“And do not insult those they invoke other than Allah, lest they insult Allah in enmity without knowledge. Thus We have made pleasing to every community their deeds. Then to their Lord is their return, and He will inform them about what they used to do.”
[Qur’aan 6:108]
Allah has forbidden the believers from saying anything bad about the idols of the polytheists because He knew that if the believers abused their gods they would increase in their disbelief and then hurl insults at Allah out of animosity.
The ruling present in this Verse is applicable to the Ummah even today. If the disbelievers are in power and it is feared that they will insult Islam or the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam), then it is not permissible to insult their crucifixes or their religion or their churches, nor to turn to what leads to that, because that is raised to the same status as disobedience.
From this Verse the Jurists have also drawn the principle of blocking the means. If a permissible action will lead to something impermissible in a given circumstance, then one must avoid the permissible action in this specific circumstance to prevent the impermissible from coming into play.
Additionally, scholars have drawn from this Verse that one should abstain from his right if his right will lead to harm in Religion.
Finally, regarding the statement of Allah “Thus We have made pleasing to every community their deeds,” it has been attributed to Ibn Abbaas (Allah is pleased with him) that he said that obedience is made pleasing to the people of obedience and disbelief is made pleasing to the people of disbelief.
Re: And do not insult those they invoke other than Allah, lest they insult Allah…
ok. how about disbelievers under the believers’ rule and that are rather submissive? are you allowed to insult them since they might not hurl abuses back at you
Re: And do not insult those they invoke other than Allah, lest they insult Allah…
Peace,
There is another verse where it is clearly stated that we should get along (agree) to those things which are common among us (between Muslim and non-Muslim) rather then starting with differences which will leave negative impact on both.
That what I conclude after reading post of the OP.
Re: And do not insult those they invoke other than Allah, lest they insult Allah…
Is this the Verse you refer to?
Say, “O People of the Scripture, come to a word that is equitable between us and you - that we will not worship except Allah and not associate anything with Him and not take one another as lords instead of Allah .” But if they turn away, then say, “Bear witness that we are Muslims [submitting to Him].”
[Qur’aan 3:64]
The word translated in this as equitable is sawaa’ which means the same.