Muslim Cleric Threatened for Practicing Peace in His Religion

Shiite cleric seeks France asylum after

death threats over Auschwitz visit

Sheikh Mohamad Ali El Husseini was one of two dozen Muslim clerics who participated in the visit to Auschwitz, together with representatives from the Muslim World League, organized by the AJC

By JEREMY SHARON 
Jerusalem Post

Muhammad bin Abdul Karim Issa of the Muslim World League visits Auschwitz with David Harris, Rabbi David Rosen,

and Harriet Schleifer of the American Jewish Committee. January 23, 2020. (photo credit: Courtesy)

A Lebanese Shi’ite cleric who participated in a delegation of Muslim leaders to Auschwitz ahead of the 75th anniversary of its liberation last month is seeking asylum in France due to death threats against him.

Sheikh Mohamad Ali El Husseini was one of about two dozen Muslim clerics who participated in the visit to Auschwitz, together with representatives from the Muslim World League, organized by the American Jewish Committee.

During the visit, El Husseini was the subject of death threats on social media, and criminal complaints were filed against him for “meeting with Israeli agents.” He said this was done with the backing of Hezbollah for having violated Lebanese laws banning contact with Israeli officials.

No Israeli officials were on the AJC delegation.

El Husseini is an outspoken critic of Hezbollah and accuses it of advancing Iranian interests at the expense of the Lebanese state and people.

He has called for Muslim-Jewish reconciliation and posted messages in Hebrew on his Facebook page for the marginalization of religious texts endorsing violence.

After the three-day visit to Poland, El Husseini decided not to return to Lebanon, fearing for his life.

The AJC and Polish Chief Rabbi Michael Schudrich helped put El Husseini in contact with the French ambassador to Poland. Following the end of the trip, El Husseini flew to France, where he is currently residing.

El Husseini is in the process of requesting asylum in France on the basis of the threats to his life.

The AJC’s Rabbi David Rosen said the organization would do everything it can to help him, including submitting a recommendation to the French authorities on his behalf.

“Mohamad Husseini is an example of courageous integrity, which is actually slowly but surely increasing in the Arab world despite the dangers, as witnessed by the Auschwitz visit,” he said.

“This story also highlights the fact that elements in the Muslim world continue to score their own goals by presenting Islam as hostile to respecting others and to acknowledging abhorrent tragedies, and they do not do the image of Islam or Arab communities any good,” Rosen said.

And that is being kind!

Law to Stop Domestic Violence Un-Islamic - Pakistani Clerics

© Mohsin Raza / Reuters

A new law protecting women from abuse in domestic situations has been denounced by at least 35 religious groups in Pakistan.

The Muslim bodies, made up entirely of men, called on the government in their country’s largest province, Punjab, to reverse the law, calling it un-Islamic and part of a Western conspiracy to destroy Pakistan’s constitution.

The Women’s Protection Act was passed in February to safeguard women from domestic, psychological, and sexual violence. Along with setting up a free helpline, women’s shelters, and local panels to investigate incidents of abuse, the law also calls for offenders to be tracked with GPS bracelets.

Women’s groups have hailed the law as a progressive step, while conservative clerics said it goes against the Quran.

A joint statement from the religious groups said the new law aimed to “add to the miseries of women”, and called on the government to retract the bill.

“This controversial law to protect women was put into operation to accomplish the West’s agenda to destroy the family system in Pakistan,” it read.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman, conservative leader of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islami (Assembly of Islamic Clerics), said the law contradicted Islamic teachings.

“The government is making public only sugar, and hiding the poison of the law,” he said during a press conference.

Rehman previously made bizarre comments about the law, stating it would make “a man insecure” and accused the government of making a “Western colony again”, according to the Independent.

Ironically, in the US, the country that perhaps best symbolizes the west, which is demonized by these Pakistani clerics, conservative Christian men also oppose domestic violence prevention laws.

Some 22 Republicans senators voted against reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act three years ago because they opposed extending the act to same-sex couples and undocumented individuals.

So it is not domestic violence prevention laws conservative Christians are against, it is the inclusion of same-sex couples which some Christians don't recognize.

In Russia, domestic violence is not recognized as a separate criminal offence, instead mostly being classified as battery or infliction of light injury. Few cases result in convictions, because few victims report them to police. Yeah, because there is no point!

However, the country's Council for Human Rights has submitted to President Vladimir Putin a domestic violence prevention bill, that would attempt to stop incidents occurring in the first place, not simply dealing with them after the fact. Good plan!

Saudi Blogger Raif Badawi has Sentence Suspended: Swiss Official

Royal pardon by King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudia Arabia

in works

This is probably the best international news you will hear today,

let's hope and pray it is accurate

CBC News 

Montreal has been the site of several demonstrations in support of
Saudi Arabian blogger Raif Badawi. (Thomas Daigle/CBC)

Jailed Saudi blogger Raif Badawi is having his sentence of 1,000 lashes suspended, the Swiss secretary of Foreign Affairs has told a Swiss newspaper.

"I have been told his sentence has been suspended," Yves Rossier told the Fribourg daily newspaper La Liberté.

Rossier said he brought up the matter while on an official visit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

"A royal pardon is in the works thanks to the head of state, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud," he added.

Badawi's wife and three children live in Quebec's Eastern Townships region.

Badawi was arrested in June 2012 for criticizing Saudi Arabian clerics on his website. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes. He was also fined $266,000.

Because 1,000 lashes at once would likely be fatal, Saudi judges decreed that Badawi would be whipped in installments of 50 lashes for 20 weeks.

Badawi was flogged for the first time on Jan. 9 but  further instalments have been postponed.