Saudi Arabia Apostasy Case: Man Renounces Muslim Faith In Video, Sentenced To Death By Saudi Court

[FLPanhandle]

Source: International Business Times

A Saudi court has sentenced a man to death for renouncing his Muslim faith and other blasphemy charges, according to a Saudi Gazette report cited by Reuters Tuesday. The offender had posted a video online showing himself defacing the Quran and hitting it with a shoe, a grave insult and a crime in the kingdom, which follows a strict interpretation of Islam.

The man, who is in his 20s, had posted the video on the social networking site Keek, according to the Saudi Gazette, which quoted an anonymous courtroom source saying the death sentence was issued after the unnamed man’s apostasy “was proven.” Last year an online campaign by self-described Saudi atheists saw a number of social media users posting images of themselves with ripped-up copies of the Quran while declaring pride in their atheism. The campaign followed the kingdom’s criminalization of atheism in March 2014, with the hashtag #CampaigntoTearTheQuraninSaudiArabia being tweeted more than 7,800 times in the span of a week, Vocativ reported.

Desecration of the Quran may be criminalized in Saudi Arabia but it is also an outrage to Muslims everywhere, with worldwide protests being sparked by previous offenses against the the Islamic holy book, including after American pastor Terry Jones announced in 2010 that he would burn 200 copies. Under Saudi Arabia’s strict Wahhabi system of Islamic Shariah law, charges like apostasy carry the death penalty, which is often carried out by public beheading, Reuters said.

Other religious offenses like blasphemy and criticism of clerics also can incur lengthy prison sentences and corporal punishment. The kingdom has been criticized for its capital punishment policies, with the United Nations condemning its practice of public beheading as being “prohibited under international law.” Human rights groups have also criticized the Saudi justice system, which they accuse of imposing the death penalty under problematic circumstances, including after defendants have confessed under torture or been denied access to counsel.

Read more: http://www.ibtimes.com/saudi-arabia-apostasy-case-man-renounces-muslim-faith-video-sentenced-death-saudi-1826152

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As an atheist, this really pisses me off.

There is no need to respect anyone's religion or be concerned about what offends them.

[father founding]

1. Apostasy means

Another self hating Muslim.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

2. Apostasy also includes converting or reverting to another religion

The Roman Emperor Julian the Apostate was called that because he gave up Christianity and returned to Paganism.

[seveneyes]

3. "a strict interpretation of Islam"

Is it Islam doing this or not?

[christx30]

4. It's not Islam.

It's oppressive jerks in power using Islam as an excuse. There are millions of Muslims around the world that would be appalled by this case.
Just like most Christians hate being compared to Weatboro Baltist.

[Iggo]

8. Westboro Baptist doesn't control its own country and one of the world's most valuable resources.

[christx30]

9. Now we're just talking about scale.

I was talking about the general idea. A kid with a bottle rocket versus NASA. I'm sure the kid would love to do things of that scale.
Weatboro would love to have ISIS's level of control, they just don't have the resources.

[Iggo]

14. Saudi Arabia, not ISIS.

[christx30]

15. Being that ISIS gets a lot of their

funding from Saudi Arabia, pretty much 6 of one...

[Iggo]

18. Saudi Arabia chopping this guy's head off for apostasy is the same as ISIS doing it?

[christx30]

19. Guy's shoulders are still missing his head.

I don't see much difference.

[Iggo]

21. Never mind.

[JonLP24]

26. Westboro praised some of Saddam's secular policies

Including the freedoms he allowed for Christians prior to US Iraq war invasion so they requested permission from Saddam which he granted to do one of their "God hates f*gs"/US military protest because of their DADT & whatever it maybe policies on gay soldiers (which at the time an open admission of sodomy was a UCMJ violation) in Baghdad.

Prior to basic training, a Drill Sergeant in "Reception" was telling us "what would happen" if we tried to use one of the easy ways to get out of the military. On saying you're crazy, he said we'll put that on your record and no one will hire you & blah, blah. If you say "I'm gay", "We'll call your dad." Very stupid & the US military has no interest in calling parents as part of a chaptering process.

[muriel_volestrangler]

10. As an excuse for what? Are you claiming it's a complete coincidence that this man did that

to the Quran? That they had some other reason for wanting him dead, and then by accident found out he had declared himself an atheist? If so, what was the reason?

How many people are they trying to kill for the reasons that you know (but haven't yet told us about), but they are unable to, because they haven't fallen into the trap of being an atheist to give them the excuse?

[Yo_Mama]

27. It is Islam - that is the Koranic punishment for renouncing Islam.

This is as orthodox as you can get.

[JonLP24]

32. The Quran doesn't say the death penalty

‘There is no compulsion in religion. The right direction is distinct from error’ (Quran 2:256).”

‘Whosoever will, let him believe, and whosever will, let him disbelieve,’ (Quran18:29)

However, I should point out being an atheist is a bigger problem than being a Christian or Jew. Christians or Jews isn't part of the whole Apostasy thing considering Islam a sect of the Jewish & overall Abrahamic religion like the Christian religion.

More specifically
But those who reject Faith after they accepted it, and then go on adding to their defiance of Faith,- never will their repentance be accepted; for they are those who have (of set purpose) gone astray.

He who disbelieves in Allah after his having believed, not he who is compelled while his heart is at rest on account of faith, but he who opens (his) breast to disbelief-- on these is the wrath of Allah, and they shall have a grievous chastisement.

Punishment comes from selective fiqh texts.

[christx30]

34. But no one expects modern

Muslims to actually follow it. Like expecting Jews and Christians to follow the laws in Leviticus.

[JonLP24]

22. Wahabbism

Convert or die is their brand of outreach


The Wahhabi mission started as a revivalist movement in the remote, arid region of Najd. With the collapse of the Ottoman Empire after World War I, the Al Saud dynasty, and with it Wahhabism, spread to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. After the discovery of petroleum near the Persian Gulf in 1939, it had access to oil export revenues, revenue that grew to billions of dollars. This money—spent on books, media, schools, universities, mosques, scholarships, fellowships, lucrative jobs for journalists, academics and Islamic scholars—gave Wahhabism a "preeminent position of strength" in Islam around the world.[71]

In the country of Wahhabism's founding—and by far the largest and most powerful country where it is the state religion—Wahhabi ulama gained control over education, law, public morality and religious institutions in the 20th century, while permitting as a "trade-off" doctrinally objectionable actions such as the import of modern technology and communications, and dealings with non-Muslims, for the sake of the consolidation of the power of its political guardian, the Al Saud dynasty.[72]

However, in the last couple of decades of the twentieth century several crises worked to erode Wahhabi "credibility" in Saudi Arabia and the rest of the Muslim world—the November 1979 seizure of the Grand Mosque by militants; the deployment of US troops in Saudi during the 1991 Gulf War against Iraq; and the 9/11 2001 al-Qaeda attacks on New York and Washington.[73]

In each case the Wahhabi establishment was called on to support the dynasty's efforts to suppress religious dissent—and in each case it did[73]—exposing its dependence on the Saudi dynasty and its often unpopular policies.[74][75]

In the West, the end of the Cold War and the anti-communist alliance with conservative, religious Saudi Arabia, and the 9/11 attacks created enormous distrust towards the kingdom and especially its official religion.[76]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wahhabism#History

Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab

Early preaching

After his return home, Ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhab began to attract followers, including the ruler of 'Uyayna, Uthman ibn Mu'ammar. With Ibn Mu'ammar, Ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhab came to an agreement to support Ibn Mu'ammar's political ambitions to expand his rule "over Najd and possibly beyond", in exchange for the ruler’s support for Ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhab's religious teachings. ʿAbd al-Wahhab began to implement some of his ideas for reform. First, citing Islamic teachings forbidding grave worship, he persuaded Ibn Mu'ammar to help him level the grave of Zayd ibn al-Khattab, a companion of Muhammad, whose grave was revered by locals. Secondly, he ordered the cutting down of trees considered sacred by locals, cutting down "the most glorified of all of the trees" himself. And last he personally organised the stoning of a woman who confessed to having committed adultery.[23][23][24]

These actions gained the attention of Sulaiman ibn Muhammad ibn Ghurayr of the tribe of Bani Khalid, the chief of Al-Hasa and Qatif, who held substantial influence in Najd. Ibn Ghurayr threatened Ibn Mu'ammar with denying him the ability to collect a land tax for some properties that Ibn Mu'ammar owned in Al-Hasa if he did not kill or drive away Ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhab. Consequently Ibn Mu'ammar forced Ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhab to leave.[24][25]

Pact with Muhammad bin Saud
First Saudi State (1744–1818)

Upon his expulsion from 'Uyayna, Ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhab was invited to settle in neighboring Diriyah by its ruler Muhammad bin Saud. After some time in Diriyah, Muhammad ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhab concluded his second and more successful agreement with a ruler.[26] Ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhab and Muhammad bin Saud agreed that, together, they would bring the Arabs of the peninsula back to the "true" principles of Islam as they saw it. According to one source, when they first met, bin Saud declared:

"This oasis is yours, do not fear your enemies. By the name of God, if all Nejd was summoned to throw you out, we will never agree to expel you."
—Madawi al-Rasheed, A History of Saudi Arabia: 16

Muhammad ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhab replied:

"You are the settlement's chief and wise man. I want you to grant me an oath that you will perform jihad (Struggle to spread Islam) against the unbelievers. In return you will be imam, leader of the Muslim community and I will be leader in religious matters."
—Madawi al-Rasheed, A History of Saudi Arabia: 16
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_ibn_Abd_al-Wahhab

Saudi Arabia also executed the man in my sigline who wasn't an atheist. They also execute for the crime of bible possession when the Quran is simply a verification (based on the opinion of Mohammed) of the old & new testament.

[snooper2]

5. religion- Easy way to control the masses, pray every fucking day- disobey you DIE

now back to work you ignorant fools!

[BlueJazz]

6. Americans will be appalled by this scenario failing to realize that this is exactly...

...what some extreme right-wing Christians would bestow on our country.

[EX500rider]

17. "what some extreme right-wing Christians would bestow on our country."

I'd like to see some proof that Christian Americans have called for the death penalty for leaving their religion.

[BlueJazz]

23. I'd like to see some proof that Christian Americans have called for the death penalty for leaving...

...their religion."

So would I.
If you find any Christians (that are not extreme)...that are calling for the death penalty for leaving their religion, let me know.

[The Stranger]

24. I think the difference is that the Christian extremists are not installed in government. Other than

that, though, there's always been Christian hate groups killing people.

It is really about intimidation.

[JonLP24]

25. The US has at-best indirectly facilitated this

Keep in mind what is going on in Saudi Arabia is being enforced by a dominant minority of overall Islam, even within its own country. A very controversial sect of Islam within Islam

Saudi Arabia Bulldozes Over Its Heritage

The $21 billion project, launched in 2011, is designed to meet the challenges of accommodating the millions of pilgrims who visit Mecca and Medina every year. Around 2 million currently visit during Hajj alone, the annual pilgrimage that happens during the last month of the Islamic calendar. But activists charge that the recent destructions are part of a much wider government campaign to rub out historical and religious sites across the Kingdom.

Over the last few years, mosques and key sites dating from the time of Muhammad have been knocked down or destroyed, as have Ottoman-era mansions, ancient wells and stone bridges. Over 98% of the Kingdom’s historical and religious sites have been destroyed since 1985, estimates the Islamic Heritage Research Foundation in London. “It’s as if they wanted to wipe out history,” says Ali Al-Ahmed, of the Institute for Gulf Affairs in Washington, D.C.

Though the Saudi rulers have a long history of destroying historical sites, activists say the pace and range of destruction has recently increased. A few months ago, the house of Hamza, the Prophet Muhammad’s uncle, was flattened to make way for a Meccan hotel, according to Irfan Al Alawi, executive director of the Islamic Heritage Research Foundation. There have even been rumored threats to Muhammad’s tomb in Medina and his birthplace in Mecca.

<snip>

Wahhabism, the prevailing Saudi strain of Islam, frowns on visits to shrines, tombs or religio-historical sites, on grounds that they might lead to Islam’s gravest sin: worshipping anyone other than God. In recent years, the twin forks of Wahhabi doctrine and urban development have speared most physical reminders of Islamic history in the heart of Mecca. The house of the Prophet’s first wife, Khadijah has made way for public toilets. A Hilton hotel stands on the site of the house of Islam’s first caliph, Abu Bakr. Famously, the Kaaba now stands in the shade of one of the world’s tallest buildings, the Mecca Royal Clock Tower, part of a complex built by the Bin Laden Group, boasting a 5-story shopping mall, luxury hotels and a parking garage.

http://time.com/3584585/saudi-arabia-bulldozes-over-its-heritage/

Wahabbists finance other Wahabbists such as Al-Qaeda, The Taliban, IS, etc. Where does this money come from? Petro dollars.

Conflicts in Eastern Europe can be traced to the Byzantine period, Eastern Orthodox Christianity, started in part with using idolatry biblical texts to battle the class warfare going on which the oppressors were using a lot of Christian imagery.

Southwest Asia has been caught in the middle of Europe, Africa, Eastern Asia & more recent the Americas for a very long time. US happened to (thanks to World Wars and the crucial need of oil to maintain in these conflicts) choose Saudi Arabia which shared the ideological division against Communism -- which still plays out in parts of Eastern Europe (the far right has taken the place of Communists post-Cold War) -- which was very helpful in spreading the 'House of Saud's religious ideology (US film industry made romantic type of movies of our Saudi friends in early 20th century).

As to proof, look toward Central African Republic where people are recently being killed over an accusation of being Muslim. Muslim majority neighborhoods of been ethnically cleansed by far right Christian militias.

On edit - oh you said American Christians. I could bring up Pat Robertson but you narrowed your terms. Type in Keith Ellison Muslim into Google to see the kind of shit he faces.

[EX500rider]

29. "people are recently being killed over an accusation of being Muslim."

Killed for being Muslim is not the same as the govt giving the death penalty for leaving the Christian religion. What I asked for was links or proof that Americans have called for that type of law.

[JonLP24]

30. You narrowed your terms what you're looking for which makes it difficult to find

but is easy to find the US government & oil & gas execs fraternizing with this government & wealthy elite.

Military privatization, however, is not simply an abstract process that unfolds
in the same way across space and time. Crucial to understanding the rise of
TCN labor in particular was the post-Cold War military’s shift to a new center of
gravity: the Persian Gulf. The 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait marked a major
shift in the global U.S. military posture, with the deployment of large ground
forces to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait as a counterbalance to both Iraq and Iran.
Since then, U.S. bases in the Gulf have been key staging areas for operations in
Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere. Unlike the major overseas hubs of the Cold
War military in Western Europe and East Asia, the Gulf economies were built in
large part on foreign migrant labor. Large numbers of noncitizens reside in Qatar
(86.5 percent of the population), the U.A.E. (70 percent), Kuwait (68.8 percent),
Bahrain (39.1 percent), and Saudi Arabia (27.8 percent).40 Indeed, the military
and police services of the Arab Gulf states themselves also make extensive use of
foreign labor, at both the rank-and-file and officer levels. The U.A.E. and Qatari
militaries employ large numbers of contractors from Pakistan, Egypt, and other

http://www.uclalawreview.org/pdf/62-1-3.pdf

Hypothetically, one side of the civil war in CAR is predominately Christian -- they make up 80% of the population. A rebel coalition predominantly Muslim (but not Wahabbi ideological driven like IS) formed in part of the government's human rights violations against the 15% Muslim population. So say one of these Christians renounced his faith for Islam in front of them or even with a video w/ something similar to the regional significance of the "bottom of the shoe" thing (many Westerners aren't aware of the significant message of the Iraqi journalist throwing his shoe at Bush)

US throwing out secular dictators & the "Arab Spring" created a power vacuum being filled by organizing & financing of Wahabbi by our Qatari allies so American Christians are helping them out.

[EX500rider]

31. "You narrowed your terms what you're looking"

No, I was responding to a poster who said there were Americans who wanted the same type of blasphemy laws with the death sentence for leaving the faith and I asked for some proof of that.

[JonLP24]

33. A distinction should be made for oppressors & citizens that actually want these laws

"Convert or die" is a unique brand of outreach even for a far right orthodox sect.

The Door/Potter's House overloads on the hell rhetoric even suggesting Catholics & "lukewarm Christians" are going to hell. Very strict & have beliefs & customs very different from the majority of Christians. Those hooked by that cult will distance & cut-off relations from family & friends that are "lukewarm Christians" or less. They constantly want to "save" anyone that hasn't been to church in awhile & constantly invite to church. If someone slips the need another "saving".

In 2006, Westboro picketed with banners saying "God hates fags" and "Thank God for dead soldiers" at the Westminster, Maryland, funeral of Matthew Snyder, a U.S. Marine who was also killed in Iraq.

[Yo_Mama]

28. That is certainly not mandated by Christian orthodoxy, and is in fact forbidden.

Not that Catholicism, at its worst, didn't execute people for heresy, but that's currently forbidden by the Vatican as well.

The only religions I know of that currently has as orthodox belief the idea that heresy/blasphemy deserves secular punishment are global warming Wahabism and Islam.

[Iggo]

7. Our noble allies in the war on terror.

[valerief]

11. It's okay if Republicans or Saudis do it. Cuz $$$. nt

[DeSwiss]

12. What great advertising.

- People will be beating down the doors to get into this religion.



K&R

Islam: once in, you're in for your life.......

[msongs]

13. you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave...with your head attached nt

[SoapBox]

16. Do we condemn them for Human Rights abuses?

Oh hell no...'cause they got money.

Fuck these assholes.

[november3rd]

35. What does it say about us?

These are our allies? What is wrong with our state department?