kenneth harrow
professor emeritus
dept of english
michigan state university
517 803-8839
harrow@msu.edu
Sent: Wednesday, May 18, 2022 6:10 PM
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Re: STOP BLASPHEMY FOR PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE
Ken:
Is the scripture the issue? Documents before Christ? Texts dating back to the 7th century?
Should I now go and marry 300 wives like King Solomon?
I think the issue may be how holy texts intended to guide human behavior become converted into "Constitutions." When you do this conversion, you elevate "conventions" to the status of "law." Conventions are ethical, not legal. You can instrumentalize conventions by converting them into laws in a secular state, and you can pass laws around stereotypes and racist remarks (as in say, do not use the word "nigger") or do not say "Holy Mary, mother of Jesus, was not a virgin."
TF
From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Harrow, Kenneth <harrow@msu.edu>
Date: Wednesday, May 18, 2022 at 5:01 PM
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Re: STOP BLASPHEMY FOR PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE
i am sorry to have annoyed or angered cornelius so much, but
--i don't think we should quote scripture for justification of actions like killing or punishing people. i guess that means i believe in the separation of church and state 100%, and my example for this is the abuse of this killing of a girl by then citing qu'ranic verses or hadith in justification.
because,
one can find verse in any of the sacred texts and their interpretations for anything.
what is the value of citing scripture or interpretation? i don't say we shouldn't cite it, or any other texts. if they support our points, perhaps better than anything else, why not? but to cite them as authorities to justify our actions. again, for me, this case of the killing of deborah is the best example i can think of to demonstrate my point.
those who use religious texts as authority, rather than their own beliefs then supported by those texts, are abdicating their responsibility-what sartre termed bad faith.
that said, i would willingly cite any passage from any religious text for us to mull over and debate or even find inspiration in.
i very frequently write interpretations of the jewish tanakh, our bi ble, on passages read for the week, and i love the thinking and effort and engagement. but i wouldn't ever say, the text says to do this, so that makes it right. i call that approach that of "true believers," by which i mean fundamentalists.
lastly, i do agree with cornelius on one point. i don't believe in absolute freedom of expression. if our speech or words cause hard, there must be a limit where the harm has to stop and the people causing harm punished. the harm could simply be libel, and we can sue those who libel us. but if speech is used to incite someone to kill others, that speech ought to be prohibited. the link is often direct.
an example: the killings in buffalo were linked to the replacement theories this kid read on line and which inspired him to kill as many black people in buffalo as he could. the vile outlets that promoted the killings serve no good, and cause real physical and mental harm. i would prohibit them. but then, i am not a billionaire named musk....
on the other hand, if the harm is seen as that of god or the prophet, that is not the same, and as toyin pointed out, we often engage in "discussions" with our sacred figures that others might deem blasphemy.
lastly, the moment we admit blasphemy merits punishment, we should recognize that one person's blasphemy is another person's truth, and if we permit ourselves to punish others for blasphemy, soon they will punish us for the same crime.
that's called religious wars. one man's truth is another's lies, and the two will fight to the death.
unless their name is ESHU, in which case, obviously, each side of the god can mock the other....a god to admire....
ken
kenneth harrow
professor emeritus
dept of english
michigan state university
517 803-8839
harrow@msu.edu
From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Oluwatoyin Adepoju <ovdepoju@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, May 18, 2022 2:15 PM
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Re: STOP BLASPHEMY FOR PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE
Great thanks for this Ken
This inhuman venerations of issues dealing with an invisible entity whose existence is in dispute is really tragic.
Thanks
Toyin
On Wed, May 18, 2022, 18:50 Harrow, Kenneth <harrow@msu.edu> wrote:
dear cornelius
there is no death penalty for blasphemy in judaism in the present, and i suspect not for many centuries. it is
misleading to cite such passages, as i did from leviticus last week, as having anything to do with current law or practice.
i believe death penalties are wrong, no matter the crime. but death penalties for religious infractions are an abomination, and we should not imply that passages from religious texts and practices from the past have anything to do with contemporary, modern life. the sokoto muslim community should not be explaining how horrible blasphemy is, implicitly condoning the killing.
as an example of the antiquity of this kind of rationalization one can find in the bible the rule that a child who disrespects or disobeys his or her parents is supposed to be stoned to death, according to the jewish bible. if you ask contemporary scholars about this, they say it is never actually evoked, and even claim it never was, which is likely.
on the other hand, challenging accepted view of god, spinoza in the 17th century wrote that there was no separate divine being, but that divinity was in all matter. he was declared a heretic, and here is the wiki account of what follows:
Spinoza's break with the prevailing dogmas of Judaism, and particularly the insistence on non-Mosaic authorship of the Pentateuch, was not sudden; rather, it appears to have been the result of a lengthy internal struggle ....after he was branded as a heretic, Spinoza's clashes with authority became more pronounced. For example, questioned by two members of his synagogue, Spinoza apparently responded that God has a body and nothing in scripture says otherwise.[54] He was later attacked on the steps of the synagogue by a knife-wielding assailant shouting "Heretic!" He was apparently quite shaken by this attack and for years kept (and wore) his torn cloak, unmended, as a souvenir.[54]
ken
kenneth harrow
professor emeritus
dept of english
michigan state university
517 803-8839
From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Cornelius Hamelberg <corneliushamelberg@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, May 18, 2022 11:03 AM
To: USA Africa Dialogue Series <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com>
Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Re: STOP BLASPHEMY FOR PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE
Pharoah Sanders - Hum Allah Hum Allah Hum Allah
With all my heart, I should like to fully embrace the spirit and the tenor of this submission and fully endorse the recommendations advanced by Muslim Solidarity Forum Sokoto.
This too is in accordance with The Golden Rule
Hopefully, in good conscience, non-Muslim religious organisations, of every conceivable denomination, and exercising the same sense of civic responsibility, other civic bodies will issue similar statements in the interests of future peaceful and harmonious relations /harmonious coexistence with fellow Nigerian countrymen and countrywomen.
However, it should be pointed out that with regard to the death penalty for blasphemy in Judaism in the so called " Old Testament " properly known as the Tanakh - the death penalty for blasphemy is only applicable to blasphemy of the Almighty, and not what could be properly understood as blasphemy or any form of irreverence to any of the prophets in the Hebrew Bible.
Therefore, the second sentence which I have underlined in the excerpt quoted below has to be amended
iii. The punishment for blasphemy against Prophets (may the peace and salutations of Allah be upon them) is death according to Islamic law. It is also the same in the Bible as mentioned in Leviticus 24 verses 10-16; First Kings 21 verses 10-13 and Second Kings verses 23-25.
We could take a closer look into the references cited :
Leviticus 24 verses 10-16 // Vayikra 24 : 10 - 16
First Kings 21 verses 10-13 // Melachim 1: 21: 10-13
Second Kings verses 23-25 // Melachim 2: 23 - 25
On Wednesday, 18 May 2022 at 00:45:53 UTC+2 toyinfalola wrote:
STOP BLASPHEMY FOR PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE
By Muslim Solidarity Forum Sokoto
Ath-thulatha, 16th Shawwal, 1443 AH | Tuesday, May 17, 2022
1.The Muslim Solidarity Forum Sokoto, as an umbrella body for Imams, scholars, preachers, Islamic organizations, Islamic centers and Sufi orders in the state has been following the sad events that happened last Thursday 11th Shawwal, 1443 AH (12.05.2022 CE) at Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto and their aftermath with great concern and wishes to submit thus:
2.The unfortunate incident started when a Christian student by name Deborah Yakubu posted a widely circulated voice note in a students' WhatsApp group because some Muslim members of the group shared some Islamic contents. In the message, which was in Hausa language, she was heard abusing the religion of Islam and hurling the most despicable and immoral abuse on the person of the Noble Prophet Muhammad (may the peace and salutations of Allah be upon him), bragging that nothing would happen to her, despite warning by her friends. This act is the most extreme provocation anyone can do to any Muslim who has an iota of faith in him. The Hall Administrator according to widely circulated audio has also warned severally how she was making reckless statements that could bring havoc!
3.This senseless, reckless and irresponsible act of incitement triggered riot by students, who protested against this extreme act of provocation in the seat of the Caliphate. This culminated in the loss of life of that student during the mob action.
4.We therefore, condemn in strongest terms reviling and disparaging the personality of our leader, the Noble Prophet Muhammad (may the peace and salutations of Allah be upon him) by any person whoever he might be.
5.Despite the terrible nature and seriousness of this offence, we call on all Muslims not to take law into their hands and allow the relevant organs of government to handle cases of such nature.
6.This is not the first time a Christian whether, student or not is deliberately making blasphemous statements against the person of the Noble Prophet Muhammad (may the peace and salutations of Allah be upon him) or trying to desecrate the Glorious Qur'an within and outside the state, thereby triggering religious crises and loss of lives and properties as witnessed in the last thirty (30) years. To stop this ugly trend, there is need for concerted efforts by all stakeholders towards addressing the roots of the menace.
7.In order to achieve the above mentioned, the following facts should be clear to all:
i. Any true Muslim - by the dictates of his religion- loves the Noble Prophet Muhammad (may the peace and salutations of Allah be upon him) more than his own self, parents, children and the entire humanity. He will not hesitate to sacrifice his life in defense of his honor.
ii. Muslims equally respect and honor all other Prophets and Messengers of Allah without discrimination, from Adam to Jesus, son of Maryam (may the peace and salutations of Allah be upon them all). Speaking ill or showing disrespect to any one of them is an act of disbelief that takes one out of the fold of Islam. That's why no any true Muslim will consider doing that.
iii. The punishment for blasphemy against Prophets (may the peace and salutations of Allah be upon them) is death according to the Islamic law. It is also the same in the Bible as mentioned in Leviticus 24 verses 10-16; First Kings 21 verses 10-13 and Second Kings verses 23-25. However, the execution of that punishment rests with the authorities.
iv. History and current realities have shown that blasphemous utterances against the Noble Prophet Muhammad (may the peace and salutations of Allah be upon him) is suicidal and a sure way of living a miserable life in the least, whether in a Muslim majority or minority climes. The case of French teacher who presented Charlie Hebdo blasphemous cartoons to his students last year is still fresh in our memories.
v. In all cases of blasphemy in Nigeria within the last three decades, it has always been a Christian deliberately provoking Muslims through unguarded and unjustified insults against the personality of the Noble Prophet Muhammad (may the peace of and blessings of Allah be upon him) or desecration of the Glorious Qur'an leading to reaction which often escalate into religious crises. There was no single time when a Muslim made blasphemous comments against any personality honored in Christianity.
vi. The poor handling of this very sensitive issue of blasphemy by many governments in the past, where the inciters, such as Rev. Bako in Kafanchan crisis of 1987, escaped justice while many innocent Muslims suffered maltreatment in the hands of some security agencies, made the generality of Muslims to view the position of this and many past governments as skewed in favor of Christians.
vii. It is on record that unjustifiable killings of Muslims were committed at Zangon Kataf in 1991 and 1992; Tafawa Balewa in 1991, 1993, 1995 and 2001; Yelwan Shendam in 2004, Zonkwa and Jarkasa in 2011; Mambilla plateau in 2017; Dura du in Jos in 2018; Ijagbo killing of a Muslim student in 2022 among others, but no single person was punished for those crimes.
viii. The attitude of some Muslim leaders who are quick to condemn wrong actions committed by some Muslims, but are always deaf and dumb whenever Muslim religion, lives, properties and honor are trampled upon has compounded the matter, pushing an average Muslim to resort to self-help as there's apparently nobody interested in safeguarding his fundamental rights.
ix. The attitude of many Christian leaders who impliedly endorse blasphemous utterances through silence; refusal to openly condemn such heinous utterances and not teaching their congregations to avoid such sacrilegious acts, also encourage blasphemous acts by some of their members.
8.In view of the foregoing, we make the following demands:
a.The extant laws punishing acts of blasphemy not only in the state but in the whole country should be immediately reviewed to reflect the enormity and gravity of the offense in order to prevent disruption of law and order in the society and needless destruction of lives and properties.
b.Sokoto state government shall pay full compensation to the families of those slain and injured by the security agents during peaceful demonstration on Saturday 13th Shawwal, 1443 AH (14.05.2022 CE) in Sokoto, while we also call on the government to investigate the activities of those security agents and prosecute those found responsible.
c.The Nigeria Police, The Department of State Security and other relevant agencies shall as a matter of urgency investigate and bring to face justice those behind a YouTube channel called JARUMA HAUSA TV, who made it their primary duty to churn out contemptable statements on respected and eminent Muslim personalities such as the founder of the Sokoto Caliphate, Shaikh Usmanu bn Fodiyo (may Allah have mercy on him), President Muhammadu Buhari, His Eminence the Sultan of Sokoto, numerous Emirs and many notable Islamic scholars. This should be done to avoid a religious conflagration.
d.The Muslim leaders who refuse to defend the honor of the Noble Prophet Muhammad (may the peace and salutations of Allah be upon him) and stand for Muslim rights for whatever reason should know that Islam is their source of honor, and if they sought for honor from outside its fold, Allah the Most High will surely humiliate them.
e.The Christian leaders should, in the interest of peaceful coexistence publicly preach against blasphemy and educate their followers that blasphemy is against the scriptures and is a trouble shooter that will consume the perpetrator first before others.
f.We call on Islamic scholars, Imams and preachers to intensify efforts in educating and enlightening people both Muslims and non-Muslims about the Noble qualities and life story of the Prophet Muhammad (may the peace and salutations of Allah be upon him) and other Prophets of Allah (may the peace and salutations of Allah be upon them), as sublime human personalities who deserve all honor.
g.Similarly, we call on all Muslims to remain calm, law abiding and avoid any act that will lead to chaos, as well as continue to emulate the Noble Prophet Muhammad (may the peace and salutations of Allah be upon him) in all spheres of their lives.
9.Finally, we pray Allah the Most High, to increase our love, respect and emulation of His Noble Messenger Muhammad (may the peace and salutations of Allah be upon him); keep us firm on his path in this world and the hereafter; guide those who ignorantly hate him to the right path and bring peace and prosperity to our nation, surely He is able to do so.
Signed
Prof. Isa Muhammad Maishanu (Ag. Chairman) and Mal. Muhammad Usman Ali (Ag. Secretary)
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