Intro to ‘CII
Curtail Women’s Rights’
Originalist Primer
on American Religious Liberty
Edited by John R. Houk
May 31, 2016
This is the first time I have read Shamim Mahmood
(Masih) write an op-ed article which openly is critical of Islam. I admire his courage
but he has just embarked on a dangerous path in Pakistan where the Blasphemy
Law is used as a tool to persecute Christians and other religious minorities
with often fabricated accusations of insulting Islam and the pseudo-prophet
Mohammed.
First Shamim addresses the legislative advice of the Council
of Islamic Ideology which recommended essentially to chattelize women on all stratospheres
of life which includes Muslims, Christians, Hindus and etc. Then pulls some
essential understanding Quranic suras that tell Muslims how to treat
Christians.
Then Shamim criticizes the CII as a contradiction of
religious liberty found in America’s First Amendment:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of
speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble,
and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. (AMENDMENT I – The Heritage Guide to The Constitution)
I emphasized the clause of the First Amendment that
addresses Religious Liberty. Shamim has read the interpretation of the First
Amendment based on the Living Constitution
Separation of Church and State. With the persecution that Christians suffer in
Pakistan I can understand Shamim’s excitement about separating Church and State
in totality. I am certain he doesn’t understand the repercussions of total
separation.
I stand with the Originalist interpretation of the
Constitution which can only be changed by a Constitutional
Amendment. The Living Constitution crowd have allowed the Supreme Court of the
United States to change constitutional meanings according to America’s Leftist
interpretation of the way cultural mores have evolved and the way Christian
memes have slowly been disallowed. America’s Left has been making huge strides
in diminishing the influence of Christianity in the USA. This Christian diminishment
has ended prayer in schools, ended
prayers in public forums (e.g. City government or Public School sports events),
removed icons of Western rule of Law such as removing the Ten Commandments from
Courthouses, disallowing symbols of Christmas on taxpayer supported public
property, disallowing Christmas parties or pageants forcing a name change to
Winter festival or celebration, even High School Valedictorian speakers are
forbidden to than Jesus for the Lord’s influence in their life and on and on!
This has been the curse of the Living Constitution concept has brought upon
America.
Originalist interpretation correctly does NOT Church and
State BUT rather prevents the State to establish a State Religion or Church.
Meaning religion (the Founding Fathers envisioned CHRISTIANITY) can influence
the State BUT the State can make zero legislation forcing religion or people to
worship the way the State wants you to worship. The only position the State has
with religion is to protect people to worship as they please or to not worship
at all if a person or people choose atheism. THIS IS ORIGINAL INTENT RELIGIOUS
LIBERTY IN AMERICA.
American Originalists emphasize that NO WHERE in the
Constitution or the First Amendment that the wording of “Separation of Church
and State” exists. Rather the First Amendment Clauses No establishment of
religion (aka Disestablishment Clause) and that religion can be freely exercised
without Federal government interference.
From an American Conservative Christian perspective, I felt
the necessity to explain the controversy in American Religious Liberty between Church/State Separatists and
Disestablishment Church Originalists.
Related Info:
Disband
Council of Islamic Ideology: HRCP; The Express Tribune; 5/28/16
Islamic council proposes allowing men to
'lightly beat' their wives if they do not 'dress as he desires', refuse to have
sex, or fail to take a bath after their period; Daily Mail; Updated 5/28/16 01:53 EST
JRH 5/31/16
*********************
CII Curtail Women’s Rights
CII Allowed Men to
Beat Women
By Shamim Mahmood
Sent: 5/29/2016 2:00
PM
Shamim Masih: Few
days back, Islamic constitutional body, Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) [Wikipedia] has proposed its own
women protection bill, recommending ‘a light beating’ for the wife if she
defies the husband. This recommendations spark outrage though the CII chairman
soften the tone stating ‘violence’ is not permissible in Islam. As he believes
that light beating does not mean violence.
Earlier CII rejected Punjab’s controversial Protection of
Women against Violence Act (PPWA) [“Women's
Protection Bill — A case of men's insecurities”; Dawn; 5/12/16 01:35PM] terming
it un-Islamic and drafted its own bill and will now forward to the Punjab
Assembly. However, the parliament is not bound to consider its recommendations.
The 20-members CII proposed that a husband should be allowed to ‘lightly’ beat
his wife if she defies his commands and refuse to dress up as per his desires;
turns down demand of intercourse without any religious excuse or does not take
bath after intercourse or menstrual periods. The bill also suggested that
beating is also permissible if a woman does not observe Hijab; interacts with
strangers; speaks loud enough that she can easily be heard by strangers; and
provides monetary support to people without taking consent of her spouse.
In a bill of 163-pages there are several bans on women, like
a ban on co-education after primary educations, a ban on women from taking part
in military combat, a ban on welcoming foreign delegations, interacting with
males and making recreational visits with ‘Na-Mehram’ (not known [Possible meaning from Wikipedia]). Female nurses should not be allowed to
take care of male patients and women should be banned from working in
advertisements etc.…. The CII is a powerful body because of its influence on the
political system in Pakistan. It advises the Pakistani legislature whether laws
are in line with the teachings of Islam.
I don’t know for how long blasphemy laws allow me to speak
about Islam or its teaching, but let me tell you; there is difference between
women, children and minorities rights and Islamic permission. There are no
equal rights for women and other minorities residing in a nation in which the
Quran and Sharia Law define culture and society and its rule of law. Women’s
rights given in Islam are the same as recommended by CII. Saudi Arabia,
Afghanistan and Iran are clear examples and so much so Pakistan is another
Sunni Dominated Islamic country inspired by Saudi Arabia.
A Muslim apologist usually says that Islam is religion of
peace and provides the rights for women, children and for the people of the
Book like Christians and Jews. The Council must have given Islamic references
in support of these recommendations. And I am giving few quotes from Quran
about how Islam deal with other minorities, which one of my U.S. friends
quoted.
Quotes of Quran from “The
Quran and Christianity” (6/23/16):
In the Quran, Christians are
generally referred to as “people of the book” and then in the various suras and
ayahs (or chapters and verses) a number of references are made. In 2:120,
“Never will the Jews nor the Christians be pleased with you till you follow
their religion. Say: ‘Verily, Islamic Guidance is the only Guidance. And if you
were to follow their desires after what you have received of Knowledge, then
you would have against Allah neither any protector nor helper.”
In 3:56: “As to those who disbelieve, I will punish them with a severe torment in this world and in the Hereafter, and they will have no helpers." In 3:85: “And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers.” In 3:118: “O you who believe! Take not as your helpers or friends those outside your religion since they will not fail to do their best to corrupt you. They desire to harm you severely. Hatred has already appeared from their mouths, but what their breasts conceal is far worse. Indeed we have made plain to you the verses if you understand.”
3:178 states: “And let
not the disbelievers think that our postponing of their punishment is good for
them. We postpone the punishment only so that they may increase in sinfulness.
And for them is a disgracing torment”. Hardly encouraging for the basis for
a peaceful co-existence and a comfortable pluralism. Muslim love of the Quran
that tells them to physically coerce non-Muslims through humiliation to convert
or to kill them if they insult Islam or its prophet Mohammad is a dooms day
promise toward Christians and other religious minorities in Pakistan.
CII recommendations could rightly be according to Islam but
legislature is not bound to obey it. Religions are one’s own dealing with his
creator but State deals with every individual’s matter and have to protect
every citizen. Today, anyone can construct a mosque, synagogue or temple in the
U.S. or any Christian majority country and can worship according to his faith
but not in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Even if someone says that the
constitution of Pakistan protects the rights of minorities but on the ground the
situation is totally different, Jews cannot even proclaim their faith in
Pakistan. And we are witness to the number of attacks on churches and temples
and on minorities in the country.
Decades back, Christian majority countries have separated
Church from the State matters. The First Amendment to the United States
Constitution includes a clause that calls for the separation of church and state.
Many people now espouse the belief that American government was designed to
include “an impenetrable wall” separating church and state. The Reason would
have been the same [for] the domination of religious leadership supervision
over the state matters. One should learn a lesson from history, and may be
tomorrow we will come up with the conclusion to do so, if we want to survive.
Be Blessed,
Shamim Mahmood
SUPPORT Shamim’s Christian advocacy in Pakistan.
First contact Shamim
in case he has found an easy way to donate. I like to use Western Union sending
money with this LINK to
the destination of Islamabad (Contact
Shamim in case he has changed cities). Shamim’s email
is shamimpakistan@gmail.com,
Western Union may ask for Shamim’s phone - +92-300-642-4560
Diplomatic Correspondent
Daily Times, Islamabad
+92-300-642-4560
______________________
Intro to ‘CII Curtail Women’s Rights’
Originalist Primer on American Religious Liberty
Edited by John R. Houk
May 31, 2016
______________________
CII Curtail Women’s Rights
Edited by John R. Houk
Links and text embraced by brackets are by the Editor.
© Shamim Mahmood (Masih)
Excerpt of Shamim Mahmood About Info
Greetings to you! Let me introduce myself first, though
many of you are witness to my professional work. I am the only Christian
journalist in this arena with diverse work experience with different media
outlets like Independent News Pakistan (INP), as columnist with “Daily Times”
for two years, two years with one of the leading Urdu daily, “Khabrain” &
Channel 5, Daily Mail and now with Pakistan Today. I have been working as lead
Reporter for “British Pakistani Christian Association” since 2010. As stringer
I have worked with BBC world service. Being a Christian journalist, I have been
writing on minority rights and working as a social reformer/peace maker as
well.
No comments:
Post a Comment