Question:
May Allah be good to you, the insults against the Prophet sallahu alayhi wa salam have repeated in recent time in different forms from films, newspapers, and others. The question is what is the legislate stance on these insults? And a follow-up question: what is the ruling on expressing anger with these insults to the Prophet sallahu alayhi wa salam by protesting?
Answer:
“Oh my brothers this is not new. In the time of the Prophet sallahu alayhi wa salam they used to say he was a magician, a liar, soothsayer, poet and other than that. The Messenger sallahu alayhi wa salam was patient and he was not hasty. Allah ordered him with patience:
اصْبِرْ عَلَى مَا يَقُولُونَ وَاهْجُرْهُمْ هَجْراً جَمِيلاً
and be patient (O Muhammad) with what they say, and keep away from them in a good way
[73:10]
He heard it [the insults] however he was patient sallahu alayhi wa salam with command of Allah:
وَلَقَدْ نَعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ يَضِيقُ صَدْرُكَ بِمَا يَقُولُونَ* فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَكُنْ مِنْ السَّاجِدِينَ* وَاعْبُدْ رَبَّكَ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَكَ الْيَقِينُ
Indeed, We know that your breast is straitened at what they say. So glorify the praises of your Lord and be of those who prostrate themselves (to Him). And worship your Lord until there comes unto you the certainty (i.e. death).
[15:97-99]
He was patient and he prevented anyone of his Companions to take revenge not a single day while he was in Makkah. He prevented his Companions because if they sought revenge against the polytheists it would put an end to Islam in Makkah, and end to the da’wah in its beginning stage until they made migration and found the Ansaar (the supporters). Then Allah ordered them with the legislated Jihaad. As for protesting and destruction or killing the innocent, the one under safety and protection of the Muslims, then this is betrayal. It is not allowed. It is not allowed to kill the innocent, even if they are disbelievers. It is not allowed:
لا يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شَنَآنُ قَوْمٍ أَنْ صَدُّوكُمْ عَنْ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ أَنْ تَعْتَدُوا
and let not the hatred of some people in stopping you from Al-Masjid-al-Haram (at Makkah) lead you to transgression (and hostility on your part)
[5:2]
The meaning is that it is not allowed to transgress against the innocent. Allah says:
وَلا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَى
No person earns any (sin) except against himself (only), and no bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another
[6:164]
Allah says:
إِنْ أَحَدٌ مِنْ الْمُشْرِكِينَ اسْتَجَارَكَ فَأَجِرْهُ حَتَّى يَسْمَعَ كَلامَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ أَبْلِغْهُ مَأْمَنَهُ
And if anyone of the Mushrikun (polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah) seeks your protection then grant him protection, so that he may hear the Word of Allah (the Quran), and then escort him to where he can be secure, that is because they are men who know not.
[9:6]
Messengers from the polytheists came to the Messenger sallahu alayhi wa salaam to enter into negotiations even in his masjid sallahu alayhi wa salam. He negotiated with them although they were polytheists and disbelievers. However, it is necessary to know that Islam is not a religion of anger and religion of revenge. Verily it is a religion of guidance, mercy, and leniency as the Prophet sallahu alayhi wa salam used to be. What is the result? The result is that Allah will aid His Messenger and give might to his religion. Those who used to mock the Prophet sallahu alayhi wa salam, some of them became leaders of Islam and those who fight in His way. They came to Islam and their Islam was good because the Prophet sallahu alayhi wa salam was patient and forbearing with them and lenient with them until they loved him as Allah said:
وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلى خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ
And verily, you (O Muhammad ) are on an exalted standard of character.
[68:4]
This is the character of the Messenger sallahu alayhi wa salam. The disbelievers, when they do these actions, they want an effect. They say: “see the actions of the Muslims: they will kill the ambassadors, corrupt the houses, destroy the buildings, this is the religion of Islam”. This is what the disbelievers want from this affair. Allah says:
وَلَقَدْ كُذِّبَتْ رُسُلٌ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ فَصَبَرُوا عَلَى مَا كُذِّبُوا وَأُوذُوا حَتَّى أَتَاهُمْ نَصْرُنَا وَلا مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ وَلَقَدْ جَاءَكَ مِنْ نَبَإِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ
Verily, (many) Messengers were denied before you (O Muhammad), but with patience they bore the denial, and they were hurt, till Our Help reached them, and none can alter the Words (Decisions) of Allah. Surely there has reached you the information (news) about the Messengers (before you).
[6:34]
This is the guidance of Islam with these affairs: leniency, deliberation, patience, lack of hastiness. So the polytheists want to profit from these affairs from what occurs from some Muslims in terms of arrogance, corruption, and killing until the Muslims start fighting between themselves, protesting, fighting with the Muslim security guards. This is what the disbelievers want”.
Translated by
Faisal Ibn Abdul Qaadir Ibn Hassan
Abu Sulaymaan
