Blasphemy within Islam, right or wrong?

by **reuben29** » Thu Mar 31, 2011 5:32 am

As Salaam to you all,

Blasphemy is being spoken about within Islam as if it had a right and punishment set within the Shari’ah Law, which it has not, although certain Muslim countries had introduced it sometime after the Prophets (pbuh) death. Even here we see that there is no single universal Islamic doctrine but rather many secular and different school of Fiqh (thought) observances. Such penalties for blasphemy can include fines, imprisonment, flogging, amputation, crucifixion, hanging, or beheading. Yet there is nothing contained within the Glorious Qur’an or true Hadith over it.

Muslim jurists may dispute about what irreverent behaviour amounts to blasphemy and if that behaviour amounts to a rejection of Islam but that for a Muslim is apostasy. Many jurists have combined and confused apostasy, blasphemy, hypocrisy, heresy, and unbelief as being the same act, which it is not. An individual may find themselves accused of being an atheist, a heretic, a hypocrite, a blasphemer, and an apostate on the basis of one action or even a single utterance.

However, someone who is not a Muslim cannot be brought to trial for what they do not believe in within a Shari’ah Court. Even if Islam did have a blasphemy law set within the pages of the Glorious Qur’an, then we must class every person who does not believe in God and speaks disrespectfully of Him, His Prophets (pbuta) or any sacred thing as being blasphemous and as such should be punished according to its ruling. The statement, ‘there is no god’, or ‘he does not exist’ would be classed as blasphemy, although this is taking it to its purest point. So where do you draw the line: Simply put there are within the Shari’ah Laws two acts which are also covered by western law, namely, slander and libel. The first being the spoken word, which is false and malicious about a person, while libel is the published or written word, which falsely damages a person’s reputation. However, the person so maligned must be living or his immediate family is still alive. A person who is slandered or libelled and who had been dead for over three generations before the action is not contained within the law.

The question is these are the rules of Islam as set within the Shari’ah Law, which follow no secular or particular school of thought, so why do we allow it as Muslims without speaking up about it, is it right or is it wrong?

Wa Salaam
Mahmood Tahir

by **reuben29** » Thu Mar 31, 2011 5:39 am

As Salaam to you all,

Blasphemy is being spoken about within Islam as if it had a right and punishment set within the Shari’ah Law, which it has not, although certain Muslim countries had introduced it sometime after the Prophets (pbuh) death. Even here we see that there is no single universal Islamic doctrine but rather many secular and different school of Fiqh (thought) observances. Such penalties for blasphemy can include fines, imprisonment, flogging, amputation, crucifixion, hanging, or beheading. Yet there is nothing contained within the Glorious Qur’an or true Hadith over it.

Muslim jurists may dispute about what irreverent behaviour amounts to blasphemy and if that behaviour amounts to a rejection of Islam but that for a Muslim is apostasy. Many jurists have combined and confused apostasy, blasphemy, hypocrisy, heresy, and unbelief as being the same act, which it is not. An individual may find themselves accused of being an atheist, a heretic, a hypocrite, a blasphemer, and an apostate on the basis of one action or even a single utterance.

However, someone who is not a Muslim cannot be brought to trial for what they do not believe in within a Shari’ah Court. Even if Islam did have a blasphemy law set within the pages of the Glorious Qur’an, then we must class every person who does not believe in God and speaks disrespectfully of Him, His Prophets (pbuta) or any sacred thing as being blasphemous and as such should be punished according to its ruling. The statement, ‘there is no god’, or ‘he does not exist’ would be classed as blasphemy, although this is taking it to its purest point. So where do you draw the line: Simply put there are within the Shari’ah Laws two acts which are also covered by western law, namely, slander and libel. The first being the spoken word, which is false and malicious about a person, while libel is the published or written word, which falsely damages a person’s reputation. However, the person so maligned must be living or his immediate family is still alive. A person who is slandered or libelled and who had been dead for over three generations before the action is not contained within the law.

The question is these are the rules of Islam as set within the Shari’ah Law, which follow no secular or particular school of thought, so why do we allow it as Muslims without speaking up about it, is it right or is it wrong?

Wa Salaam
Mahmood Tahir

Blasphemy should be defined properly and applied to proper situation. It does not mean to be universal. Its can be seen as laws applied within the territory and not to other territories. If you refer to Quran, Allah has His profound law(punishment) to those who blasphemy means he is against Allah, that Allah will put them into hell fire. This is a reminder to Muslims, and not to others. Quran is given to Muslims and not others. Others (other religions) who would like to know about the content of Quran, they are welcome. But then, they should not take anything from it, as Quran is not mean for them.

About the punishment. The Shari'a Law and Canon is applicable for non-Muslims. There for civil law will be used for them. There is no question whether people of other religion believe as Muslims do. It is very profoundly explained in sura Al-Kafirun "..you don't want to worship what I worship, and I don't worship what you worship. For you is yours and for me mine." So, fair enough.

Now, regarding the punishment for non-Muslims who blasphemy. Again, if they don't believe, that's doesn't matter. But, if they threw the word of blasphemy purposely to the Muslims, meaning they insult purposely, then it is the right to call Jihad on Muslims. In other word, that person is assaulting (first) the Muslims, then Muslims have a right to depend. The wars during the times of the prophet were never started by the Muslims, and it was always the non-Muslims who did that and broke the treaties.

About the jurists, the four madhabs. Though they have different juristic but, they always agreed to the basic Shari'a Law (from Quran and Hadith). E.g. the prophet SAW sometimes recited long sura in a prayer, but shorter in another day in the same prayer. This showed that for one thing there are many ways to accomplish. From this, different jurist may take into their practice and Shari'a Law and Canon another way to accomplish as practiced or said by the prophet (SAW). Once said, that when the prophet knew that someone didn't turn up for congregation though adhan had been called, he was very angry and intimidated to burn their houses, but he never did that. A Baudoin came into his mosque and urinated there. His sahabas were very angry and wanted to killed him, but the prophet (SAW) held them up and let the Baudoin speak up what his intention.

The Shari'a Laws and Canons was said from God (Allah), as they were carefully compiled with firm stand on what were revealed from Quran and the Sunnah. The Laws never to mean to make live miserible. And punishment will never be done without confirming from every aspect that concluded guilty.

Salam.

by **reuben29** » Thu Mar 31, 2011 5:43 am

Asalamo Alaykum

Mocking, Insulting Beloved Prophet Muhammad pbuh equates to mocking Allah. Please read Sura Tauba. :)

Edit: Please read verses before & after 33:57 and ponder over the subject being discussed therein.

by **hjortur** » Thu Mar 31, 2011 5:46 am

I think any ideology that refuses to be questioned is a cult that brainwashes humans.

by **shen86** » Thu Mar 31, 2011 5:48 am

These are sect games and has nothing to do with Islam. The manner and coloring smacks of subjugation and control.

by **hjortur** » Thu Mar 31, 2011 5:59 am

These are sect games and has nothing to do with Islam. The manner and coloring smacks of subjugation and control.

Islam is a joke, anyone who actually beleives i must be crazy.

by **lorimar** » Thu Mar 31, 2011 6:04 am

You are on an English language, posting in on the UK/Ireland site. Shari law is totally irrelevant.

by **lorimar** » Thu Mar 31, 2011 6:05 am

wrong

by **hjortur** » Thu Mar 31, 2011 6:10 am

With all respecf to you Sir,

Yours is not to question, but to obey.

You cannot question whether right or wrong; being a Muslim. You can only question whether allowed or not allowed under the Quranic and Hadith laws. If it is there in the books, you have to follow it verbatim - that is, to the final word and alphabet.

However, and this is not part of my answer, I do respect for whatever valid points you have made as a human being. It is this humanness which has to be brought forward and given the controls while dealing with religious questions/problems.

Regards and God bless.

Edit:- A TU for Pleasant. Good point. Though lacking in detail.

Edit:- Only yesterday one of the esteemed users of this section Life Guru had answered that a useless Koran can be disposed off by burning or burying. Will such a statement be construed as blasphemy, since a big issue was made of the proposed burning of the Koran by pastor Jones?

What about some of the written verses which Aisha, the Prophet's widow was going through and were eaten away by the goat. If some animal came and pissed/stomped on the holy book what will it be construed as?
Will the handler of the goat/animal be punished or will the person who had kept the book in such a manner be punished?
Any unintentioned disrespect? These nitty gritty goes to show how much to a ridiculous low degree something has been stretched out to fit someone else's Ego.

Edit:- The asker may understand the reason I said before, that the asker has no right.
The answers of M Javed Iqbal, Muhammad Ishfaq, Be Good, etc should have made it clear to you. What they imply is that we know Islam better than you, since we are Arabic/Pakistanis. If you want to practice Islam, keep it to yourself and let it be in a closeted room. No need of teaching it to us.

Earlier, when someone made a bad comment about the photo of MJ Iqbal, I had defended it, saying that age should be respected. But MJ Iqbal, is a very young and dynamic shouter. Hats off to such a rabble rouser.

by **stein74** » Thu Mar 31, 2011 6:16 am

Please refer al Qur'an, Surah al Azhab, ayat 57 [33:57]

Sahih International
Indeed, those who abuse Allah and His Messenger - Allah has cursed them in this world and the Hereafter and prepared for them a humiliating punishment.

Now, read al Qur'an, Surah al Azhab, ayat 61 [33:61]

Sahih International
Accursed wherever they are found, [being] seized and massacred completely.

Refer to the Sahih Hadiths about Uqba ibn Abu Muwayt, mentioned in al Qur'an, Surat at Muttafiffeen, ayat 13 [83:13]

Sahih International
When Our verses are recited to him, he says, "Legends of the former peoples."

Refer Sahih Bukhari, vol. 4, no. 2934 and Sahih Muslim, vol. 3, nos. 4422, 4424. They specify how Mohammad, who ordered the execution of Uqba ibn Abu Muwayt, taken captive in the Battle of al Bad'r, for his being guilty of Blasphemy in mocking Mohammad in his verse, said "Let them go to Hell!" when Uqba pleaded for his life so that he could take care of his family.

Refer to the fate of Kab ibn al Ashraf, another Poet whose verse mocked Mohammad, whom Mohammad commanded 5 assassins to go and murder him. Refer to Sahih Bukhari vol. 5, no. 4037; Sahih Muslim vol. 3, no. 4436; Ibn Ishaq 364-69 / 548-53 and Tafsir al Tabari pp. 94-98 / 1368-73.

Refer Sunan Abu Dawood vol. 3, no. 4349 for the murder of a Jewish lady whose name was unknown for her having cursed Mohammad when he was riding in to Mecca as the Victor.

There are literally over a dozen more instances that can be quoted, but, it would take too long for me to gather all of them.

The Shariah is not without foundation in the Koran. It is an interpretation of it.

There are many more instances that a Mufti can provide you with, all from the Sahih al Qur'an and the the Sahih Hadiths that support every fatwa of the Shariah.

It is the Qur'an and the Hadiths that guide the Shariah, so, if you want to find fault with the one who is truly responsible for all this, blame Mohammad.

.

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