Mufti Taqi Usmani, the country’s foremost Islamic scholar, described the violent attacks on Christians in Faisalabad’s Jaranwala tehsil as “shameful for the whole nation” after they were allegedly committed in retaliation for blasphemy accusations.
Condemning the vandalism on his official X, formerly Twitter, account, the religious scholar maintained following legal recourse in case of an insulting action by someone.
جڑانوالہ کا واقعہ پوری قوم کے لئے شرمناک ہے اگر کسی نے کوئی گستاخی کی ہے تواسکاقانونی راستہ موجود ہے اسکے ردعملُ میں گرجاوں کو جلانے یا پرامن عیسائی شہریوں کو کسی بھی قسم کا نقصان پہنچانا انتہائی قابل مذمت ہے اسلام میں ایسی حرکتوں کی کوئی گنجائش نہیں ہے
— Muhammad Taqi Usmani (Official) (@muftitaqiusmani) August 17, 2023
“The incident of Jaranwala is shameful for the whole nation. If someone has done something insulting, there is a legal recourse,” he posted on X.
Mufti Taqi censured burning a place of worship and harming a peaceful religious minority as a response.
“Burning churches or causing any harm to peaceful Christian citizens in response is highly condemnable. There is no room for such actions in Islam,” the senior cleric added.
On the outskirts of the industrial city, hundreds of men launched an attack earlier in the day after hearing rumors that the Holy Quran had been desecrated.
In the meantime, 37 suspects were named in two instances against arsonists in Jaranwala, and more than 600 unidentified individuals were involved in the inquiry.
The authorities said that the mob burned down churches and homes and vandalized them. They continued by stating that cases have been filed under 13 additional clauses, in addition to the charges of blasphemy and terrorism.
