Question:

Non-Muslims, and even some people who claim to be Muslims, say that blasphemous insults directed towards the Prophet of Islam (sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) such as those contained in the “Innocence of Muslims” movie should be completely ignored by Muslims and not be used to argue for restricting freedom of speech and banning people’s right to satirize and mock religion, which they say is a necessary quality of modern, civilized society. Moreover, they say that such ridicule does not harm the Prophet the least and that those who believe in God Almighty also need to believe that God can guard His Prophet’s honor better than any man. For these reasons, Muslims should temper themselves. They ask: “Why is Allah dependent on men to defend the honor of his Prophet?”, “What good does it do to Islam and Muslims to execute blasphemers?” How do we respond?

Answer:

Allah Almighty is Guarantor of the safety and dignity of Prophet Muhammad (s) and all that He reveals to him (s) including the Qur’an, where He says {Verily We indeed have revealed the Remembrance (Qur’an) and surely are We its Guardian} (al-Hijr 15:9).

Where it concerns us in this matter is our responsibility to uphold truth from error, or being just to the faith in, and the love we have for, Allah Almighty and His Messenger (s) Allah Almighty says:

{O you who believe! stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: for Allah can best protect both. Follow not your low desires, lest you deviate, and if you distort or decline to do justice, verily Allah is well-acquainted with all that you do.} (An-Nisa 4:135)

If you love someone you do not want that person to be harmed, ridiculed, insulted or subject to mockery. You defend that person from fitnah because you know falsehood has been thrown at him. You protect that person from harm because you cannot bear to see him hurt. See how the Companions defended the Prophet (s) when he fell in Uhud, each of them surrounding him from the unbelievers swords, even getting hurt or martyred. That didn’t matter to them, for their blood spilled is better than to see their beloved inflicted with the slightest of harm. They did this with the utmost love and faith, demonstrating the Prophet’s (s) saying, “None of you believes until he loves me more than he loves his children, his parents, and all people.” In another hadith in Bukhari he said: “None of you believes until he loves me more than he loves himself.”

On the other hand, we should not use incidents which have taken place disrespecting Sayyidina Muhammad (s) to excuse ourselves to disobey the law of the land in which we live or instigating fitna in response. Rather we must use the many means available to defend the Prophet’s (s) honor in a lawful, solemn, dignified and honorable manner.

Abdul Shakur