Murder in the Name of Allah — Page 57
The Maududian Law of Apostasy. The central point of the Maulana's argument is that every religion considers the descendants of its followers as its followers. Therefore, descendants of Muslim parents - even where the parents are practically kafir - will be Islamic property. If a right of ownership has been established over these children, how can they be free to choose another religion on reaching adulthood? In explaining this point, the Maulana seems to have overlooked the following saying of the Prophetsa 'Every infant has an in-born predisposition to be a Muslim, but his parents make him a Jew or a Christian or a Zoroastrian. 2³ If the central point of the. Maulana's argument is correct, then why confine it to the descendants of. Muslims? Why not apply it to those of non-Muslims too, since they, according to the hadith, were also born with a 'predisposition to be. Muslim'? This would give full control of every non-Muslim child to the. Maududian government. It makes no difference whether a child is within the Maududian realm or not. While the Maulana seems to have overlooked that hadith quoted above, the force of his logic leads him to this absurdity. . Maulana Maududi has, in fact, reproduced medieval Christianity almost word for word in the Jamaati Islami movement. Commenting on his policy of intolerance, Elisabeth Labrousse, an historian of medieval. Christianity, observes: 'On the individual level, it creates only martyrs or hypocrites. 24 Now compare Labrousse's observation with the following passage from Maududi's The Punishment of Apostasy in Islam: 'If he [the apostate] is really so honest in not wishing to live as a hypocrite and really does wish to remain steadfast in his own faith, why does he not present himself for death?'25. Since the Maududian concept of religion is the only way to salvation, the Maulana would not allow the same rights and privileges to the followers of any other religion. The missionary work of other religions would be forbidden in a Maududian state. The Maulana says:. The execution of apostates has already decided the issue. Since we do not allow any Muslim to embrace any other religion, the question of allowing other religions to open their missions and propagate their faiths within our boundaries does not arise. We cannot tolerate it. 26. But can a kafir propagate his religion among other kafirs? For instance, can a Christian open missions to work among Jews or Hindus?. Could Arya Samajists, who do not believe in idol worship and believe in one God, preach to the followers of pantheist Sanatan Dharma? The. Maulana says: 57