Thursday’s brazen killing of a market woman, Bridget Agbahime, at Kofar Wambai market in Kano, who was alleged to have blasphemed the Prophet Muhammad has left many people the world over shocked, saddened, and even infuriated.
As the smoke cleared and as the Kano State Government and the Nigeria Police announced the arrest of the prime suspects in the killing, PREMIUM TIMES requested its in-house faith writer (Islam) to conduct extensive research in the Qur’an and the Hadith with a view to establishing Islam’s position on blasphemy and killings.
Below is the result of his research.
As a Muslim, I was left having to grapple with – and answer- questions about the Islam’s stance towards free speech and whether this incidence was a natural consequence of mocking or abusing Muslim sentiments.
I call on all civil and community leaders to cooperate in ensuring lasting peace. And I urged all Nigerian leaders to emulate Governor Umar Ganduje’s initiative in ensuring brotherly co-existence in the country.
Blashemy and Islam
Blasphemy is a very controversial topic in Islam that has taken on new importance due to the proliferation of instant global communication. Muslim extremists incorrectly cite a precedent in classical Islamic law to justify gross acts of vigilante violence and murder.
Therefore, it is important for us to understand the context of the classical ruling and to view this issue in the larger perspective of the Qur’an and Sunnah as a consistent whole.


The general answer to blasphemy (Sabb ala Allah wa Rasulihi) as commanded in the Qur’an is to respond with patience, beautiful preaching, and graceful avoidance. The Qur’an records the fact that the Prophet was called a[b] “sorcerer,” a “madman,” and a “liar,” yet Allah commanded him to be patient and to increase his acts of worship.[/b]
Allah Said:
“Be patient over what they say and avoid them with gracious avoidance.” (Surah Al-Muzzamil 73:10)
And Allah said:
“So be patient over what they say and exalt with the praises of your Lord before the rising of the sun and before its setting.” (Surah Qaf 50:39)
And Allah said:
“So be patient over what they say and exalt with the praises of your Lord before the rising of the sun and before its setting.” (Surah Ta Ha 20:130)
These insults deeply hurt the feelings of the Prophet and his Companions, but Allah did not prescribe revenge for them.
Allah said:
“We already know that your heart is constrained by what they say, so glorify the praises of your Lord and be among those who prostrate.” (Surah Al-Hijr 15:97-98)
In fact, Allah told the Prophet and his Companions to expect more insults and mockery from the followers of other religions, and that they should remain patient and not let their abuse shake their faith.
Allah said:
“You will surely be tested in your possessions and in yourselves, and you will surely hear from those who were given the scripture before you and from those who associate others with Allah much abuse. But if you are patient and fear Allah that is of the matters requiring resolve.” (Surah Ali Imran 3:186)
In other verses, Allah commands the believers to simply avoid those who mock Islam and not to sit with them until they discuss something else.


Allah said:
“When you see those who engage in offensive discourse concerning our verses, then turn away from them until they enter into another conversion.” (Surah Al-An’am 6:68)
And Allah said:
“It has already been revealed to you in the Book that when you hear the verses of Allah, they are denied and ridiculed. So do not sit with them until they enter into another conversation. Verily, you would then be like them.” (Surah An-Nisa 4:140)
Generally, the Prophet was commanded to endure any insult or mockery from his enemies which resulted from their bad character.
Allah said:
“Show forgiveness, enjoin what is good, and turn away from the ignorant.” (Surah Al-A’raf 7:199)
Abdullah ibn Zubair explained this verse, saying:
“The Prophet was commanded to forgive the people’s bad character.” (Sunan Abu Dawud 4787)
There are many recorded incidents in the life of the Prophet in which he was mocked, defamed, and even physically attacked for his faith in Islam, but despite this abuse the Prophet responded with patience, forbearance, mercy, and forgiveness.


In one incident, a group of Jews insulted the Prophet in his own home. Although the Prophet was the leader of Madinah at the time, he did not order these men to be harmed. Rather, he used the incident to teach his Companions an important lesson about kindness.
Aisha reported:
“A group of Jews asked permission to visit the Prophet and when they were admitted they said, [b]“Death be upon you.” [/b]I said to them, “Rather death and the curse of Allah be upon you!” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “O Aisha, Allah is kind and He loves kindness in all matters.” I said, “Have you not heard what they said?” The Prophet said: “I said to them: And upon you.” (Sahih Bukhari 6528).
Al-Bukhari records this narration in his chapter regarding those who curse and abuse the Prophet, which strongly implies that he did not believe legal punishment should be applied to every case of blasphemy.
Badr ud-Din Al-Ayni, a scholar of the Hanafi School, comments on this chapter heading:
“Al-Bukhari has adopted the method of the people of Kufi on this issue, that if someone curses or berates the Prophet and he is a non-Muslim citizen, then he is rebuked but he is not killed. This is the opinion of Ath-Thawri.” (Umdat al-Qari fi Sharh Sahih Al-Bukhari 34/412).
In another incident, the Prophet was defamed and insulted by one of the men of Madinah who was upset with his method of distributing charity. The Prophet did not retaliate against him even though he was very disturbed by it, citing the fact that Musa (Moses), peace be upon him, was harmed by his people with much greater abuse.
Ibn Mas’ud reported:
“The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was distributing charity among the people when a man from the Ansar said, “By Allah, Muhammad did not intend to please Allah with this distribution!” I came to the Prophet and informed him about this, then anger could be seen on his face and the Prophet said: “Moses was hurt with more than this, yet he remained patient.” (Sahih Bukhari)
Indeed, it was the practice of all the Prophets to patiently endure the harm they received from their people, even to the point of asking Allah to forgive their oppressors.
Allah said:
“They said: We will surely be patient with whatever harm you cause us, and let them rely on who would rely upon Allah.” (Surah Ibrahim 14:12)
Ibn Mas’ud reported:
“I saw the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, tell the story of a Prophet who was beaten by his people and he wiped the blood from his face, saying: “My Lord, forgive my people for they do not know.” (Sahih Bukhari 6530)
An-Nawawi comments on this narration, saying:
“In this is what the Prophets, peace and blessings be upon them, were upon of forbearance, patience, forgiveness, and compassion for their people, their supplications for them to receive guidance and to be forgiven, and that they should be excused for their sins because they did not know.” (Sharh Sahih Muslim 1792)
The Prophet continued to set this example throughout his life, even to the point of forgiving several people who tried to kill him.
In one incident, a woman came to the Prophet and fed him with a poisoned sheep. When the Prophet began to suffer and it was discovered what she had done, the companions asked him if they should kill her. In this case, it would have been a justified retaliation against attempted murder, but the Prophet pardoned her instead.
Anas ibn Malik reported:
“A Jewish woman came to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, with a poisoned sheep and he ate from it. She was brought to him and he asked her about it. She said, “”I wanted to kill you.” The Prophet said: “Allah has given you no authority over me.” It was said, “Should we kill her?” The Prophet said: No.” (Sahih Bukhari 2474)
In another incident, a man from an opposing tribe attempted to kill the Prophet while he was sleeping. Allah miraculously saved the Prophet by causing the man’s hand to slip, after which the Prophet gained power him. Even so, in this position of strength the Prophet continued to show clemency.
Jabir reported:
“We took part in the expedition with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, against Najd and when the time for afternoon rest approached, he was in a valley of thorny trees. He dismounted under a tree to rest in its shade and hung his sword upon it. The people dispersed among the trees in order to use their shade. While we were like this, the Prophet called us and we came to find a Bedouin sitting in front of him. The Prophet said: “This person came to me while I was asleep and he quietly took my sword. I woke up while he was standing over my head, holding my unsheathed sword. He said: Who will protect you from me? I said three times: Allah.” Jabir said: “The Prophet did not punish him and he sat down.” (Sahih Bukhari 2753)
In another narration, the Prophet said to the man:
“Will you bear witness that there is no God but Allah and I am the Messenger of Allah”? The man said, “No, but I give you my word that I will not fight you and I will not join anyone who is fighting you.” So the Prophet let him go. The man returned to his people and said: “I have just come to you from the best of people!” (Musnad Ahmad 14768)
The man was impressed by the Prophet’s character so much that he returned to his people and praised him. This is an excellent example of how mercy and forgiveness are among the best deeds for winning the hearts and minds to Islam.
In one of the most famous incidents, the Prophet finally gained power over his enemies after being persecuted for 23 years. He could have easily ordered their execution and the companions would have complied. However, the Prophet used this moment to teach the lesson of mercy just as Yusuf (Joseph), peace be upon him, had forgiven his brothers.
Al-Qasim ibn Salim reported:
“When they came to the Ka’bah they were holding onto its door and the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “What do you say? What do you think”? They said three times, “We say you are the son of our brother.” The Prophet said: “I say to you as Joseph said to his brothers: No blame upon you today. Allah will forgive you and He is the most merciful of the merciful.” (12:92)
Abu Yusuf reported:
“When they had gathered in front of the sacred Mosque, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “What do you think I will do with you”? They said, “Only good, O noble brother, son of a noble brother.” The Prophet said: “Go, you are free.” (Sunan Al-Kubra of al-Bayhaqi 17714).
All of this evidence indicates the general rule that Muslims should respond to blasphemy with patience, forbearance, and graceful discussion. We need to behave in the serene manner of the Prophet as well as publish articles, set up websites, and otherwise spread authentic information about his life and teachings.
`
continue reading: http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/204702-premium-times-special-kano-killing-islam-says-blasphemy-killings.html