My reply to Karamjit Gill

By MT Webmaster Last updated Dec 29, 2015

Karamjit did not insult Islam. Karamjit only insulted PAS. But then PAS is not a living thing. It is an empty shell. What would make PAS an entity are the people in PAS. And the people in PAS believe in Islam. So you are mocking the people in PAS because they believe in Islam. And that would be the same as mocking Islam.

NO HOLDS BALLED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Muslims are divided about many things. The fact that the Middle East is today in a mess and has more or less been in crisis ever since the death of Prophet Muhammad almost 1,400 years ago is testimony to this.

In fact, the main opposition to Ali, the fourth Caliph — cousin and son-in-law to Muhammad — was because some Muslims thought he was not strict enough in implementing Islamic laws and rules. This was in relation to Aishah — the Prophet’s widow and daughter to the first Caliph, Abu Bakar — who had led a Mekah rebellion against Medina (known as the Battle of the Camel; also called the Battle of Jamal or the Battle of Bassorah/Basra).

Ali chose compassion over stringent rules while those who opposed Ali felt that there should be no compromise and that the law should be implemented to the letter — never mind who it was and even if it was the Prophet’s widow and the first Caliph’s daughter.

This conflict can be said to be the beginning of the Sunni-Shia divide which became permanent after Ali’s son, Hussein (who was also the Prophet’s grandson), was killed by beheading at Karbala.

The way I have concluded it is that Ali had refused to implement the Islamic law of Hudud on Aishah and this divided the Muslims permanently into two groups. And for almost 1,400 years until today they have been fighting and killing one another by the millions.

So, in short, Hudud divided the Muslims 1,400 years ago and is still dividing them, even in Malaysia itself. So this issue is a very dicey and sensitive matter. The Muslim divide on this issue has brought untold misery to the Muslim community. Any wonder that PAS, PAN, PKR and Umno are also divided about Hudud when this is a 1,400-year old disagreement?

Muslims are expected to uphold Islamic doctrine and practices. It is mandatory upon all Muslims without exception. So what PAS is doing as an Islamic party is what those in PAS believe is their Islamic duty and something that must not be compromised.

If the PAS people are stupid or have the mindset of the dinosaur era then it can only be because Islam is stupid and is a religion of the dinosaur era because what the PAS people are upholding is what they believe to be the correct thing to do.

And yes, as Karamjit said, Umno opposes the implementation of Hudud (note the word ‘implementation’). But they oppose it for political reasons, not for doctrinal reasons. Umno knows it has less than 100 of the 222 seats in Parliament. So Umno needs the support of the non-Muslims to stay in power. Hence Umno cannot push for Hudud.

That is the political position of Umno. But if you speak privately to the Umno people they will not run down Hudud. They accept that Hudud is part of Islam and is in the Qur’an and Hadith. But they also know that it would be political suicide to push for its implementation. But that does not mean the Umno people reject Hudud on grounds that they think it is something from the dinosaur era.

In fact, Anwar Ibrahim, too, does not reject Hudud (and neither does Mat Sabu of PAN or Dr Wan Azizah Ismail of PKR). It is just that Anwar will not support its implementation, yet, not until the non-Muslims can be educated about Hudud and are ready to accept its implementation. And that statement came from Anwar’s own mouth.

As to the thief, male or female, cut off his or her hands: a punishment by way of example, from Allah, for their crime: and Allah is Exalted in power. (Qur’an 5.38)

The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger, and strive with might and main for mischief through the land is: execution, or crucifixion, or the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides, or exile from the land: that is their disgrace in this world, and a heavy punishment is theirs in the Hereafter. (Qur’an 5.33)

The [unmarried] woman or [unmarried] man found guilty of sexual intercourse – lash each one of them with a hundred lashes, and do not be taken by pity for them in the religion of Allah, if you should believe in Allah and the Last Day. And let a group of the believers witness their punishment. (Qur’an 24.2)

Narrated by Jabir ibn Abdullah: A man committed fornication with a woman. So the Apostle of Allah ordered regarding him and the prescribed punishment of flogging was inflicted on him. He was then informed that he was married. So he commanded regarding him and he was stoned to death. (Hadith Abu Dawood, 38:4424)

The PAS people believe in those verses of the Qur’an, where there are 6,666. The PAS people also believe in the Hadith, where there are almost 7,000. And the almost 7,000 Hadith are supposed to supplement the 6,666 verses of the Qur’an. And what the PAS people are trying to uphold is what they believe to be in the Qur’an and Hadith.

But not all Muslim scholars agree with this, of course.

Aliran has explained what Hudud and Qisas are in this article published in 2006, Q & A on the Hudud and Qisas Enactment.

Dr Chandra Muzaffar in his article in the Islamic Research Foundation International, Inc. asked a very crucial question — Hudud: Central to Islam?

Ashgar Ali Ali Mohamed wrote an article called Implementation of Hudud (or limits ordained by Allah for serious crimes) in Malaysia in the International Journal of Humanities and Social Science in 2012.

So you can see how even the more learned people are not of one mind concerning Hudud and are quite divided on the issue. But none of them said that those who believe in Hudud are stupid people or people with the mindset of the dinosaur era. And this is because to do so would also be running down the Qur’an and Hadith, which no Muslim would ever do.

Most Muslims also believe that Prophet Muhammad flew up to heaven on the back of a Buraq, a winged creature from heaven, to meet God or Allah to receive instructions that Muslims must pray five times a day.

So until today Muslims pray five times a day. Is this not nonsense from the logical point of view? But then this is not about logic. This is about faith. And Muslims who have faith pray five times a day because they believe that this is what they must do however stupid it may sound to you.

Christians believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that he died for our sins — and because he died for our sins those who believe in Jesus would be saved and would go to heaven. I do not believe that but I am sure if I were to say that those from the Christian Democratic party are stupid and have the mindset of the dinosaur era Christians would be very offended.

Nothing about religion is logical, all religions without exception. But people believe in what you may consider nonsense because they are basing their beliefs on faith. If you want to say that PAS people are stupid and have the mindset of those from the dinosaur era then that would apply to everyone who believes in God/Gods and who have a religion.

Is Karamjit Gill an atheist? If so then well and fine. If not then Karamjit is also stupid and has the mindset of someone from the dinosaur era because nothing about religion makes sense and can be proven.

“I never insulted Islam as you claim, unless insulting PAS is insulting Islam to you,” said Karamjit. However, earlier Karamjit said, “However, PKR is fighting with all their might to hold on to the most conservative political party in Malaysia, whose mindset is of the dinosaur era.”

Raja Petra Kamarudin RPK