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Pakistan Arrests Imam After Boy Cuts Off Own 'Blaspheming' Hand
1-25-2016
Police in Pakistan have arrested an imam after a 15 -year old boy in his congregation cut off his own hand after a misunderstanding that led the boy to think he had blasphemed.
Imam Shabbir Ahmed told his congregation at his mosque five days ago “those who love the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him) always say their prayers,” according to the Pakistani newspaper Dawn.
Ahmed then asked, “Who does not love the Prophet?” adding the words, “raise your hand.” The boy, Anwar Ali, raised his hand after misunderstanding the question.
The iman then roared from the pulpit that the boy was a “blasphemer who was liable to be killed.”
Ali ran straight home, cut off his hand, then returned and presented the severed hand to Imam Ahmed on a plate, police officer Nausher Ahmed said.
His parents and neighbors are reported to have celebrated the boy’s piety and his father said he was proud.
“What I did was in love for Prophet Muhammad” the boy told the press.
A First Information Report was filed against Ahmed on Friday, and he was arrested on Saturday January 16. Some reports say that he was later released after pressure from other clerics.
Blasphemy carries the death penalty in Pakistan.
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