User:Lehrasap/Sandbox 3
Title: Blasphemy laws and the insult of Non-Muslims in Quran and Hadith
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:
(2) Negative comment on Muhammad should be a considered a criminal offense like Holocaust
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.
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:
(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.
Quranic Verses which are insulting the opponents
Islam critics point out that the following Quranic Verses are insulting the opponents.
Many Islam apologists don't consider these words of cursing Non-Muslims and resembling them with animals in Quran to be an insult. Nevertheless, when these same words of cursing and resembling to animals are used for Muhammad, then it is considered an insult and blasphemy by them.
Insult of the opponents in Hadith
(1) Abu Bakr saying to 'Urwa (Go and such the clitoris of your goddess al-Lat), and Muhammad making it the part of Shariah
There is a tradition in Sahih Bukhari, where Abu Bakr abused the 'Urwa (the ambassador of Meccans) by saying: "Go and such the clitoris of your godess al-Laat".
… Then ‘Urwa said, “O Muhammad! Won’t you feel any scruple in extirpating your relations? Have you ever heard of any one amongst the Arabs extirpating his relatives before you? On the other hand, if the reverse should happen, (nobody will aid you, for) by Allah, I do not see (with you) dignified people, but people from various tribes who would run away leaving you alone.” Hearing that, Abu Bakr abused him by saying ‘Go and suck the clitoris of your goddess al-Lat’
According to this tradition, Abu Bakr abused 'Urwa in the presence of Muhammad and he didn't stop Abu Bakr from it. According to the Islamic Standards, if prophet Muhammad kept quiet upon any action, then it means that that action was permissible and becomes a part of Islamic Sharia. It is known as "Taqriri Hadith[7]" in Islam. Imam Ibn Hajar al-Asqallani wrote:
Note: The two English translators of Sahih Bukhari (Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan and Aisha Bewley), both distorted the translation and they deleted the actual words of Abu Bakr in their English translations[8].
'Urwah said those words to Muhammad (i.e. he saw that Muslims would flee away leaving their prophet alone), while Muslims had already ran away in the battle of Uhud before, leaving Muhammad alone.
(2) May Allah KILL the Jews
Narrated Jabir bin `Abdullah: I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), in the year of the Conquest of Mecca, saying, "Allah and His Apostle made illegal the trade of alcohol, dead animals, pigs and idols." The people asked, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! What about the fat of dead animals, for it was used for greasing the boats and the hides; and people use it for lights?" He said, "No, it is illegal." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) further said, "May Allah KILL/DESTROY the Jews, for Allah made the fat (of animals) illegal for them, yet they melted the fat and sold it and ate its price."
Note: The English translator of Sahih Bukhari, Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan again distorted the translation here[9].
References:
- ↑ UK Parliament urged to criminalise all acts insulting to Prophet Muhammad
- ↑ Why mocking religion is necessary for human progress! Secularism.Org.
- ↑ Reasons why criticizing and even hating and insulting Muhammad is fully justified
- ↑ Punishment of insulting Islam/Muhammad in the Islamic Countries
- ↑ EU: Holocaust denial in criminal law
- ↑ Campaign for repealing the Blasphemy Laws
- ↑ Tacitly Approved Sunah (Taqriri)
- ↑ Distortion in English Translation of Sahih Bukhari, where Abu Bakr abused 'Urwa by telling "Go and suck the clitoris of your goddess al-Lat".
- ↑ English Translator of Sahih Bukhari distorted the Translation of Hadith where Muhammad wished that may Allah KILL/DESTROY the Jews.