The Issue of Blasphemy

dispel old perceptions were shattered,” says a French historian and Islamic scholar, Bruno Etienne. “Rather than the televised images of thousands of screaming Muslims, I would have preferred to witness the hundreds of thousands of Muslims who reflect and pray privately for an Islam that is integrated.” (Time Magazine, April 17, 1989, p. 40) Based on these two references, we can conclude that the meaningless agitation carried out by Muslims against Rushdie did not yield any positive outcome but instead brought disrepute to Islam and the Prophet of Islam. EXAMPLE OF THE FIRST PERIOD In present times, there is a common perception among Muslims that insulting or abusing the Prophet of Islam is a crime that warrants the death penalty. According to this view, as soon as someone utters words deemed insulting to the honour of the Prophet, they should be immediately killed. However, from a Shariah perspective, this concept is unfounded as there is no clear evidence for it in Islam. The Quran indicates that mockery of the Prophet of Islam was not exceptional. This criminal activity has always been directed at all the prophets of God, without exception (Quran, 15:11, 43:7). The Quran mentions at least fifty instances where the prophets were taunted, mocked, ridiculed, and humiliated by their contemporaries, leading to dishonourable acts against them. However, nowhere in