Jordan is one of the most moderate Islamic nations, we keep hearing. It’s an example of what most Muslim nations should aspire to become, or something. Ignore the honor killings, the fact that Jordan refuses to change the penalties for such killings to more than a slap on the wrist, and, well, the fact that honor killings keep seeming to happen. Jordan is moderate. Just ask anyone.
And now, they’ve arrested a poet on the charge of—wait for it—“insulting Islam.”
Jordanian police arrested a local writer Tuesday for incorporating verses of the Quran, the Muslim holy book, into his love poetry, a judicial official said.
The poet, Islam Samhan, published his collection of poems, “Grace like a Shadow,” without the approval of the Jordanian government, and authorities say it insults the holy book, the official said.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
Samhan was charged with harming the Islamic faith and violating the press and publication law for combining the sacred words of the Quran with sexual themes.
If convicted, the poet could face up to three years in jail.
Jordanian law bans the publication of any books or articles that could be seen as harmful to Islam and its Prophet Muhammad.
Yep. Moderate. Why, they’re practically on the American level of freedom of religion and speech. In Bizarro World, anyway.
“Harmful to the Prophet Muhammad”? I thought that, being dead, he was beyond any possibility of harm….
Maybe he’s just been occulting himself, like the Shi’a say their 12th Imam has been doing in that well for the last 12 centuries, and he’ll be back, like the Mahdi.
Most parents warn their sons against occulting themselves.
You know, considering what Muslims often do in the name of Islam, I really don’t think it is possible to insult Islam or insult the Prophet Muhammed.