What was the punishment for blasphemy

Among non-Muslim-majority cases, the harshest blasphemy laws are in Italy , where the maximum penalty is three years in prison. All countries with apostasy laws are Muslim-majority except India. Apostasy is often charged along with blasphemy. This class of religious laws is quite popular in some Muslim countries.

Muslim philosophers had for three centuries been making major contributions to mathematics , physics and medicine. They developed the Arabic number system used across the West today and invented a forerunner of the modern camera. The conservative ulema felt that these philosophers were inappropriately influenced by Greek philosophy and Shia Islam against Sunni beliefs.

The most prominent in consolidating Sunni orthodoxy was the brilliant and respected Islamic scholar Ghazali , who died in the year Their followers, Ghazali wrote, could be punished with death. Parts of Western Europe were ruled by a similar alliance between the Catholic Church and monarchs. These governments assaulted free thinking, too. And the case of Asia Bibi, a Christian who was put on death row for allegedly insulting Islam, has captured worldwide attention.

In other words, the dangerous effects of this law are not merely academic—they are all too real. No space was given to opposing viewpoints. The main foundations of the case rested on two basic ideas: first, that blasphemy is practically the same as apostasy, and secondly, the idea that whoever insulted the Holy Prophet saw is, in effect, waging war with him. The first supposed reason offered in favour of the death penalty is the idea that a person who uses derogatory words against the Holy Prophet saw becomes apostate and that the punishment of apostasy is death.

The proceedings of the Shariah Court state:. He has related some Ahadith and juristic opinions wherein the contempter has been considered an apostate. He has further relied upon a Hadith related on the authority of Abu Qulabah wherein the punishment of contempter has been prescribed death. There are many problems with this view. First, it is not correct to contend that a disrespectful word is tantamount to apostasy.

Yet they were not expelled from the main body of Islam, nor were they killed for apostasy. Notice that this verse does not say that the disbeliever should be killed—rather, it is simply pointing out the fate of one who dies while having gone back on his faith. Surely, those who disbelieve after they have believed and then increase in disbelief, their repentance shall not be accepted, and these are they who have gone astray Ch.

But if it were true that the Holy Prophet saw had administered capital punishment to apostates, this plan could have only been in vain. Instead, this verse points to the fact that this group was in fact able to believe and then disbelieve without any negative worldly consequences. In this case, if an apostate was killed, he would have been killed not for his apostasy, but for being part of an enemy force which was committing murder or other war crimes.

Clearly, this verse expounds that religion is a matter for every individual to decide for himself. No one can be forced to remain a Muslim against his will. However, Abdullah bin Ubayy was not given any punishment whatsoever and he continued to live peacefully in Madinah until he died a natural death. In fact, the Holy Prophet saw himself led his funeral prayer.

He pardoned all those who had dismissed him by calling him a sorcerer, madman, or liar. As a result, Hadhrat Zainab ra , who was pregnant at the time, miscarried and eventually passed away. And yet the Holy Prophet saw forgave even him.

He was more merciful than any person ever born. Therefore, to claim that C is in accordance with the practice of the Holy Prophet saw is tantamount to saying that he put to death anyone who by words, either spoken or written, by visible representation or by any imputation, innuendo, or insinuation, directly or indirectly defiled his sacred name.

And it is by the great mercy of Allah that thou art kind towards them, and if thou hadst been rough and hard-hearted, they would surely have dispersed from around thee. So pardon them and ask forgiveness for them, and consult them in matters of administration ; and when thou art determined, then put thy trust in Allah.

Surely, Allah loves those who put their trust in Him. These words of God give an insight into the beautiful character of the Holy Prophet saw , of which the most prominent trait was his comprehensive mercy. He was full of the milk of human kindness and was not only kind towards his companions and followers, but was also instilled with unimaginable mercy and sympathy even for his enemies who were always prepared to inflict harm towards him.

But the case was quickly dropped. Fourteen countries in the region also criminalise apostasy, the act of formally renouncing a religion. Iran and Pakistan are the only two countries in the region that explicitly enshrine the death penalty in law, although it is also carried out in Afghanistan, Iran and Saudi Arabia, according to a study by the International Humanist and Ethical Union IHEU. Saudi Arabia, where floggings and amputations have been reported for alleged blasphemy, does not define punishment for the crime in law itself.

In , human rights activist Raif Badawi was found guilty of insulting Islam in blog posts that criticised the country's religious police and hardline Wahhabi ideology. He was sentenced to 1, lashes. The first 50 lashes were administered in , amid international outcry. Badawi's poor health has delayed any further beatings, but he still faces more sessions of public flogging and remains in jail. A previous attempt, spearheaded by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, ended in failure in So, in a twist of irony, the Christian governor accused of blasphemy cited the Quran correctly, while the Muslim clerics punishing him are themselves wrong.

Thus, if such clerics are that hell-bent on blasphemy laws, they should arrest themselves and set Governor Ahok free. The solution is embedded in a revival of true Islam based on a proven model of success and reformation of Muslims. Muslim leadership must be more accountable to protecting the rights of religious minorities in Muslim majority nations. So how did that Monty Python blasphemy scene end? Well, it ends when the judge charged with stoning the accused to death is himself stoned to death after accidentally uttering the word Jehovah.

There is a lesson in this for all governments who punish peaceful difference of opinion: in doing so, you ultimately destroy yourselves. Follow him on Twitter MuslimIQ. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies.