Letters to the editor | Source: San Francisco Chronicle
Qasim Rashid | Richmond
Your recent article "Islamic countries seeking treaty to ban blasphemy" (Nov. 20) correctly states that the tenets of freedom of speech directly conflict with anti-blasphemy laws.
What Americans may not know, and Muslims proposing anti-blasphemy laws fail to understand, is that the tenets of Islam directly conflict with anti-blasphemy laws.
The Quran states, "There is no compulsion in religion" (2:256), categorically rejecting any attempts to coerce a person's beliefs by law or threat.
The holy founder of Islam, Muhammad, championed freedom of religion, even for those who vehemently rejected Islam. He and his companions endured 13 years of brutal verbal and physical persecution in Mecca before migrating to Medina, a city some 240 miles away.
Even upon Muhammad's peaceful victory as the de facto ruler of Mecca some 10 years later, he absolutely forbade that any person of any faith should be restricted in their practice, even if that practice should offend Muslims and Islam.
Rather than blame the West, Muslims should reflect within and reform themselves. A true reformation will be the best retort to those who insult Islam.
Anti-blasphemy laws simply reaffirm every critic's point when they question Islam's stability.
Qasim Rashid is a contributing member of Majlis Sultanul Qalam, USA (MSQ USA).
Read more: ANTI-BLASPHEMY LAWS ANTI-ISLAM | San Francisco Chronicle
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