The Issue of Blasphemy

people at night and asked if they knew who they were. The people expressed their ignorance. The Prophet then revealed that those individuals were the ones who sat and spoke ill of them. In response, the people asked the Prophet if they were permitted to kill those individuals. The Prophet replied, “I do not wish for people to say that Muhammad kills his own Companions.” (Al-Mujam Al-Awsat, Hadith No. 8100) Practical Wisdom Incidents highlight that during the time of the Prophet, some individuals insulted and blasphemed him. Consequently, some of the Companions desired to kill these offenders and sought the permission of the Prophet to do so. However, the Prophet did not permit them. He reasoned that if he were to kill them, it would give people an opportunity to discredit Islam by claiming that Muhammad had killed his own Companions. This prophetic example emphasizes that there is something more crucial than seeking retribution through “killing” those who insult or abuse the Prophet of Islam. It conveys the message that Islam is a religion of mercy. In other words, even in the face of blatant blasphemy and persecution of Muslims, if there is a concern that the image of Islam may be tarnished, people should not be killed. Instead, the focus should be on prioritizing the opportunity to spread the message of Islam and convey its teachings. The hurt sentiments of Muslims are not as significant