1) The Prophet (pbuh) did not commit that act, in fact, someone else committed it out of their own thought. In other words, therefore, we cannot use this tradition to talk about anything related to punishment in Islam about blasphemy.

2) If the man was sure he had done the right thing, the man would not be ‘trembling’. The fact that the prophet (pbuh) had to adjure people, and the state that the man was in, clearly indicate that the man also knew he had done something wrong. The explanation that he provides in fact adds to that – he is justifying his crime using the reasoning.

3) I read the last part of this translated tradition ‘no retaliation is payable for her blood’ as that no matter what he does, he cannot pay for taking her life, which indicates the high value of her blood money.

I tried to look up the tradition in Sunan Abu Dawood, but I was not able to find it. I am sure it is in there, but sometimes there is a difference in numbering between different editions.

By looking up this tradition, it seems if anything, blasphemy should not be punished as evident from the prophet (pbuh)’s remarks (assuming that I have understood the translation correctly.)

As for the comment attributed to Abu Hanifah, until the source is known, we cannot find out if that was indeed his comment or in what context did it appear.

Best Wishes

You have referred only to Quran in coming to the conclusion that there is no punshment in Islam for blasphemy, but what about Hadees, which perhaps provides the very basis on which the Pakistan’s Law of Blasphemy is based.

What do you say about the following Hadees:

“Sunnan Abu-Dawud
Book 38, Number 4348:
Narrated Abdullah Ibn Abbas:
A blind man had a slave-mother (A slave-woman bearing children but not treated as a wife?) who used to abuse the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) and disparage him. He forbade her but she did not stop. He rebuked her but she did not give up her habit. One night she began to slander the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) and abuse him. So he took a dagger, placed it on her belly, pressed it, and killed her. A child who came between her legs was smeared with the blood that was there. When the morning came, the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) was informed about it.
He assembled the people and said: I adjure by Allah the man who has done this action and I adjure him by my right to him that he should stand up. Jumping over the necks of the people and trembling the man stood up.
He sat before the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) and said: Apostle of Allah! I am her master; she used to abuse you and disparage you. I forbade her, but she did not stop, and I rebuked her, but she did not abandon her habit. I have two sons like pearls from her, and she was my companion. Last night she began to abuse and disparage you. So I took a dagger, put it on her belly and pressed it till I killed her.
Thereupon the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Oh be witness, no retaliation is payable for her blood.”

For your information the LT quotes this very Hadees to justify lynching of the blasphemers. In fact they also quote another Edict attributed to Abuhanifah which says,”A ‘Zindeeq’ aught to be killed quitely as his ‘Toubah’ is not acceptable”.

The incidents of killing mentioned in the books of history can be explained in two ways: They were either a punishment for those who denied Rasul (the messenger of) Allah, as I have pleaded, or they were guilty of committing some other crimes for which the punishment was death, as Khalid Saifullah has mentioned.

However, given the overwhelming evidence of Qur’an to the contrary there is no possibility of believing that there is punishment for blasphemy in Islam.

I like Khalid Saifullah’s argument that if we were to claim punishment of death for blasphemy, we would end up declaring all non-Muslims guilty of it because they all deny the truthfulness of Islam, otherwise they would have been Muslims.

Khalid Zaheer

Thank you very much for an excellent presentation on Islam’s correct approach on the question of blasphemy. You have indeed added many points which I had missed to mention. Yours is indeed a very effective presentation on the subject in its own right. May the Almighty reward you for writing it. May your knowledge of Islam and your efforts to serve its cause grow still further.

Khalid Zaheer

it is also very true that no punishment was given by the Holy Prophet to the chief of hypocrites, Abdullah bin Ubaee, whose grievous blasphemy is recorded in the Holy Quran in the following words:
“They (hypocrites) say: If we return to Al-Madinah, indeed the the more honourable (Abdullah bin Ubai bin Salul, the chief of hypocrites at al-Madinah) will expell therefrom the meaner (i.e. Allah’s Messenger Muhammad, Sal-lalla-ho-alai-hi-wa-sallam).” (Surah Al-Munaafqun 63: 8). He called himself ‘honourable’ and the Holy Prophet ‘mean’ (Na-oozo-billah)
It is reported authentically that tempers were running so high at this incident that the son of Abdullah-bin-Ubai himself approached the Holy Prophet (peace be on him) and sought his permission to kill his father with his own hands. The Holy Prophet refused to grant his request, nor did he permit anyone else from among his companions to punish the hypocrite, in any manner whatsoever. (Narrated by Ibn-e-Ishaq:Al-Seeratun-Nabawiyya by Ibn-e-Hisham Part III, p 155)
Abdullah-bin-Ubai continued to live in peace in Madinah and when he died a natural death, his funeral prayer was lead by the Holy Prophet himself.
This is the judgement of the Holy Prophet, which no Muslim individual or authority can dare to overturn. An Act of any Parliament, or a judgement by any Court, or ‘Fatwa’ of any scholar, which is contrary to above will be repugnant to the Holy Quran and Sunnah and will deserve an outright rejection.

Similarly, the Quran records many blasphemic utterances of non-Muslims, but none of them was punished just for it, unless it was associated with other crimes, such as committing of murder or rebellion etc. A few of blasphemic utterances are stated in the following verses:

Blasphemy of the Holy Prophet: “He is (lending his) ear (to every news). (Surah Taubah 9:61).
He was mocked at (15:11, 21:36); he was called ‘a sorcerer or a mad man’ (51:52, 23:70, 15:6); he was called ‘a bewiched man’ (17:47); he was ‘belied’ (35:25); he was called a ‘Muftari’ (forger, liar) (16:101); he was called ‘a poet’ (21:5) etc. The Quresh of Macca committed worst type of blasphemy of the Holy Prophen for about 13 years, but all of them were pardoned by the ‘Rahnatul-lil-Aalameen’

Blasphemy of the Holy Quran: The Holy Quran was called a collection of ‘mixed up false dreams’, an ‘invention’ (21:5); ” the tales of the men of old’ (16:24). “It is only a human being who teaches him (Muhammad) (14:103).

In response to such blasphemic utterances against the Holy Prophet and the Holy Quran, Allah advised the Muslims to bear them with patience and be tolerant. Allah took upon Himself to punish the blasphemers, as commanded in the following verses:
“So bear patiently (O Muhammad) what they say…” (Surah Taha 20:130). “And obey not the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and harm them not (in revenge for their harming you, till you are ordered).” (Al-Ahzaab 33:48). “Truly! We will suffice you against the scoffers.” (Al-Hijr 15:95)

Allah clearly took it upon Himself to punish them who malign Allah and the Holy Prophet, as He says: “Verily those who annoy Allah and His Messenger, Allah has cursed them in this world, and in the Hereafter, and has prepared for them a humiliating torment.” (Al-Ahzaab 33:57) As such, Allah has not delegated any authority to anyone – not even the Holy Prophet – to punish anyone for the act of blasphemy. Had it been so, the 75% non-Muslim population of the world would be regarded as committing blasphemy for not accepting the truth of the Holy Prophet and the Holy Quran. It would be depriving mankind of the freedom of expression and religion, and would be inconsistent with the whole plan of God and reduces the human being to the level of animals who are deprived of volition.

Khalid Saifullah, Sept 13,2009

I am a bit confused. If blasphemy is to be ignored than how do we interpret assasination of various people during the life time of our prophet (saw)for this reason. For example assasination of Kaab bin Ashraf, Sallam b. Abul-Huqayq (known as Abu Rafi), Asma Bint Marwan etc. I am sure you are aware that these stories are a favourite topic for Anti Islamic sites and would apprecite your comment on these.

Also make a comment on what is your view on the Fatwa issued against Salman Rusdie, i know you disagree with it but want to find out the basis used for this Fatwa and how this basis is considred incorrect.

It is an important question. The relevant verse (5:32) mentions several punishments for the perpetrators of the crime of creating mischief on earth. Those punishments are i) killing in a way that makes an example of them for others, ii) crucifying, iii) amputating hands and feet of opposite direction, and iv) banishing. These punishments are options for the judge to choose from. The crimes in the category of mischief can vary in their severity and as such warrant varying levels of punishment. Since some of these punishments are even more severe in nature than the punishment for a murderer, they have to be meant for those who commit crimes which are even more serious. Those who create mischief on earth are the ones who take law and order of the society in their hands and cause threat to the lives, wealth, and honour of the ordinary citizens. Individuals and gangs of people who are icorrigible killers, robbers, and rapists are the kind of criminal who are to be subjected to such crimes. The prophet, alaihissalaam, stoned the criminals of sex-related crimes to stoning to death in the light of this verse, it being one way of making the criminals an example for others to learn from.

Given what I have mentioned above and the arguments I have given in the blog, the punishments mentioned in verse 5:32 cannot be given to the one who is guilty of blasphemy.