Are Religious Minorities Safe in Our Own Land?

‘My friend hit me a lot. I thought he was angry because I could not play with him. I tried to convince him, but he killed me. I do not know why! Did I do something wrong? I swear I did not do anything wrong.’

Any of you knows why I was killed? Please tell me my fault!

A month ago, Sheron Masih, a student of 9th class was beaten to death by his friend.You know why? Because he drank from the same glass as other boys. Because he thought he is no different from other students  at school. Because he was not aware of the hatred that prevails on the lines of cast, creed and religion in the society that we live in.

And since that day, his voice is echoing in my head and asking his fault.

Also Read: Nabeel Masih & the Urgency to Revisit the Blasphemy Law

I still can’t comprehend that how and why the same people who raised their voice against the atrocities on Muslim minority in Burma, kept mum when the life of an innocent child was taken brutally back home just on the pretext of belonging to a religious minority.  

Our history is full of tragic incidents in which mob mentality led to mournful consequences. But it is as if our conscience has died. We never learn from our mistakes and continue to protect our misplaced pride in religious affiliation at any cost.

How high do we think of ourselves that we didn’t hesitate even once before killing someone’s child for a deed so trivial and harmless? What religion do we claim to follow?

It is certainly not Islam because last time I checked, Quran is against the unjust killing of any human being. See for yourself!

“Whoever kills a person (unjustly)…it is as though he has killed all mankind. And whoever saves a life, it is as though he had saved all mankind.” (Quran 5:32)