Sudanese woman sentenced to death for converting to Christianity
43
KHARTOUM: A Sudanese court has sentenced a 27-year-old woman to death for converting to Christianity, judicial sources said.
Mariam Yahya Ibrahim had been ordered to abandon her newly adopted Christian faith and return to Islam. She had also been charged with adultery for marrying a Christian man.
Judge Abbas al Khalifa asked Ibrahim whether she would return to Islam. After she said “I am a Christian” the death sentence was handed down, the judicial sources said.
Outside the court, about 50 people held up signs that read “Freedom of Religion”, while some Islamists celebrated the ruling, chanting “God is Greatest”.
Young Sudanese university students have mounted a series of protests near Khartoum University in recent weeks asking for an end to human rights abuses, more freedoms and better social and economic conditions.
Western embassies and Sudanese activists have condemned what they said were human rights abuses and called on the Sudanese government to respect freedom of faith.
Read more
On DawnNews
Comments (43) Closed
May 15, 2014 05:05pm
I am astonished if Religion is personal matter of a person why People announce it and invite Troubles for them and people around.........
Recommend
0
May 15, 2014 05:10pm
UN should ban worldwide travel of Governmet officials and judges who allow such rulings. It will put pressure on these same officials when they are unable to enjoy their properties in predominantly 'Christian' countries.
Recommend
0
May 15, 2014 05:12pm
@Nomi this is Islamic law.period
Recommend
0
May 15, 2014 05:13pm
I am sure if its other way around.. same people Chanted with Allah o Akbar and Mashallah. what hypocrisy.......
Recommend
0
May 15, 2014 05:17pm
@Rattan
No its not. period.
Recommend
0
May 15, 2014 05:18pm
@Nomi If Religion is a personal matter, then what business state has got to interfering in it. If a Christian or a Hindu becomes a Muslim in an Islamic country, then why can't Islamic society accept it the same way if a Muslim becomes a Christian or Muslim. Is that not unfairness? If non Muslim states start having same rules how will Muslims feel?
Recommend
0
May 15, 2014 05:21pm
This is such primitive decision.
Recommend
0
May 15, 2014 05:22pm
Take it or leave it, the Judge ruled according to Shariat Law. Problem is that most Muslims don't know that. I request media not to blow it out of proportion.
Recommend
0
May 15, 2014 05:58pm
@Ali
well said that is my point it is Personal do not announce and live the life of your choice.
Recommend
0
May 15, 2014 06:19pm
People living in the dark ages?...freedom of religion should be a universal truth...death to someone who changes religion?....hard to imagine people being so backward in 2014...
Recommend
0
May 15, 2014 06:52pm
@Rattan You got any verse of Quran or hadith to support that proves its islamic law?????
Recommend
0
May 15, 2014 07:19pm
Religion and belief is a matter between an individual and the Almighty God. Who are we to intervene in this issue? As far as I can analyse, being a Muslim is a question of hearts: You can only be a Muslim if you want to be a Muslim and not because an authority compels you to be a Muslim. Can some (serious) scholar can explain, if and how can a death penalty (as a matter of fact any penalty) can be issued for someone changing her/his belief.
Recommend
0
May 15, 2014 07:22pm
@Nomi it's your right to identify your self as Muslim, Christian or Jew. Or perhaps society needs to be more human about it.
Recommend
0
May 15, 2014 07:25pm
@Ali
If you dont know about ISLAM than dont mock.
Recommend
0
May 15, 2014 07:27pm
Animals.........
Recommend
0
May 15, 2014 07:38pm
For those of you who haven't yet bothered to find out the full story,... the woman's father was Muslim and the mother was Christian. The negligent father left both mother and daughter all alone when she was only 6 years old. The mother brought up the child in her own religion which was her right as the father lost all rights when he left them to fend for themselves
The woman has done nothing wrong as she has been Christian all her life. The only person that needs to be punished here is the father that left her. The equally ridiculous judge that has passed down this sentence based his logic that since the father was Muslim then the child is automatically a Muslim.
Recommend
0
May 15, 2014 07:54pm
My question is simple, if someone is not Muslim at heart then what is the point of being Muslim on paper? Everyone has a right to accept faith or believe whatever he/she deems correct. The faith is a matter of trust between a person and God. Muslim societies have become so rotten in their understanding of true Islam, which actually never forces anyone to accept it. If even prophet Muhammad PBUH cannot convert his uncle to Islam with his efforts then who can. Nothing happens unless Allah want something to happen.
Recommend
0
May 15, 2014 08:12pm
This is horrific in my opinion. A person ought to have freedom to choose their own religion and no religion should impose the death penalty upon anyone. That is a matter for law, not religion. I cannot believe that in either Islam or Christianity such punishments would be approved or imposed. The worst that could happen would be shunning, which is itself problematic because it severs familial and social ties. Leave a person's faith to the person.
Recommend
0
May 15, 2014 08:13pm
@Dr.Usman Ali That's where the problem starts. Every Muslims think his understanding or interpretation is the correct one.Ever heard of Apostasy. That's what it is.
Recommend
0
May 15, 2014 08:18pm
As a Muslim, I still don't understand the capital punishment for Muslims if they change their religion. Someone, please provide some reasoning other than it's a Islamic Law.
Recommend
0
May 15, 2014 08:45pm
Emancipate this woman and her family from Sudan by offering asylum in a free nation, have the UN slap the country with sanctions, and hold international court in the The Hague to condemn to judge in this ruling. Make this as public as possible - the free world must continue spread the message that people (esp. women) are free to make personal choices of faith, education, dress, career, marriage/family planning, etc. without condemnation and fear of bodily harm or death from the powerful and extreme.
Recommend
0
May 15, 2014 08:46pm
@Rattan
How is that islamic law? Tell me where does it say that?
Recommend
0
May 15, 2014 08:48pm
@INSAAF KA TALABGAR
Tell me where did read that law? My guess, u just heard it from others?
Recommend
0
May 15, 2014 09:32pm
@Imran Look up Apostasy.
Recommend
0
May 15, 2014 09:42pm
Can any Maulana, Mullah, Moulvi, Aalim, Mufti or any Islamic Scholar inform us where in the Holy Quran Allah says the Muslims who convert to another religion must be be killed? So far I know that they will be judged by Allah on the Day of Judgment.
Recommend
0
May 15, 2014 09:43pm
@Ali Changing one's religion is no sin but if it is done under coercion and threat then it is absolutely condemnable and any society, Islamin, Christian or Hindu and what not should stand up and speak out against such practice.
Recommend
0
May 15, 2014 09:44pm
@Nomi
If that is the case, than if a Christian or Hindu or Buddhist becomes Muslim in Saudi Arabia and for that matter in Pakistan, it is announced on Television , Radio and it is celebrated. If a Muslim becomes Christian, it should go unannounced. Is that fair? Every unjust action in Islamic Countries affects directly or indirectly Muslims living around the world and if Muslims do not speak out against the injustice than they loose the argument of fairness and forgiveness of Islam.
Recommend
0
May 15, 2014 10:11pm
Horrendous. Shame on Sudanese authorities. Monstrous cruelty.
Poor innocent young woman to be murdered for her conscience.
Evil law.
Recommend
0
May 15, 2014 10:35pm
You ask a sufi does he agree with the judgement? If he is a real sufi then he should say NO.
Recommend
0
May 15, 2014 10:37pm
Fascism in the name of religion has to be opposed. This is nothing but religious fascism opposed to Liberalism. God save her.
Recommend
0
May 15, 2014 10:41pm
@Naseer If someone commit an act of treason then many countries , still, punish them with death penalty. Back in the days of early islam, the people coming to the sphere of islam were actually entering a nation, and therefore the law was there to secure the interest of 'nation of islam'. That law, was wrongly interpreted and applied against people who are committing the act of apostasy , in my personal opinion. Quran clearly state that there is no compulsion or force on anyone in the matter of accepting faith. I am not passing any judgement, but I guess islamic scholars and judges need to clarify further. I think they should leave the woman free with her choices, and if Allah will intends, she will come back to Islam.
Recommend
0
May 16, 2014 12:15am
Anyone want to guess what would happen if a women defied a Pakistani court and said she would not switch back from Christianity? When you blow through the smoke Pakistan isn't much different than Sudan when it comes to Islam.
Recommend
0
May 16, 2014 12:50am
@Naseer It is defined as Apostasy.
Recommend
0
May 16, 2014 02:15am
@Nomi First of all she did not announce her faith. If you read the news coverage of this story in detail which is not provided here she was raised as an orthodox Christian by her mother who was also one. Her father was Muslim but he was never present in her life. This case came to court because one of the woman's relative filed a complaint not because of her announcing her faith and what if she was announcing her faith? Does the right to announce your faith only belongs to Muslims?
Recommend
0
May 16, 2014 02:24am
@Rattan: "@Nomi this is Islamic law.period"
Nope. Not true. I could not locate it. But then I am not smart.
Please educate me. Please point me to the relevant verse/verses in Qur'an Majeed..
Much obliged.
Thank you.
Recommend
0
May 16, 2014 10:40am
This is in Islam, which he ordered, please you people have knowledge of Islam before making comments repugnant to Islam
Recommend
0
May 16, 2014 01:54pm
@Nomi Why should one not be able to announce one's beliefs. The problems is with those who have problem with her becoming Christian, She married a Christian man and is also facing adultery charges because marriage of a Muslim woman with a non-Muslim man is 'null and void'' according to Shariah. Should she have tried to conceal this relationship from others? No because she has not done anything wrong. Problem lies with primitive laws.
Recommend
0
May 17, 2014 10:14am
Actually the sentenced to death is because of adultery not because of conversion of religion, if the said sentence is according to the law of land so why we are highlighting such matter. Any country has a right to constitute its law according to the welfare of their state, with a frame of mind that should respects their religion, culture and norms. And if anybody has some difference with the same they can live their live any other country which suit them.
Recommend
0
May 17, 2014 05:19pm
Did the prophet not say that there should be no compulsion in religion?
Recommend
0
May 17, 2014 10:36pm
Religion or a mafia gang? "You can come in but you cannot leave"!
Recommend
0
May 18, 2014 06:42am
@Tameez Khan
what books say is NOT the POINT. What practically the society/system that follows those books matter.
No point in saying this book says so and so and that one says so and so.. To a common citizen what matters is what followers are doing..
Recommend
0
May 18, 2014 08:27am
@Naseer It is NOT Islamic Law - but rather, it is the law of the land in some Islamic countries, with no basis in Islam itself. The Quran clearly says that apostates will be dealt with by Allah in the Hereafter. They are only to be killed in the here and now, if they turn renegade and attack Muslims. The Quran further says that there is to be no coercion of religion.
Recommend
0
May 18, 2014 08:30am
Instead of it being a crime, interfaith marriages should be encouraged as a way to promote harmony and understanding and bridge the gaps between the various belief systems. Teach the children about various different religions and let them make their own choices when they grow up.
Recommend
0
