THE ISSUE: ABUSE OF THE PROPHET

Now even 700 years after the publication of Ibn Taimiyya’s book, no scholar has yet written about the source and authenticity of this tradition. In such a case it can be concluded with certainty that it is a fabricated Hadith. And a fabricated Hadith is worthless. The above argument makes it clear that the Quran and Hadith have not given any command to kill an abuser of the Prophet. According to a tradition, a poet belonging to a polytheistic tribe once came to the Prophet Muhammad in Madinah in order to express his thoughts on polytheism. This he did in the form of couplets. Before the age of the press, people generally gave expression to their thoughts in poetry. That is to say, poetry enjoyed the position of the media in those times. At that time in order to counter the poet, the Prophet sent for Hassan ibn Thabit, also a poet. When Hassan came to the Prophet, he said to him, ‘Hassan, rise and answer this man.’ Then Hassan stood up and answered him likewise, in the form of couplets. Retaliating against the pen with the sword is not the way of Islam. We find many such incidents in the life of the Prophet. This shows that if anyone says anything against Islam or the Prophet, the counter action will be at an equal level, that is, word for word and writing for writing. This shows that retaliating against the pen with the sword is not the way of Islam. Any such incident relating to the use of the pen against Islam is for Muslims an intellectual challenge: it is in no way an armed or violent challenge. On such occasions, the opposite party has to be satisfied with reasoning and arguments in peaceful ways. Satisfying the other party at an intellectual level must be the rule. Whereas, responding by resorting to violence can never be justified.