Islam's response to contemporary world problems (9)

In the previous issue (number 8) we shed light on blasphemy in the light of the teachings of the Holy Quran. We continue to elaborate on this theme.

3) Blasphemy is mentioned in the Holy Quran in relation to Mary and Jesus, peace be upon them.
وَّبِکُفۡرِہِمۡ وَقَوۡلِہِمۡ عَلٰی مَرۡیَمَ بُہۡتَانًا عَظِیۡمًا

"For their disbelief and for casting a grave slander against Mary". ( Q.4: Al-Nisa: 157)

This verse refers to the historical stance of the Jewish contemporaries of Jesus Christ (lpD). According to the verse, the Jews committed a grave blasphemy by declaring that Mary (lpD) was not chaste and by claiming that Jesus (lpD) was a child of doubtfully legitimate birth.

The Arabic word Buhtanan 'Azima translated above as "a grave slander" expresses the condemnation of this folly of the Jews in the strongest terms. Surprisingly, however, no physical punishment is prescribed.

4) It is interesting to note that while the Quran condemns the Jews for committing an act of blasphemy against Mary and Jesus (lpD), at the same time Christians are censured for committing blasphemy against God by declaring that a son was born to God by a human wife. In the following verse, the Holy Quran declares this to be an enormity. However, no physical punishment of any kind is invoked, nor is the right to punish blasphemy against God delegated to human authority.
مَا لَہُمۡ بِہٖ مِنۡ عِلۡمٍ وَّلَا لِاٰبَآئِہِمۡ ؕ کَبُرَتۡ کَلِمَۃً تَخۡرُجُ مِنۡ اَفۡوَاہِہِمۡ ؕ اِنۡ یَّقُوۡلُوۡنَ اِلَّا کَذِبًا
"They don't have the slightest knowledge of it, nor did their parents. It is an evil word that comes out of their mouths. They speak nothing but lies." (Q. 18: Al-Kahf: 6)

5) Finally I would like to comment on the most sensitive issue - in the sense that Muslims today are more susceptible to blasphemy against the Holy Founder of Islam (lpbD) than blasphemy against anything else including God! -.

And yet there is an example of this very serious type of blasphemy in the Holy Quran itself, which speaks of Abdul-lah bin Ubayy bin Salul, known in the history of Islam as the Chief of the Hypocrites.

On returning on a certain occasion from an expedition. Abdul-lah bin Ubayy declared, in the company of others, that the moment they returned to Medina, the noblest would expel the most insignificant among the Medinites.
یَقُوۡلُوۡنَ لَئِنۡ رَّجَعۡنَاۤ اِلَی الۡمَدِیۡنَۃِ لَیُخۡرِجَنَّ الۡاَعَزُّ مِنۡہَا الۡاَذَلَّ ؕ وَلِلّٰہِ الۡعِزَّۃُ وَلِرَسُوۡلِہٖ وَلِلۡمُؤۡمِنِیۡنَ وَلٰکِنَّ الۡمُنٰفِقِیۡنَ لَا یَعۡلَمُوۡنَ

"They say: "If we return to Medina, the most honourable will certainly expel from it the most insignificant"; whereas the true honour belongs to Allah and His Messenger and to the believers; but the hypocrites do not know it". (Q.63: Al-Munafiqun: 9)

They all understood the implied insult to the Holy Prophet (lpbD). They were so full of indignation and fury that had they been allowed, they would have put Abdul-lah bin Ubayy to the sword.

The authentic story is known that tempers were so frayed over this incident that none other than the son of Abdul-lah bin Ubayy himself approached the Holy Prophet of Islam (lpbD) and asked for permission to kill his father with his own hands. The son argued that if someone else did so, he might later, out of ignorance, entertain the thought of taking revenge on the one who killed his father. For centuries, Arabs had been accustomed to avenge even the smallest insult committed against them or their close relatives. Possibly the idea of this custom was what his son had in mind. But the Holy Prophet (lpbD) refused his request and did not allow anyone from among his Companions to punish the hypocrite Abdul-lah bin Ubayy in any way. (Narrated by Ibn Ishaq: Al-Sira tun Nabawiyya by Ibn Hashim, pt. III; p. 155)

Returning to Medina after the expedition, Abdul-lah bin Ubayy continued to live in peace. When he finally died a natural death, the Holy Prophet (lpbD) gave Abdul-lah's son, to everyone's surprise, his own shirt to be used as a shroud for the deceased: a singular act of blessing - which must have left the rest of the Companions eager to exchange it for the son's entire possessions. Not only that, but the Holy Prophet (lpbD) decided to lead the funeral prayer. Such a decision must have deeply upset many of the Companions who never forgave Abdul-lah for the grave offence mentioned above. It was Umar, who later succeeded the Prophet sa as the second Khalifa, who acted as the spokesman for the pent-up displeasure.
It is related that when the Holy Prophet  was on his way to the funeral, Umar suddenly stepped forward and stood in the middle of the road, begging the Prophet sa to change his decision. In doing so, Umar reminded the Prophet (lpbD) of the verse in the Holy Quran in which reference is made to a certain well-known hypocrite for whom intercession would not be accepted even if the Prophet (lpbD) prayed seventy times for him. Let it be said in passing that the number seventy is not to be taken literally, since in Arabic usage, it is used to indicate a high number.

However, the Holy Prophet (lpbD) smiled and replied: "Move aside, Umar. I know him better. If I knew that God would not forgive him even if he asked for forgiveness seventy times, I would ask forgiveness for him more than seventy times". The Prophet (lpbD) then led the funeral prayer. (Bukhari II, Kitab Al-Janaiz p. 121 and ibid. Bab-al-Kafn pp. 96-97).

This is a fitting rejoinder to those who are hoarse by dint of shouting by calling for death and nothing but death for the blasphemer who dares to insult the Holy Founder (lpbD) of Islam.

Such a religion must have the right to claim to establish inter-religious peace in the world.
(lpbD) - Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.

(To be continued in the next installment - 10 - developing the theme of inter-religious cooperation).