Bahraini Teen Sentenced To Prison For Insulting Prophet Mohammed'S Wife

[News_Editor]

Bahraini teen sentenced to prison for insulting Prophet Mohammed's wife < br />

2012-08-13 06:45:22 GMT+7 (ICT)

MANAMA, BAHRAIN (BNO NEWS) -- A court in Sunni-ruled Bahrain on Sunday sentenced a Shiite Muslim teenager to two years in prison for posting insulting messages about a wife of the Prophet Mohammed on an internet website, prosecutors said. Few details about the case were released.

Attorney-General Abdulrahman Al-Sayyed said the 19-year-old man, whose name was not released, had previously been arrested and charged with defaming a revered religious symbol. He allegedly posted insulting comments about Aisha, a wife of the Prophet Mohammed, who is revered by Sunni Muslims but is generally viewed negative by Shiite Muslims.

"The accused accessed a website and posted filthy and depraved comments slandering the Prophet's Wife and Mother of the Believers, Aisha," said Al-Sayyed. Prosecutors said the alleged comments reached a level which made them "too dirty and degrading to mention", and therefore no other details were released.

Electronic equipment was seized after the man was arrested, although it was unknown when the arrest took place. The man confessed to regularly accessing an unnamed website and using it to defame Aisha, court officials said, adding that he was sentenced Sunday to two years in prison.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2012-08-13

[Bluespunk]

Maybe the kid shouldn't have said what he did but two years……Shias and Sunnis fighting political battles through religion. Powder keg, just what the world needs right now.

Edited August 13, 2012 by Bluespunk

[Scott]

A post with anti-Islamic reference has been removed.

[Ulysses G.]

It would be interesting to know why she is hated by Shiites.

[elshaheen]

Most religions don’t like it when you insult there religious leader in most cases. Islam or Muslims hold the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH – peace be upon him) to a higher standard. Since he is the one who helped establish Islam for his people and the rest of the world. I have read on different occasions were someone insults the Prophet through cartoons, writings and etc and that person or organization is put on notice. Some demand the death penalty or flogging etc.

If you are a non-Muslim and insult Islam or the Prophet in anyway a Muslim may come up to you and inform you kindly that you are insulting the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and try to refrain from doing it any further. If you are in Iran the people and government take it more seriously and often hang those who do insult the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

Edited August 13, 2012 by Scott
Repeating paragraphs deleted

[softgeorge]

I would be to terrified to go to an islamic country and to afraid to speak in case I offended someone unintentionally. I will stay in the safety zone of the west and S/E asia.

[Steely Dan]

It would be interesting to know why she is hated by Shiites.

Indeed, you would have thought a minor would not be subject to the same behavioural norms expected of an adult.

[Steely Dan]

I would be to terrified to go to an islamic country and to afraid to speak in case I offended someone unintentionally. I will stay in the safety zone of the west and S/E asia.

You may say nothing and still have trumped up charges of blasphemy leveled against you, this recently happened to a UK citizen in Dubai and happens routinely to Christians in Pakistan. What I really fear is spineless cow towing western governments allowing the OIC to ram it's defamation of religions (Islam) law through their courts effectively bringing an end to freedom of speech and the first amendment for Americans.

Edited August 13, 2012 by Steely Dan

[coma]

Good to see the Bahrain version of the Arab spring had a positive affect on the country. Although he has form, seems to have bent over backwards to get his message across and would have been well aware of the consequences of his actions if caught. But in his defence it is a fairly ordinary decision to jail this guy. He is a teenager and was probabley right with what he said.

[coma]

I would be to terrified to go to an islamic country and to afraid to speak in case I offended someone unintentionally. I will stay in the safety zone of the west and S/E asia.

With regards to these laws. Living in an Islamic country is really not that different to Thailand as a matter of fact. Speak out about the wrong people and there a laws in place that can and will put you in jail.

[takatukaland]

Maybe the kid shouldn't have said what he did but two years……Shias and Sunnis fighting political battles through religion. Powder keg, just what the world needs right now.

In Thailand u get a higher prison sentence for far less than what he did

[Skywalker69]

It would be interesting to know why she is hated by Shiites.

She is a Sunni, that´s why.

[Naam]

It would be interesting to know why she is hated by Shiites.

Indeed, you would have thought a minor would not be subject to the same behavioural norms expected of an adult.

a 19-year old is not a minor!

[KhunMoo]

It would be interesting to know why she is hated by Shiites.

Indeed, you would have thought a minor would not be subject to the same behavioural norms expected of an adult.

a 19-year old is not a minor!

I think he is referring to Aisha, the wife of the prophet....as i recall it - she was about 8 or 9 when he married her. I could be wrong though

Edited August 13, 2012 by KhunMoo

[yooper2001]

This just makes me appreciate the USA more. There is nothing better then freedom of speech. Seperation of church and state, and the right to bear arms

[lungbing]

KhunMoo,

you are slightly wrong. She was 6 (six) years old when he married her, but he refrained from having sex with her until she was 9 (nine).

[geriatrickid]

This just makes me appreciate the USA more. There is nothing better then freedom of speech. Seperation of church and state, and the right to bear arms

LOL. Don't be so quick to criticize. "our rights come from God and nature, not government" Paul Ryan. This would then indicate that the GOP candidate does not share your views and is in fact more aligned with the views of the government of Bahrain.

[geriatrickid]

KhunMoo,

you are slightly wrong. She was 6 (six) years old when he married her, but he refrained from having sex with her until she was 9 (nine).

Not unusual for that era. Although we may find such relationships repugnant today, the Roman Empire had great "fun" with slave children. The current taboos on children are a vestige of the Judeo-Christian teachings, although that didn't stop Europeans from taking child brides either. Personally, I find the subject matter disturbing, and I know that child brides still occur in the Indo-Pakistan-Turkmenistan-Afghanistan region, but I can see why some modern day muslims would be sensitive about the subject. The discussion of the child bride out of context of the historical era would be seen by some as a circuitious attempt to denigrate and insult.

Edited August 13, 2012 by geriatrickid

[Bluespunk]

Maybe the kid shouldn't have said what he did but two years……Shias and Sunnis fighting political battles through religion. Powder keg, just what the world needs right now.

In Thailand u get a higher prison sentence for far less than what he did

Yep, you're right. Frequently you find governments frowning upon freedom of expression, thinking for yourself and citizens challenging that which the powers that be hold dear.

[chooka]

I would be to terrified to go to an islamic country and to afraid to speak in case I offended someone unintentionally. I will stay in the safety zone of the west and S/E asia.

You may say nothing and still have trumped up charges of blasphemy leveled against you, this recently happened to a UK citizen in Dubai and happens routinely to Christians in Pakistan. What I really fear is spineless cow towing western governments allowing the OIC to ram it's defamation of religions (Islam) law through their courts effectively bringing an end to freedom of speech and the first amendment for Americans.

The religion of peace and TOLERANCE. Ummm.

[Naam]

I would be to terrified to go to an islamic country and to afraid to speak in case I offended someone unintentionally. I will stay in the safety zone of the west and S/E asia.

You may say nothing and still have trumped up charges of blasphemy leveled against you, this recently happened to a UK citizen in Dubai and happens routinely to Christians in Pakistan. What I really fear is spineless cow towing western governments allowing the OIC to ram it's defamation of religions (Islam) law through their courts effectively bringing an end to freedom of speech and the first amendment for Americans.

The religion of peace and TOLERANCE. Ummm.

the biased ignorant comments...

[chooka]

This just makes me appreciate the USA more. There is nothing better then freedom of speech. Seperation of church and state, and the right to bear arms

I agree, prefer to live in western (including Thailand) society anyday and so do a lot of muslims who are fleeing thier countries for the west. I could not live under Islam. Living a life of fear day in day out, being told what to eat, drink and say. When I can watch sport, what I can wear when and where I want. Living under Islam would be Hell on earth.

[simple1]

This just makes me appreciate the USA more. There is nothing better then freedom of speech. Seperation of church and state, and the right to bear arms

I agree, prefer to live in western (including Thailand) society anyday and so do a lot of muslims who are fleeing thier countries for the west. I could not live under Islam. Living a life of fear day in day out, being told what to eat, drink and say. When I can watch sport, what I can wear when and where I want. Living under Islam would be Hell on earth.

In Thailand you definitely do not have freedom of speech, nor wear certain clothes where and when you want. Need to delete those items off your list

[chuckd]

This just makes me appreciate the USA more. There is nothing better then freedom of speech. Seperation of church and state, and the right to bear arms

I agree, prefer to live in western (including Thailand) society anyday and so do a lot of muslims who are fleeing thier countries for the west. I could not live under Islam. Living a life of fear day in day out, being told what to eat, drink and say. When I can watch sport, what I can wear when and where I want. Living under Islam would be Hell on earth.

What a ridiculous statement. I lived in Islamic countries over 30 years of my life and had few, if any, problems.

Anybody that can't live reasonably under a moderate Islamic regime will have trouble living anywhere.

[Scott]

I also lived for a number of years in several Islamic countries. It's not all the difficult. Even some of the western women who lived and worked in the country had few problems. They did dress conservatively, but none complained about it.

I think I would pass on the idea of retiring to one of these countries, however.

[Steely Dan]

KhunMoo,

you are slightly wrong. She was 6 (six) years old when he married her, but he refrained from having sex with her until she was 9 (nine).

Not unusual for that era. Although we may find such relationships repugnant today, the Roman Empire had great "fun" with slave children. The current taboos on children are a vestige of the Judeo-Christian teachings, although that didn't stop Europeans from taking child brides either. Personally, I find the subject matter disturbing, and I know that child brides still occur in the Indo-Pakistan-Turkmenistan-Afghanistan region, but I can see why some modern day muslims would be sensitive about the subject. The discussion of the child bride out of context of the historical era would be seen by some as a circuitious attempt to denigrate and insult.

You have touched on the very raison d'etre for blasphemy laws. Correct, child brides were probably not uncommon in 7th century Arabia, however the problem comes with the Islamic belief that Mohammad (PBUH, and the rest of us would be nice too) was the perfect man, whose actions were beyond reproach, but act like the perfect man in 21st century America or Europe would see you thrown in jail. Therefore something has to give, either Mohammad was not the perfect man, or the interpretation of the Koran and Hadiths needs to move on to reflect current norms. The issue is either faced, or buried, which is where blasphemy laws come in.

Now I'm against causing gratuitous offense, but I'm equally against the belief systems of others constraining my rights of free speech. We are now undeniably entering a time when freedom of speech is under attack from all directions, Kuwait has introduced draconian blasphemy laws, also no doubt aimed at Shia Muslims, and in Austria a women called Elisabeth Sabadish-Wolff was convicted of so called 'hate speech' for as the judge put it 'having an excess of opinion' when she commented on Mohammad's marriage to Aisha but put it less delicately reflecting a 21st century viewpoint. In other words in Europe we are already treading on quicksand and imho unless all blasphemy type charges, which lack truth as a viable defense, should be condemned and resisted most strongly.

[Steely Dan]

Here is a quick follow up on the abuse of blasphemy laws and why we should be fighting for their complete abolition rather than meekly letting the OIC try to ram such legislation into our own laws.

In Pakistan (Land of the pure) a 14 year old Christian girl with Down's syndrome was framed by a pious Imam who claimed she burnt pages from a Quran.

http://gatesofvienna.blogspot.com/2012/09/set-up-for-blasphemy-charge.html

[simple1]

Here is a quick follow up on the abuse of blasphemy laws and why we should be fighting for their complete abolition rather than meekly letting the OIC try to ram such legislation into our own laws.

In Pakistan (Land of the pure) a 14 year old Christian girl with Down's syndrome was framed by a pious Imam who claimed she burnt pages from a Quran.

http://gatesofvienna...emy-charge.html

Yes & he has been arrested by the Pakistani authorities based on Muslim witnesses statement regarding his action - a very brave & small step in the right direction

[submaniac]

It would be interesting to know why she is hated by Shiites.

That's a long and intricate one. It goes back to the original succession following Muhammed's death. In a nutshell:

Muhammed left no sons to inherit. Muhammed's cousin and son-in-law was Ali, and the Shiites claim that Ali was rightfully appointed to lead after Muhammed's death. This is based upon speeches given by Muhammed which indicated that Ali was the successor.

After Muhammed's death, Abu Bakr was elected by the muslims to be the first caliph (instead of Ali). Abu Bakr was the father of Ayisha, who was the wife of Muhammed (and whom the Sunni's believe to be Muhammed's favorite wife). Ayisha took part in a battle for leadership.

Eventually there was a split between Sunni and Shiite. The Sunnis think very favorably of Ayisha because she was the wife of Muhammed and the daughter of the first elected Caliph. The Shiites think that Ali should have been made the leader following Muhammed. Technically, the Shiites (nor any Muslim) should "hate" any relatives of Muhammed.

This is a "nutshel" summary.

[endure]

KhunMoo,

you are slightly wrong. She was 6 (six) years old when he married her, but he refrained from having sex with her until she was 9 (nine).

Up until 1875 the age of consent for females in the UK was 10. It was raised to 13 in 1875 because too many girls were being sold into brothels.