Question:
Assalam u alayekum !
Is the punishment of Shaatim e Rasul (the one who commits blasphemy regarding Syedna Muhammad Salla’l la ho alye hi wasallam ) is immediate death penalty? Or should he be given a chance to repent? What if he doesn’t repent at all or repents but doesn’t make it openly and clearly in public ?
What is Imam Abu Hanifa’s opinion in this matter specifically if the accused is non-Muslim?
Kindly explain the matter in the light of Sura e Toba verse no. 74?
JazakAllah.
Answer:
wa `alaykum salam,
You are referring to this aya:
يَحۡلِفُونَ بِٱللَّهِ مَا قَالُواْ وَلَقَدۡ قَالُواْ كَلِمَةَ ٱلۡكُفۡرِ وَڪَفَرُواْ بَعۡدَ إِسۡلَـٰمِهِمۡ وَهَمُّواْ بِمَا لَمۡ يَنَالُواْۚ وَمَا نَقَمُوٓاْ إِلَّآ أَنۡ أَغۡنَٮٰهُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ ۥ مِن فَضۡلِهِۦۚ فَإِن يَتُوبُواْ يَكُ خَيۡرً۬ا لَّهُمۡۖ وَإِن يَتَوَلَّوۡاْ يُعَذِّبۡہُمُ ٱللَّهُ عَذَابًا أَلِيمً۬ا فِى ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَٱلۡأَخِرَةِۚ وَمَا لَهُمۡ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ مِن وَلِىٍّ۬ وَلَا نَصِيرٍ۬
{They swear by Allah that they said nothing (evil), but indeed they uttered blasphemy, and they did it after accepting Islam; and they meditated a plot which they were unable to carry out: this revenge of theirs was (their) only return for the bounty with which Allah and His Messenger had enriched them! If they repent, it will be best for them; but if they turn back (to their evil ways), Allah will punish them with a grievous penalty in this life and in the Hereafter: They shall have none on earth to protect or help them.} Surat at-Tawba 9:74
It may be noted that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had the right to kill whoever insulted him and spoke harshly to him, and that included both Muslims and kafirs.
An-Nasaa’i narrated (4071) that Abu Barzah al-Aslami said: A man spoke harshly to Abu Bakr as-Siddiq and I said, ‘Shall I kill him?’ He rebuked me and said, ‘That is not for anyone after the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) .’” (Sahih an-Nasaa’i, 3795)
Imam Senad Agic
Head Imam (IABNA)
The Islamic Association of Bosniaks in North America
American Islamic Center – Chicago
