The Severity of Blasphemy Against the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH): Islamic Rulings and Consequences
Brief Rulings and Issues Regarding the Blasphemer of the Prophet
The status of the Prophet ﷺ is unparalleled, as Allah has mentioned in the Quran, highlighting His honor and greatness: "And We raised high for you your repute." (Surah Al-Sharh: 4).
Thus, there is no moment when the Prophet ﷺ is not remembered. Whether in the call to prayer, in prayers, in mosques, in schools, or in gatherings, His pure name is constantly mentioned. Why wouldn’t it be so, when Allah has granted Him such a lofty status, making Him the most noble and superior?
One who speaks ill of the Prophet, mocks Him, insults Him, abuses Him, or blasphemes Him is known as a “Shatim-e-Rasool” (blasphemer of the Prophet). Such a vile individual is deserving of every kind of curse. May Allah’s curse, the Prophet’s curse, the angels’ curse, and the curse of all Muslims be upon him.
There are several rights the Prophet ﷺ has over us, including having faith in Him, obeying Him, loving Him, respecting and honoring Him, and refraining from anything that may harm His dignity. Blaspheming the Prophet ﷺ and speaking ill of Him is a severe crime in Islamic law. Such a person is cursed, for they have committed an enormous transgression against the Prophet’s sacred honor. The Islamic punishment for this grave offense, along with the curses, is death.
Allah says: "Cursed wherever they are found, they shall be seized and massacred completely." (Surah Al-Ahzab: 61).
All scholars are unanimous that one who insults the Prophet ﷺ must be executed. This is evident from numerous Quranic verses and Hadiths. Allah also says: “Indeed, those who harm Allah and His Messenger are cursed by Allah in this world and the Hereafter, and He has prepared for them a humiliating punishment.” (Surah Al-Ahzab: 57).
In Surah At-Tawbah, verse 14, there is a command to fight against such people, and the Prophet ﷺ demonstrated this command practically. The Prophet ﷺ ordered the execution of blasphemers like Ka’b bin Ashraf and Abu Rafi, who were subsequently killed.
Islam places great value on women, even forbidding their killing during war, yet in cases of blasphemy against the Prophet ﷺ, women were not spared either. Women who insulted the Prophet ﷺ were also executed, as in the case of a polytheist woman killed by her brother, Umair bin Umayyah, for cursing the Prophet ﷺ. Similarly, a Jewish woman who insulted the Prophet ﷺ was strangled by a companion. These incidents highlight that both men and women guilty of blaspheming the Prophet ﷺ were put to death as punishment.
From all these accounts, it becomes clear that the mandatory punishment for a blasphemer of the Prophet (Shatim-e-Rasool) is execution. If a Muslim insults the Prophet ﷺ, they become an apostate and deserving of the death penalty. Indeed, there is consensus among the entire Ummah on the execution of a blasphemer. Al-Qurtubi in his Tafsir (8/82) states: “All scholars agree that whoever curses the Prophet ﷺ is to be executed.”
An important matter concerning the blasphemer of the Prophet is regarding their repentance. Below are some details regarding this:
- (1) If a Muslim insults the Prophet ﷺ, they become an apostate and a disbeliever. Even if they repent and return to Islam, the death penalty remains in effect. This is the strongest opinion among the scholars.
- (2) If a disbeliever insults the Prophet ﷺ while in a state of disbelief, and then later accepts Islam, such a person will not be killed. All previous crimes are forgiven due to their acceptance of Islam. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Islam erases all the sins committed before it.”(Sahih Muslim: 121)
- (3) If a disbeliever commits the crime of blasphemy against the Prophet ﷺ but does not accept Islam and instead seeks forgiveness from Muslims and expresses regret for their actions, know that such a person will not be pardoned. Their apology does not change the punishment of death, and they will be executed under all circumstances.
Some people have raised the objection that the Prophet ﷺ forgave many blasphemers, so why should the punishment for a blasphemer not be waived in case of repentance or asking for forgiveness?
Scholars have provided two answers to this:
- The first answer is that in the early days of Islam, blasphemers were forgiven, but that ruling was later abrogated.
- The second answer is that blasphemy pertains to two rights: the right of Allah, which concerns His prophethood, His book, and His religion, and the right of the Prophet ﷺ, which concerns His personal honor. If a blasphemer sincerely repents, it is possible that Allah may forgive His right, but the dishonor of the Prophet ﷺ cannot be forgiven. This is because the Prophet ﷺ has passed away, and after his death, there is no question of granting forgiveness.
In conclusion, I find it important to address a critical question: Can an individual personally execute a blasphemer of the Prophet ﷺ? This question arises because, in many parts of the world, an Islamic legal system is not in place, and thus governments often hesitate or fail to punish blasphemers. Consequently, these blasphemers gain more confidence, and others are encouraged to commit the same offense. In such situations, many Muslims become emotionally driven and decide to take justice into their own hands by punishing the blasphemer. Every Muslim’s heart is stirred with the desire to avenge such blasphemy, as this is a natural expression of love for the Prophet ﷺ. However, do we have the authority to personally execute a blasphemer?
According to Islamic law, we do not have the right to individually implement Islamic punishments. The application of such penalties is the responsibility of the ruler or his deputy. In Fatawa Lajnah Daimah (21/7), it is written:
“Only the Muslim ruler or his deputy can enforce punishments, and individual Muslims cannot enforce punishments because that would result in chaos and turmoil.”
In this context, I would like to emphasize two important points to all Muslims:
- The first point is that whenever an incident of blasphemy occurs, we will naturally feel hurt. However, we must refrain from taking matters into our own hands, as this is neither legally nor religiously permissible.
- The second point is that in every country, there is a judicial system for punishing criminals. Where Islamic law is not in place, we should turn to the courts to demand the harshest punishment for the blasphemer. If all the Muslims in a country unite and persist in demanding the punishment of a blasphemer, the government will be forced to act. The key to success is our unity. If a blasphemer escapes worldly punishment, no one can escape the consequences in the hereafter. Allah says:
"Indeed, those who harm Allah and His Messenger are cursed by Allah in this world and the Hereafter, and He has prepared for them a humiliating punishment." (Surah Al-Ahzab: 57)
Written by: Shaikh Maqbool Ahmed Salafi Hafizahullaah
Interpreter: Hasan Fuzail