May 3, 2024
Today, as we celebrate World Press Freedom Day, it might be good to remind ourselves that not every human being can enjoy such basic freedoms as freedom of speech or expression. It is clear from every day observations that the Islamic doctrine has no support for such ideas. Not only the Islamic community itself, but non-Muslims (Kafirs) as well might face threats or outright assaults for voicing or publishing anything critical towards Mohammed or Islam.
Dutch artist Theo van Gogh, politician Ayyan Hirsi Ali (1), cartoonists of the Danish magazine Jyllands Posten (2) or French Charlie Hebdo (3) are just a few of the most visible examples. Even the former Pontiff Benedict XVI became the target of violent threats after he used a certain quotation in one of his intellectual speeches that was not favorable towards Mohammed (4).
Indeed, going after people, who dared to criticize or speak against Mohammed and his ideology, is part of the tradition inscribed into the Islamic doctrine. In Medina, Mohammed had personally asked his followers to get him rid of a certain Ka’b bin Al-Ashraf, who was a Jewish poet openly speaking against Mohammed and Islam. Similarly, Mohammed ordered the murder of a poetess known only as Bint Marwan, or “Daughter of Marwan”, who also spoke against him.
After Mohammed conquered Mecca, the majority of the people of Mecca submitted to him without any resistance, and he spared their lives. He ordered only five people to be executed, among them two young girls who had mocked him publicly before and a man who had insulted him. Since according to Islamic doctrine, Mohammed is the perfect example for all to follow, the cases described above establish a precedent for dealing with critics of Islam in the present and the future.
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📖 Doctrinal support:
Hadith, Bukhari 4037 (also 2510, 3031, 3032): Allah’s Messenger said, “Who is willing to kill Ka’b bin Al-Ashraf who has hurt Allah and His Apostle?” Thereupon Muhammad bin Maslama got up saying, “O Allah’s Messenger! Would you like that I kill him?” The Prophet said, “Yes,” Muhammad bin Maslama said, “Then allow me to say a (false) thing (i.e. to deceive Ka’b). “The Prophet said, “You may say it.” (5)
Sira, Ibn Ishaq 996: When the apostle heard what she had said he said, ‘Who will rid me of Marwan’s daughter?’ ‘Umayr b. ‘Adiy al-Khatmi who was with him heard him, and that very night he went to her house and killed her. In the morning he came to the apostle and told him what he had done and he said, ‘You have helped God and His apostle, O ‘Umayr!’ When he asked if he would have to bear any evil consequences the apostle said, ‘Two goats won’t butt their heads about her,’ so ‘Umayr went back to his people. Now there was a great commotion among B. Khatma that day about the affair of Bint Marwan. She had fi ve sons, and when ‘Umayr went to them from the apostle he said, ‘I have killed Bint Marwan, O sons of Khatma. Withstand me if you can; don’t keep me waiting.’ That was the fi rst day that Islam became powerful among B. Khatma; before that those who were Muslims concealed the fact. The first of them to accept Islam was ‘Umayr b. ‘Adiy who was called ‘the Reader’, and ‘Abdullah b. Aus and Khuzayma b. Thabit. The day after Bint Marwan was killed the men of B. Khatma became Muslims because they saw the power of Islam. (6)
Sira, Ibn Ishaq 819: Mohammed had told his commanders only to kill those who resisted. Otherwise they were to bother no one except for those who had spoken against Mohammed. The list of those to be executed (6):
- One of Mohammed secretaries, who had said that when he was recording Mohammed’s Koranic revelations sometimes Mohammed let the secretary insert better speech. This caused him to lose faith and he became an apostate (left Islam).
- Two singing girls who had sung satires against Mohammed.
- A Muslim tax collector who had become an apostate.
- A man who had insulted Mohammed.
- All artists and political figures who had opposed him.
📚 Sources:
- https://www.theguardian.com/world/2004/nov/07/terrorism.religion
- https://web.archive.org/web/20070214090009/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article726508.ece
- https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/charlie-hebdo-shooting-10-killed-as-shots-fired-at-satirical-magazine-headquarters-according-to-reports-9962337.html
- http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/5350882.stm
- Khan, Muhammad M. 1997, The Translation of the Meanings of Sahih Al-Bukhari: Arabic-English. Riyadh: Darussalam.
- Guillame, A., 1982, The life of Muhammad, OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
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