Blasphemy Laws and the Insult of the Opponents by Quran and Muhammad
Those among Muslims, who support the blasphemy laws, brings the argument that blasphemy laws are necessary against insulting prophet Muhammad while it hurts the feeling of billions of Muslims and bring emotional harm to them[1].
While critics bring the counter arguments why freedom to criticise, critique and mock religion is in accordance with the human nature, and has been fundamental to human progress[2][3]. They point out, even Quran and Hadith themselves contain insult and blasphemy against the Non-Muslims.
Perspective of the Supporters of Blasphemy law
In many Islamic countries, insulting Islam or prophet Muhammad is already a crime with punishments, including killing[4]. There is a campaign now to make it also a criminal offence in the western secular world too. Their arguments are as under:
(1) Insulting Muhammad causes unbearable emotional harm to those who love him
UK Parliament Naz Shah urged to criminalise all acts that insult Prophet Muhammad:
“It is because Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is the leader for two billion Muslims who commemorate Him in their hearts, honour Him in their lives ... But when bigots and racist defame, slander or abuse our Prophet (PBUH), ... the emotional harm caused upon our hearts is unbearable”
It is a criminal offence in some European countries to make a negative comment about Holocaust[5]. Prime Minister Imran Khan of Pakistan arguments that negative comment on Muhammad should also be considered a criminal offence like Holocaust.
My message to extremists abroad who indulge in Islamophobia & racist slurs to hurt & cause pain to 1.3 bn Muslims across the globe: We Muslims have the greatest love & respect for our Prophet PBUH who lives in our hearts. We cannot tolerate any such disrespect & abuse.
I call on Western govts who have outlawed any negative comment on the holocaust to use the same standards to penalise those deliberately spreading their message of hate against Muslims by abusing our Prophet.
Perspective of the Critics of Blasphemy law
There is a campaign for repealing the blasphemy laws[6], under which many Western countries have already abolished the blasphemy laws completely in the recent times. According to the critics of blasphemy law:
(1) Punishment of an "Oral" Insult could not be any "Physical" Punishment: If 1.5 billion Muslims are hurt from the oral insult of prophet, then the Secular Western Laws also allow these 1.5 billion Muslims to orally insult that person and hurt his feelings too in the reply. And if oral insult has any influence, then that person would surely die due the curses and insults of these 1.5 Billion Muslims. If someone is cursing you, then the western laws allow you too to curse him back orally, but they don't allow you become physical.
(2) Where there is “Preaching”, there is also “Criticism”: Both preaching and criticism go hand in hand in the western secular law. Everyone is allowed to preach his religion/ideology, but then other is also fully allowed to differ and criticise. Western Secular laws provide with full freedom to preach your religion/ideology, which comes under the right of Freedom of Religion. At the same time, they also provide full freedom to criticise any religion/ideology under the right of Freedom of Expression
(3) Where there is “Praise”, there is also “Insult”: Muslims consider Muhammad to be the best of mankind. Thus they could highly "praise" Muhammad. While the Non-Muslims believe Muhammad to be a wrong-doer (who made false drama of prophethood and thus millions of people died due to it). And they are hurt and feel emotional harmed when such a wrong-doer (in their opinion) is "praised". Nevertheless, the western secular system fully allows Muslims to praise Muhammad as much as they want, while the Non-Muslims could not stop them from praising Muhammad, and they have to bear this praise in name of Freedom of Expression and move on. Similarly, even if Muslims claim they are hurt when someone insults Muhammad, still they could not stop non-Muslims from orally insulting Muhammad. They have to bear this insult and move on.
(4) Human Nature: It is normal according to the human nature that people may become angry during the discussions & debates due to the difference of opinions and use harsh words in anger for the opponent. And the western law is thus based upon this exact human nature. Even the writer of Quran showed this exact human nature. When the opponent's didn't accept the prophethood of Muhammad, then the writer of Quran became angry and then he started cursing them several times in Quran, and insulting them by equating them to the Donkey, Dogs and the worst of animals and the worst of creatures, and for being filthy, and calling them names (like Abu Jahl) and “bastard” (Arabic: زنیم) and fools and deaf and blind and Kafir.
Quranic Verses which are insulting the opponents
Islam critics point out that the following Quranic Verses are insulting the opponents.
Heed not the type of despicable men,- ready with oaths, A slanderer, going about with calumnies, (Habitually) hindering (all) good, transgressing beyond bounds, deep in sin, Violent (and cruel),- with all that,
base-born (bastard),- May the hands of Abu Lahab perish! May he too perish!
Allah's
curse is on (all) the unbelievers.
Surely (all) those who disbelieve and die while they are disbelievers, these it is on whom is the
curse of Allah and the angels and men all;
Already have We urged unto hell many of the jinn and humankind, having hearts wherewith they understand not, and having eyes wherewith they see not, and having ears wherewith they hear not.
These are as the cattle - nay, but they are worse than cattle.
The likeness of those who were charged with the Taurat, then they did not observe it,
is as the likeness of the ass (donkey) bearing books, evil is the likeness of the people who reject the communications of Allah; and Allah does not guide the unjust people.
And the parable of those who disbelieve is as the parable of one who calls out to that which hears no more than a call and a cry;
deaf, dumb (and) blind, so they do not understand.
Say, "Should I tell you who will receive the worst punishment from God? Those whom God has condemned, afflicted with His anger,
made apes out of them, swine and worshippers of Satan, will have the worst dwelling and will wander far away from the right path."
And if We had pleased, We would certainly have exalted him thereby; but he clung to the earth and followed his low desire, so his parable is as the
parable of the dog; if you attack him he lolls out his tongue; and if you leave him alone he lolls out his tongue; this is the parable of the people who reject Our communications;
Surely Allah will make those who believe and do good enter gardens beneath which rivers flow; and those who disbelieve enjoy themselves and eat as the
beasts eat, and the fire is their abode.
What is then the matter with them (Kuffar), that they turn away from the admonition.
As they were frightened donkeys.
Therefore when they revoltingly persisted in what they had been forbidden, We said to them:
Be apes, despised and hated.
The disbelievers among the People of the Book and the pagans will dwell forever in hell;
they are the worst of all creatures.
We have sent down to you clear revelations: no one can deny them except the
evil transgressors.
O Believers, the pagans are
filthy and unclean. Do not let them come near to the Sacred Mosque after this year.
Surely the
vilest of animals in Allah's sight are those who disbelieve
The fools (pagans, hypocrites, and Jews) among the people will say, "What has turned them (Muslims) from their Qiblah [prayer direction (towards Jerusalem)] to which they were used to face in prayer." Say, (O Muhammad SAW) "To Allah belong both, east and the west. He guides whom He wills to a Straight Way."
Insult of the opponents in Hadith
Islam critics point the following incident:
There is a tradition in
Sahih al-Bukhari 2731, 2732 when Abu Bakr abused the ambassador of Quraysh by saying: “Go and suck the clitoris of your goddess Laat”, then Prophet Muhammad didn't stop Abu Bakr from this blasphemy, but supported him by keeping quiet (known as
Taqriri Hadith. [Note: The Muslim english translator of Sahih Bukhari didn't translated the exact words of Abu Bakr, which constitutes to "Distortion"]. Arabic words of Abu Bakr are: فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ امْصُصْ بَظْرَ اللاَّتِ , which mean (Abu Bakr said: “Go and suck the clitoris of goddess Laat”)
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