PRACTICAL WISDOM

PRACTICAL WISDOM seize the opportunity to distort the image of Islam on a large scale. In ancient times, the impact of defaming Islam by individuals like Abdullah bin Ubayy would have been limited to Madinah or perhaps the whole of Arabia. However, in the case of Salman Rushdie, there was a grave concern that issuing a ‘fatwa’ for his killing would trigger a global campaign to defame Islam, which indeed did occur. This crucial aspect seems to have been overlooked by present-day Muslim leaders and those who follow them. In this matter, Muslims have followed their desires rather than adhering to the Sunnah of the Prophet. It is not easy to find a more extreme example in history of violating the Prophetic Sunnah in the name of the Prophet. The TIME Magazine (March 20, 1989) published a letter from Abdul Hussein Majid Kafai of Ottawa, Canada, in which he referred to Salman Rushdie’s book as reprehensible. Kafai expressed the view that it is better to let Rushdie live and be condemned by fanatical Muslims rather than have him killed and, as a result, the entire Muslim world be cursed. The author of the text agrees with this comment by Abdul Hussein Majid Kafai. The Prophet of Islam holds the highest position of honour and glory, known as Mahmood, in this world and the Hereafter. (Quran, 17:79) His elevated personality remains untarnished by the writings of someone like Rushdie, even to the slightest degree. However, the Muslim community created a stir by issuing