Politicians, clergy responsible for making extremists heroes: Ghamdi

KARACHI: Prime Minister Imran Khan has posted a video of noted religious scholar Javed Ahmad Ghamidi.

In the video Ghamidi has held politicians, legislators and religious circles responsible for portraying the extremists as the blessed one and heroes of the society, which is the basic cause of the Sialkot incident in which a Sri Lankan national was served vigilante justice.

Commenting on the Sialkot tragedy, Ghamidi said when a common person is raised in a social atmosphere where the meanings of religious canons, metaphors, teachings and themes are misinterpreted and perverted, criminals and fringe elements are projected by the clergy as righteous and chosen ones, they grab such occasions as a window of opportunity to reap heavenly rewards of the afterlife.

Ghamidi questioned as to why such extremist groups, slogans, and discussions are allowed to promote intolerance in the society. Discussing the episode of former Governor Salmaan Taseer, who was gunned down by Mumtaz Qadri, he said the late Taseer had not committed any blasphemy or sacrilege, but he became a target when his statements were given a wrong spin, inciting and leading to his murder by a policemen. It didn’t stop there. The courts convicted Mumtaz Qadri as a criminal and was executed but the clergy turned him into a religious hero. Such an environment can only breed intolerance. Today, blasphemy issues are used to settle personal scores and the extremist environment of the society has turned people into murderous hordes.

Ghamdi also highlighted the role of those making laws and said they were equally responsible for the state of affairs. Citing the example of the Blasphemy Law, the scholar termed it contrary to the canons of Islam, Hadith and Shariah. The tragedy is, he said, that while the important and serious Ulema concede the law to be laden with grievous errors, no one is prepared to undo the wrong. He said if amendments are brought into the blasphemy law in line with Fiqah Hanafi, which is followed by the majority in the country, it can settle the issue, resolve the problem and correct the wrong message. He said the presence of laws contrary to Holy Quran and Hadith gives rationale and justification for intolerance and breeds extremism in the society.

Painting the circumstances of those surviving the vigilante justice, Ghamidi said they live horribly in the prison cell, being looked down upon by the state authority, no lawyer is prepared to contest their case, even the courts are not helpful, unless the decree comes from the Supreme Court, leaving them with the only option to leave the country. Similarly, he said, there is “no religious requirement” of subscribing to finality of Prophethood as a condition before Nikah and added actions without wisdom and farsightedness are products of the perverted thoughts and ideas and merely serve to complicate issues needlessly.

Similarly, intellectuals, leaders and politicians who adopt an ambivalent and opportunist behavior instead of categorically and outright condemning or criticising the mindset are also responsible for such a mindset and incidents.

Ghamidi said on the Day of Judgment all these people would be held answerable by the Lord Almighty for the grave injustice perpetuated by them. It is high time people are informed and made to understand that “killing any one for any reason” does not serve Islam, Allah or the Holy Prophet (SAW) and on the contrary only invites heavenly wrath.