Ruling on Blasphemy
Abdil Malik Al-Qaasim
Ibn Al-Qayyim said, "The spirit of worship is glorification and adoration. If one of them is missing, then the whole worship is null and void. And if they are combined together with extolment for the Great Beloved, then this is the essence of Praise. And
- Categories: Good Manner Towards Allah, his Book, and his Messenger -
(Ruling on Cursing Allah, Religion, the Messenger, or Companions)
All praise is due to Allah, Who guided us to Islam, and prayers and peace of Allah be upon the best of all Prophets and Messengers, our Prophet, Muhammad, and upon all his family members and Companions.
Allah's blessings and graces are endless and magnificent, and the ever greatest of them is Islam, the utmost grace that Allah has favored us with. Under intensive media invasion and with mild religiosity in people's hearts, however, something so outrageous, detestable, and detrimental started to circulate among some people: Blasphemy against Allah (Exalted be He), His religion, Prophet Muhammad (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him), or his noble Companions. This treatise tries to explain how grave this phenomenon is, so that we should advise those who commit it and guide them to the path of repentance.
O my Muslim brother!
Faith in Allah is based on glorification of and reverence for Allah, Exalted be He. Obviously, cursing or speaking lightly of Allah is the furthest from that glorification. Ibn Al-Qayyim said, "The spirit of worship is glorification and adoration. If one of them is missing, then the whole worship is null and void. And if they are combined together with extolment for the Great Beloved, then this is the essence of Praise. And Allah knows best".
As Ibn Taymiyah defines it, blasphemy is to use words that show a lack of respect and are perceived by all people, regardless of their beliefs, to be profane, exactly like cursing, condemnation, etc.
There is no doubt that blasphemy is the direst and most abominable verbal nullifier of faith. If disparagement of Allah entails de-Islamization, whether the disparager accepts to be de-Islamized or not, it is more logical that cursing Allah also de-Islamizes.
Ibn Taymiyah said, "Blasphemy against Allah or His Messenger (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) is an act that nullifies faith, both outwardly and inwardly, whether the blasphemer knows that this is haram (forbidden), deems it halal (permissible), or is not aware of the ruling at all".
Ibn Rahubah maintained, "Muslims agree unanimously that whoever blasphemes against Allah or His Messenger (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) is deemed a disbeliever due to this blasphemy, even if he recognizes what has been revealed by Allah".
Allah, Exalted be He, says: {Verily, those who (knowingly) affront Allah and His Messenger Allah will curse them in this world and in the Hereafter and He will ready for them humiliating torture. (57) And those who malign believing men and believing women without their having done any wrong they have surely burdened themselves with the guilt of calumny and (thus) with a flagrant sin} [Al-Ahzab 33:57-58].
{إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُؤْذُونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ لَعَنَهُمُ اللَّهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ عَذَاباً مُّهِيناً (57) وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْذُونَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ بِغَيْرِ مَا اكْتَسَبُوا فَقَدِ احْتَمَلُوا بُهْتَاناً وَإِثْماً مُّبِيناً} الأحزاب:57-58
Transliteration: Inna alladhina yu'dhuna Allaha wa rasulahu la’anahumu Allahu fi ad-dunya wa al-'akhirati wa a’adda lahum ‘adhaban muhina. (57) Wa alladhina yu'dhuna al-mu'minina wa al-mu'minati bi ghayri ma iktasabu fa qadi ihtamalu buhtanan wa ithman mubina.
In the above verses, Allah, Glorified be He, differentiates affronting Allah or His Messenger from maligning believing men and women; the former shall deserve curse and humiliating torment in the worldly life and in the Hereafter, while the latter shall be calumny and a flagrant sin. Naturally, abusing believers may be a grave sin punished with lashing and only surpassed by disbelief and murder.
Qadi ‘Iyad said, "Certainly, a blasphemer against Allah, Exalted be He, from among Muslims shall be deemed a disbeliever, and killing him shall be declared lawful".
Imam Ahmad reported a narration by Abdullah that if a man says to another, "O son of so and so (i.e., you and your Creator)", then the sayer is deemed apostate and shall be executed.
Ibn Qudamah wrote, "Whoever blasphemes against Allah shall be a disbeliever, whether he is kidding or serious".
The Kind Sheikh Abdel-Aziz Ibn Baz received the following question:
What is the ruling on reviling religion or God? I ask Allah, Lord of the Worlds, for forgiveness! Is anyone who curses religion deemed a disbeliever or apostate? And what is the punishment to be imposed on him in the pure Islamic religion? We need to be clear about the religious rulings on this practice, which has become phenomenal among a segment of people in our nation. Kindly guide us, may Allah guide you!
Sheikh Ibn Baz (may Allah confer mercy upon him) replied,
Reviling religion is one of the worst of major sins and the gravest of evils. The same applies to reviling the Lord, Glorified be He. These are two of the gravest things that nullify Islam and cause apostasy. If the one who reviles the Lord, Exalted be He, or reviles religion is a Muslim, then he thereby becomes an apostate from Islam and a disbeliever. He shall first be asked to repent, then he is either to repent or be executed by a decision from the competent authority, i.e., the Shariah court. Some scholars suggested that he shall not be asked to repent, but rather he shall be executed immediately, since his crime is extremely hideous. However, the most preponderant view is that he shall first be asked to repent, in the hope that Allah may bless him with guidance and drive him back to the truth. Still, he shall be punished by lashing and imprisonment, so that he may not repeat such a heinous crime. Similarly, if someone reviles the Quran or the Messenger (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) or any other Prophet, he shall first be asked to repent, then he is either to repent or be executed. Reviling religion or the Messenger (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) or the Lord, Glorified be He, is something that nullifies Islam. So is making fun of Allah or His Messenger or Paradise or Hellfire or Divine Ordinances such as Salah or Zakah. Making fun of any of such things does nullify Islam. Allah, Exalted be He, says, {Say, "Was it of Allah and His Signs and His Messenger that you were making fun?" (65) Make you no excuses: (By doing so,) you have rejected faith after you had accepted it} [At-Tawbah 9:65-66].
{...قُلْ أَبِاللّهِ وَآيَاتِهِ وَرَسُولِهِ كُنتُمْ تَسْتَهْزِئُونَ (65) لاَ تَعْتَذِرُواْ قَدْ كَفَرْتُم بَعْدَ إِيمَانِكُمْ...} التوبة: 65-66
Transliteration: Qul abillahi wa ayatihi wa rasulihi kuntum tastahzi'un?! (65) La tatadhiru qad kafartum bada imanikum.
Respectable Sheikh Muhammad Ibn ‘Uthaymin was asked,
What is the ruling on a man who cursed Islam in a moment of intense anger? Should he do something in expiation? And what are the conditions of repentance from this action? I heard some scholars saying that the wife of such a man is no longer his wife.
The Sheikh answered,
The ruling on someone who curses Islam is that he is a disbeliever, as cursing or making fun of religion constitutes an act of apostasy from Islam and disbelief in Allah and in His religion. Allah tells us of some people who made fun of Islam and then alleged, "We were just joking and playing", but Allah shows us that such joking and playing is in fact making fun of Allah and His Signs and His Messenger and that they thereby became disbelievers. Allah, Glorified be He, says, {And if you ask them (about this), they will declare, "We were only talking idly and joking". Say, "Was it of Allah and His Signs and His Messenger that you were making fun?" Make you no excuses: (By doing so,) you have rejected faith after you had accepted it} [At-Tawbah 9:65-66].
{وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُمْ لَيَقُولُنَّ إِنَّمَا كُنَّا نَخُوضُ وَنَلْعَبُ قُلْ أَبِاللّهِ وَآيَاتِهِ وَرَسُولِهِ كُنتُمْ تَسْتَهْزِئُونَ (65) لاَ تَعْتَذِرُواْ قَدْ كَفَرْتُم بَعْدَ إِيمَانِكُمْ...} التوبة: 65-66
Transliteration: Wa la'in sa'altahum layaqulunna innama kunna nakhudu wa nalab. Qul abillahi wa ayatihi wa rasulihi kuntum tastahzi'un?! La tatadhiru qad kafartum bada imanikum.
Therefore, mocking at, or cursing Allah or His Messenger or Religion is an act of disbelief that brings the perpetrator out of the Islamic creed.
Beware, my Muslim brother, of socializing with such people, lest you may be sharing them the sin and thus be inflicted by Allah's punishment.
Ibn ‘Uthaymin was asked,
Is it permissible to stay among people who revile Allah, Glorified be He?
He (may Allah rest his soul) replied,
It is impermissible to stay among people who revile Allah, Glorified be He, since Allah says, {And it has already been revealed to you in the Book (i.e., this Qur'an) that when you hear the Verses of Allah being denied and mocked at, then sit not with them until they engage in a talk other than that; (but if you stayed with them) certainly in that case you would be like them. Surely, Allah will collect the hypocrites and disbelievers all together in Hell(fire)} [An-Nisa' 4:140].
{وَقَدْ نَزَّلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الْكِتَابِ أَنْ إِذَا سَمِعْتُمْ آيَاتِ اللّهِ يُكَفَرُ بِهَا وَيُسْتَهْزَأُ بِهَا فَلاَ تَقْعُدُواْ مَعَهُمْ حَتَّى يَخُوضُواْ فِي حَدِيثٍ غَيْرِهِ إِنَّكُمْ إِذاً مِّثْلُهُمْ إِنَّ اللّهَ جَامِعُ الْمُنَافِقِينَ وَالْكَافِرِينَ فِي جَهَنَّمَ جَمِيعاً} النساء: 140
Transliteration: Wa qad nazzala ‘alaykum fi al-kitabi an idha samitum ayati Allahi yukfaru biha wa yustahza'u biha fa la taqudu ma’ahum hatta yakhudu fi hadithin ghayrihi innakum idhan mithluhum inna Allaha jamiu al-munafiqina wa al-kafirina fi jahannama jamia.
Ruling on Cursing the Messenger
The Messenger (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) has great reverence in the hearts of the people of faith. He conveyed the message with which he was entrusted, he guided the Ummah for what is the best, and he made the noblest jihad for the Sake of Allah. We love the Messenger (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) as he told us, and our love to him does never go beyond to over praise or any unacceptable invented practices, which were censured and prohibited by the Messenger himself. With his sublime and lofty status, we should do whatever he instructed us to do and shun whatever he instructed us not to do.
We should beware of blaspheming against the Messenger (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him), as this is one of the nullifiers of faith and entails outward and inward disbelief, whether the blasphemer believes that this is halal or not.
Ibn Taymiyyah said, "Blasphemy against Allah or His Messenger (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) is an act that nullifies faith, both outwardly and inwardly, whether the blasphemer knows that this is haram, deems it halal, or is not aware of the ruling at all".
This ruling is applicable even in relation to criticizing or blaming the Prophet (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) as regards any of his deeds, sayings, etc. Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah confer mercy upon him) clarified, "If someone criticizes a judgment or instruction by the Prophet, he should be executed, as the Prophet told us to do in his life and after his death".
So, be careful, O my Muslim brother, not to fall in this dangerous way, and avoid whatever causes the Wrath of Allah, the Almighty.
Cursing Companions
Companions were the friends and supporters of Allah's Messenger (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) whom were commended by Allah many times in the Quran. Allah says, {And the first and foremost of the Muhajirun (i.e., Migrants of Mecca) and the Ansar (i.e., Supporters of Medina) and those who followed them in goodness — Allah is well-pleased with them, and they are well-pleased with Him, and He has made ready for them Gardens underneath which rivers flow and wherein they will abide forever. That is the supreme triumph} [At-Tawbah 9:100].
{وَالسَّابِقُونَ الأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالأَنصَارِ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُم بِإِحْسَانٍ رَّضِيَ اللّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُواْ عَنْهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي تَحْتَهَا الأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَداً ذَلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ} التوبة: 100
Transliteration: Wa as-sabiquna al-awwaluna mina al-muhajirina wa al-ansari wa alladhina ittaba’uhum bi ihsanin radiya Allahu ‘anhum wa radu anhu wa a’adda lahum jannatin tajri tahtaha al-anharu khalidina fiha abadan dhalika al-fawzu al-‘adhim.
He also says, {Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and those with him are hard against the disbelievers and merciful among themselves. You (O Muhammad) see them bowing and prostrating themselves (in worship), seeking Grace from Allah and Acceptance (from Him)} [Al-Fat-h 48: 29].
{مُّحَمَّدٌ رَّسُولُ اللَّهِ وَالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ أَشِدَّاء عَلَى الْكُفَّارِ رُحَمَاء بَيْنَهُمْ تَرَاهُمْ رُكَّعاً سُجَّداً يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلاً مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرِضْوَاناً} الفتح: 29
Transliteration: Muhammadun rasulu Allahi wa alladhina ma’ahu ashiddau ala al-kuffari ruhamau baynahum tarahum rukkaan sujjadan yabtaghuna fadlan mina Allahi wa ridwana.
In light of these praising words, whoever curses them will be rejecting what is stated in the Quran.
We should love them, pray to Allah that He may be pleased with them, defend them, and refute any accusation against their honor. Undoubtedly, loving them is a religious duty and good deed, and hating them is an act of disbelief and transgression. There is a consensus among scholars that the Prophet's Companions were pious and trustworthy. As regards insulting or disrespecting them, Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah rest his soul) said, "If someone believes that it is halal to insult Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), then he has become a disbeliever".
The Prophet (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) warned against this, saying, "Whoever reviles my Companions let the Curse of Allah, the Angels, and all people befall him" [Declared Hasan by Al-Albani in “Series of Authentic Hadith Books: 2340”].
«من سب أصحابي فعليه لعنة الله والملائكة والنّاس أجمعين» حسنه الألباني في صحيح الجامع
He also said, "Do not revile my Companions, do not revile my Companions, for by the One in Whose Hand is my soul, if anyone were to spend the equivalent of Uhud in gold (as charity), it would not amount (in reward) to a Mudd (i.e., an Arabic dry volume measure) of (i.e., paid in charity by) one of them or (even) half of that" [Agreed upon and this wording is for Muslim].
«لا تسبوا أصحابي. لا تسبوا أصحابي. فوالذي نفسي بيده! لو أن أحدكم أنفق مثل أحد ذهبا، ما أدرك مد أحدهم، ولا نصيفه» متفق عليه واللفظ لمسلم
Sheikh Muhammad Ibn Abdel-Wahab said, "So, whoever insults them (i.e., Prophetic Companions) will be disobeying Allah's Ordinance to honor them. Also, whoever believes in something immoral about some or all of them will be denying Allah's confirmation of their perfection and virtuousness, and, by extension, whoever denies something stated by Allah is definitely deemed a disbeliever".
Imam Ahmad was asked about those who insult Abu Bakr, Omar, and A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with them all), and he replied, "I do not think they are Muslims any longer".
Imam Malik (may Allah rest his soul) said, "Whoever insults one of the Companions of Muhammad (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) — Abu Bakr, Omar, ‘Uthman, Mu’awiyah, or ‘Amr Ibn Al-‘Aas — by saying that they were astray and disbelieving shall be executed. And whoever slanders A'ishah, Mother of the believers (may Allah be pleased with her), shall be rejecting the Qur'anic statement clearing her of all accusations, and rejecting something stated in the Quran turns the committer to a disbeliever. Again, alleging anything against her chastity is a rejection of the statement of the Qur'an. What is more, she (may Allah be pleased with her) is the wife of the Prophet (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him), and calumniating her is degrading for him, which is an act of disbelief".
In his interpretation of the Quranic verse: {Those who falsely slander married women, who are indiscreet but believing, are cursed in this life and the Hereafter, and for them is a grievous torment} [An-Nur 24: 23],
{إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَرْمُونَ الْمُحْصَنَاتِ الْغَافِلَاتِ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ لُعِنُوا فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ} النور: 23
Transliteration: Inna alladhina yarmuna al-muhsanati al-ghafilati al-mu'minati lu’inu fi ad-dunya wa al-akhirati wa lahum adhabun adhim)
Ibn Kathir wrote, "Great scholars (may Allah bless their souls) unanimously agreed that whoever slanders her (i.e., A'ishah) or suspects her chastity after this clarification in the above Qur'anic verse shall be judged a disbeliever, since he is challenging the Qur'an".
Al-Lakai, in his Sanad, reported that Al-Hasan Ibn Yazid heard a man in his council mentioning filthy things about A'ishah, then he ordered that the man should be beheaded. Al-Alawiyyun said to him, "This man is from our partisans!" He replied, "God forbid! This man defamed the Prophet (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him). Allah, Glorified be He, says, {Vile women are for vile men, and vile men are for vile women. Good women are for good men, and good men are for good women; such are innocent of that which people say. For them are forgiveness and bountiful provision} [An-Nur 24: 26].
{الْخَبِيثَاتُ لِلْخَبِيثِينَ وَالْخَبِيثُونَ لِلْخَبِيثَاتِ وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ لِلطَّيِّبِينَ وَالطَّيِّبُونَ لِلطَّيِّبَاتِ أُوْلَئِكَ مُبَرَّؤُونَ مِمَّا يَقُولُونَ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةٌ وَرِزْقٌ كَرِيمٌ} النور: 26
Transliteration: Al-khabithatun lil-khabithina wa al-khabithuna lil -khabithati wa at-tayyibatu li at-tayyibina wa at-tayyibuna li at-tayyibati ula'ika mubarra'una mimma yaquluna lahum maghfiratun wa rizqun karim.
If A'isha (may Allah be pleased with her) were vile, then the Prophet (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) would be vile. As the man is alleging so, then he is a disbeliever, so behead him". Accordingly, the man was beheaded.
O my Muslim brother!
Cursing Companions (may Allah be pleased with them all) necessarily implies that the Ummah of Muhammad (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) is astray and the worst of all nations and that the predecessors of this Ummah were the most vicious generation of it. It is a religious fact known by necessity that who claims so is a disbeliever.
O Allah! Grant us the Love of You and the love of Your Book, Your Prophet, and his righteous Companions. O our Lord! Forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith, and do not make in our hearts any grudge against those who are faithful. And prayers and peace of Allah be upon His Prophet Muhammad and upon all of his family and Companions.
Abdel-Malik Al-Qassem
Dar Al-Qassem
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
PO Box No. 6373, Riyadh 11442
Tel. 4092000
Fax 4033150