Iran to require Jews to wear badges on clothes.

[LordJezo]

<p><a href="http://www.canada.com/components/print.aspx?id=11fbf4a8-282a-4d18-954f-546709b1240f&k=32073" target="_blank">Scary</a></p><p>Jews, Christians, and other non Islamic folks will be required to wear badges on their clothes so others can identify them.&nbsp;</p><a href="http://www.canada.com/components/print.aspx?id=11fbf4a8-282a-4d18-954f-546709b1240f&k=32073" target="_blank"></a>

[Patches]

All I can say is, Wow.&nbsp; That's extremely alarming..

[Don Stugots]

Badges? we dont need no stinking badges! OY!

[cupcakelove]

<strong>STUGOTS1</strong> wrote:<br />Badges? we dont need no stinking badges! OY!
<p>I just went from completely shocked to laughing my ass off.&nbsp; Thanks.<br />
</p>

[booster11373]

Our great ally Saudi Arabia has a bunch of rules on the books concerning non muslims granted non muslims don't wear badges but...

[Earlshog]

<p>thats terrible...</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>might I sugest an alternative... how about tatooing a sequense of numbers on there wrist... for identification purposes</p>

[A.J.]

<strong>booster11373</strong> wrote:<br />Our great ally Saudi Arabia has a bunch of rules on the books concerning non muslims granted non muslims don't wear badges but... <p>Such as?</p>

[blakjeezis]

<p>Such as?</p><p>HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Nice.</p>

[Don Stugots]

<hr color="cococo" align="left"></font><strong>cupcakelove</strong> wrote:<br><strong>STUGOTS1</strong> wrote:<br />Badges? we dont need no stinking badges! OY!
<p>I just went from completely shocked to laughing my ass off. Thanks.<br />
</p>
<hr color="cococo" align="left"><p></p>

thats why I'm here.

[booster11373]

<strong>A.J.</strong> wrote:<br /><strong>booster11373</strong> wrote:<br />Our great ally Saudi Arabia has a bunch of rules on the books concerning non Muslims granted non Muslims don't wear badges but... <p>Such as?</p><p>Now this is from a few years ago and granted a silly source. During Michael Palin's pole to pole series on PBS a few years ago, His travels took him through Saudi Arabia, I remember a scene of him driving close to either Mecca or Medina and there was a road sign on the highway that directed Non Muslims on&nbsp; a separate road all together under a penalty if they were found on the wrong road. Also I&nbsp;think that the Bible is forbidden in Saudi Arabia as is the wearing of a crucifix.</p><p>I would equate the above to a Muslim not being allowed to have a Koran or pray to Mecca in Italy or even get close to the Vatican.</p><p>A.J I gather from your Mod quote that you have been to Saudi Arabia so if I am mistaken please correct me.</p>

<span class=post_edited>This message was edited by booster11373 on 5-19-06 @ 2:27 PM</span>

[IamFogHat]

<p>uhhhhhh</p><p><img height="185" src="http://www.chronik-berlin.de/images/photos/jude.jpg" width="150" border="0" /></p>

[SatCam]

<strong>IamFogHat</strong> wrote:<br><p>uhhhhhh</p><p><img height="185" src="http://www.chronik-berlin.de/images/photos/jude.jpg" width="150" border="0" /></p><p></p>

http://britt-combs.tripod.com/people_i_admire/jude_law_02.jpg

[A.J.]

<p>No, you're right I lived in Saudi Arabia for a year and what you said is true.&nbsp; I wasn't being a smart-ass in my response but I DID want to be sure you weren't just making a blanket &quot;the Saudis are evil&quot;-type statement.</p><p>Non-Muslims are not allowed to enter the holy cities of Makkah and Madina.&nbsp; However, I'm not sure if this is entirely true since the country is so reliant on overseas foreign workers (OFWs) to support the infrastructure by doing the shit jobs the Saudis (and other wealthy Arabs for that matter) believe they are beneath doing.&nbsp; The maintenance and cleaning required during the hajj season in both&nbsp;Makkah and Madina&nbsp;requires a lot of manpower so I believe OFWs are allowed in for this reason only.</p><p>Yes, non-Muslim religious books and icons are not allowed in the Kingdom.&nbsp; The argument made by the King is that this the country of the Two Holy Mosques and, although Christians and Jews lived among the Prophet during his time, this policy is in place&nbsp;to appeal to the ultraconservatives.&nbsp; A lot of the diplomats and OFWs practice their religion privately however.&nbsp;&nbsp; Places like Bahrain and the UAE have churches right near mosques.</p><p>I had to laugh when King 'Abdallah, when asked why churches aren't allowed in the Kingdom said something to the effect of &quot;Why aren't there any mosques in Vatican City?&quot;&nbsp; Apparently His Highness was unaware of the limited space that comprises the Holy See as well as the fact that there were a number of mosques, and synagogues, around Rome.</p>

[AngelAmy]

just keep away from the huge ovens and the &quot;showers&quot;

[Death Metal Moe]

<p>You know, the Nazis had pieces of flair that they made the Jews wear. <br /></p>

[Doctor Manhattan]

<strong>A.J.</strong> wrote:<br /><p>I wasn't being a smart-ass in my response but I DID want to be sure you weren't just making a blanket &quot;the Saudis are evil&quot;-type statement. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><font color="#990000" size="2">I think I'll make that <em>Saudis are evil</em> type statement. I'm still waiting to hear some good things/good news to come out of that place.</font></p><p><font color="#990000" size="2">Religions (all of them!)&nbsp;stink.</font></p>

[booster11373]

<p><strong><font size="1">Iran to require Jews to wear badges on clothes</font></strong></p><p><font size="1">Wouldn't this be exactly the kind of thing that people who are beating the drum for military action against Iran put out to fan the flames so to speak? Not that it wasn't said by the Iranians but the Iranian president has said a lot of stupid thing as of late.</font></p>

[SatCam]

Iran to require Jews to wear badges on clothes

As if the yarmulke wasn't enough

<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />

[JPMNICK]

3 years and we will be in a war with these folks.

[Yerdaddy]

<p>First of all, the source of the story is a Candadian newspaper that sites Iranian expatriates living in Canada. That's it. Iran is not some isolated country with no way to see what's happening inside the country. I'd wait until there is better reportage before assuming anything about this is true. </p><p>The story is not impossible - Ahmadinejan&nbsp; has been building his base of support on the crazy conservative and anti-Israel rhetoric. But so far it's been mostly rhetoric. He knows that his population is not as conservative as his base and actions like this could freak them out and hurt him. </p><p>Also, Iran is not generally&nbsp;hostile towards it's own minority populations - note the fact in the article that Iran has 25,000 Jews living there. </p><p>The story's probably bogus.</p><p>If it's not, and this law is real and gets through the legislative process, and&nbsp;if they give me a tourist badge when and if I get to Iran this year, THAT would make a sweet souvenir. </p><p>AJ: Does Saudi have the death penalty for apostacy if a Muslim converts to another religion? Yemen's got it and they've got at least three people in prison - one of them waiting for the death penalty. I tried to research the story a few months ago, but nobody in the Interior Ministry would let me go near it.&nbsp;</p>

[Tall_James]

<p>I tried to research the story a few months ago, but nobody in the Interior Ministry would let me go near it.&nbsp;</p><p>You should have told them you were doing a piece for the paper on favorite recipes and got in to see them that way.</p><p>Lois Lane would have gotten that story.&nbsp; </p>

[angrymissy]

&quot;This story is no longer available&quot;

[Gwen]

<p><br /></p><strong>JPMNICK</strong> wrote:<br />3 years and we will be in a war with these folks. <p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>You think it will take that long?&nbsp;</p>

[Mike from Bklyn]

There go my vacation plans.<br />

[Bulldogcakes]

<p>&nbsp;</p><p><font><font><a href="http://www.ronfez.net/messageboard/viewmessages.cfm/forum/87/topic/50262">Iran to require Jews to wear badges on clothes.</a></font></font>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Both of them. &nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>I mean really, how many Jews are there left in Iran at this point? Or Christians?<br />
</p>

[Bulldogcakes]

<p>&nbsp;</p><strong>angrymissy</strong> wrote:<br />&quot;This story is no longer available&quot;<p>&nbsp;</p><p>I got that too. Something tells me Yerdaddy was right about the source being less than stellar. &nbsp;</p><blockquote /><p>&nbsp;</p>

[sr71blackbird]

You know, the Nazis had pieces of flair that they made the Jews wear. <br />You're a poet and you don't even know it!

[Tenbatsuzen]

<p>&nbsp;</p><strong>Death Metal Moe</strong> wrote:<br /><p>You know, the Nazis had pieces of flair that they made the Jews wear. <br /></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Ironically enough, the working conditions in a Fridays are very similar to Dachau.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p>

[Yerdaddy]

<strong>Bulldogcakes</strong> wrote:<br /><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><font size="+0"><font size="+0"><a href="http://www.ronfez.net/messageboard/viewmessages.cfm/forum/87/topic/50262">Iran to require Jews to wear badges on clothes.</a></font></font> &nbsp; <p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Both of them. &nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>I mean really, how many Jews are there left in Iran at this point? Or Christians?<br /></p><p>Baha'is, Christians, Zoroastrians, Mandaeans, and Jews constitute less than 1 percent of the population. The largest non-Muslim minority is the Baha'i Faith, which has an estimated 300,000 to 350,000 adherents throughout the country. Estimates on the size of the Jewish community vary from 25,000 to 30,000. These figures represent a substantial reduction from the estimated 75,000 to 80,000 Jews who resided in the country prior to the 1979 Revolution. The Christian community is estimated at approximately 117,000 persons, according to government figures. Of these the majority consists of ethnic Armenians and Assyro-Chaldeans. There also are Protestant denominations, including evangelical churches. The Mandaean community is estimated at approximately 5,000 to 10,000 persons, who reside primarily in Khuzestan in the southwest.</p><p>The Government figures reported by the United Nations in 1996 place the size of the Zoroastrian community at approximately 35,000 adherents. Zoroastrian groups cite a larger figure of approximately 60,000, according to the same U.N. report. Zoroastrians are mainly ethnic Persians concentrated in the cities of Tehran, Kerman, and Yazd. Zoroastrianism was the official religion of the pre-Islamic Sassanid Empire and thus has played a central role in the country's history. </p><p><font face="Arial"><a href="http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2001/index.cfm?docid=5691" target="_blank">International Religious Freedom Report</a></font></p><p><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" size="2">Looks like theBaha'is have more to fear than the Jews and Christians. Anyone want to volunteer to defend them?</font></p>

[narc]

<hr color="cococo" align="left"></font><strong>Death Metal Moe</strong> wrote:<br><p>You know, the Nazis had pieces of Flair that they made the Jews wear. <br /></p><hr color="cococo" align="left"><p></p>

<img src="http://univision.tripod.com/ric_whoo.jpg"
<br>
<br>
ewww.....

[Bulldogcakes]

<p>&nbsp;</p><strong>Yerdaddy</strong> wrote: Zoroastrians<p>&nbsp;</p><p><img src="http://home.hiwaay.net/~singer/Zorro.jpg" width="317" height="360" border="0" />&nbsp;</p><p>Anyone who worships Zorro SHOULD wear a badge. I want to keep an eye on them. &nbsp;</p><blockquote /><p>&nbsp;</p>

[furie]

<a target='blank' href=http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=6626a0fa-99de-4f1e-aebe-bb91af82abb3>Experts say report of badges for Jews in Iran is untrue</a>




Both of them.



I mean really, how many Jews are there left in Iran at this point? Or Christians?


how is that a valid excuse? it's the implication not the impact. we could require the inuit to wear ribbons made from seal skins. we'd be talking about a very small fraction of the population, but that wouldn't make it right.

<span class=post_edited>This message was edited by furie on 5-21-06 @ 5:51 PM</span>

[FUNKMAN]

<p><strong><font size="1">Iran to require Jews to wear badgers on clothes.</font></strong> </p><p><img height="388" src="http://www.1bbb.org.uk/amicus/images/badgers.gif" width="521" border="0" /></p><p>i don't know, they're kind of cute... is that Gvac's hat?</p>

[Bulldogcakes]

<p>&nbsp;</p><strong>furie</strong> wrote:<br /><a href="http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=6626a0fa-99de-4f1e-aebe-bb91af82abb3" target="blank">Experts say report of badges for Jews in Iran is untrue</a>




Both of them.



I mean really, how many Jews are there left in Iran at this point? Or Christians?

how is that a valid excuse? it's the implication not the impact. we
could require the inuit to wear ribbons made from seal skins. we'd be
talking about a very small fraction of the population, but that
wouldn't make it right.<p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The Inuit already wear seal skins you silly boy. What kind of punishment would that be? <br />
</p><p>If it affects less than 1% of the population, then I'm all for
it. And if you keep bitching about it I'll have you wearing a badge by
next week. <br />
</p><p>&nbsp;</p>

[furie]

<hr color="cococo" align="left"></font><strong>Bulldogcakes</strong> wrote:<br><p> </p><strong>furie</strong> wrote:<br /><a href="http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=6626a0fa-99de-4f1e-aebe-bb91af82abb3" target="blank">Experts say report of badges for Jews in Iran is untrue</a>






Both of them.



I mean really, how many Jews are there left in Iran at this point? Or Christians?

how is that a valid excuse? it's the implication not the impact. we
could require the inuit to wear ribbons made from seal skins. we'd be
talking about a very small fraction of the population, but that
wouldn't make it right.<p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Inuit already wear seal skins you silly boy. What kind of punishment would that be? <br />
</p><p>If it affects less than 1% of the population, then I'm all for
it. And if you keep bitching about it I'll have you wearing a badge by
next week. <br />
</p><p> </p><hr color="cococo" align="left"><p></p>

it was a bit of a joke

<span class=post_edited>This message was edited by furie on 5-21-06 @ 10:30 PM</span>

[The Jays]

I think the Middle East wackos are trying to play to the fears that Bush has been inciting since 9/11, and that is that the greatest threat to America is a rise in Islamo-facism on par with Nazism. Iran is trying to make themselves look like a major player, curry favor with countries who hate America, by blatently framing themselves as the #1 enemy of America.

[suggums]

<p>they don't need no stinkin batches</p><p><img width="175" height="233" border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/6a/Alfonso_Bedoya.jpg" />&nbsp;</p>

[mendyweiss]

I guess a good corned beef on rye is out of the question in Teheran.

[FUNKMAN]

<strong>TheJays</strong> wrote:<br />I think the Middle East wackos are trying to play to the fears that Bush has been inciting since 9/11, and that is that the greatest threat to America is a rise in Islamo-facism on par with Nazism. Iran is trying to make themselves look like a major player, curry favor with countries who hate America, by blatently framing themselves as the #1 enemy of America. <p>Saddam played his games seeing if someone would call his bluff. Well look where it got him. One day he's living in a dozen palaces and the next thing you know he's living in a spider hole. Talk about a change in lifestyle. </p><p>Makes me wonder if he ever said to himself, even once &quot; Man I Fucked That Up &quot;...</p>

[cupcakelove]

<p>Looks like we got all worked up for <a href="http://www.ronfez.net/messageboard/replytotopic.cfm/Forum/87/Topic/50262/currentpage/OTTAWA, Canada (Reuters) -- A Canadian newspaper apologized Wednesday for an article that said Iran planned to force Jews and other religious minorities to wear distinctive clothing to distinguish themselves from Muslims." target="_self">nothing</a>.</p>

[A.J.]

<strong>Yerdaddy</strong> wrote:<br /><p>AJ: Does Saudi have the death penalty for apostacy if a Muslim converts to another religion? Yemen's got it and they've got at least three people in prison - one of them waiting for the death penalty. I tried to research the story a few months ago, but nobody in the Interior Ministry would let me go near it.&nbsp;</p><p>I would think so.&nbsp; You may recall the story in Afghanistan where the Muslim who converted to Christianity (after exposure to Christian missionaries during the Soviet <em>muhajadin</em> days) received the death sentence but was ultimately deported.&nbsp; So if Afghanistan has it, you have to assume Saudi Arabia does too since the government and legal system is based on <em>shariah</em> law.&nbsp; This is why the Saudis ban other religions in the kingdom.&nbsp; They don't want any conversions in the land of the Two Holy Mosques.&nbsp; </p>

[empulse]

<p>It looks like the whole thing was a scam... The Pro War Crazies have struck again.</p><p><em><font size="2">&quot;The war-mongers who are pining for the next phase of their Glorious War of Civilizations -- regime change in Iran -- thought they hit the jackpot last week when the pro-War, Israel-centric National Post of Canada published </font></em><a href="http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=398274b5-9210-43e4-ba59-fa24f4c66ad4&k=28534&p=1"><em><font size="2">a column</font></em></a><em><font size="2"> by neoconservative Amir Teheri which claimed that the Iranian parliament had passed a new law mandating &quot;separate dress codes for religious minorities, Christians, Jews and Zoroastrians, who will have to adopt distinct colour schemes to make them identifiable in public.&quot; The warmonger pundits immediately began screeching how they found definitive proof that Iran is the New Nazi Germany -- a new law requiring that Jews wear yellow identifying strips on their clothing.<br /><br />But the story was a complete scam, total fiction, and everyone -- including the National Post and the pro-Israeli groups which were promoting the story --now acknowledge that the story was false. <strong>Everyone, that is, except for the fact-proof fanatics at Powerline, who continue to insist that it's true</strong>....</font></em></p><p><em><font size="2">(this is just an excerpt.. whole article is available @ crooks&amp;liars.)</font></em></p>

[A.J.]

<strong>Yerdaddy</strong> wrote:<br /><p>AJ: Does Saudi have the death penalty for apostacy if a Muslim converts to another religion? Yemen's got it and they've got at least three people in prison - one of them waiting for the death penalty. I tried to research the story a few months ago, but nobody in the Interior Ministry would let me go near it.&nbsp;</p><p>I found this article in today's <em>Arab News</em>:</p><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" border="0"><tr><td><span class="title1"><strong>What Is the Punishment for Apostasy?</strong></span><br /><span class="source">Adil Salahi, Arab News</span></td></tr><tr><td>&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td><p>We continue to answer the questions raised by our non-Muslim reader who was motivated by the events of 9/11 to study Islamic law. His studies made him raise several points that he feels should be amended in Islamic law, and he wonders whether this could be achieved.</p><p>Q.1. Several verses in the Qur&rsquo;an make clear that people are free to choose their faith, but a Hadith states: &ldquo;Whoever changes his religion, kill him.&rdquo; So, when anyone adopts Islam, he is accepted, but if a Muslim changes his faith, he faces the death penalty as in the recent case in Afghanistan. How come that the Hadith overrides the Qur&rsquo;anic verses? Besides, does not the use of such language encourage simple-minded people to resort to violence and terrorism? </p><p><em>David J.B.</em></p><p>A.1. David&rsquo;s observation is accurate. Many are the Qur&rsquo;anic verses that make clear that all people are free to choose the faith they want. There can be no compulsion with regard to faith. Indeed, over the fourteen centuries since Islam began, compulsion was never a policy of any Islamic government anywhere in the world. On the contrary, followers of other faiths, including those who worship idols, lived freely among Muslim communities.<strong> Today, you find Christian and Jewish communities, as well as followers of other faiths, in the overwhelming majority of Muslim countries.</strong> This testifies to the fact that Islam operates a policy of freedom of faith and worship. The Hadith you have mentioned is often quoted in support of the death penalty for apostasy. Many scholars mention that this penalty is mandatory, which means that it is prescribed and cannot be changed. However, a fair number of profoundly perceptive scholars are of the view that this punishment is discretionary, which means that it can be reduced or even waived. This is the view that seems to be better supported by Qur&rsquo;anic and Hadith texts. </p><p>When we consider a ruling about a particular offense, we must look at all the texts that have a bearing on it. We often find that one Hadith or Qur&rsquo;anic verse gives us a more precise meaning of another. This enables us to determine when a particular text is of general or specific import. In connection with apostasy, we have the Hadith that states that a Muslim may be punished by death only in three situations: &ldquo;1) a murderer; 2) a married adulterer; and 3) one who abandons his religion deserting the community.&rdquo; </p><p>If we take the two Hadiths together, we touch on an important point that justifies the capital punishment. It is &ldquo;deserting the community&rdquo;, which means that the person concerned did not merely choose to follow a religion other than Islam, but also he deserted his community and stood in opposition to it. Scholars make clear that the Arabic statement implies rebellion. They cite cases of people who changed their faith after adopting Islam during the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his two immediate successors, Abu Bakr and Umar, and none of them was executed. It is to that early period of Islam that we look for practical guidance in understanding Islamic rules. Had the death penalty for apostasy been mandatory, none of them would have refrained from enforcing it. </p><p>From another point of view, all scholars who view apostasy as punis

[cupcakelove]

<strong>cupcakelove</strong> wrote:<br /><p>Looks like we got all worked up for <a target="_self" href="http://www.ronfez.net/messageboard/replytotopic.cfm/Forum/87/Topic/50262/currentpage/OTTAWA,%20Canada%20%28Reuters%29%20--%20A%20Canadian%20newspaper%20apologized%20Wednesd ay%20for%20an%20article%20that%20said%20Iran%20pla nned%20to%20force%20Jews%20and%20other%20religious %20minorities%20to%20wear%20distinctive%20clothing %20to%20distinguish%20themselves%20from%20Muslims.">nothing</a>.</p>
<p>I was going to point out I already posted a link to a story refuting
this story, that was worded a lot more friendlier than the excerpt
above, but then I realized the link I posted is screwed up and now I
can't the page again.&nbsp; Apparently the guy published the story with
out confirming anything, and I believe the site published a retraction
of the story.<br />
</p>

[Yerdaddy]

<strong>A.J.</strong> wrote:<br />[quote]<strong>Yerdaddy</strong> wrote:<br /><p>AJ: Does Saudi have the death penalty for apostacy if a Muslim converts to another religion? Yemen's got it and they've got at least three people in prison - one of them waiting for the death penalty. I tried to research the story a few months ago, but nobody in the Interior Ministry would let me go near it.&nbsp;</p><p>I found this article in today's <em>Arab News</em>:</p><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" border="0"><tr><td><span class="title1"><strong>What Is the Punishment for Apostasy?</strong></span><br /><span class="source">Adil Salahi, Arab News</span></td></tr><tr><td>&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td><p>We continue to answer the questions raised by our non-Muslim reader who was motivated by the events of 9/11 to study Islamic law. His studies made him raise several points that he feels should be amended in Islamic law, and he wonders whether this could be achieved.</p><p>Q.1. Several verses in the Qur&rsquo;an make clear that people are free to choose their faith, but a Hadith states: &ldquo;Whoever changes his religion, kill him.&rdquo; So, when anyone adopts Islam, he is accepted, but if a Muslim changes his faith, he faces the death penalty as in the recent case in Afghanistan. How come that the Hadith overrides the Qur&rsquo;anic verses? Besides, does not the use of such language encourage simple-minded people to resort to violence and terrorism? </p><p><em>David J.B.</em></p><p>A.1. David&rsquo;s observation is accurate. Many are the Qur&rsquo;anic verses that make clear that all people are free to choose the faith they want. There can be no compulsion with regard to faith. Indeed, over the fourteen centuries since Islam began, compulsion was never a policy of any Islamic government anywhere in the world. On the contrary, followers of other faiths, including those who worship idols, lived freely among Muslim communities.<strong> Today, you find Christian and Jewish communities, as well as followers of other faiths, in the overwhelming majority of Muslim countries.</strong> This testifies to the fact that Islam operates a policy of freedom of faith and worship. The Hadith you have mentioned is often quoted in support of the death penalty for apostasy. Many scholars mention that this penalty is mandatory, which means that it is prescribed and cannot be changed. However, a fair number of profoundly perceptive scholars are of the view that this punishment is discretionary, which means that it can be reduced or even waived. This is the view that seems to be better supported by Qur&rsquo;anic and Hadith texts. </p><p>When we consider a ruling about a particular offense, we must look at all the texts that have a bearing on it. We often find that one Hadith or Qur&rsquo;anic verse gives us a more precise meaning of another. This enables us to determine when a particular text is of general or specific import. In connection with apostasy, we have the Hadith that states that a Muslim may be punished by death only in three situations: &ldquo;1) a murderer; 2) a married adulterer; and 3) one who abandons his religion deserting the community.&rdquo; </p><p>If we take the two Hadiths together, we touch on an important point that justifies the capital punishment. It is &ldquo;deserting the community&rdquo;, which means that the person concerned did not merely choose to follow a religion other than Islam, but also he deserted his community and stood in opposition to it. Scholars make clear that the Arabic statement implies rebellion. They cite cases of people who changed their faith after adopting Islam during the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his two immediate successors, Abu Bakr and Umar, and none of them was executed. It is to that early period of Islam that we look for practical guidance in understanding Islamic rules. Had the death penalty for apostasy been mandatory, none of them would have refrained from enforcing it. </p><p>From another po

[WRESTLINGFAN]

<p>It should be required that Irans President wears a fucking tie once in a while</p><p><img title="pres" height="308" alt="pres" src="http://us.news1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/rids/20060511/i/r22056776.jpg" width="410" border="0" /></p>

[Yerdaddy]

<h1 class="firstHeading">2006 Iranian sumptuary law controversy</h1><div><h3>From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</h3><div>(Redirected from <a title="2006 Iranian sumptuary law" href="http://www.ronfez.net/w/index.php?title=2006_Iranian_sumptuary_law&redirect=no">2006 Iranian sumptuary law</a>)</div><div>Jump to: <a href="#column-one">navigation</a>, <a href="#searchInput">search</a></div><!-- start content --><p>On May 19, 2006, the <em><a title="National Post" href="http://www.ronfez.net/wiki/National_Post">National Post</a></em> of Canada published pieces by <a title="Amir Taheri" href="http://www.ronfez.net/wiki/Amir_Taheri">Amir Taheri</a> and <a title="Chris Wattie" href="http://www.ronfez.net/wiki/Chris_Wattie">Chris Wattie</a> claiming that the <a title="Iran" href="http://www.ronfez.net/wiki/Iran">Iranian</a> <a title="Majlis of Iran" href="http://www.ronfez.net/wiki/Majlis_of_Iran">parliament</a> had passed a <strong><a title="Sumptuary law" href="http://www.ronfez.net/wiki/Sumptuary_law">sumptuary law</a></strong> mandating a national <a title="Dress code" href="http://www.ronfez.net/wiki/Dress_code">dress code</a> for all Iranians, <a title="Muslim" href="http://www.ronfez.net/wiki/Muslim">Muslim</a> and non-Muslim alike.</p><p>Both <em>National Post</em> articles went on to say that non-Muslim religious minorities in Iran would be required to wear &quot;special insignia&quot;: yellow for <a title="Jew" href="http://www.ronfez.net/wiki/Jew">Jews</a>, red for <a title="Christian" href="http://www.ronfez.net/wiki/Christian">Christians</a> and blue for <a title="Zoroastrian" href="http://www.ronfez.net/wiki/Zoroastrian">Zoroastrian</a>. According to the article by Taheri, &quot;[t]he new codes would enable Muslims to easily recognize non-Muslims so that they can avoid shaking hands with them by mistake, and thus becoming <a title="Najis" href="http://www.ronfez.net/wiki/Najis">najis</a> (unclean).&quot;^{<a title="" href="#_note-0">[1]</a>} According to both articles, Iranian Muslims would have to wear &quot;standard Islamic garments&quot;.</p><p>Numerous other sources, including <a title="Maurice Motamed" href="http://www.ronfez.net/wiki/Maurice_Motamed">Maurice Motamed</a>, the Jewish member of the <a title="Iranian parliament" href="http://www.ronfez.net/wiki/Iranian_parliament">Iranian parliament</a> and the <a title="Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Ottawa" href="http://www.ronfez.net/wiki/Embassy_of_the_Islamic_Republic_of_Iran_in_Ottawa">Iranian Embassy in Canada</a>, refuted the report as untrue. The <em>National Post</em> later retracted Wattie's original article (&quot;Iran eyes badges for Jews: Law would require non-Muslim insignia&quot;) and published an article, also by Wattie, to the contrary (&quot;Experts say reports of badges for Jews in Iran is untrue&quot;). ^{<a title="" href="#_note-1">[2]</a>}. Wattie's original article listed only &quot;human rights groups&quot; and &quot;Iranian expatriates living in Canada&quot; as its sources. <a title="Amir Taheri" href="http://www.ronfez.net/wiki/Amir_Taheri">Amir Taheri</a> made a statement on May 22 saying the National Post story he authored was used by &quot;a number of reports that somehow jumped the gun&quot; and that he stands by the article. Amir states he raised the issue &quot;not as a news story&quot; but rather &quot;as an opinion column&quot;.^{<a title="" href="#_note-2">[3]</a>}.</p><p><a title="The Associated Press" href="http://www.ronfez.net/wiki/The_Associated_Press">The Associated Press</a> later refuted the <em>Post</em> report as well, saying that &quot;a draft law moving through parliament encourages Iranians to wear Islamic clothing to protect the country's Muslim identity but does not mention special attire for religious minorities, according to a copy obtained Saturday by The Associated Press.&quot; ^{<a title="" href="#_note-3">[4]</a>} Reuters also reported that &quot;A copy of the bill obtained by Reuters contained no such references. Reuters correspondents who followed the dress c