# How scholars' rhetoric fed Pakistan's blasphemy killings, in Mufti Abu Layth's view - URL: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/hmurvu2c9yq/s/3/ - Date: 2024-09-29 · Kind: discussion · Transcript tier: machine · Recording: Deen of Hope NOT Hate - Mufti Tariq Masood | Mufti Abu Layth (9:46–14:51) - Status: latest answer on its topic; general teaching - Watch from the start of the segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMUrvU2c9YQ&t=586s - Recording page: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/hmurvu2c9yq/ **Topics:** Pakistan; Blasphemy, insult and free speech; Extremism, crime and justice **Summary (not a quotation; machine-made, unchecked):** Mufti Abu Layth says scholars who long told the public to kill blasphemers, Mufti Tariq Masood once among them, helped build the culture now threatening him, and must teach mercy for everyone. ## Longer summary Mufti Abu Layth introduces the verse about seizing by the forelock that the controversy concerned, then says that while Mufti Tariq Masood and others now rightly say that intention must be considered in blasphemy, the same voices historically helped create the extremist culture. Mufti recalls the killing of the Pakistani governor Salman Taseer by his own security guard after he was accused of blasphemy, although Taseer had publicly said he was only questioning a blasphemy law of the government. He says the killing was celebrated across Pakistan's denominations and that Mufti Tariq Masood at the time made public videos saying anyone who blasphemes should be killed, a stance he later changed. Mufti says blood is sacred, prays for the protection of Mufti Tariq Masood and his family, and says scholars must drum into the public that this deen is one of mercy, not only when it falls on them, since ordinary people executed over blasphemy have nobody to speak for them. ## Sources and names cited - Quran 96:15 (we will seize him by the forelock): https://quran.com/96/15 - Abu Jahl - Mufti Tariq Masood - Salman Taseer ## Transcript (machine tier, 9:46–14:51) [9:06] he he brought the world to education and so their intention is good although they you know they may miss the mark and get it wrong so to just jump up with this person is a cfir they've blasphemed they are a mad this is unacceptable this is not the way of this thing okay what I want to do is also I want to show as well I'll show you this actual masalah this matter that Mi T Mas has brought up there's a particular [9:45] verse of the Quran from that that we will seize them by their for loocks on the day of judgment and whether this is primarily referring to Abu jahal and then other people by extension but before this I just want to say that you know there mu T Mas Sab and other people have come out and they've made videos now saying that look I didn't mean this and for blasphemy one must look at intention now and that is absolutely [10:25] true in that sense but what is is a shame is that all of these elements in society historically played a part in creating this extremist culture you know you um you I mean you there was a famous case of uh the the murder of Salman tasid he was a Pakistani Governor I believe or [11:01] something now he was killed at the time by his own security guard mtas Kadri and this was hailed a victory because allegedly Salman tasir had blasphemed Salman tasir went publicly his videos are still I think on YouTube saying I wouldn't dare blaspheme I would never say anything I was questioning a particular blasphemy law of the government of Pakistan I was never ever I would never as a Muslim dare say anything about the prophet I love the [11:39] prophet he's saying this time and time again yet when he was executed all these denominations in Pakistan celebrated this execution and they including you know all these groups including the the the had the diis the pr everybody they said well you know if anybody blasphemes he deserves death including at that time Muti Tarik Mas and this is I I don't know how long ago [12:17] is it something like is it seven years 8 years ago something this uh incident and making public videos saying that you know made a public like his videos were there where he was saying I take full responsibility if anybody blasphemes kill them there and then I take full know this clip now it is true that after that in a few years after he um he changed his [12:53] stance on this but it just goes to show that you know w we have no idea how much we are damaging the dean with our words that this is an AM that Allah has entrusted us with and you know and and blood is sacred in the eyes of Allah and so many years of drumming this into the public that just kill people kill people and then you know now God forbid it's come home [13:33] to roost and may Allah protect you know theik Mass sa and his family and protect anybody but just I think in the last few weeks there was some public person was executed in Pakistan uh under just the the the premise of blasphemy I think there were two incidents that the need to take it upon themselves to they have a responsibility to drum this into the public to to make them understand that this de is a de of Rah not just when it [14:12] falls on them and they're stuck now you know uhoh I'm in trouble so I'm going to now get AMA to come out and say this and I'm going to justify as an Alim or a Muti but what about all the poor individuals who are getting executed nobody's speaking for them because they don't have to speak for them they don't have M to speak for them they and and this is part of a broader backdrop a culture that needs to change that this is a dean of Rah a de of Mercy [14:50] you know drum this into the people repetition repeat it educate educate educate right and I wanted to bring up with that um this so you can see here that this was that's this was the verse ## Cite Mufti Abu Layth Archive, segment hMUrvU2c9YQ/s/3. https://muftiabulayth.org/r/hmurvu2c9yq/s/3/ Not a fatwa: these answers were given to specific people at specific times. Ask a qualified scholar about your own situation.