Arguments from the Hadith

These texts distinguish between the case of a blasphemer and an individual who becomes an apostate and abandons his religion. Hence, equating blasphemy and apostasy under a single ruling is incorrect. Ibn Taymiyyah refers to incidents from the time of the Prophet of Islam as evidence of individuals being executed for blasphemy. However, there is no substantiated evidence from the Prophet’s era in Islam that supports the claim of anyone being put to death for blasphemy. For instance, Ibn Taymiyyah asserts that Ka’b bin al-Ashraf was executed for blasphemy (pp. 70-73). However, the truth is that Ka’b bin al-Ashraf was put to death due to his repeated acts of treason, not for blasphemy. While he, like other opponents, may have expressed contemptuous words, his execution was a result of his persistent violation of the covenant, not solely for blasphemy. Similarly, Ibn Taymiyyah claims that two Ansari youths killed Abu Jahl because of blasphemy (As-Sarim al-Maslul, p. 160-159). However, this claim is entirely unfounded. Abu Jahl was killed on the battlefield while fighting against the Prophet of Islam. He had joined the army of the Makkan opponents when they attacked Madinah. The Muslims engaged in defensive war when the Quraysh confronted them at Badr, where many of the disbelievers were killed, including Abu Jahl. Therefore, it is illogical to label this as a case of the death penalty for blasphemy. Ibn Taymiyyah presents additional examples from the early period to support his argument that the Prophet of