Finding the True Meaning of Hajj through the Quran

Finding the True Meaning of Hajj through the Quran

 

Do we know that the Prophet's biggest mission was a social one, such as to liberate the slaves, the women, help the poor and create a fair system of Life where everyone is equal?

Instead the tradition wants us to believe Hajj is a pilgrimage where several rituals need to be performed.   Actually pilgrimage is a personal salvation ritual and it does not create a fair system of life, it does not liberate anybody. Furthermore, if we look in the Quran, we will find that Hajj does not even mean "pilgrimage". It means Convention.

So it is time to explain why the Hajj is not a Pilgrimage. The present hajj ritual that is meant for personal salvation only, and not a global goal. The Quran itself clearly says "It is meant for all of mankind." It's goal is unity of humanity.

The Quran is here to free mankind from misery by guiding it to the Social system that will sustain peace and nourishment for ALL of Mankind. It is not about Allah, instead the Quran is about us humans. Rituals such as shaving ones head and ritual baths are done to 'please' Allah, as if Allah needs such acknowledgement and is thus pleased by such rituals performed by the masses.

Please think deeply and ponder.  Did Allah create the Universe, with all of its stars and galaxys, so we can perform these rituals? Did Allah give the Quran to humanity just to perform rituals to venerate Allah?

In verse 3:191 the Quran says: "...Our Lord! You have not created all this without Purpose. High Above You are from creating anything in vain!..."

No, the Quran is here to give us stature in life! 

Please go read verse 21:10 in the Quran and you should be astounded.

21:10 O Mankind! Now We have revealed unto you a Book that is all about you and it will give you eminence. Will you not, then, use your sense? (21:24, 23:70, 43:43-44).

This verse clearly shows the Quran is about us humans and not how to worship Allah. Allah has no personal motives in it as Allah is above need.

All Laws in the Quran, all given concepts as such Hajj is meant to UNITE Mankind, not to worship Allah.

We can approach Hajj as a ritual gathering where everyone will only focus on Allah, on acknowledging Allah's Supremacy.  This is the result when we approach the Quran from a religious point of view.

However, these are all man-made ideas on what Allah guides us to do. Allah says in the Quran that WE are the focus.

When we approach the Quran from a Deen point of view, it all becomes different. The Quranic purpose is to give Mankind the Perfect Divine System to unite them and give us Eminence. So the concept of Hajj being only to focus on Allah is NON-Quranic.

 If we approach the Quranic Goal to be acknowledging Allah, to be a religious Book focussed on acknowledging Allah, then it is logical Hajj  means a ritual. But since it is clear from verse 21:10 that WE are the focus of the Quran, then the meaning becomes totaly different.

This is the difference and importance of approach. Believe in One God is a confirmation of Reality and the first step into uniting Mankind and the Muslims. But it is the same approach to the Quran which will truly unite us. It is clear the Quran is focussed on us, not on Allah. Allah has given us the Quran so we can become the best people on Earth. To establish a paradise on earth that will be continued in the Next Life. We must all approach the Quran from this point, and then the true meanings of words become clear.

The Quran is also complete when it comes to the issues in matter of Deen, Allah has left out the rituals, but Allah does not forget, nor is the Quran incomplete or insufficient.

6:115 Perfected is the Word of your Lord in Truth and Justice. None can change His Words and His Laws. This announcement comes to you from the Profound Hearer, the Knower.

The majority belief is not the criterion, the Quran is.

6:116 (People will confront you with what the majority is doing.) Now if you pay heed to, or get intimidated by majority of those who live on earth, they will lead you astray from Allah's Way. Most of the people follow nothing but conjecture and they only live by guesswork.

25:1 Most Blessed is He Who has revealed to His servant, the Criterion of the right and the wrong so that to the entire world it might be a warning.

The meaning of Hajj

Hajj, the root means 'to argue'. This is also the way it has been used in the Quran. 

Haa-Jiim-Jiim = to intend to a certain target, aim at, repair, undertake, repaired/betook himself to or towards a person / place / object of veneration/respect/honour, went/visit frequently/repeatedly, pilgrimage. Overcome another by/in argument/evidences/proofs/testimonies, plead, contend/argue/dispute. Refrain/abstain.

See under the letter ح = Ha at the Rootlist in the Lexicons.

Some examples of Tasreef on the word Hajja:

Traditional translations are used here only to show that the original root meaning is known and accepted by traditional interpretations]

[2:76]
Wa-itha laqoo allatheena amanooqaloo amanna wa-itha khalabaAAduhum ila baAAdin qaloo atuhaddithoonahumbima fataha Allahu AAalaykum liyuhajjookumbihi AAinda rabbikum afala taAAqiloona واذا لقوا الذين امنوا قالوا امنا واذا خلا بعضهم الي بعض قالوا اتحدثونهم بما فتح الله عليكم ليحاجوكم به عند ربكم افلا تعقلون

[Yusuf Ali]: Behold! when they meet the men of Faith, they say: "We believe": But when they meet each other in private, they say: "Shall you tell them what Allah hath revealed to you, that they may engage you in argument about it before your Lord?"- Do ye not understand (their aim)?

[RK]:And when they meet the believers, they say, "We believe," but when they get together with each other, they say, "Do not inform (the believers) of the information given to you by GOD, lest you provide them with support for their argument concerning your Lord. Do you not understand?"

[2:139]
Qul atuhajjoonana fee Allahiwahuwa rabbuna warabbukum walana aAAmalunawalakum aAAmalukum wanahnu lahu mukhlisoona قل اتحاجوننا في الله وهو ربنا وربكم ولنا اعمالنا ولكم اعمالكم ونحن له مخلصون

[YA]: Say: Will ye dispute with us about Allah, seeing that He is our Lord and your Lord; that we are responsible for our doings and ye for yours; and that We are sincere (in our faith) in Him?

[RK]:Say, "Do you argue with us about GOD, when He is our Lord and your Lord? We are responsible for our deeds, and you are responsible for your deeds. To Him alone we are devoted."

[2:258]
Alam tara ila allathee hajjaibraheema fee rabbihi an atahu Allahualmulka ith qala ibraheemu rabbiya allatheeyuhyee wayumeetu qala ana ohyeewaomeetu qala ibraheemu fa-inna Allahaya/tee bialshshamsi mina almashriqi fa/ti biha minaalmaghribi fabuhita allathee kafara waAllahula yahdee alqawma alththalimeena الم تر الي الذي حاج ابراهيم في ربه ان اتاه الله الملك اذ قال ابراهيم ربي الذي يحيي ويميت قال انا احيي واميت قال ابراهيم فان الله ياتي بالشمس من المشرق فات بها من المغرب فبهت الذي كفر والله لايهدي القوم الظالمين

[YA]: Hast thou not Turned thy vision to one who disputed with Abraham About his Lord, because Allah had granted him power? Abraham said: "My Lord is He Who Giveth life and death." He said: "I give life and death". Said Abraham: "But it is Allah that causeth the sun to rise from the east: Do thou then cause him to rise from the West." Thus was he confounded who (in arrogance) rejected faith. Nor doth Allah Give guidance to a people unjust.

[RK]:Have you noted the one who argued with Abraham about his Lord, though GOD had given him kingship? Abraham said, "My Lord grants life and death." He said, "I grant life and death." Abraham said, "GOD brings the sun from the east, can you bring it from the west?" The disbeliever was stumped. GOD does not guide the wicked.

[3:20]
Fa-in hajjooka faqul aslamtu wajhiyalillahi wamani ittabaAAani waqul lillatheena ootooalkitaba waal-ommiyyeena aaslamtum fa-inaslamoo faqadi ihtadaw wa-in tawallaw fa-innama AAalaykaalbalaghu waAllahu baseerun bialAAibadi فان حاجوك فقل اسلمت وجهي لله ومن اتبعن وقل للذين اوتوا الكتاب والاميين ءاسلمتم فان اسلموا فقد اهتدوا وان تولوا فانما عليك البلاغ والله بصير بالعباد

[YA]: So if they dispute with thee, say: "I have submitted My whole self to Allah and so have those who follow me." And say to the People of the Book and to those who are unlearned: "Do ye (also) submit yourselves?" If they do, they are in right guidance, but if they turn back, Thy duty is to convey the Message; and in Allah's sight are (all) His servants.

[RK]:If they argue with you, then say, "I have simply submitted myself to GOD; I and those who follow me." You shall proclaim to those who received the scripture, as well as those who did not, "Would you submit?" If they submit, then they have been guided, but if they turn away, your sole mission is to deliver this message. GOD is Seer of all people.

[3:65]
Ya ahla alkitabi lima tuhajjoonafee ibraheema wama onzilati alttawratuwaal-injeelu illa min baAAdihi afalataAAqiloona يااهل الكتاب لم تحاجون في ابراهيم وماانزلت التوراة والانجيل الا من بعده افلا تعقلون

[YA]: Ye People of the Book! Why dispute ye about Abraham, when the Law and the Gospel Were not revealed Till after him? Have ye no understanding?

[RK]:O followers of the scripture, why do you argue about Abraham, when the Torah and the Gospel were not revealed until after him? Do you not understand?

16 [3:66]
Line:359 Ha antum haola-i hajajtumfeema lakum bihi AAilmun falima tuhajjoona feemalaysa lakum bihi AAilmun waAllahu yaAAlamu waantumla taAAlamoona هاانتم هؤلاء حاججتم فيما لكم به علم فلم تحاجون فيما ليس لكم به علم والله يعلم وانتم لاتعلمون

[YA]: Ah! Ye are those who fell to disputing (Even) in matters of which ye had some knowledge! but why dispute ye in matters of which ye have no knowledge? It is Allah Who knows, and ye who know not!

[RK]:You have argued about things you knew; why do you argue about things you do not know? GOD knows, while you do not know.

You will see that ALL uses of Hajja has to do with argue/dispute/argument. So my conclusion is that the word Hajj itself must also be approached as such, and not as Pilgrimage.

It also means 'to cure a wound on the head' as seen in Lane's Lexicon:

.~, (TA,) He probed
a fracture of the head, (],) or a wound,

,
signifies he probed a fracture of his head for the
purpose of curing it:

It also means a year:

_, in four place. - Also A
year: (S, Msb, V:) pl. r .. (S,A, MNb.)
You say, i o ,. .i-l [I stayed at his abode
a year], andl .L..b i. [three complete
years]

[Lane's Lexicon, Volume 2, page 149-151]

This can also been seen in the verse:

28:27 He (the father) said, "Behold, I am willing to let you marry one of these two daughters of mine on the understanding that you will remain eight years in my service. Then if you make it ten,.....

So we have the Quranic use of Hajja as 'to argue/dispute/argument/debate' and as a 'year'. So Hajj can be thus interpretated as a Yearly Debate. This is held in the known months, which are also given in the Quran.

2:194 You may fight during the Months of Peace and Security if you are attacked, for, a violation of sanctity will activate the Law of Just Retribution. So, the one who attacks you should expect retaliation in like manner. Be mindful of Allah, and know that Allah is with those who walk aright.
[Temporary cessation of hostilities provides a cooling off period and it can avert war. There should be at least four months upon which mankind should agree as peacetime. History and Tafsirs report the four Months of Peacetime as the first, the seventh, the eleventh and the twelfth month of the Lunar Calendar. However, the Qur'an being the Ultimate Authority specifies them differently. The four Months of Security are consecutive, beginning with Zil-Hajjah, the 12th Lunar Month. 9:5, 9:36.]

9:5 When the four Sacred Months are over and if the idolaters are still aggressing, (neither becoming law-abiding citizens of the State, nor emigrating), subdue them whichever tribe they may belong to, take them captive, and besiege them, and prepare for them each ambush. But if they repent from aggression, and help in the consolidation of the Divine System and in setting up the Just Economic Order of Zakat, then leave their way free. Verily, Allah is Forgiving Merciful (so shall you be).

9:36 Allah has ordained twelve months in one year. This has been Allah's Ordinance since the day He created the heavens and the earth. Four of these Months are Sacred, forbidden for all warfare. (Mankind, through international treaties, must agree to shun all kind of warfare during these four months. This will give them a cooling off period that sense may prevail over emotions). This is the Firm Religion, the right way. So, do not wrong yourselves by fighting during the Sacred Months. However, you may fight the idolaters in any or all these months if they fight against you in any or all of them (2:194). And know that Allah is with those who restrain themselves. (Four Sacred Months: 2:194, 9:1-5).
[100 Solar years = 103 Lunar years. The earth completing its orbit around the sun in one Solar year]

To know the 4 months is a long discussion, which will be explained later.

3:97 Therein are clear Messages (to achieve that coveted goal and recall) how Abraham once took his stand (against all divisions of humanity and was granted the leadership of all mankind 2:124-125). Those who enter the System symbolized thereby shall find inner peace and external security. Hence, joining the Hajj Convention at this Meeting Point for the Cause of Allah alone is DUE ON ALL MANKIND who have the circumstantial means to undertake the visit. One who denies (this Wisdom, should know that) verily, Allah, the Rich is Self-Sufficient, want-free of any peoples.

But it is clear that we have 4 months of Peace. The subject is that the idolaters must stop the aggression. All of Mankind is asked to perform the Hajj, not just the Muslims. The meaning of Hajja is used in the Quran as Year and as 'to argue/dispute/argument/debate'. The word also means 'to go for an aim/to partake on a noble cause'. Also it refers to 'probing and curing wounds on heads'.

All of these together shows me that Hajj means a Yearly Global Debate that is meant to stop wars on Earth, by probing the issues and through discussions find solutions for it.

I have used the Quran to explain the word Hajj, and not loosing view on the global goal of the Quran. The Quran is meant to make a collective unity of Mankind based on the Divine Laws of Nature and Revelation. This is not done through personal salvation rituals such as Pilgrimage.

This shows that the traditional rituals that are attributed to Hajj, are false not only because they are non-Quranic, but also because they go against the main purpose of the Quran and the meaning of Hajj.

Hajj is the annual Convention in a specified time while Umrah is a visit to the Masjid of Makkah any time during the year. Both have a sublime objective as the Qur'an explains, although Muslims have reduced them into mere rituals similar to the Days of Ignorance. There is no mention of kissing the black-stone in Ka'bah, any "holiness" about the ZAM ZAM water, or that of throwing rocks at the three pillars signifying Satan. The Noble Objective of Hajj is to arrange regular and intermittent international conferences in Makkah. Delegates from all over the world should get together there and devise ways to make the world a better place to live.

 

Can we unlearn?

Are we learnt?

Ask a Muslim from anywhere in the world about religion and he/she would lament:

"The imams know better as they have studied for years. So who am I to question them?"

Irrespective if they, the imams tell us two plus two is equal to 5, we will not ponder over it and examine it with a critical mind. To do that is taboo isnt it? For doing that one can be declared out of the fold of Islam by a fatwa easily arranged.

Obviously, the people I am referring to, those that do not use their common-sense when it comes to religion, have possibly attained some university degree or college diploma and consider themselves educated. Yet, most of them are as ignorant as those who never went to school. The only difference is their ability to write something.

They fail to differentiate between literacy and education, education and knowledge. More importantly, these educated ones have failed to UNLEARN the wrongs rampant in their societies.

Let one be an MD, PhD, RPh, BS, MS, MBA, BE, ME, LLD, whatever. As long as they have not pondered and UNLEARNED the cultural wrongs, in day to day life, you will find them as ignorant as the plain villagers living in the 10th century.

What am I referring to? I am referring to what Muslims currently believe in such as a set of irrational beliefs, superstitions, weird dogmas, blind following, confused thinking, poor judgment, a life revolving around SHIRK, fear of the super-natural, non-sensical rituals, human worship and fatalism etc.

Furthermore, every Friday, the Muslim population are bombarded with anti western rhetoric, anti USA, anti Israel and how everybody else is blamed for the woes of the Muslim world. We have our Imams as leaders that tell us that if we take 50 and divide by two twice, 2 equals 5 instead of the correct 6 and a quarter. You all know what I mean as this big night was comemmorated just the other day. Yet we dare not even question such an assertion, as it is religiously off limits.

Granted, higher education is important in the competitive job markets but it most certainly fail to provide immunity against the aforementioned absurdities as espoused in today's religious environment.

Thus we should rather rethink if we are educated.

Are we?

Have we UNLEARNED the silly aspects of our heritage?

Have we seen those who never went to school but they are better educated than us?

Finally, reflect why the secular nations with even less 'education' are doing better than the Muslim nations. Well, their minds are not riddled with our kind of absurdities and they do not have to UNLEARN as much as we have to.

The Longest Is The Shortest

   

The Longest Is The Shortest

 

We Muslims as a people look at the short-cuts – in almost all situations. From my understanding the only shortest way is, in fact, the longest way because the shortest way may never take us to the destination outlined in this vision: “The students coming out of our Universities should have the Quran in the right hand, most modern scientific and technological advancements in the left hand and the crown of Laa Ilaah on the forehead. So that the Muslims can regain the same glorious status of founders and promoters of science and technology as they did during the ascendance of their civilization.” If we concur on this VISION then we should start to work  out how we could align these sciences accordingly.

 

Unfortunately, we have divided knowledge into ‘deenee’ and ‘dunyaawee’. We should, however, merge “deenee” and “dunyaawee” into one integrated system. Unless we merge the two, the ‘modern educated’ will not come out of their self-doubt and the ‘traditionally educated’ will not be able to fully apply what they learn and teach. Integration of the two will be difficult (the longest way). Hence, we take to the shortest route and in that way we will never reach our destination and to a certain extend it doesn’t matter because we haven’t actually decided on a destination (VISION).

 

The exclusivist environment of madrasaas is not suitable and not required in this modern time and age. We need more avenues of interaction and communication with the people of other denominations and should plan for the sake of the future generations. Also, we need to learn the art of peacefully co-habiting with our fellow countrymen. Being educated, however, in an exclusivist environment and living a mostly secluded life in the formative years one doesn’t get many opportunities for interaction later in life and therefore we are not very comfortablewhen we need to interact. No matter how much our ‘Ulama emphasize on the need for Da‘wah and bhaa’ee chaarah, as an example, they themselves do not have many non-Muslim friends – barring exceptions.

 

Our children deserve to be in a class that has the children of other faiths from the very initial years of their schooling. This is the only way to grow as a harmonious human being – a well rounded personality. This is the only way that we will be well integrated in the society. In an exclusively Muslim environment nobody asks uncomfortable questions which need to be satisfied rationally. Without this, however, no intellectual developments or advancements. We need to liberate Islam from an isolationist and exclusivist environment. Islam is a Deen of common humanity. Ibn ‘Umar narrates that the Prophet (pbuh) said, “The believer who mixes and involves himself with the people and bears patiently the harms coming from them is greater in reward than the one who does not mix with them and does not bear their harms (patiently).” (Ib Maajah, 4022 CD)

 

Perpetuating the above-mentioned exclusivist and isolationist environment in which students spend many years of their life implies a threat perception as if they will lose their identity.. If the identity is so fragile it raises even more serious questions (than it seeks to answer) and it is by itself a cause of concern. Instead of finding out the reasons for this threat perception and rectifying the situation, we perpetuate the same exclusivist environment which reinforces the threat perception. Finding out the reasons and rectifying them is like taking to the longest route. Perpetuating with the vicious cycle is the shortest.

 

We teach Islam to a small group of students (3-4%) and don’t care much about the huge majority. And we do not realize that they ALL deserve the best. We almost always underestimate our scope and capacities. What is useful for one is useful for the rest. We, however, want to continue with the existing system which automatically means that we will be maintaining the painful duality of knowledge.

 

The separation of the two streams is like separating the fuel from the engine. The fuel alone isn’t moving forward and the engine doesn’t get started without the fuel. This does not surprise us. We don’t think twice about it. We are not allowing the Deen and the Book the chance to propel us ahead. With what intention our teachers go to their classes – of whichever subject – is a question worth asking. The answer to this question will help us understand the situation.                   

 

The longest is to teach ALL the sciences with the spirit of Islam and the Quran behind it. The shortest is to keep the two streams flowing separately. The ‘religious’ stream doesn’t worry about the ‘secular’ and the ‘secular’ isn’t concerned about the ‘religious’. Both these streams of education continue contradicting and undoing each other on a daily basis. Bringing both of them together is the longest road. But as we all know for the foreseeable future we will not take to that route because we are not used to it.

 

Another short-cut that we are most used to is taking education as an end in itself. When we take education as an end in itself we are saved from the task of constantly monitoring if we are getting the desired objectives (DEVELOPING A COHERENT BODY OF IDEAS AND CREATIVELY REACHING TO THE UNKNOWN UTILIZING THE POWER OF CRITICAL AND SCIENTIFIC THINKING) out of it. Constantly monitoring and being watchful is the longest way, which we are not used to. But we don’t know that without focusing on the ultimate objectives and being watchful for it we will never get it.

 

We suffer from our choice of short-cuts afterwards. Taking to the long route will involve more analysis and bringing the discussions to the logical conclusions. There are indications that for some more time we will continue considering the shortest as the longest, oblivious of the fact that the ‘longest’ is actually the shortest.

 

 

ABOLISHING MADRASAAS: Need Of The Hour

ABOLISHING MADRASAAS: Need Of The Hour

 

Sounds very strange! But this is the hard reality. This we will have to accept at one point or another. We are already late. The existence of madrasaas is a hindrance to the Muslims’ integration into the mainstream society. It is not fact that fewer Muslim children go to madaris.  Those fewer graduates reinforce the marginalization and propagate of a Deen which is divorced of dunyaa. The system of education in madaris is especially based on repetitibe learning and no independent research which is actively discouraged. In many of the madaris, instead of teaching the Quran, instead a specific book is taught, as an example. The Quran is not the focus in our madaris.

The Muslim community is spending a lot on these madrasaas but doesn’t get much in return in terms of the social and economic improvement of its situation – leave alone fulfilling any civilizational goals. In many cases the graduates of these madaris remain dependent on the community for the rest of their lives. A huge number of them cannot join a private or government sector. Thus, they perpetuate the same vicious cycle from which we will be required to come out someday.

Despite many long years of study they are not able to earn a dignified living. I often wonder that with the same number of years of education the ‘modern educated’ person can earn much better living than the madreasa education. The same number of years of education at a top class University will make one a leader and a critical thinker.  But the madrassa graduate does not play a critical thinking part in wordly, nationally or local affairs. 

This cycle needs to be put to an end – someday. The perpetuation of madrasaas, in my view, is against the spirit of the Quran and contradicts the tasks that the Muslims are supposed to perform on earth as the vicegerents (khulafaa’) on the dunyaa. They have to lead the world. With the existing system and division of knowledge they cannot.

We should have a uniform school system till grade XII and the usual specialization programs after that – based on the interest of the students themselves. We can ultimately do away with the nomenclatures like ‘modern’, ‘traditional’, ‘secular’ and ‘religious’. The names leave an unconscious impact and condition the patterns of thinking and further harden the schema. This is why the division has become deeper. Therefore, let us just name the sciences and disciplines e.g. Chemistry, Biology, Tafseer, Business Administration, Hadeeth, Nanotechnology, Fiqh and Biotechnology etc etc.

I would, however, not advocate any hasty steps or decision in this regard. We need to communicate with the ‘Ulama. We need to put forth our arguments in front of the ‘Ulama and listen to them  patiently. We especially need to argue that Islam does not believe in the division of knowledge into ‘secular’ and ‘religious’. This fact they should know more than anyone else. That the Muslims should master all the sciences of the world and become founders of many more they should know far more than anybody else. That they should know English and Arabic more than anyone else in order to discharge their duties on earth – more than all others.

Also, we need to argue with the ‘Ulama that we should not decide at a very early stage of a child which specialization he/she should take. We should never decide their future studies. We should only facilitate the students as they move forward – utilizing some psychological tools to figure out their aptitude. This is a must if we want excellence. We should – at the same time – have some plans in place to teach Arabic and the fundamentals of Islam to our youngsters in their (regular) school years.

Arguments will be put forth that the madaris are rendering very good ‘service’ to Islam. I do not subscribe to the idea of “serving” Islam. Islam does not need to be served. If we are able to serve ourselves better, this is enough. Otherwise we inherently hearts of hearts that Islam is weak. Hence, it needs to be supported or served. This is a grave mistake. And the existence of madrasaas has reinforced this notion. The “services”, however, which the madrasaas have rendered are not the only ones which they could have rendered. We almost always underestimate ourselves. We almost always see what is happening and do not try to see what more could have happened.

There is a need to build momentum for the above with a lot of patience and persistence. It is a crucial step – as crucial as surgery which becomes essential at some point of time. The existence of madrasaas is like that organ in the body of Muslims which needs to be amputated. But there are processes before the actual surgery is performed. Also, the doctors shouldn’t do so without the consent of the ‘family members’. The job of the doctors, however, in this case is also to convince the ‘family members’ - going the extra mile. This is why we need to take the ‘Ulama along. We have to find ways to engage them in dialogue for the purpose.

FW: Yes it is still happening....And the Muslims pretend it's only propoganda....

 

Imminent Islamic Stoning Execution of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani in Iran July 2010

 

An International Movement to Save Sakine Mohammadi Ashtiani From Death By Stoning in Iran Has Been Launched

She reportedly confessed to the crime of adultery after suffering 99 lashes and now, Sakine Mohammadi Ashtiani, a mother of two living in Iran, could be buried up to her chest and stoned to death.

Mina Ahadi, head of the International Committee Against Stoning and the Death Penalty, says that only an international movement to raise awareness can save the woman now as her sentence has already been handed down.

She was convicted of adultery in 2006 in the northern city of Tabriz, and although she confessed after being whipped, her lawyer told CNN that she then retracted that confession and denied any adulterous act. The ruling was upheld in 2007 by Iran's supreme court.

Amnesty International has now become involved, placing a call to the Iranian government to halt the execution.

"The organization is also urging the authorities to review and repeal death penalty laws, to disclose full details of all death sentences and executions and to join the growing international trend towards abolition,"

Source: cnn.com

Washington has condemned the ruling, and although she has been in prison for a number of years now, her case is gaining more international attention and those fighting on her behalf hope that means she will soon be released from prison and set free of all charges.

On July 1, Stop Stoning Now released a letter saying that the verdict against Sakine Mohammadi Ashtiani should be discarded, and that stoning is a 'savage and merciless form of execution'.

We strongly condemn the Islamic Republic for its barbaric implementation of stoning, execution and torture and its enforcement of Qesas laws. We call upon all international institutions as well as the United Nation and the European Union to strongly condemn the Islamic Republic and demand that Sakine Mohammadi Ashtiani’s stoning verdict be overturned, as well as the verdicts of all others condemned to stoning and execution.

Source: stopstonningnow.com

They also call for Iran's leaders to be prosecuted and punished in an international court for allowing tens of thousands of people to be stoned to death and executed.