Penalty For Insulting The Prophet Muhammed (Sallalahu Alayhi Was'salam).

[MuhammedAli]

Introduction:

The murder of governor Salman Taseer by elite security forces personnel Ghazi e Millat Malik Mumtaz Qadri {Allah be pleased with him} has once again brought the issue of blasphemy law in dispute. Secularist theologians such as Javed Ahmad Ghamdi have attempted to discredit the very existence of the Law which permits, and instructs the spilling of the blood of a individual who insults Messenger of Allah {sallalahu alayhi was'salam}.

Khadam will not delveo discussion about weather the murder of Salman Taseer was justified or not, but rather explain in the light of Qur’an Ahadith the punishment which is meted to those who insult Prophet Muhammed {sallalahu alayhi was'salam}.

Quran On Punishment For One Who Insults RasoolAllah:

Those who wage war on Allah, and RasoolAllah {sallalahu alayhi was'salam}, and those who rebel against the rulers in the country of Muslims, Allah says punish them in fallowing ways:

* Surah Maidah {5} Verse 33: “The recompense of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and do mischief in the land is only that they shall be killed or crucified or their hands and their feet be cut off on the opposite sides, or be exiled from the land. That is their disgrace in this world, and a great torment is theirs in the Hereafter.”

Waging of war on Allah and Messenger of Allah {sallalahu alayhi was'salam} also means maligning them. In another verse Allah subhana wa tallah states that those who malign Allah his Messenger {sallalahu alayhi was'salam}, Allah has cursed them in this world and in Hereafter:

* Surah Al Ahzab {33} Verse 57: "Lo! those who malign Allah and His messenger, Allah hath cursed them in this world and the Hereafter, and hath prepared for them the doom of the disdained"

Allah subhana wa tallah continues, that those who malign the believe women and men they are guilty of slander, if they also don’t stop spreading false rumors, then they will not be allowed to stay, but they will be:

* Surah Al Ahzab {33} Verse 61: "Accursed, they will be seized wherever found and slain with a (fierce) slaughter.”

In other words if they don’t stop malign Allah, RasoolAllah {sallalahu alayhi was'salam}, Muslim men, women, don’t stop spreading rumors, then Allah will instruct the Sahabah {alayhi ridwan} to arrest them and kill them painfully.

Sahabah Are Role Models Of Muslims:

- Before I move to Hadith on this subject it is important that the foundation of Sahabah's {alayhi ridwan} action is laid down so the readers fully grasp the importance of Ahadith in light of Quran.

- Allah subhana wa tallah states in the Quran, when Munafiqeen {i.e. hypocrite 'Muslims'} that believe as the Sahabah {alayhi ridwan} have believed in Allah, RasoolAllah, Quran, Islam, they the Munafiqeen say do we believe like the foolish Sahabah {al ayazbillah}:

* Surah Al Baqarah {2} Verse 13: “When it is said to them: "Believe as the others believe:" They say: "Shall we believe as the fools believe?" Nay, of a surety they are the fools, but they do not know.”

Allah subhana wa tallah states that those who do not believe as the Sahabah {alayhi ridwan} believed they are the ones who are fools. In another verse of Quran Allah subhana wa tallah states that if the Munafiqeen believed as you the Sahabah {alayhi ridwan} believe then they are rightly guided, but if they turn their backs to your manner of belief then they are in opposition to Islam, Allah, Quran, RasoolAllah {sallalahu alayhi was'salam}:

* Surah Al Baqarah {2} Verse 137: "So if they believe in the like of that which you believe, they are rightly guided, but if they turn away, then they are only in opposition. So Allah will suffice you against them. And He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower."

This also points out that Sahabah {alayhi ridwan} are rightly guided, and only fools will not believe, act, as they the Sahabah {alayhi ridwan} do, and if they turn away then they are in opposition to Sahabah's {alayhi ridwan} path.

- Allah subhana wa tallah addressing the Muslims at the time of RasoolAllah {sallalahu alayhi was'salam} states:

* Surah Al Imran {3} 104: “Let there arise out of you a band of people inviting to all that is good, enjoining what is right, and forbidding what is wrong: They are the ones to attain felicity.”

Sahabah {alayhi ridwan} are the people who enjoin the good, and forbid what is unislamic, against Quran and Sunnah of RasoolAllah {sallalahu alayhi was'salam}, and for this Allah declares:

* Surah Al Imran {3} Verse 110: "You are the best of peoples ever raised for mankind, you enjoin good and forbid evil, and you believe in Allah."

Sahabah {alayhi ridwan} are the best of the people ever raised from mankind because they forbid the wrong in accordance with the Quran and Sunnah, and encourage the good in light of Quran and Sunnah.

- From Quran we learn that Sahabah {alayhi ridwan} are the best of the people who enjoin what is good and forbid what is wrong, they are the rightly guided people, and believing in Islam, and acting on Islam as they have done is the right guidance, and only the foolish will oppose them. Also Allah subhana wa tallah quotes the Munafiqeen: "Shall we believe as the fools believe?" from this we learn that those who adhere to Quranic teachings, and adhere to Islam correctly they are mocked, ridiculed, by those who are in opposition to Islam, because the Munafiqeen said Sahabah {alayhi ridwan} are fools for believing in Islam the way they do.

Sahabah On Punishing The Instituters Of Prophet:

- There were two polytheist singing girls, who would recite insulting poetry against Prophet Muhammed {sallalahu alayhi was'salam}, one of them was arrested and killed by RasoolAllah {sallalahu alayhi was'salam} and other escaped and converted to Islam:

* Sunan Abu Dawood, Book 14, Hadith 2678: “Narrated Sa'id ibn Yarbu' al-Makhzumi: The Prophet {sallalahu alayhi was'salam} said: on the day of the conquest of Mecca: There are four persons whom I shall not give protection in the sacred and non-sacred territory. He then named them. There were two singing girls of al-Maqis; one of them was killed and the other escaped and embraced Islam.”

This happened during the life time of Prophet Muhammed {sallalahu alayhi was'salam}, and on his instructions.

- A man owned a slave girl with whom he had children, she use to abuse and disparage Messenger of Allah {sallalahu alayhi was'salam}, upon his repeated requests to stop this and her failure to stop, he stabbed her to death, after which he presented the case to Messenger of Allah {sallalahu alayhi was'salam}:

* Sunan Abu Dawood, Book 38, Hadith 4348: “Narrated Abdullah Ibn Abbas: A blind man had a slave-mother who used to abuse the Prophet {sallalahu alayhi was'salam} and disparage him. He forbade her but she did not stop. He rebuked her but she did not give up her habit. One night she began to slander the Prophet {sallalahu alayhi was'salam} and abuse him. So he took a dagger, placed it on her belly, pressed it, and killed her. A child who came between her legs was smeared with the blood that was there. When the morning came, the Prophet {sallalahu alayhi was'salam} was informed about it. He assembled the people and said: I adjure by Allah the man who has done this action and I adjure him by my right to him that he should stand up. Jumping over the necks of the people and trembling the man stood up. He sat before the Prophet {sallalahu alayhi was'salam} and said: Apostle of Allah {sallalahu alayhi was'salam}! I am her master; she used to abuse you and disparage you. I forbade her, but she did not stop, and I rebuked her, but she did not abandon her habit. I have two sons like pearls from her, and she was my companion. Last night she began to abuse and disparage you. So I took a dagger, put it on her belly and pressed it till I killed her. Thereupon the Prophet {sallalahu alayhi was'salam} said: Oh be witness, no retaliation is payable for her blood.”

From this Hadith we learn that Messenger of Allah {sallalahu alayhi was'salam} did not punish the Sahabi for what he did, secondly if the punishment which the Sahabi meted out to the slave girl was not right then RasoolAllah {sallalahu alayhi was'salam} would have punished the Sahabi as well as inform of the correct punishment for those who insult Prophet Muhammed {sallalahu alayhi was'salam}.

- Hazrat Ali {radiallah tallah anh} narrates, a Jewish woman use to abuse Prophet Muhammed {sallalahu alayhi was'salam} and a Sahabi strangled her for her crime:

* Sunan Abu Dawood, Book 38, Number 4349: Narrated Ali ibn Abu Talib:A Jewess used to abuse the Prophet {sallalahu alayhi was'salam} and disparage him. A man strangled her till she died. The Apostle of Allah {sallalahu alayhi was'salam} declared that no recompense was payable for her blood.

Payment of recompense is in two ways, either eye for an eye, or paying of blood money, Prophet of Allah {sallalahu alayhi was'salam} declared that neither of the two are required, in other words the Sahabi is without blame, because he acted on the Sharia.

- During the Khilafat of Hazrat Abu Bakr Sadeeq {radiallah tallah anh} a man insulted him in presence of Hazrat Abu Barzah {radiallah tallah anh} seeked permission from Hazrat Abu Bakr Sadeeq {radiallah tallah anh} to kill the insulter. After this Hazrat Abu Bakr {radiallah tallah anh} retreated to the room and angered disapeared, and called Hazrat Abu Barzah {radiallah tallah anh} inside and told him that it is not permitted for the blood of a Muslim to be spilled if he insults another person, but this is only permitted if someone was to insult the Messenger of Allah {sallalahu alayhi was'salam}:

* Sunan Abu Dawood, Book 38, Hadith 4350: “Narrated Abu Bakr: Abu Barzah said: I was with Abu Bakr. He became angry at a man and uttered hot words. I said: Do you permit me, Caliph of the Apostle of Allah {sallalahu alayhi was'salam}, that I cut off his neck? These words of mine removed his anger; he stood and went in. He then sent for me and said: What did you say just now? I said: (I had said Permit me that I cut off his neck. He said: Would you do it if I ordered you? I said: Yes. He said: No, I swear by Allah, this is not allowed for any man after Muhammad {sallalahu alayhi was'salam}.”

Note, Sahabi Hazrat Abu Barzah {radiallah tallah anh} wanted to kill the insulter of Hazrat Abu Bakr {radiallah tallah anh} for insulting him, and he didnt permit this but correct the Sahabi and told him that this rule is only for Messenger of Allah {sallalahu alayhi was'salam}.

Conclusion:

The punishment of death for those who insult the Messenger of Allah {sallalahu alayhi was'salam} is proven from Quran, as well as it being implimented in the life time of RasoolAllah {sallalahu alayhi was'salam}, and Hazrat Abu Bakr Sadeeq {radiallah tallah anh} made it clear that one who abuses Messenger of Allah {sallalahu alayhi was'salam} is to be killed.

Note that Sahabah {radiallah tallah anhuma ajma'een} are the best of the people described in the Quran, and we are told to believe in Islam as they believe, and Allah has declared that if one believes as they have believed in Islam, then we are rightly guided. These rightly guided, the best of the people {i.e. Sahabah} have demonstrated to us what the punishment for insulting the Messenger of Allah {sallalahu alayhi was'salam} is.

Messenger of Allah {sallalahu alayhi was'salam} made it clear that if a beleiver after hearing the Prophet Muhammed {sallalahu alayhi was'salam}being abused, and in anger kills the abuser of Prophet Muhammed {sallalahu alayhi was'salam} then there is no punishment for such a person, nor the murderer of abuser of Prophet {sallalahu alayhi was'salam} has to pay compensation to the breaved family.

Wama Alayna Ilal Balaghul Mubeen.
Muhammed Ali Razvi