The Issue of Blasphemy

when it comes to religious freedom, it acknowledges and upholds the right for everyone to practice their chosen religion. The Quranic injunctions regarding warfare (qital) pertain to the first issue, while the second is unrelated to combat or violence. THE OBEDIENCE OR DISOBEDIENCE OF GOD’S COMMAND I have read Salman Rushdie’s book, ‘The Satanic Verses.’ There is no doubt that this book is absurd. My opinion regarding its language and content aligns with that of others. However, my viewpoint differs from those Muslims who advocate for the killing of Rushdie and consigning him to hell. What Salman Rushdie presents in his book is not something new. Such statements and narratives have been circulated for centuries, even during the time of Prophet Muhammad. Understanding the approach taken by the Prophet of Islam in such situations can help guide us in similar circumstances. The Islamic perspective asserts that there is no need for independent reasoning (ijtihad) or analogy (qiyas) in matters where we have the example of the Prophet Muhammad to guide us. Let us explore this with a few examples. 1. One of the claims made in Salman Rushdie’s book is that the Quran included verses brought by the angel Gabriel as well as verses brought by Satan, which is why he titled his book ‘The Satanic Verses.’ Rushdie’s theory is based on