Blasphemous Words
Question:
Once my friend said a statement about the prayer of Tarawih which seemed like he was abusing the situation which would be created after I will go to pray. However the truth is I think this is abusing no one but this statement has became so common that is being used every where. There are - Allah forgive - statements where something about Islam is involved.
Is it blasphemy or a sin other than this?
Thank you
Answer:
It is important to understand where the concept of blasphemy has come from. We do not have any words in the Qur’an that delivers the exact meaning that the word blasphemy today means. It seems like the scholars have related derived the concept of blasphemy from the concept of apostasy by suggesting that a person makes blasphemous remarks only when he becomes an apostate. They have then equalised the punishment for blasphemy and apostasy.
If we go with this understanding then only those statements can be considered blasphemous that clearly indicate that the person who utters them has left Islam.(1)
This therefore does not include statements like the one you quoted.
Obviously the correct attitude is to remain respectful towards religion and religious symbols, but this is a different issue. Also people need to avoid making statements that may offend others. These two issues (disrespecting religious symbols or offending others), if being done knowingly can amount to sin.
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Footnotes:
1. According to my understanding neither blasphemy nor apostasy are punishable by Shari’ah.
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August 2013
Once my friend said a statement about the prayer of Tarawih which seemed like he was abusing the situation which would be created after I will go to pray. However the truth is I think this is abusing no one but this statement has became so common that is being used every where. There are - Allah forgive - statements where something about Islam is involved.
Is it blasphemy or a sin other than this?
Thank you
Answer:
It is important to understand where the concept of blasphemy has come from. We do not have any words in the Qur’an that delivers the exact meaning that the word blasphemy today means. It seems like the scholars have related derived the concept of blasphemy from the concept of apostasy by suggesting that a person makes blasphemous remarks only when he becomes an apostate. They have then equalised the punishment for blasphemy and apostasy.
If we go with this understanding then only those statements can be considered blasphemous that clearly indicate that the person who utters them has left Islam.(1)
This therefore does not include statements like the one you quoted.
Obviously the correct attitude is to remain respectful towards religion and religious symbols, but this is a different issue. Also people need to avoid making statements that may offend others. These two issues (disrespecting religious symbols or offending others), if being done knowingly can amount to sin.
--------------
Footnotes:
1. According to my understanding neither blasphemy nor apostasy are punishable by Shari’ah.
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August 2013