The Ramadan, the most important religious festival for Muslims, has turned awry for a 33-year-old man who now faces execution for excessive farting in the mosque seen as a blasphemous act, Islamabad Herald reported.
Ramadan typically includes the increased offering of salat (prayers), recitation of the Quran and an increase of doing good deeds and charity. Farting is associated with bad smell. Islam prohibits a person from going to the mosque after eating too much onion or garlic as it causes foul smell in the mouth of the person.
It is said that any odour discomforts persons who gather for prayers. The ablution is for the persons to clean their mouths, thus removing the bad smell.
This is the fate that has befallen a Pakistani Muhammad Al-Wahabi, sentenced to execution for excessive farting in the mosque during Ramadan after he was expelled 17 times from six different mosques.
A Pakistani judge declared that he had indisposed people of the faith and even caused 53 people at one time to leave the mosque during a prayer, a “blasphemous act” which should be punished “according to Allah’s will.”
The judge, many adherents in the region believe, was lenient as he gave the convict the choice of being beheaded or stoned to death.
“The law is clear, he should be stoned to death, beheading is a very light sentence and saves him from any suffering,” protested the government prosecutor.
Syed Anees Shah, Deputy District Public Prosecutor (DDPP), told reporters the accused got a “very light sentence” for the crime of blasphemy.
Al-Wahabi is said to suffer from chronic flatulence, “a rare medical condition,” he argued in his self-defence, as no lawyer would take his case.
“No lawyer is crazy enough to bet his career on this issue. If his client is condemned, as in this case, the lawyer would face prosecution and possibly the same faith as his client,” admits legal expert Andrew Jones, a Middle Eastern law expert.
Al-Wahabi did not contest the judgment and even said the judgment was fair and that he hoped Allah would be gracious enough to pardon his blasphemous actions.
He also admitted that he put a tampon in his rectum several times in a desperate attempt to mask the noise and odour.
“A disgraceful and insidious act” the judge declared, visibly disgusted.
“Muslims are not allowed to insert any objects inside their anus, not even a finger, it is forbidden by the Koran,” said the judge.
“As a judge, I must set an example for other Muslims. This is clearly unacceptable under Sharia law,” he concluded.
Hadith in Quran indicates statements or actions of Muhammad, or of his tacit approval or criticism of something said or done in his presence. Satan runs away from farting. Whenever it hears the “azaan” or the call of prayer by believers, Satan is afraid of everything attached to Allah and runs away from anti-God things.
This is the reason farting in a mosque by any person is construed as the presence of Satan in the congregation, and angers the pious believers.
