Pakistani YouTuber Rajab Butt, who has been involved in several controversies, recently made a public apology, invoking Allah as his witness while standing in the courtyard of the Kaaba.

A case was recently filed against Rajab Butt under the PECA Act, which also has provisions for causing hurt to religious sentiments.

This isn’t the first time Rajab Butt has landed in legal trouble. Earlier, he was booked and arrested for keeping a tiger cub illegally.

Rajab Butt had declared in a now-deleted video the launch of a new perfume called “295”—a nod to the blasphemy law as defined in the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). The name incensed people on social media, inviting criticism and outrage.

After the controversy, a case was filed against him at Nishtar Town police station in Lahore on the complaint of a citizen in exercise of powers vested under the provisions of the PECA Act and blasphemy laws. But as per the police, Rajab Butt is presently in Saudi Arabia performing Umrah and has not yet been arrested.

Following the widespread condemnation, including fatwas and lawsuits, Rajab Butt made a video apology. Holding his hands on the Quran, he apologized for the perfume’s name and stated that he would stop selling it.

In another video, filmed while in a state of Ihram before Masjid al-Haram, he spoke about the controversy, stating:

“I take oath on this holy site that I did not do anything knowingly. I have apologized earlier for whatever occurred out of ignorance, and I apologize again with folded hands. I request you all to forgive me and wash your hearts of any ill will against me.”

He also urged religious scholars, the government of Punjab, and the Pakistan Army to revisit the case of PECA Act against him and uphold justice.

Rajab Butt also asserted that his statements had been distorted. He clarified, “In my vlog, I said that Section 295 was imposed on me falsely, but the term ‘false’ was edited out, resulting in the declaration of a fatwa against me.”

At the conclusion of his address, he again requested the forgiveness of Allah, His Messenger (PBUH), and all Muslims.

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