Islam Samhan, a writer from Jordan, has been issued with blaspheming against "God, the angels and Prophet Muhammad," an unpardonable offense in Jordanian law. Many writers have been calling for his release from prison, viewing this sentence as an infringement on creativity and personal expression. The BBC news reporters support the angle that along with the coming times, old laws need to be loosened to fit a more global perspective that people have become accustomed to.
On GlobalPost, a reporter that covers news straight out of Jordan, was able to interview Islam and his wife from their home. Islam is a follower of the religion he was named after, but his charge of apostasy means that he is labeled a "kafir"and that killing him is a means to heaven. He was put on trial after his love poems were considered disrespectful to the Prophet Muhammad. This case comes in conflict between the Western view of Jordan as an industrialized and modern country, as the hidden Muslim activists aim to prevent such radical change. While Samhan's poems are not directly referencing the Qur'an, some lines can be inferred to be speaking about Muhammad or God. The issue lies in the interpretation, as poetry is often meant to give an impression but not specifically state opinions.
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/jordan/090922/jordanian-poet-trial-apostacy?page=0,0
Both articles are pointing out the extremity to which the religious leaders are reacting to Samhan's poetry. The similarities between the two articles is striking, although I noticed that the writer from the Jordanian perspective is an American citizen. There is evidence that Jordan has grown more tolerant of change within the inner-workings of the country, but this story was one that reached the attention of the media, garnering attention globally. A fact that was not mentioned in the BBC article is that Saman's poetry was not controversial per se but he broke laws by not submitting a draft of his book before publication, which needed to have been granted so as not to offend any religious groups. The two articles support each other with their reporting and the only significant difference was the lack of depth in the BBC report.
Both articles are pointing out the extremity to which the religious leaders are reacting to Samhan's poetry. The similarities between the two articles is striking, although I noticed that the writer from the Jordanian perspective is an American citizen. There is evidence that Jordan has grown more tolerant of change within the inner-workings of the country, but this story was one that reached the attention of the media, garnering attention globally. A fact that was not mentioned in the BBC article is that Saman's poetry was not controversial per se but he broke laws by not submitting a draft of his book before publication, which needed to have been granted so as not to offend any religious groups. The two articles support each other with their reporting and the only significant difference was the lack of depth in the BBC report.
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