Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Brother

Assalam o Alaikum

I would just like to ask you whether it is considered obligatory for Muslims to murder(I would not say kill) any person, whether Muslim or not, who says disrepectful words about the Prophet Muhammad (SAW)? If yes, then how does one measure the disrespect and decides that now it is enough for the person to be murdered? If no, then why do Muslim countries like Pakistan have such a law?

As far as I`m concerned, I dont think the Prophet (SAW) ever ordered the death of any of his opponents for speaking against him or speaking bad things about him. Secondly, no matter how serious a matter it is, I dont agree that it warrants the senseless murder of a person.

Please comment

Your sister in Islam

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Kill person for disrespect Prophet

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

There are two kinds or types of punishments which may be prescribed by Law in an Islamic State:

Hudood Laws or the obligatory punishment specifically prescribed by Allah and His Messenger (saws); for example punishments for theft, zina, murder, etc.

Ta’azeer or man-made discretionary laws an Islamic State may be prescribe at its discretion for crimes which have not been specified in the ‘hudood’ crimes; for example crimes like traffic violations, visa violations, income-tax violations, etc.

In all cases, whether ‘hudood’ or ‘taazeer’, it is only the Shariah Court in a proper Islamic State which has the right to pronounce the Judgements after due process of law. One may or may not agree with the ‘ta’azeer’ or discretionary law the leader, or the parliament, or the law-makers of an Islamic State choose to apply on the crimes specified by them; but one has absolutely no right to have an opinion on any of the ‘hudood’ laws of the Shariah which are specified and prescribed by Allah and His Messenger (saws).

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzaab verse 36: It does not behove a believing man and a believing woman that when Allah and His Messenger have given their decision in a matter, they should exercise an option in that matter of theirs. For whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, has indeed strayed into manifest error.

Your Question: I would just like to ask you whether it is considered obligatory for Muslims to murder(I would not say kill) any person, whether Muslim or not, who says disrepectful words about the Prophet Muhammad (SAW)? If yes, then how does one measure the disrespect and decides that now it is enough for the person to be murdered? If no, then why do Muslim countries like Pakistan have such a law?

If an individual or a group of individuals got together and killed someone who might have said disrespectful words towards the Noble Messenger of Allah (saws), they would indeed be guilty of murder in the sight of Shariah and Allah Subhanah. In an Islamic State it is only the Shariah Court who has the authority to pass and implement a Judgment after due process of law has been established.

It is indeed true that the Messenger of Allah (saws) never ever prosecuted anyone who abused or reviled him. But today when an Islamic nation is in existence, and if a person living in this Islamic State dares to revile or rebuke the Prophet (saws), it is at the discretion of the law-makers of this Islamic nation to prescribe and implement a law to defend the honor of their beloved Prophet (saws) from being blasphemed in their land. It would be the responsibility of the chosen or appointed law-makers in the parliament who measure the disrespect and accordingly decide what punishments would be prescribed by ‘taazeer’ law, if such a situation were to arise in their land.

In any righteous and good nation, it is the responsibility of the law to protect the life, property and honor of each and every citizen of their land. Even in law-abiding counties like Singapore, Hong Kong, United States, United Kingdom, etc. one witnesses that if someone were to lie and damage the reputation or honor of any individual or corporation, that individual has a right to take the accuser to court, and the person would be punishable by law if he were unable to prove his sayings in a court of law. Nations like Japan, Thaland and even the United Kingdom have laws which prescribe severe punishment on anyone who tries to defame or revile their ‘royal families’!

Similarly, it is at the discretion of the Islamic Nation if they wish to prosecute someone who dares to revile or rebuke the leader of a religion that is followed by the majority of their citizens. If nations like Pakistan or other muslim nations have prescribed laws in their lands that make this crime of reviling the Prophet of Islam (saws) punishable by death, then like other sovereign nations of the world, they are well within their rights as a sovereign nation to do so.

Your Statement: As far as I`m concerned, I dont think the Prophet (SAW) ever ordered the death of any of his opponents for speaking against him or speaking bad things about him. Secondly, no matter how serious a matter it is, I dont agree that it warrants the senseless murder of a person.

Dear and Beloved Sister in Islam, since reviling the Noble Prophet of Islam (saws) is not a crime punishable in Shariah by ‘Hudood’ Laws, but rather it is a ‘discretionary’ law which each nation has a right to choose for itself; you are well within your rights to have an opinion regarding any of the ‘taazeer’ or man-made discretionary laws of your nation.

If you are a citizen of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan where the chosen or appointed law-makers have chosen to prescribe capital punishment for one who reviles the Prophet of Islam (saws), you would be well within the bounds to strive and work in your country to remove this ‘discretionary’ law and replace it with something which you think would be a suitable punishment for reviling the leader of a religion which is followed by the majority of the nation, and by almost 1/3^rd of the human race!

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan