Punishment of Blasphemy in Islam

Society Religion & Philosophy
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What is the punishment of Blasphemy against the prophet(pbuh) or Allah(swt)? Can a state give capital punishment for these sins?
pls substantiate your answers with Quranic verses and/or Ahadith

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Re: Punishment of Blasphemy in Islam

Well I am of the belief that many sins can be forgiven and certainly mercy is a great quality.

However Rasoolallah also set a many a great example of such mercy and greatly inspires the generations by his kindness towards people, one often cited hadith relates to how the Phrophet even asked after a woman who used to throw dirt on his blessed self.

However Rasool Allah also said that as well as following his teachings we must also follow his Sahabah and his decendants in all matters.

Thus when I know of the actions of hazrat Abu Bakr and the other notable Sahahba I am also given a very clear and concise path to follow.

Using this information I have formed a view that is my own but which is derived from the same orthodox methodology of those who practiced it all before myself.

The way I see it you can say and do what you like for good or bad so long as your bad deeds do not besmirch a whole people, race or nation.

When somone bad mouths the Prophet or any religous personality then he does so for wahtever personal motive and whilst i'm not okay with it I have no right to be judge jury or executioner.

However if that said person goes on to make his personal view one that is spread for hatred and with the intention of damaging peoples relations and deliberately setting fire to peoples hearts and beliefs...

Then in my view there is only mercy for him by those same people... If you burn the Koran or slander the Prophet on a large scale and do so within reach of me... then Pray that Allah and his beloved show mercy to you and stop me...

Becuase in my view that person is commiting an act tantamount to attacking me... be it verbally or via gestures of any sort. I cannot be expected to remain totally silent over it.

Sure the person is doing it for a reaction and often times if one reacts brutally then one gives off a bad image... but that has to be balanced with the consequences of such hatred spreading if fear can stop it's spread then it's right to let thine enemies fear you.

As far as laws are concerned so long as the laws are not abused and every man who holds a different view is not strung up then I have no problem with any law.

Besides blasphemy laws are not unique to Islam and I dont see why Muslims are always targeted... it's like goading a Tiger.

As for wether a state can dish out capital punishment.... The answers obvouis is Islam permits apostates to be put to the sword why not blasphemers of the highest order too?

Offcourse a particularly harsh blasphemer should be put to death... This sentece is not exclusive to Islam either.

You've asked for quranic verses or Ahadith and I have deliberately left most of them out becuase they are very obvous and I am expecting others to come up with them later... otherwise I'll state them myself but as a simple layman I am not qualified to make greater decisions however I am never in any doubt to the strength of my belief and belief is more important than any other dogma.

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Re: Punishment of Blasphemy in Islam

I think blasphemy is exploited more than our mullahs than anything else. In the Prophet’s time, people like Abu Lahab, Abu Jahl used to openly ridicule him and make his life a living hell. The people of Taif stoned him until his shoes were filled with blood. Even then, the Holy Prophet (pbuh) would only pray for their forgiveness and for Allah to show them hidayah. I think we should follow that example. In Pakistan we have ridiculous blasphemy laws that can be invoked against the minorities any time, like the recent case of Aasia Bibi (Page not found | The Express Tribune) which goes against the spirit of Islam.

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Re: Punishment of Blasphemy in Islam

Law is a very complex thing it is not simple as many of our corrupt and ignorant mullahs think and use it.

They take things as black and white but actually there is much more grey area than clearly black and white are.

The level of evidence, the rate of crime, the rate of crime detection, the rate of crime prevention, the rate of convictions, the rate of innocent being convicted, the rate of actual criminals going free due to lack of evidence against them. The definiton of crime, the level of punishment for any particular crime.

Overall we need to see how the whole justice system is set up and how effectively it works and on what basis.

So in my view blasphemy law is anti islam. Why? Because islam is based on principles of brotherhood of mankind therefore on forgiveness, social justice, fairness, peace, cooperation, progress and prosperity for all. This leaves no room for anyone to throw abuse at the prophet unless one is ignorant about what islam is or that one is arrogant and rebilious because one does not like what islam stands for. Ignorant needs education not death and the arrogant usually is beyond reach so you can only kill such a person if you can get to such a person therefore blasphemy law cannot be islamic law on one hand and useless on the other.

Also blasphemy law can be easily abused by people just like the hudood ordinance. How many innocent women suffered in police stations and prisons and by way of public humiliation because of such laws. So I will never support any thing like this in pakistan. It is bad for all concerned whereas laws are for regulating a society for benefit of all not for abusing them or controling them or breaking them.

Islam is strong so it does not need protection. If anything it is muslims who are abusing islam and quran so it is they who deserve punishment not kufaar who do not know what islam is because we messed it up for thems as well.

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Re: Punishment of Blasphemy in Islam

Faris, you justify one wrong by another wrong. Nowhere in Islam is there a death punishment for blasphemy or apostasy. The punishment is with Allah.

What if the shoe is on the other foot... if you are living in a Christian country and you proclaim Jesus (AS) is not God, then aren't you committing blasphemy? Should you be given a death penalty?

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Re: Punishment of Blasphemy in Islam

When you yourself breaking the the law or thinking by yourself by to modfied it and do some act, there should be a punishment to breaking that law or violation of law.
When you neglect the Qurans teaching which is guiding a great way of living both religiously and socially, and by yourself u trying to impose or make a new religious orders/laws you are commiting a sin.
And when you yourself putting away the most precious valueables commands Ahadees of Hazat Mohammad Mustafa PBUH and His or His Sahabas Sunnah, you doing a great act to insulting Them.
Well unfortunatly Pakistan Govt. all helpfull ulmas are doing and imposing somehow modyfing the both the teachings of Quran Majeed and Teachings of Prophet Mohammad PBUH, They thinking nazoubillah they are more superiors then mentioned teachings to issuing the certificate that who is even muslim or not, They themself committing the Blasphemy in a way to insulting the nobel teachings.

Alright in in person, if someone insult our beloved Prophet Mohmmad PBUH by saying or by some action I surly get angry get sad and try to stop him/them even if i have a fight i do it, and pray for him/them to Allah Tallah like our Prophet Mohammad PBUH did, O God they dont know what they are doing forgive them and open their minds to accept the truth... May Allah Tallah be with us and make us able to do the acts under the specific religious teachings. Ameen

The current Blasphemy law is aganist the spirit and teaching of Islam. Peace

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Re: Punishment of Blasphemy in Islam

:salam2:

Muslim can response into six different categories.

**1. Replies via the Media **

The first way is to reply via the media i.e. using the same tool, which is often used against us in order to present the correct picture of Islam.It is the job of every Muslim to respond to allegations against Islam and clarify misconceptions of non-mulsim/believers.

2. Peaceful Protests and Demonstrations

There can be peaceful demonstrations or protests in the form of a congregation. A large number of Muslims can march to parliament house and protest against what has happened. Muslims can also give a letter to the embassy of that particular country and request the Prime Minister to take action against the offender.

3. Filing a Legal Suit

Take legal action against the defamer in his country or file a case in the International Court of Law if the nation where the act has taken place is condoning the act. We can sue the offenders by pulling them to court, which is one of the good ways of preventing such things from occurring in the future.

4. Economic Embargo

The fourth strategy is to put an economic embargo, a very effective weapon aimed at weakening the economy of any country. Muslim countries can get together and apply economic or business pressure against that country if it continues to publish defamatory things. It is advisable to boycott certain goods if we know that boycotting products of that country can create a huge effect on the country’s economy.

5. Political Pressure

This takes place on a higher level i.e. between political authorities of countries. The leaders of different Muslim nations can apply pressure on a political level. The Muslim governments can withdraw their ambassadors from that country and shut down its embassies as part of a political boycott, if they refuse to give a public apology and do not stop defaming the Prophet :saw2: and Almighty Allah SWT.

6. Moderate Force

The sixth strategy is to carry out demonstrations using a limited amount of force. As far as the first five strategies are concerned, no Muslim or non-Muslim can have any objections. If there is freedom of speech then we Muslims also have the freedom to reply in the media, to participate in peaceful demonstrations, or take legal action seeking punishment or compensation. We can even boycott goods or apply political pressure since it’s a matter of personal choice.

The punishment for blasphemy in most of the major religions is death. It is stated in the Old Testament of the Bible, which is the authority for both the Jews and the Christians:

And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: [Book of Leviticus 24:16]

Moreover, if we read Manusmriti, the Law book of the Hindus, it says:

“If a man born of a lower class intentionally bothers a priest, the king should punish him physically with various forms of corporal and capital punishment that make men shudder.” [Manusmriti 9:248]

Regarding the punishment for blasphemy in Islam, it is mentioned in the Glorious Qur’an, Surat Al-Maidah 5:33

In Islam, a person who has committed blasphemy can either be killed or crucified, or his opposite hands and feet can be cut off, or he can be exiled from that land. On the other hand, in other religions there is no other option except capital punishment. Islam at least has four options of punishment for an act of blasphemy.

In spite of all the negative propaganda in a section of the western media, ironically Islam still happens to be the fastest growing religion, not just in the west but also across the world. The more people try to suppress Islam, the more it will prevail. Allah (swt) will make His Deen (Islam) to prevail over all the other ways of life irrespective of people mocking and ridiculing His messengers. As Allah says in the Glorious Quran Surah Al An’am 6:10 & 6:11:

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Re: Punishment of Blasphemy in Islam

Bhai your totally wrong... I'm not justifying anything merely stating truth nobody needs to justify the truth.

You say nowhere in Islam is there a death punishment for Blasphemy or Apostasy, clearly you have no knowlegde of our deens history with regards to the events after the Battle of the trench and with regards to the Riddah Wars.

Many secularists are quick to jump in and bash our beliefs but truth is our Beloved Prohphet has shown us the path that is to be followed and nobody can change our beleifs.

You speak of the other shoe yet you make no sense whatsoever... Orthodox Christianity like Orthodox Islam does not label Jesus as Gods son nor does it require that you must blindly follow that creed, however the punishment for deliberately slandering a Phrophet is the same in Christianity as Islam.

Furthermore Islam is indeed a religion of Mercy but when your opponents show you no mercy and compell you to face them then you have no choice but to be terrible in response... you can show mercy only if invited to do so... if your opponent is so vile that Mercy is impossible then death is a certainty for him.

Afterall we all know what happened to the Jews of Medina and the false Phrophets of the Riddah wars... It seems Abu Jahil is not among us becuase someone did not show mercy. :)

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Re: Punishment of Blasphemy in Islam

Peace Brahmachari99!

In Islam, a person who has committed blasphemy can either be killed or crucified, or his opposite hands and feet can be cut off, or he can be exiled from that land. It is clearly stated in Holy Qur'an. :)

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Re: Punishment of Blasphemy in Islam

Lethal, the verse you've quoted talks about those who wage war, not the blasphemers.

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Re: Punishment of Blasphemy in Islam

^ Bhai for clarification Lethal hai did not directly quote any verse... but if he had that verse applies litterally to all enemies of the faith, people who want to bring harm to Islam by either directly attacking, economically restricting or spreading slander... blashpemers count as enemies too...

In fact thier is a Hadith relating to the Sahabah beheading a famous Meccan poet becuase he used to make verses about the Phrophet and other notable Sahabah.

Furthermore blashpemy is and was always punishable by death... The Prhophet showed mercy many times but at many times particulalrly during difficuilt times such as the siege of Kandaq any oath breaker, blashphemer or threat to Islam was treated with much force... in fact many jewish tribes were expelled and some were massacred outright.

Whilst it's true that the victory over Makah went peacefully those that refused to sumbit or apologise for thier crimes were promptly executed.

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Re: Punishment of Blasphemy in Islam

Please do tell us about it and how it relates to blasphemy and apostasy rather than a reaction to treason and murder.
It's really sad the lengths you'll go to to paint Islam the religion of peace as the religion of sword.

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Re: Punishment of Blasphemy in Islam

Faris, I was referring to the Surah Maidah verse 33 that he had quoted earlier:
Indeed, the penalty for those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and strive upon earth [to cause] corruption is none but that they be killed or crucified or that their hands and feet be cut off from opposite sides or that they be exiled from the land. That is for them a disgrace in this world; and for them in the Hereafter is a great punishment.

جو لوگ خدا اور اس کے رسول سے لڑائی کریں اور ملک میں فساد کرنے کو دوڑتے پھریں ان کی یہی سزا ہے کہ قتل کر دیئے جائیں یا سولی چڑھا دیئے جائیں یا ان کے ایک ایک طرف کے ہاتھ اور ایک ایک طرف کے پاؤں کاٹ دیئے جائیں یا ملک سے نکال دیئے جائیں یہ تو دنیا میں ان کی رسوائی ہے اور آخرت میں ان کے لیے بڑا (بھاری) عذاب تیار ہے

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Re: Punishment of Blasphemy in Islam

How many were executed at the conquest of Makkah?

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Re: Punishment of Blasphemy in Islam

Oh yaar c'ommon nobodys painting anything.

Treason is apostasy yaar... blasphemey is treason too... so punishment for treason is death. Youve agreed and so have I end of the argument.

I'm not saying everyone should be put to the sword but what else can you do to idiots who seem to provoke ye to such a level in the first place.

As Lethal bhai and I have said this is our faith... end of nothing anyone can say or do will change it.

Blashphemy will be punished in this life or hereafter and those who make a life out of blasphemy deserve not the grace of even death but alas thats what they get. End of.

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Re: Punishment of Blasphemy in Islam

Bhai in your own quote you’ve just said it all I need not say anymore. :k:

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Re: Punishment of Blasphemy in Islam

Bro! the verse states for the double crime of treason against the State, combined with treason against God, as shown by overt crimes, four alternative punishments are mentioned, any one of which is to be applied according to circumstances, viz., execution (cutting off of the head), crucifixion, maiming, or exile. These were features of the Criminal Law then and for centuries afterwards, except that tortures such as "hanging, drawing, and quartering" in English Law, and piercing of eyes and leaving the unfortunate victim exposed to a tropical sun, which was pratised in Arabia, and all such tortures were ablolished. In any case sincere repentance before it was too late was reconginsed as a ground of mercy.

I was trying to find the hadith in this regard. Couldn't find the exact but here is similar hadith No. *4294 - The book of Jihad and Expedition (Kitab Al-Jihad wal-siyar) of Sahih Muslim, **rest Faris already explained.
*
[quote]
**
It has been reported from Sulaiman b. Buraid through his father that when the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) appointed anyone as leader of an army or detachment he would especially exhort him to fear Allah and to be good to the Muslims who were with him. He would say: Fight in the name of Allah and in the way of Allah. Fight against those who disbelieve in Allah. Make a holy war, do not embezzle the spoils; do not break your pledge; and do not mutilate (the dead) bodies; do not kill the children. When you meet your enemies who are polytheists, invite them to three courses of action. If they respond to any one of these, you also accept it and withold yourself from doing them any harm. Invite them to (accept) Islam; if they respond to you, accept it from them and desist from fighting against them. Then invite them to migrate from their lands to the land of Muhairs and inform them that, if they do so, they shall have all the privileges and obligations of the Muhajirs. If they refuse to migrate, tell them that they will have the status of Bedouin Muilims and will be subjected to the Commands of Allah like other Muslims, but they will not get any share from the spoils of war or Fai' except when they actually fight with the Muslims (against the disbelievers). If they refuse to accept Islam, demand from them the Jizya. If they agree to pay, accept it from them and hold off your hands. If they refuse to pay the tax, seek Allah's help and fight them. When you lay siege to a fort and the besieged appeal to you for protection in the name of Allah and His Prophet, do not accord to them the guarantee of Allah and His Prophet, but accord to them your own guarantee and the guarantee of your companions for it is a lesser sin that the security given by you or your companions be disregarded than that the security granted in the name of Allah and His Prophet be violated When you besiege a fort and the besieged want you to let them out in accordance with Allah's Command, do not let them come out in accordance with His Command, but do so at your (own) command, for you do not know whether or not you will be able to carry out Allah's behest with regard to them.

[/quote]

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Re: Punishment of Blasphemy in Islam

how is blasphemy treason? how can someone who's not muslim in the first place commit treason against Islam? The verse from Quran is open to interpretation, how can we design blasphemy laws based on it? There never were any in the Prophet's days.

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Re: Punishment of Blasphemy in Islam

Peace rizala86!

If u read the above hadith u'll find the answer :)

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Re: Punishment of Blasphemy in Islam

all in all no verse or hadith that supports this absurd idea. The interpretations presented by the two members arguing for capital punishment are against other verses of the quran and the sunnah of the Holy Prophet(saw).