Reflection #8 Islam: Two Perspectives

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2035196,00.html
The situation began a year and a half ago when a Pakistani Christian women, Aasia Noreen (now Asia Bibi) offered several other Pakistani women some water. They refused as they declared that the water had been contaminated because it was fetched by a Christian. Infuriated and defensive, rather than tolerating the insult, she retaliated back declaring her faith. Word of this quarrel quickly spread across the village stirring up controversy. The local mullah control and took the case to the mosque's loudspeakers, convincing his followers to take action against Bibi. Her defense of her faith was twisted into an accusation of blasphemy, according to her family and observers familiar with the case. They took her into custody immediately. But far from protecting her, they arrested and charged Noreen with insulting Islam and its prophet, Muhammad. She was sentenced to prison immediately. On Nov. 8, after living 18 months in prison, she was sentenced to death by a district court, making her the first woman ever to sentenced to death penalty under Pakistan's blasphemy laws. Critics, feminists, religious groups, and even the Pope Benedict himself have all written letter and performed protests in defense of Bibi. However, as of now, she is still sentenced to this death sentence but the Pakistani government has yet to acquit her. Her husband and five children have fled to an enclosed Pakistani Christian community nearby - still, declaring her innocence. 


http://pakobserver.net/detailnews.asp?id=64664
In a Pakistani news site, they have explained the same situation, referring back to what had happened and why exactly she had "breached" the blasphemy laws. The similarities in which they both have are the events that had taken place and what her consequences have been. However, the Pakistani have mentioned that the cleric of the mosque she was sent to after the incident had occurred, has offered 5,800 dollars to whoever is going to kill Asia Bibi. Obviously, being in a muslim country, this offer has been a positive aspect for extremists.


Islam is a religion in which they emphasize peace and love, so I ask them, is it not completely paradoxical to kill an innocent woman who was simply standing up for her own beliefs? Every woman is entitled to their own faith. Quite frankly, to me, Asia Bibi is a hero already. Rather than watching her faith get attacked and slammed upon, she decided to take a leap of faith and her courageous act is far more brave and respectable than anything that I have ever heard of. It is absolutely warped to not issue a pardon for an innocent woman...