10 Years Jail For Insulting What? Who? Malaysia Becomes Laughing Stock Of The World

Pertama sekali saya ingin memberi sedikit cadangan dan nasihat. 

Islam cannot be insulted.  

Islam is not a human being with feelings and emotions. Islam cannot go to the Police Station and make a Police report saying "I have been insulted". 

So there is no such thing as 'insulting Islam'.

Only people can feel insulted. 

(Brader-brader sabar dulu ya. Baca sampai habis. 

There are verses from the Quran that teach us how to handle "insults".)

Similarly Hinduism cannot be insulted.
Hinduism cannot go to the Police Station and make a Police report saying "I have been insulted".

Only Hindu people can feel insulted. 

Similarly Christianity cannot be insulted.
Christianity cannot go to the Police Station and make a Police report saying "I have been insulted".

Only Christian people can feel insulted.

Similarly Buddhism cannot be insulted.
Buddhism cannot go to the Police Station and make a Police report saying "I have been insulted".

Only Buddhist people can feel insulted.

So please be accurate.  Do not say 'Islam has been insulted'.
It is less mistaken to say "I feel insulted".

("Less mistaken" because the Quran teaches us how to handle insults - but quite differently) 

The news that a "non Muslim" Malaysian  has been jailed 10 years for "insulting Islam" has gone around the world.   

Malaysia Baru is once more in the limelight for the wrong reasons.

Here is Reuters : 

(Reuters) - Malaysian sentenced > 10 years’ jail,  three others were charged 

over insults against Islam and Prophet on social media

The sentence was meted out consecutively

sentence is harshest on record in the Muslim-majority country

concerns over racial and religious tensions have grown in recent months.

Another social media user pleaded guilty 

sentencing hearing on Monday

Two others pleaded not guilty 

were being held without bail 

My comments :  Sentence meted out consecutively?  

That means a FULL 10 years at least.

And the other two are being held without bail?  

Even murderers can be released on bail - and they can escape to Australia.

These are just cases of some fellows shooting off their mouths. 

Jailed for 10 years?? Held without bail?

Here are some other headlines from the world media. 

Malaysia has become a laughing stock.

Here is Al Jazeera :

Here is Agence-France-Presse  thru SCMP :

And here is what some other Malaysians are saying about this sentencing :  

I agree with Zaid Ibrahim.  A terror preacher makes a career of insulting other peoples' religions and he is given PR in Malaysia.  And in Bangladesh they arrested suicide terrorists who said they killed other human beings because they were also inspired by the same preacher.  

Instead  you send someone to jail for 10 years who has not stolen any money, who has not caused anyone any physical harm or injury.

So what does the Quran say?

Sahih Intl :  You will hear from other people much abuse (aathan katheeran)

Pickthall : you will hear much wrong

Yusuf Ali : ye shall certainly hear much that will grieve you.

The arabic word is 'athan'.   Athan is used in the Quran to mean abusive language,  annoying talk (Shakir), much hurt (Arberry), a lot of insult (Khalifa) etc.

For example the same word 'aathan' (again meaning insult or harsh words) is used in Surah 2:262

2:262  Those who spend their wealth in the cause of Allah, and follow not up their charities with reminders of their generosity or with insult / injury (aathan),  for them their reward is with their Lord: on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.

(Meaning do not keep annoying people about how charitable you have been to them or say insulting words to the beggars, the poor etc after you give them some alms or charity). 

Anyway what "punishment" does the Quran prescribe when people use insulting language at you?

NONE. ABSOLUTELY NONE.

Quite the contrary, in 3:186 above the Quran says :  

Sahih International:  But if you are patient and fear Allah - indeed, that is of the matters [worthy] of determination.

Yusuf Ali:  But if ye persevere patiently, and guard against evil,-then that will be a determining factor in all affairs.

Just be patient and ignore them. That is better for you.

Nowhere does the Quran say that you should jail people (even for ONE day) just because they insulted you.

People will throw insults at you. This is part and parcel of life. 

Surah 33:58  Those who insult  the believing men and the believing women, who did not do anything wrong, have committed not only a falsehood, but also a gross wrong.

Yes it is a wrong to throw insults at people - WHO DID NOT DO ANYTHING WRONG TO YOU.  

Yet no where does the Quran say 'go and arrest and throw in jail all those people who insulted you'.

You simply cannot be using violence (whether village mob violence or state sanctioned arrest by the Police)  each time someone throws an insult at you.

Here is the Quran again :

Surah 3:111  They can never harm you, beyond insulting you  (illaa aathan). If they fight you, they will turn around and flee. They can never win.

So insults cannot physically harm you.  Its just an insult.  

You must grow up. You cannot jail people just for throwing insults.