This morning I read disturbing news about an Afghan that converted to Christianity and now might be facing the death penalty for choosing a religion different from Islam.
A man could be sentenced to death after being charged with converting from Islam to Christianity, a crime under Afghanistan’s shariah laws, a judge said yesterday. The trial is thought to be the first of its kind in Afghanistan and highlights a struggle between religious conservatives and reformists over what shape Islam will take four years after the fall of the Taliban.
Abdul Rahman, 41, was arrested last month after his family accused him of becoming a Christian, Judge Ansarullah Mawlavezada told Associated Press. The accused was charged with rejecting Islam. During the one-day hearing on Thursday, the defendant allegedly confessed to converting to Christianity 16 years ago while working as a medical aid worker for an international Christian group helping Afghan refugees in the Pakistani city of Peshawar, Judge Mawlavezada said. Source: [The Guardian]
What’s really disturbing about all this, in my opinion, is that this is happening in the supposedly post-Taliban era. It is no secret that those that covert to Christianity in the Arab and the Muslim world get harassed, but to be threatened with death is really horrendous.
Sadly enough, Jordan is another country where converts to Christianity will not only be ostracized, but will be also harassed by the authorities. To be fair, anyone changing religion in Jordan, whether from Islam to Christianity or vise versa, faces social ostracization. The difference, though, is that in the case of converting to Christianity one can expect to spend some time behind bars as was the case with a Jordanian couple I blogged about last year.
Ask Samer and Abeer. Last September Jordanian security police connected to the country’s Mukhabarat, or intelligence agency, showed up at the couple’s home unannounced. They arrested Samer and detained him overnight. Samer’s crime: coming to faith in Jesus Christ 14 years ago. Originally a Muslim, Samer over the years since his conversion has been questioned several times by security police but never detained. This time, the police turned him over to the Islamic courts. The judges convicted Samer of apostasy. In a Nov. 23 decision the court decreed that his identification papers must be changed from "Muslim" to "no religion;" that he had forfeited any inheritance; that his marriage to Abeer is now illegal and therefore he is not entitled to custody of his son.
The US State Department 2005 report on religious freedom in Jordan also mentions this issue :
Members of unrecognized religious groups and converts from Islam face legal discrimination and bureaucratic difficulties in personal status cases. Converts from Islam additionally risk the loss of civil rights. There is no statute that expressly forbids proselytizing Muslims. However, Shari’a courts have the authority to prosecute proselytizers.
I’m fully aware that this topic is very controversial so I’m not going to say much besides reiterating what I said last year: In my humble, unbiased opinion I think that if Jordan intends to tread on a truly democratic path, then its citizens should be given the basic right of practicing a religion of their own choosing.
I dont think this is just with Islam. You tell me what would happen if a Jordanian Christian, for instace, announced to his family that he is going to convert to Islam?
I have heard of this happening, and the reaction from family and society is little different than it is in the opposite circumstances.
Having said that, I dont think this is an issue that should be dealt with in a legal manner. These issues have as much to do with cultural issues as anything else. I read an article a while back where a Christian girl was murdered by her family because she wanted to marry a Muslim guy.
It is a lot more about cultural mindsets than anything else. If it was Buddhist and Catholics in the Middle East the same problems would be there. Culture……that is the problem.
Besides, historically it isnt that much of an issue. Missionaries have been in the Middle East and other Islamic lands for hundreds of years and have gained very few converts. It is really just a non issue, save for the few people it effects.
Well said hamede!
Changing religion and the punishment is god is job,why people want to do good is job.
“And my question to Christians would be, how do you feel about a Christian leaving his/her religion and becoming Muslim, what do you think the consequences should be?”
The only consequence should be that the person becomes a Muslim. And if later, he or she changes his mind and wants to convert back, again the only consequence is that he becomes Christian.
His friends and relations may laugh at his ideas and beliefs, because people should be respected but their beliefs and ideas should not. All beliefs and ideas are open to criticism and mockery. That is how we learn and move forward.
Any sane person will say “I think my beliefs are correct, but I know that others disagree, and I may be wrong.”
At some point of my life I realized I’m peacefully convinced with Christianity or Islam, do i have the right(FREEDOM) to choose what faith i think is better for me? If yes, thank you my society for giving me my freedom and treating me as an equal mature human who can decide his faith, if not, can anybody please tell me why you taking my freedom away from me, does anybody here have a fair reason why I can’t choose my faith? Either tell me your fair reason please, or just stand up for my freedom as a human to choose. And thank you Natasha for making an effort to give me my freedom, it’s a small step in the right direction.
Fadi,
in agreement!
Ok, some persepctive.
If someone wants to leave a religion, he/she should not be killed for it, especially in the 21st century.
Sure, ostrasize them, disown them, whatever, no one can really control that. But killing them? That should be where the line is set-up and erected.
I do understand that it is an islamic rule to kill apostates, especially after trying to get them to reverse their decision 3 times. It’s a rule. But many islamic rule are not followed these days (plucking eye-brows is haram. How many Unibrow women do you see in Sadi?), so why not this one?
As a muslim I welcome anyone who wants to join my faith, and I also welcome anyone who wants to leave it. You can’t claim that there is la ikrah fel din and that you don’t coerce people to believe, especially when there is a death sentence hanging on the heads of people who may want to leave it.
Think of it this way: How many of you would be up in arms if-oh let’s say Israel- decided to execute a jewish man because he wanted to convert to Islam? Now think of this guy and tell me, why is he getting killed again?
Let this man go and don’t judge him. That’s God’s job!
Abdallah,
Thank you for your comment. I suggest your read my post one more time since I have already said that conversion in Jordan as a whole is a taboo. This is what I said in the post
“To be fair, anyone changing religion in Jordan, whether from Islam to Christianity or vise versa, faces social ostracization. The difference, though, is that in the case of converting to Christianity one can expect to spend some time behind bars”
Thank you.
Hey Muna,
Thanks for taking the time to post your comment. You should do this more often. You are right that changing one’s religion in Jordan is a major taboo whether it was frm Christianity or Islam or vice vera. If you read my post one more time, you will notice that I mentioned this:
“To be fair, anyone changing religion in Jordan, whether from Islam to Christianity or vise versa, faces social ostrasization. The difference, though, is that in the case of converting to Christianity one can expect to spend some time behind bars”
Muna I look at this issue as a basic human right that is missing in my country that I love and care for a great deal. Do you really believe that the authorities should interfere when people change their religion. Do you think the authorities should interfere in someone’s personal choice.
Muna,
It is not easy to discuss issues that might give Jordan a bad name. But Muna there is no perfect country and we as citizens that love our country should be the ones who instigate positive change.
I do not look at this issue as a religious issue but rather as a legal issue that should be amended. If those who converted from Christianity to Islam in Jordan were put in prison and harassed by the authorities then you will see a similar post condemning this act. It is all about a basic human right.
I don’t understand why this has to turn into a fight of Muslim against Christian. This is becoming typical of how we as Arabs have failed for the past several decades. Its always Muslim against Christian, Palestinian against Jordanian, Lebanese against Palestinian, Khaleeji against Syrian etc…
Why can’t we look at this subject objectively. My question to practicing Muslims is what are the consequences of a Muslim leaving their relegion according to the Sharia law and do you agree with it or not?
And my question to Christians would be, how do you feel about a Christian leaving his/her relegion and becoming Muslim, what do you think the consequences shoulud be?
How about inter relegious marriages?
Lets try to discuss not turn this into a bash party. All that Natasha did was report a news item that she came accross.
So if you all would relax and have fun I think it would be much better.
Cheers
Fadi