Tag: Holy Quran

  • Bajwa takes oath on the Holy Quran, says he didn’t have anything to do with Khan’s no-confidence motion

    Bajwa takes oath on the Holy Quran, says he didn’t have anything to do with Khan’s no-confidence motion

    Former Army chief (retd) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa has reportedly ‘sworn’ that he didn’t play any role in the no-trust vote against founder Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan.

    Senior journalist Mujeeb-ur-Rehman Shami revealed this in Geo News’ show ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath’. He also said that he met Bajwa at a wedding, also adding that the former general had a ‘pocket-sized copy of the Quran’.

    Shami also revealed that Bajwa took an oath, with his hand on the Quran, saying that he didn’t ask the government directly or indirectly for a second extension and had nothing to do with the no-confidence motion against Khan. Gen Bajwa also claimed that he had no role in giving permission to Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif to travel to the UK for his medical checkup.

    He added that it was purely Imran Khan’s government’s decision to send Nawaz Sharif to the UK.

    The senior journalist also stated that Bajwa confessed that the Army fully supported Imran Khan’s government.

  • Ali Afzal Khan finally reveals why he left the entertainment industry

    Ali Afzal Khan finally reveals why he left the entertainment industry

    Ali Afzal Khan was a regular feature on our television screens, playing all sorts of roles. Then suddenly, the actor disappeared, and fans were left wondering what had happened. Khan has finally opened up about what transpired behind his departure from the industry.

    Ali has said that he was inspired by singer-turned-preacher, the late Junaid Jamshed, and bid farewell to the showbiz industry.

    Talking on a podcast, he said, “I worked in the industry for 20 to 22 years, and during my extensive career, I undertook numerous projects as both an actor and a host. During this time, Junaid Jamshed, who was a renowned Naat reciter and singer, and I, being an actor, often had frequent meetings.”

    He began to explore and understand the Holy Quran. However, due to some personal differences, he left hosting duties. “It was during this time that Junaid Jamshed inclined me towards religious preaching. In this period, I spent three days and then 40 days in seclusion, initiating the practice of regular prayer.”

    Stressing that it is not easy for an actor who is at the peak of his career to leave it, Khan said, “The decision was difficult for me too but I had made a commitment to myself eight to nine months before leaving showbiz, that I would quit and after that I stopped signing contracts.”

    He shared that he is still being offered different roles but he refuses them now.

    “But I am still willing to play a historical role, so if someone offers me such a role, I am ready.”

  • PML-N candidate courts controversy with oath on Holy Quran ahead of elections

    PML-N candidate courts controversy with oath on Holy Quran ahead of elections

    A video featuring Syed Basit Sultan, a Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) candidate from NA-177 and other constituencies, has sparked controversy on social media.

    The politician took oath from his supporters on the Holy Quran to swear allegiance to him ahead of the general elections scheduled for February 8.

    In a video that has now gone viral, Bukhari can be seen sitting with supporters who swore allegiance to him.

    The political journey of Sultan took a turn last year when he switched allegiances, leaving the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) to join the ruling coalition under the leadership of PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif.

    Recently, Sultan, accompanied by his wife and daughter, submitted nomination papers for NA-176, NA-177, PP-272, and PP-273.

    Responding to critics who questioned the unconventional oath-taking approach, Sultan defended his actions, stating that supporters, including former union council chairmen, voluntarily participated in the oath.

    He argued that the purpose was to dispel opposition propaganda suggesting a lack of support from constituents. Sultan explained that he initially resisted the idea of the oath but eventually yielded to the request of friends.

  • Sweden convicts man over Quran burning in 2020 in historical first

    Sweden convicts man over Quran burning in 2020 in historical first

    A Swedish court on Thursday convicted a man of inciting ethnic hatred with a sacrilegious act he committed in 2020, the first time the country’s courts have tried someone for desecrating the Holy Quran.

    The conviction comes after a wave of desecrations earlier this year that stoked international outrage and made Sweden a “prioritised target”, prompting the country’s intelligence agency to heighten its terror alert level.

    The Swedish government condemned the acts, but repeatedly upheld the country’s extensive freedom of expression laws.

    The Linkoping district court in central Sweden found the 27-year-old man guilty of “agitation against an ethnic group”, saying his action had “targeted Muslims and not Islam as a religion”, and “can hardly be said to have encouraged an objective and responsible debate”.

    In September 2020, the man had recorded a video clip outside the Linkoping cathedral showing the holy scripture and bacon being burned on a barbecue, with a pejorative remark about the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) written on a sign under the barbecue. The man published the video on social media platforms X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube.

    The song “Remove Kebab” was used in the video, a song popular among far-right groups that calls for the religious cleansing of Muslims.

    The court said “the music is strongly associated with the attack in Christchurch”, New Zealand, in 2019 in which an Australian white supremacist killed 51 people at two mosques.

    The man had denied any wrongdoing, arguing that his action was a criticism of Islam as a religion. But the court rejected that argument.

    “The court finds that the chosen music to a film with such content cannot be interpreted any other way than as a threat against Muslims with an allusion to their faith,” the court wrote in a statement.

    “The film’s content and the form of its publication are such that it is clear that the defendant’s primary purpose could not have been other than to express threats and contempt,” it said.

  • Protests, counter-protests escalate over Quran burning in Sweden and Iraq

    Protests, counter-protests escalate over Quran burning in Sweden and Iraq

    A group of protesters in Iraq set fire to the Swedish embassy in Baghdad after hearing about a planned burning of the Holy Quran in Stockholmon on Thursday.

    The Swedish authorities have approved a demonstration outside the Iraqi embassy in Stockholm, where organisers plan to burn a copy of the Holy Quran and an Iraqi flag.

    Last week, an Iraqi Christian immigrant burned the Holy Quran outside a mosque in Stockholm on the occasion of the Muslim holiday of Eid ul-Azha.

    The incident has caused widespread condemnation in the Islamic world.

    This, along with other recent protests by a far-right activist, has sparked a debate in Sweden about the limits of freedom of speech. Swedish police have now received new requests for demonstrations by individuals who want to burn the Quran, Torah, and Bible. The Islamic world has urged Sweden to enact bans and introduce blasphemy laws.

  • Fans and players hold up the Quran in protest against Holy Book burning incident in Sweden

    Fans and players hold up the Quran in protest against Holy Book burning incident in Sweden

    Fans, officials, and players in Iraqi League football held copies of the Quran in protest at the burning of the Holy Book incident in Sweden.

    During a match between Al-Shorta and Al-Qasim on Friday, officials and players held the Quran, with some kissing the Holy Book to show their love and emotional attachment to the text.

    There were also many spectators at the arena. One group held up a banner that read: “The Quran is our eternal law, and defending it is obligatory for every Muslim.”

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has also condemned the incident of the burning of the Holy Book in front of a mosque in Sweden.

    In a tweet, he said such vile, despicable, and heinous Islamophobic acts brazenly violate international law.

    The PM said that this is an anti-Islam act, and he has no words to condemn this pathetic move.

    He also said that the Quran is a book of love, peace, and wisdom for the entire human race, and the character who is involved in this condemnable act insults the values of humanity.

  • Pakistan condemns burning of Quran in Sweden on Eid-ul-Azha

    Pakistan’s foreign office has condemned the burning of the Holy Quran by a protester in Sweden on Wednesday on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha.

    “Such wilful incitement to discrimination, hatred and violence cannot be justified under pretext of freedom of expression and protest”, read the statement issued by the foreign office.

    “Under international law, States are duty bound to prohibit any advocacy of religious hatred, leading to incitement of violence,” it added.

    Salwan Momika, said to be an Iraqi living in Sweden, set fire to a copy of the Quran in front of Stockholm’s central mosque.

    Turkey has also condemned the desecration, calling it a “heinous act.”

    “It is unacceptable to allow these anti-Islamic actions under the pretext of freedom of expression. To turn a blind eye to such heinous acts is to be complicit in them,” a statement issued by Turkey’s foreign minister read. 

    Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said the Quran burning was “legal but not appropriate”.

  • Violence after blasphemy accusation is against Islam: Council of Islamic Ideology

    Violence after blasphemy accusation is against Islam: Council of Islamic Ideology

    The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) has stated that violence against any person on a blasphemy accusation contradicts Shariah, humanity, and the constitution. CII made an official statement in the Wednesday session presided by Chairperson of CII, Dr Qibla Ayaz.

    The council also advised the constitution of a national commission to formulate recommendations to prevent such incidents.

    The statement said, “again declared that subjecting any person to violence on allegations of dishonouring religion, desecration of the Holy Quran and Namoos-i-Risalat was against Shariah, inhumane and contrary to Islamic principles.”

    The statement added, “This meeting once again staunchly condemns such incidents and expresses deep sorrow over them. Such brutal torture by a violent mob is neither logical nor in line with the injunctions of the religion.”

    CII members also recommended that hadiths and verses related to humanity and protection of lives and property need to be displayed with translation in mosques, imambargahs, monasteries, and educational institutions.

    CII members also suggested that there should be a discussion on TV programmes on such verses of the Holy Quran and hadiths.

    “This special meeting suggests to the government that a national commission be formed, with psychologists and experts of sociology, law, and religion as its members, that will make short-term and long-term recommendations for the prevention of such incidents (that involve violence over blasphemy allegations) so as to end them,” the statement said.

    In a press conference after the meeting, Chairperson of CII condemned the incidents referring to Sialkot and Khanewal in which a violent mob took the law into their hands over alleged blasphemy charges.

    He said the delay in punishment for people involved in insulting Holy Prophet (PBUH) give rise to the lynching incidents of Sialkot and Khanewal.

    He also emphasised that the culprits of the Sialkot incident should be penalised at the earliest.

  • Karachi court says woman convicted of murder is ‘not guilty’ seven months after she died in jail

    Karachi court says woman convicted of murder is ‘not guilty’ seven months after she died in jail

    A Karachi court on January 10 exonerated a woman, Saima Farhan, and four of her family members, for their alleged involvement in a murder case. 

    However, it was too late for Saima, as she was exonerated seven months after her death in Central Jail, where she remained incarcerated for almost a year-and-a-half.

    Saima, 35, who was an aalima and used to teach the Holy Quran to the person she was accused of killing, died in jail on June 14, 2021, due to severe abdominal and kidney issues. Jail authorities, in her death report, also revealed that she was a cancer patient.

    The defence counsel — Muhmmad Akbar Khan and his associate Sheikh Saqib Ahmed — while talking to Geo.tv said: “During the trial, Saima asked us at every hearing: ‘Wakeel sahib, hamein bail kab milegi? (when will we be granted bail)?”

    The lawyers, however, lamented not being able to share the happy news that she was finally exonerated.

    Saima’s incarceration began on February 14, 2020, after she was arrested for allegedly poisoning her neighbour and friend, Rukhsar.

    Following Rukhsar’s death, her mother, Shahnaz, sought to register a complaint against Saima and her family members for allegedly poisoning her daughter.

    Saima’s family members, speaking to Geo.tv, said the complainants built a “false case” against them with the “help of the police” to usurp the property Saima owned.

    Murder charges against Saima were officially framed on February 6, 2021.

    Even after winning a legal battle and emerging innocent, Saima’s family members still await action against the jail authorities, whose denial of her timely medical treatment led to her death.

  • Reciting Durood Sharif to be made compulsory in schools: CM Buzdar

    Reciting Durood Sharif to be made compulsory in schools: CM Buzdar

    Punjab Chief Minister (CM), Sardar Usman Buzdar made it obligatory for every school in Punjab to recite Durood Sharif before the National Anthem in the Assembly, reports Geo Urdu.

    On the direction of the Punjab CM, summons was issued to the Chief Secretary regarding the recitation of Durood Sharif on Tuesday.

    Prior to the National Anthem, Durood Sharif shall be recited after the Holy Quran recitation at the morning assembly in all schools according to the notification/summon.

    Chief Minister said that Durood Sharif’s recitation brings blessing and keeps us safe while issuing the orders. The decision was made to get aware of the blessings from Allah. The chief minister further added that the recital of Durood Sharif is the expression to show one’s respect for the Holy Prophet (PBUH), reports by The Friday Times.

    However, many on social media state that the inclusion of Islamic surahs would alienate non-muslim students.