THIS is with reference to the report ‘Denmark moves to ban desecration of holy texts’ (Aug 26). Better sense seems to have prevailed even though not much progress has been made in this regard since the announcement. The sacrilegious act of burning holy scriptures in the name of freedom of expression is despicable, immoral and intolerable. The sanctity of holy books must be upheld.

The draft law in Denmark has ignited debates internationally. The opponents of the bill voice their concerns over potential infringements on freedom of expression. Such critics must realise the fact that what is legal cannot always be appropriate and ethical. An awful thing can be lawful, but the fact remains it is still awful and abominable.

Therefore, it is imperative to find a balance between freedom of speech and social responsibility and ethics. Senseless acts are incendiary and further fuel Islamophobia. The insane acts of a few individuals under the guise of free speech are unsavoury and can hardly be considered a form of expression.

Islam vehemently denounces and disapproves acts of hurting sentiments of the people of other religions. In this context, we should also condemn brutal acts of the misguided individuals, who set churches afire in Pakistan.

The recent incident in Jaranwala was a malicious attempt to tarnish the image of Pakistan and Islam. Such contemptuous acts have seriously dented efforts to promote interfaith harmony in the country. However, insane actions of a few individuals must not be construed as beliefs of the whole community.

What we need most is to encourage intercultural dialogue among people of different faiths in the country, and to promote values of tolerance in society for a peaceful coexistence. We, as part of the world community, should strongly condemn all forms of blasphemous acts to avert hurting religious sentiments of communities.

Last but not least, we need to redefine the notion of free speech. Free speech is hate speech if it violates the rights of others, incites violence, discrimination and hatred. Let hate mongers find no place in human societies any longer.

Khadim Hussain Subhpoto
Hyderabad

Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2023