Introduction

Politics of Blasphemy in Pakistan can shed light on the following three dynamics at work in contemporary Muslim politics. First, the modern Muslim nation-state fills the paradoxical role as being the agent entrusted with the responsibility for delivering sharia, yet still subject to the suspicion and anxiety of the Muslim public regarding the motivations and intentions of the governing elite. Second, a cacophony of voices in the public sphere claim to speak for Islam, but institutional deficits create challenges limiting the ability of any actor to speak authoritatively on the contentious issues of Islamic jurisprudence. Third, the Islamist parties with greater electoral appeal show flexibility and moderation on the question of the role of Islam in public life but marginal Islamist groups with limited electoral reach weaponize blasphemy laws to arouse religious passions in order to claim a greater share of functional political power. The introduction draws on insights from Islamic studies, anthropology, and legal studies to examine the interactions between ideas, institutions, and political actors that have enabled blasphemy laws to become the site of continuous controversy. I maintain a comparative framework and analyze how and why these dynamics work differently in other Muslim countries.