.
“For seeking answers on Islam, Muslim gets charged with blasphemy,” by Zurairi Ar, Malay Mail Online, May 29, 2015:
KUALA LUMPUR, May 29 — “I bear witness that there is no god but Allah,” is the first part of the shahadah, a declaration of faith for Muslims, which has its origins in a verse in the Quran.
“I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of God,” is the second part, but unlike the first, it does not appear in any of the holy scriptures.
So, where did it come from?
This was the question on the mind of Wan Sulaiman Wan Ismail, 53, when he sought clarification in 2013 from religious teachers on the origin of a practice considered as one of the key pillars of Islam.
The former businessman from Perak said he raised that question to several religious teachers, including scholars in the Ipoh mufti office, the Perak religious authorities and even state mosque imams. Many of these clerics, he said, were familiar with him as he met with them regularly for the past 15 years.
None, however, were able to answer him, so Wan Sulaiman stopped asking a year later.
But for seeking answers, Wan Sulaiman earned the attention of the Perak Islamic Religious Department (JAIP). He was summoned several times in 2014 by the authority, whose officers he claimed tried to dissuade him from posing his questions and to convince him to abandon several Quranic practices he has adopted.
The matter came to a head on January 21 this year when state religious enforcers raided his home in Ipoh and confiscated his handwritten personal notes, in addition to screening his personal computer and mobile phone.
On the same day, Wan Sulaiman was charged in the Ipoh Shariah High Court under Section 15 of the Perak Shariah Criminal Enactment 1992, with “mocking, ridiculing or insulting Quranic or hadith texts”.
According to a copy of his charge sheet sighted by Malay Mail Online, the Perak religious enforcers claimed that Wan Sulaiman possessed notes, some of which were hung on his wall, that allegedly “ridicule” the hadith — the collections of Prophet Muhammad’s sayings and deeds.
Wan Sulaiman, however, insisted that the notes were meant only for his personal use.
The prosecution also accused him of disputing authentic hadith for failing to interpret the Quran, and of rejecting the shahadah as taught by Muhammad by allegedly only accepting the first part.
He was also accused of translating the terms “fajar prayers” and “wusto prayers” by “using his own intellect without referring to the Prophet’s hadith”.
His case was set to be heard on May 21, but it was postponed to July 2. If guilty, Wan Sulaiman can be fined not more than RM5,000, jailed not more than three years, or both….
mortimer says
Asking questions about Isalmic doctrines implies disbelief and is therefore impermissible under Sharia law.
‘Truly whoever abused the Holy Prophet or ascribed any fault to him or attributed any defect to his family, religion or his habit, or reproached him, or compared the Holy Prophet Muhammad with any defective thing with the objective of degrading his personality and prestige, he is truly an abusive person and deserves to be executed. We make absolutely no exception to this verdict, whether the insult has been committed intentionally or unintentionally. This has been the verdict of all the ‘Ulamā of the Ummah from the time of the Companions to the present day.’ – [Qadī Iyadh, Ash-Shifa, Vol. 2, Page 214] (Sharia law text)
“So what is the state of one who opposes what the sharia’h commands about any issue, including the hadd for those who insult prophets? Allah (swt) says “Let those beware who oppose his order [amr] lest some calamity befall them or a GRIEVOUS PENALTY be inflicted upon them” (an Noor 24:63) and “It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should HAVE ANY OPTION in their decision.” (al Ahzaab 33:36) and “But no by your Lord, they can have no imaan until they set you (O Muhammad) judge in any disputes that arise among them and then find in themselves no resistance against your decisions but submit to them with fullest submission (yusallimu tasleema).” (an Nisaa 4:65) and A’bdullah ibn A’mru ibn al A’ss reported that Rasool Allah (saw) said “None of you believe until his desires are in accordance with what I have come with.” (BAGHAWI ‘Sharhus Sunnah’, KHATEEB ‘Tareekh Baghdad’, IBN ABI AA’SIM ‘as Sunnah’, AL ISBAHAANI ‘Kitaab al Hujjah’)
Volume 2, Book 24, Number 555:
Narrated Ash-sha’bi:
The clerk of Al-Mughira bin Shu’ba narrated, “Muawiya wrote to Al-Mughira bin Shu’ba: Write to me something which you have heard from the Prophet (p.b.u.h) .” So Al-Mughira wrote: I heard the Prophet saying, “Allah has hated for you three things:
1. Vain talk, (useless talk) that you talk too much or about others.
2. Wasting of wealth (by extravagance)
3. And asking too many questions (in disputed religious matters) or asking others for something (except in great need). (See Hadith No. 591, Vol. Ill)
Islam is blind faith without any evidence whatsoever…i.e. total credulity.
USMAN says
So Allah cannot contend for himself. What a moronic god.
Gary says
“Oh believer. Offend not the great moon god – allah.”
“Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain. I am OZ the great and powerful!”
“Ask no questions and I’ll tell you no lies.”
Sincerely,
The great deceiver – Satan
Kuffar says
The actual saying is “Ask me no questions and I’ll tell you no fibs.”
But the point is otherwise excellent.
His Holiness Pope Benedict once said that doubt is the handmaiden of faith (I hope I got that one right:-)) and implied that doubt and faith aren’t incompatible. Apparently Islam never got that point.
On the other hand, the advice DOES save people lots of apsirin.
Elisha says
You could do this all day about islam. It’s always educational and fun to read “answering islam” on the web and marvel at the scholarly articles by Sam Shamoun, David Wood, Jochen Katz, et al and how they utterly obliterate the delusion that is islam. In my online debates with muslims, it is ALWAYS the same denial, taquiyya, obfuscation, goal post changing or avoidance when pressing them on their faith. They have to be the most insecure people on the planet, that mask their fears with anger and violence because they KNOW in their hearts that they’ve got nothing. God truly does harden the hearts of the ignorant of this world:
The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. – 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12
Prophecy from the Book of Ezekiel:
He said to me, “Do you see this, son of man? Yet you will see still greater abominations than these.”
Then He brought me into the inner court of the Lord’s house. And behold, at the entrance to the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men with their backs to the temple of the Lord and their faces toward the east; and they were prostrating themselves eastward toward the sun.- Ezekiel 8:15-16
It’s all going to turn out rather messily for satan’s soldiers:
“The Lord will save the tents of Judah first, so that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem shall not become greater than that of Judah. In that day the Lord will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; the one who is feeble among them in that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, like the Angel of the Lord before them. It shall be in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. – Zechariah 12:7-9
Amen.
Kuffar says
I wish I could believe Ezekiel. I really do. Given current realities, as we see out political and intellectual elites protect and sometimes actively promote Islam, it seems impossible that Islam will not eventually rule all. Their elites seem to have relative unity (until Islam dominates, then watch out!) and they truly believe, or seem to, in what they are advancing. It seems as if our leaders are unable or unwilling to defend our own culture and civilization against these barbarians. If there is neither defense nor counterattack, defeat is inevitable. At lest the Crusaders belatedly counterattacked, eventually unsuccessfully. It look like we never will.
Of course, I am by nature pessimistic and thought that the evil empire would eventually prevail. So if I’m wrong, I won’t be upset.
Elisha says
It is a matter of believing God, who spoke through His prophets. Have faith, Kuffar:
For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That you might be justified in your sayings, and might overcome when you are judged. – Romans 3:3-4
The muzzies say that “islam will dominate the world”. Good, let them have it. Why? Who is the god of this world?
Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.” – John 18:36
Jesus did not fight them because He came to save us from our sins. Eternity is a long time to pay for one’s impenitence. Think of the big picture:
“If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” – John 14:3
Remember that Christians are to be conformed to Christ’s image:
And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. – 2 Corinthians 3:18
We are to live for Him:
and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. – 2 Corinthians 5:15
Kuffar, if you haven’t already done so, place your faith in the resurrected Christ and repent of your sins. He promises you eternal life in exchange for your humility and obedience:
For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation. – Psalm 149:4
God created us for His pleasure and for fellowship with Him. The opposite of humility is pride, that is why pride goes before destruction:
Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. – Proverbs 16:18
You CANNOT know Him without humility:
But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:
“God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” – James 4:6
We MUST seek Him with our hearts, NOT our minds because God judges our hearts:
I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways,
according to the fruit of his doings. – Jeremiah 17:10
We CANNOT bring God down to human reason:
For we walk by faith, not by sight. – 2 Corinthians 5:7
Therefore:
“You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” – Jeremiah 29:13
Our reward will be great:
And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.”
And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”
And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”” – Revelation 21:3-8
God bless.
Saltydawg says
Such nonsensical, fictional drivel validates the adage- “Religion Poisons Everything”.
Elisha says
Oops! I forgot a verse. Who is the god of this world? Satanallah!
But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. – 2 Corinthians 4:3-4
Celtic says
This is Islam – follow without questioning
particolor says
So Shakespeare stole that from the Qur’an Ay ?
Ours is not to Reason Why ?
Outs is just to do and Die !!
And please You Rhodes Scholars out there in Cyberland, dont correct Me ! 🙂 its something along those Lines ?
Walter Sieruk says
Many times charges of blasphemy against people not only shows that Islam is so weak and fragile religion the it can’t stand up to criticism, but this specific case of the charge of blasphemy against this Muslim man exposes the Islam is such a weak and fragile religion with no actual sold or firm foundation that it cannot even hold up to being questioned.
Angemon says
I’d like to know what these alleged practices were – what could he be doing, based on the quran, that he was asked to stop.
And yet, islamic clerics in the West boast about how muslims advanced “science”…. How can anyone advance science if any and everything has to be interpreted to match 9th or 10th century “religious” consensus?
particolor says
They even Hallaled the Bacon Factory’s here ?? Now that has to be Blasphemy ??
Betty says
WHO DECIDES WHAT IS BLASPHEMY AND WHAT IS NOT. but with a muslim every thing is. what a bunch of crack heads..
Mark says
Not being able to ask a question about doctrine illustrates the lack of foundation for the doctrine. Christians are commanded to know why and how to answer questions as to what they believe(concerning Christianity). Can you imagine a Christian faith having a prohibition on asking if Christ was tied to the cross or nailed? “The truth shall set you free.” Here is the foundation of free speech, freedom of opinion, freedom from slavery of all kinds.
Elisha says
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. – 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. – Ephesians 1:15-23
Amen.
David Grisez says
This is one of the main characteristics of Religious Cult Groups. Blind obedience to the teachings and to the leader, with no questions being allowed. Because if a person asks questions, they may see the evil and problems with the cult group and leave the cult, and the cult will lose power and influence. Apparently leading clerics in ISLAM are very afraid of losing followers and will punish them with death.
Gary says
“Don’t ask any questions about your eternal destiny,(Important as they may be), merely believe and follow me.”
With all sincerity,
Satan (Father of all lies- Which includes everything “THE PROPHET” has proclaimed.)
AnneM says
Allah = SATAN.
Grumpyoldguy says
Contrast Allah’s ask no questions directive with the word of The Most High…
– “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord…” Isaiah 1:18
As different as day and night. I prefer to serve the one true God, YHVH, who doesn’t shy away from my doubts or my questions, but encourages me to come directly to Him to quiet my spirit. A holy and just God who can defend Himself without my feeble attempts to help. Any deity that asks his followers to do his killing for him isn’t worthy of worship IMO.
And as far as islam’s so called ‘prophet’…were he alive today, I have no doubt that he’d be sitting in a jail cell.
Mark says
On death row, I hope
Cecilia Ellis says
“And as far as islam’s so called ‘prophet’…were he alive today, I have no doubt that he’d be sitting in a jail cell.”
– Or sitting at a White House-hosted Iftar on the right-hand side of Obama.
Sam says
Islam is Evil. PERIOD.
Jaladhi says
Islam is evil, evil, evil.. and Mo/allah’s rantings confirm it!1
Thomas says
It seems to me that this is the most important Islamic believe:
“I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of God,”
If this statement is not true, there is not any reason to be a Muslim.
Saltydawg says
it’s not a question of “Is it true”, rather, if it is not in the koran or the hadiths, where did it come from? the obvious answer: somebody made it up, and that somebody was not allah. and if allah never officially appointed muhammad as his messenger, then there is no basis for this religion. the blasphemy trial for wan sulaiman starts on july 2. i would gladly donate $50 towards funding sulaimans legal defense. This could be as profound as the stokes/monkey trial. a golden opportunity for an eloquent attorney. nominations welcome.
AnneM says
Sure sign of a “weak religion” when no questions are not allowed to be asked.
Grumpyoldguy says
Dear Robert,
I don’t know how you do what you do day in and day out, but I understand WHY you do it. For your courage and tireless commitment, I just want to give a heartfelt thank you! May God bless you and your family.
Jaladhi says
Islam is based on total lies of Mo/allah. Asking any sensible question and seeking its answer may lead to total destruction of this house of cards. No wonder Muslims are advised in Quran not to ask any questions and do any thinking since their cult leader Mo/allah has already done it for them>
What bunch of liars – if you can’t defend the lies of Islam punish the guy who asks such questions!!
gru says
Well, this is an important news item!
I will let ten thousand people know about this.
It clearly means that one can’t even ask a simple question about Islam, much less think for oneself. Doing so is a punishable crime.
That’s more than harsh. It entails that a person can’t ask a question about Islam in an Islamic school.
And that means that Islamic schools are in general not schools at all!
At least not in Malaysia.
And thirty million people live there, largely under Islamic rule.
This really is pretty crazy.
First the Islamists want to kill cartoonists in Paris and Garland Texas and other places.
Now the Islamists say that you can’t ask a simple question.
Well, by that standard it becomes impossible to study Islamic theology at all. So I suppose it will be necessary to stop having any classes in Islam in any country. No more Islamic studies at American or European universities. Because you DON’T get to have a theology class where students are allowed to pose a simple question.
This is going to cause nightmares for the PhD scholars Reza Aslan, Tariq Ramadan and all the other apologists for Islam. They can’t be taken seriously when they try to support a “moderate” Islam of this kind. Not in academia.
Freedom of inquiry is provably against Islam in a criminal court. Amazing.
We need to tell Reza Aslan and Tariq Ramadan so they can go hide their heads under the pillows when everybody knows this. Let’s tell all the university people right now.
“No Islam questions for you!”
What a bad joke. And what a profound danger to all thinking people everywhere.
Lesley says
If I could travel back in time and tell my self of 20 years ago that 20 years from now people will be jailed for questioning a religion; that people will crucify and behead people for the sake of a ‘religion’; that adherents of a religion will murder cartoonists for the honor of their god, I would have thought that I was completely nuts.
Penalizing this man for questioning and having private thoughts is bizarre. Using his own intellect regarding a hadith was a criminal act -?- I hope I live to see the parts of the world that lives under Sharia bombed until it’s a crater of fused glass. Life is precious, but what kind of life is anybody having under the fascist rule of Islam, anyway? Our government should only shelter apostates of Islam.
How is it that our government could see the evils of Communism in the 1950’s and enacted laws against it, but Islam is considered just peachy? I feel like I live in a parallel universe where nothing makes sense.
Matthieu Baudin says
Malaysia’s link to the modern world will be broken if it continues to kowtow to the edicts of Sharia Law. As Ataturk wisely discovered, the overlapping of religious and secular authority had to end in order to modernise and move forward.
particolor says
They have given our Phone Company to Malaysia !! And after this I’m not game to Ring Up and enquire about My Bill !! Ill be Arrested ! 🙁
Matthieu Baudin says
Don’t worry Particolor, your phone bill enquiry won’t get you into trouble. Malaysia is worth a visit, you can still smile at pretty girls without fear of being assaulted. Even my uncircumcised friends wouldn’t be harassed at the latrines. So there’s plenty to be happy about in Malaysia and people are by and large friendly. But some criticism is also in place, especially to help out those many Malaysians who want to keep the country on the road to a modern future (and also to keep your telephone bills in safe hands!)
particolor says
After reading about them lately I wouldn’t buy a Used Car off them !! 🙂
profitsbeard says
Mohammad left all of the actual Satanic Verses, ironically, and only crossed out the few true ones.
The Koran is nothing but demonic piffle.
Which needs Terror to silence sense.
Dave J says
Islam is a criminal operation that primarily benefits the various ” ayatollahs”, “imams”, “scholars” and “teachers” (and Halal butchers), rewarding them for extolling/enforcing the muslim ideology. No questions, criticisms, doubts or mockery will be tolerated, on pain of your violent death.
Its basically a Mafia gang with quasi “religious” overtones, a nasty stupid book that exploits the ignorance, prejudice and blood lust of primitive peoples.
On a planet with 7 going on 9 billion population there are still quite a few primitive people and this diabolical “religion” is doing it’s best to turn all of them into jihadist warriors, or at least terrorists.
This is a clear and present danger to Civilization and should no longer be ignored or wished away.
particolor says
How True That Is !!
William Lucas Harvey Jr. says
The problem here is that in a Multiconfessional Country, such as Malaysia, over 60% Muslim, Islam and Muslims are so “Uptight” , that even QUESTIONING Islam brings a “Blasphemy” Charge.
Islam and Muslims are always so “Uptight” with ANY Criticism of their so called “Religion of Peace”, which is actually a “Religion of Hate”, and in fact NOT a “Religion” at all, but a a total system of life and contains within itself a particular social system, judicial system, and political system which includes geo-political aspirations – the conquest and administration of territory.
Islam and Muslims are so “Uptight” that they are even taking Advantage of the “Religious Freedom Laws” of Non-Islamic Free Countries, such as America, that have such laws, in an attempt to Declare their “Cult of Hate” a “Religion”.
Islam and Muslims are so “Uptight” with ANY Criticism, that Exposes the REAL TRUTH concerning Islam, Muhammed, and the Qur’an, that Muslims are NOW attempting to get World Wide “Blasphemy” Laws enacted with “Criminal Penalties”.
duh_swami says
In the institution, no one is worried about scripture, no one is worried about a diagnosis. What is of concern, is behavior.
The first priority is how to remove the 200 pound lunatic who is swinging off your arm by his teeth…Scripture won’t help you. You can spout verses at him all day and he won’t let go. What’s needed is a lunatic wrench, not found in scripture, but there may be something in farm catalogs.
If you ask questions about the perfection of perfection, then you are disbelieving perfection…I think the sharia courts have him trapped.