Watcher: You asked for it..... - Blasphemy

[Pristine]

Ok, I mentioned in another thread that reecently it was brought to my attention that Quran or Sunnah do not prescribe any penality for blasphemy. I had always thought (mistakenly?) that it is as per islamic jurisprudence that there is a death penalty for anyone who slanders Islam or the Prophet Muhammad (SAWW).

The following was provided by my friend Baykhatr in the thread “My ignorant Question”. Complete thread is available at

http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/Forum13/HTML/001537.html

It may surprise you that this concept of blasphemy and the prescribed punishment (death penality) are both contradictory to the Qur’aan and the Prophet’s conduct. The Qur’aan prescribes restraint, and distancing from the blasphemous persons or situations. The emphasis is on restraint and forgiveness. A study of the following verses should bear this out.

04:140 When ye hear the message of Allah held in defiance and ridicule, ye are not to sit with them unless they turn to a different theme.

28:55 and when they hear vain talk, they turn away therefrom and say: ‘To us our deeds and to you yours: peace be to you’.

07:199 Hold to forgiveness, command what is right, but turn away from the ignorant.

73:10 Have patience with what they say and leave them with noble dignity.

25:63 And the servants of Allah . . . . are those who walk on the earth in humility and when the ignorant address them, they say ‘peace’.

16:128 Allah is with those who restrain themselves

09:74 . . . but they uttered blasphemy. . . . if they repent, it will be best for them, but if they turn back, Allah will punish them.

My question is… did you know about it? And also, do you know more about it?