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Blasphemy Law in Islam?

Pakistan court upholds acquittal of Asia Bibi
Religious hardliners pushing for the execution of Asia Bibi

Should someone be killed just be cause he/she said something offensive? I came to a shock few days ago when reading about Asia Bibi’s case in the Washington Post. She is a Chrisitian accused of blasphemy, and had been waiting on the line for her death sentence from 2009, only until recently the Pakistani court decided to acquit her of charges (meaning, she won’t be punished). Religious hardliners want her dead just because she insulted the Prophet. Religious freaks protested the courts decision for her acquittal. It stirred up mobs and riots. There was even a petition signed just to get the court review the case.

Blasphemy law ordains that those who insulted religion can be executed or imprisoned. It is happening in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia. Asia Bibi’s case certainly isn’t the first, there have been many before her. Jakarta’s governor Ahok was sentenced to two years imprisonment just because he, as a Christian, rebuked the clerics that claimed Muslims should only vote for Muslim political leaders.

The Problem

Two things that shocked me: one, there exists such laws where people should be killed just because they said something. Two, there exists blood-mongering Muslims who would stir up a mob just to get someone killed in the hands of law.

Is it in the Quran?

First of all, there’s no such thing as blasphemy law in Quran. It’s strange how there are still Muslim countries that are still carrying out this barbaric law, and think they will go to heaven and have 72 virgins waiting for them for pushing the execution of a disbeliever.

Blasphemy law, in fact, is a product of Christianity where the Church used it to silence anyone who protested or insulted Christianity or the Church [1]. Galileo Galilei is a famous example where he was burnt a live just because he found out that the Earth is a sphere, and not flat as the Church believed. The law was imported into Muslim countries by British colonials during the imperial era [2].

Even the Quran never told us to punish those who insulted religion, not to mention killing them. Quran only permitted killing and war on three occasions: a) for self-defense, or if someone imposed a political and security threat [3] b) to liberate the oppressed, [4] c) a murderer [5]. In this manner, those who insulted religion and impose danger on a person or the state, those are the only ones who are permitted to be killed.

How to deal with blasphemous people

On the contrary, Quran teaches us to forgive and turn away. If you can, then debate them in a nice manner [6]. Contrary to popular belief, Islam is a religion deen that promotes the use of intellect and logic. It’s about inviting people, not forcing them to Islam.

What to do when someone insulted religion? It’s very simple- TURN AWAY. That’s all you have to do. You don’t have to go mad ravaging for blood.

خُذِ الْعَفْوَ وَأْمُرْ بِالْعُرْفِ وَأَعْرِضْ عَنِ الْجَاهِلِينَ

Hold to forgiveness; command what is right; But turn away from the ignorant.
(Al-Quran, Al-A’raaf, 7:199)

Does the Quran tell us to kill the ignorants? Tell me of any verse that tells us to kill. I only find the contrary.

وَعِبَادُ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الَّذِينَ يَمْشُونَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ هَوْنًا وَإِذَا خَاطَبَهُمُ الْجَاهِلُونَ قَالُوا سَلَامًا 

And the servants of the Beneficent Allah are they who walk on the earth in humbleness, and when the ignorant address them, they say: Peace!
(Al-Quran, Al-Furqaan, 25:63)

This is what the Quran teaches! Even if you’re so angry at them, after turning away, you can use salam as sarcasm!

You’ll never know one day, that those who have been the most hostile against Islam might turn out to be the strongest supporter of Islam.

If the non-Muslims aren’t happy about Islam then simply challenge them to a debate. If they continue to be ignorant, just turn away.

Blasphemy Law goes against the teachings of the Prophet

Those who impose blasphemy laws, go against the teachings of the Prophet. Muhammad (pbuh) never attacked because of personal reasons. If Muhammad really was a violent person, he would have slained all the Meccan polytheists during the Liberation of Mecca. He should never have accepted Umar’s syahada because Umar used to insult the prophet. Yes, the Messenger of Allah did kill some people, but, as I said again and again, it wasn’t because of personal reasons, instead that person posed a threat to the security of his people. Watch: Blasphemy Law in Islam by Dr. Yasir Qadhi.

It is really disgusting to see that some Muslims would bark like dogs or threaten to kill when someone gives a bad opinion about Islam. They have not only misrepresented Islam, they don’t even have humanity in themselves. If they think killing is the solution to stop blasphemy and apostasy, they really have low standards.

Conclusion

One of the functions of the Quran is that it acts as a diffrenciator (furqan) between right (haq) and wrong (bathil) [7]. This itself is a great blessing, if you think about it! We have a book to guide us in our lives. No other book can do this. Not even the Bible, because no one actually knows who wrote the Bible.

Sadly, today it’s such a shame that Muslims themselves have abandoned the Quran. Whatever the majority says, they blindly follow. Whatever the government says, the blindly follow. Whatever the clerics say, they blindly follow. When the majority wants to kill blasphemous people and apostates, they blindly follow and approve. What happened to the Quran? The Quran is nicely kept at the top bookshelf to collect dust and only to be taken out to be read at funerals.

وَلَقَدْ ذَرَأْنَا لِجَهَنَّمَ كَثِيرًا مِنَ الْجِنِّ وَالْإِنْسِ ۖ لَهُمْ قُلُوبٌ لَا يَفْقَهُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمْ أَعْيُنٌ لَا يُبْصِرُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمْ آذَانٌ لَا يَسْمَعُونَ بِهَا ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ كَالْأَنْعَامِ بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْغَافِلُونَ

And certainly We have created for hell many of the jinn and the men; they have hearts with which they do not understand, and they have eyes with which they do not see, and they have ears with which they do not hear; they are as cattle, nay, they are in worse errors; these are the heedless ones.
(Quran, Al-A’raaf, 7:179)

Are you interested to study the Quran? If yes, type ‘yes’ in the comments section below. And if no, type ‘no’ in the comments section below. I’ll be sharing with you some of the best resources. 😉

And Allah knows best.

References:
[1] This is what the Quran actually says about blasphemy. Retrieved from: https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/blasphemy-laws-stephen-fry-ireland-saudi-arabia-pakistan-muslims-islam-truth-quran-a7731896.html
[2] The History of the Blasphemy Law. Retrieved from: https://tribune.com.pk/story/99414/the-history-of-the-blasphemy-law/
[3] Quran, 22:39
[4] Quran, 4:75
[5] Quran, 5:45
[6] Quran, 29:46
[7] Quran, 2:185

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Published inComparative ReligionFinding GodFinding Islam

6 Comments

  1. Marsya Marsya

    Very nice content! I didnt expect tht I can enjoy ths reading. Keep it up! I’ll wait for your new updates.

    • Thank you! What kind of content do you expect specifically?

  2. Raidah Raidah

    1) yes i interested to study the quran
    2) overall i like it, i got to know about religious issue, and the article well organized,it goes step by step, i love a part when you tell about how our prophet handle the blasphemy people, it shows that revenge will not lead to the success.Being forgiven will lead to positive effects in future.Then,i learnt new word, knowledge 😂 and moral from it.I hope our ummah will be unite and being rational in making decision with the guide of Quran and sunnah ,not just by their own judgement and desire which totally will ruin the muslim.Keep it up and continue to bring us to treasure more about the miracle of ISLAM. bitaufiq wannajah. 👍😊

    • I will share some resources to help you in your journey in the Quran. In sya Allah

  3. There are many hadiths that enjoin punishment for apostasy.

    Why did you ignore all of them?

    • Salam.
      1) Apostasy and Blasphemy are two different things.
      2) I do not accept capital punishment for apostasy. Although there are hadiths saying so, nevertheless there is no such punishment in the Quran. Yes, I understand the mainstream view is that hadith and Quran should be taken together as the source of law. However my view is that hadith cannot be as authoritative as the quran. It can only be a secondary source, not primary. Therefore, the absence of punishment for apostasy in the Quran makes me question. In fact, the Quran focuses more on the freedom of belief rather than its suppression. God said “Whoever wills let them believe, and whoever wills let them disbelieve” Quran 18:29.
      It is therefore, unthinkable at all that Islam would sanction death punishment just for apostasy. Of course not all apostates should be let free. But all apostates should be killed? Even those who do not oppose Islam or fight against Islam?
      It all only makes sense if we take the hadith of punishment of apostasy to mean only those apostates which fights against the state should be killed. Apostasy merely shouldnt be punished with death.
      In fact, if we consider the times during the 7th century, the Arabs were savage in the sense that they fight for what they believe. If one says that he wants to leave Islam it also means that he wants to fight Islam. Besides, why should one declare publicly his apostasy when he doesn’t have any rebelliousness to the state?
      I have come to the conclusion that not all apostates should be killed, but only those who fight against the state. There are also a handful of scholars who support this view.
      Hope that sheds some light.

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