Christian charity launches apostasy petition
-4/7/03
An international Christian charity has launched a petition focusing on the Islamic law of apostasy.
Christian charity launches apostasy petition
-4/7/03
An international Christian charity has launched a petition focusing on the Islamic law of apostasy.
According to traditional Islamic law (Shariíah) adult Muslim men who choose to convert to another faith and refuse to return to Islam, should be put to death, says the Barnabas Fund.
The petition calls upon Muslim religious leaders and Islamic organizations to make a public call for a reform or reinterpretation of Shariíah, so that Muslims who change their faith will not have to face intimidation, harassment, persecution or death.
In recent years moderate Muslim organizations such as Malaysiaís Sisters in Islam and even the Islamic Research Academy of Al-Azhar University in Cairo, have increasingly been calling for a reinterpretation of Islamic teaching on apostasy
to make it more just and humane.
The petition follows an Early Day Motion (EDM) in Parliament which has been signed by 40 MPs, expressing support for converts suffering for their faith and calling for reforms to cruel traditional punishments for apostasy.
Other punishments for conversion prescribed by the Shariíah include the annulment of marriage, the removal of children and the loss of all property and inheritance rights.
This tradition is still upheld and taught by many Muslim religious leaders around the world today, say the Barnabas fund. In countries like Iran, Sudan and Saudi Arabia converts have faced imprisonment, death threats, torture and beatings because of their faith.
The Barnabas Fund suggests that it is the basic human right of all to change their faith if they wish.
Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights respectively affirm the right of the individual to ìchangeî their religion and to ìadoptî a religion of their choice without fear of persecution.
The petition also urges the UN Commission on Human Rights and Western governments and other international institutions to raise this as a matter of urgency with Muslim leaders and organizations, and to exercise their influence by speaking out in support of this call.
Christian charity launches apostasy petition
-4/7/03
An international Christian charity has launched a petition focusing on the Islamic law of apostasy.
According to traditional Islamic law (Shariíah) adult Muslim men who choose to convert to another faith and refuse to return to Islam, should be put to death, says the Barnabas Fund.
The petition calls upon Muslim religious leaders and Islamic organizations to make a public call for a reform or reinterpretation of Shariíah, so that Muslims who change their faith will not have to face intimidation, harassment, persecution or death.
In recent years moderate Muslim organizations such as Malaysiaís Sisters in Islam and even the Islamic Research Academy of Al-Azhar University in Cairo, have increasingly been calling for a reinterpretation of Islamic teaching on apostasy
to make it more just and humane.
The petition follows an Early Day Motion (EDM) in Parliament which has been signed by 40 MPs, expressing support for converts suffering for their faith and calling for reforms to cruel traditional punishments for apostasy.
Other punishments for conversion prescribed by the Shariíah include the annulment of marriage, the removal of children and the loss of all property and inheritance rights.
This tradition is still upheld and taught by many Muslim religious leaders around the world today, say the Barnabas fund. In countries like Iran, Sudan and Saudi Arabia converts have faced imprisonment, death threats, torture and beatings because of their faith.
The Barnabas Fund suggests that it is the basic human right of all to change their faith if they wish.
Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights respectively affirm the right of the individual to ìchangeî their religion and to ìadoptî a religion of their choice without fear of persecution.
The petition also urges the UN Commission on Human Rights and Western governments and other international institutions to raise this as a matter of urgency with Muslim leaders and organizations, and to exercise their influence by speaking out in support of this call.