Adil Najam
This is a painful post to write.
Ideally I would have preferred not to have had to write this post. But I have over 300 messages in my in-box of people fussing over the so-called “Draw Muhammad Day” page on the social networking site Facebook and now the Lahore High Court’s decision calling for a ban on Facebook has forced the issue. And that is what pains me.
I hope that Facebook administration will remove the page. Not because of any “banning” movement and not because of the Lahore High Court. Just because the page and the idea behind the page is inflammatory and offensive. Regardless of what your belief or religion might be, to throw out offensive and hateful vitriolic for the simple and primary purpose of hurting someone else’s feelings – when you know that (a) those feelings will be hurt and (b) when hurting those feelings is really the only purpose of doing what you are doing – is inhuman, cruel, and clearly offensive. If Facebook does not recognize that, then it knows nothing either about “social” or about “networking” and certainly not about “community.”
But at one level, that matters little now. Whether Facebook removes the offensive page or not. The page and its creators have already fulfilled their purpose, met their goals. And it is we ourselves who have helped them do so. And that is what pains me.
I have not visited the offensive page in question and do not intend to. I had also not intended to help publicizing that offensive page, but by having to write this post that is exactly what I am doing. And that pains me. I am offended by the idea that page purports and the goals it seeks to achieve. So, why should I dignify it by a visit? Why should I publicize it? Why should I give it the attention it was created to seek. Yet, all of us (now me included, which is why writing this is uncomfortable) are doing exactly that.And that is what pains me.
Many of the emails I have received give me the link to that page and invite me to visit it so that ‘I can see for myself how offensive it is.’ I do not need to do that. Yet, that is exactly what we have been doing. We have been acting exactly as the creators of that page intended us to. Acting as the promoters and publicists of that page. And now having turned it into an international legal matter giving the attention seekers behind the page the exact thing they wanted: Attention.
But we have done more than that. With the Lahore High Court decision we have allowed the PTA and authorities another precedent and excuse to aggressively “manage” the internet; something that can and will be misused in the future.
I have not been receiving emails from the proponents of that page. The only ones who seem to be noticing us is us Muslims (and for some reason Pakistani Muslims more than any other). If we too had ignored the offensive page – as it deserves to be ignored – it would have gone the exact same way to oblivion as thousands of other sophomoric attempts at cheap attention seeking on the Internet. Instead we have now turned it into an international incident and given it far more limelight than it ever deserved.
Let’s think about it, what did the creators of the offensive page want to do when they set it up? First, they sought attention, and hits, and notoriety in a world where attention is too easily confused with fame. Second, they wanted to ridicule Muslims by the reaction they excepted from this. If you think of it, irrespective of whether Facebook removes the site or keeps it, the organizers of the page have achieved their goal. Well beyond what they expected. Now every other Islamophobic nutcase will get new ideas about how to have his little 10 minutes of fame spewing bigotry and hatred against Muslims.
But more importantly, they simply could not have done this without us. The only people who have turned this from nothingness into a huge issue is us. I am sure that those who set up the page are jumping up and down and thanking us for making their page such a huge success! And that is what pains me.
I am also pained by the sacrilege of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) that this entire drama signifies. As pained as anyone else, and as pained as I would have been at the sacrilege of any other Prophet or religion. But unlike for many others, that pain is neither reduced nor resolved by protesting against Facebook. For me, the antidote to that pain is in the teaching of the Prophet (PBUH) themselves. What would the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) have done in such a situation.
The one thing I am absolutely positive of, is that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) would not have done what we are doing now: making an international public spectacle of ourselves. Most likely he would have just walked away and ignored (the ‘look the other way when someone throws garbage at you’ model), he might have negotiated with Facebook on the basis of their own stated rules (the Hudabia model), he might have reasoned with detractors (the discourse and discussion model). Nearly certainly Muhammad (PBUH) would have handled it with grace, with composure, and maybe even with a touch of good humor. Most importantly, the Prophet (PBUH) would have kept focusing on his own actions and proving his point with his own deeds rather than with slogans, banners and naara-baazi.
THE MOST COURTEOUS AMONGST YOU IS LOVED MOST BY ALLAH.
That is the only lesson I need to know. That is my Islam. Those who preach violence in the name of religion as as misguided as those who preach violence against religion.
Those who made this page are also extremist mullahs. Just of a different kind!
Excellent job Dr. Najam. You have said what so many of us feel and said it well.
The only thing this debate has proved to me is that there are idiots everywhere. Those agitating defending incitement and those agitating a silly page are equally idiotic and both those they are the custodians of the world. Sadly, we are fools too, because we notice both these sets of idiots.
All Praise Due To Allah Alone, The Lord Of The Worlds
May Allah’s Peace, Blessings And Mercy Be
Upon The Imam of Messengers and Prophets (Allah’s Peace Be Upon them all), all of his Companions, his Family, his Wives (The Mothers of The Believers) and to all those who follow him and fight and defend his Cause (Which Is Actually Allah’s Cause.)
Allah The Almighty Mentions In Surah Al-Mumtahana Chapter 60 Verse 1-3:
“1. O you who believe! Take not My enemies and your enemies as protecting friends, showing affection towards them, while they have disbelieved in what has come to you of the truth, and have driven out the Messenger (Allah’s Peace and Blessings Be Upon him) and yourselves because you believe in Allah, your Lord! If you have come forth to strive in My cause and to seek My good pleasure. You show friendship to them in secret, while I am All-Aware of what you conceal and what you reveal. And whosoever of you (Muslims) does that, then indeed he has gone (far) astray from the straight path.) (2. Should they gain the upper hand over you, they would behave to you as enemies, and stretch forth their hands and their tongues against you with evil, and they desire that you should disbelieve.) (3. Neither your relatives nor your children will benefit you on the Day of Resurrection. He will judge between you. And Allah is the All-Seer of what you do.”
If they gain dominance over you, they would be to you as enemies and extend against you their hands and their tongues with evil, and they wish you would disbelieve.
This is in response to those who have dedicated a day to insult the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. This is the ruling of Islam upon you in this world. And if you die unrepentant, then your punishment in the afterlife will be more severe than what you can imagine. This ruling is upon those who insult the Messenger of Allah ﷺ directly and those who encourage it and call it “a good idea” or endorse it in any way – which is an insult in itself. These drunken hopheads who were abandoned by their parents have been going around advertising themselves and the creations of their frustrated minds.
1- The Ruling on those who insult the Messenger of Allah (with evidences) – May Allah’s Peace And Blessings Be Upon him
2 This is ruling applies not only to Prophet Muhammad (Allaah’s Peace And Blessings Be Upon him) but to all other Messengers and Prophets of Allah. (Allaah’s Peace Be upon them all)
3- Doubts regarding the application of the ruling
4- Message to Muslims
5- Message to the filth
The Rulings on those who insult the Messenger of Allah ﷺ:
Abu Dawood (4361) narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas that a blind man had a freed concubine (umm walad) who used to insult the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and say bad things about him. He told her not to do that but she did not stop, and he rebuked her but she did not heed him. One night, when she started to say bad things about the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and insult him, he took a short sword or dagger, put it on her belly and pressed it and killed her. The following morning that was mentioned to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). He called the people together and said, “I adjure by Allah the man who has done this action and I adjure him by my right over him that he should stand up.” The blind man stood up and said, “O Messenger of Allah, I am the one who did it; she used to insult you and say bad things about you. I forbade her, but she did not stop, and I rebuked her, but she did not give up her habit. I have two sons like pearls from her, and she was kind to me. Last night she began to insult you and say bad things about you. So I took a dagger, put it on her belly and pressed it till I killed her.” Thereupon the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Bear witness, there is no blood money due for her.”
(Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood, 3655)
– The permission of Killing those who insult the Messenger of Allah ﷺ
– There is no blood money due for the person who is killed for insulting the Messenger of Allah ﷺ
– No permission is needed from any Khaleefah or king or Imam in this matter. The blind man killed the woman without informing or seeking the permission of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. If this was wrong, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would have corrected him for that and said “You should have asked my permission” or something similar to that. The silence of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is evidence of permissibility.
Doubts regarding the Application of this ruling:
The Hadd punishment cannot be carried out without the permission of the Imam or the Judge.
Reply : The Above Hadith is proof that the person who kills those who insults the Messenger of Allah ﷺ does not have to inform the Imam or the judge or seek his permission.
The evidence for this is the blind man did not inform the Messenger of Allah ﷺ or seek his permission. If this action was wrong, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would have pointed out his mistake and corrected him. Instead, the Messenger of Allah only said: “Bear witness, there is no blood money due for her.”
We should forgive them because and show them mercy
Reply : It is true that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would either forgive those who insulted him or punish them. But the Messenger of Allah is dead and nobody in this ummah has the right to forgive those who insult him “on his behalf”. This is the exclusive right of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. If it was a personal insult to me, it is up to me to forgive the person or seek an equitable revenge. I have no right to choose on behalf of the Messenger of Allah (Allah’s Peace and Blessings Be Upon him). Also, the blind man did not forgive the woman even though she gave him two sons like pearls and she was kind to him. He did not forgive the woman on behalf of the Messenger ﷺ even when the Messenger ﷺ was alive. How can we forgive those who offend him after he is dead?
Message to Muslims :
This is for those who bow to none except Allah and affirm the Messengership of Muhammad ﷺ – their love for him is greater than the love of the blind for sight, fish for water and all living beings for life. Indeed, love is not possessed except by the living. I address this message to a mountain of apparently dead hearts – hoping that there are signs of life in at least some of them. No one believes in Allah and the Last Day except those who love Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and Al-Islam more than all of the creation. Defensiveness for the deen is the essence of true Eemaan. The Kuffaar, in their arrogance, have once again exceeded the ethical limits derived from the Fitrah – which all humans possess – and have fallen below the level of dogs and pigs. They had destroyed our Masaajid. They have killed our children. They have violated our women. They have wiped our villages out of existence. But all of this does not come close to their greatest transgression – the selection of a day to insult the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
As for people like Adil Najam, who attribute falsehood to the Prophet (Allah’s Peace and Blessings Be Upon him) things that they themselves do not know!
There is very strict warning against this.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever narrates a hadeeth from me thinking that it is false is one of the liars.” Narrated by Muslim in the Introduction to his Saheeh (p. 7).
Narrated by al-Mugheerah ibn Shu’bah (may Allaah be pleased with him) narrated that he said: “Lying about me is not like lying about anyone else. Whoever tells a lie about me deliberately, let him take his place in Hell.” Narrated by Muslim in the Introduction to his Saheeh (no. 4).
Allah Mentions in Surah Al-Maeda, Chapter 5, Verses 51-53:
51. O you who believe! Do not take friends from the Jews and the Christians, as they are but friends of each other. And if any among you befriends them, then surely, he is one of them. Verily, Allah guides not those people who are the wrongdoers.) (52. And you see those in whose hearts there is a disease, they hurry to their friendship, saying: “We fear lest some misfortune of a disaster may befall us. ” Perhaps Allah may bring a victory or a decision according to His will. Then they will become regretful for what they have been keeping as a secret in themselves.) (53. And those who believe will say: “Are these the men who swore their strongest oaths by Allah that they were with you” All that they did has been in vain, and they have become the losers.
One MUST NOT BE AFRAID TO TELL THE TRUTH WHATEVER THE CONSEQUENCES
Allaah Mentions:
“Except those who repent and do righteous deeds, and openly declare (the truth which they concealed). These, I will accept their repentance. And I am the One Who accepts repentance, the Most Merciful”
[al-Baqarah 2:160]
WHATEVER HAS BEEN DECREED BY ALLAH AND HIS MESSENGER (ALLAH’S PEACE AND BLESSINGS BE UPON him) – NONE CAN CHANGE:
In Surah Al-Ahzaab, 33:36:
“36. It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger (May Allah’s Peace and Blessings Be Upon him) have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenge (May Allah’s Peace and Blessings Be Upon him), he has indeed strayed into a plain error.”
Allah Says in the Quran, Surah Al-Baqarah Chapter 2,Verse 42
“And do not clothe the truth with the falsehood, nor hide the truth while you know .”
Therefore, it is not for us to convey what we desire but to convey the religion in its entirety no matter the consequence.
Also
Your Eemaan is confined to “condemnation” and expression of disappointment” but has failed to move a finger in action. How long will you procrastinate? Will you let this opportunity to demonstrate your love for Muhammad ﷺ pass? Do you prefer to stand shamefaced on the Day of Judgment – the shame of having failed to take even the smallest step in the defense of the honor of the Messenger ﷺ? Or do you wish to smile at the Hawdh al-Kawthar with pride in your eyes and radiance on your face that you were able to annihilate the voices that cried out and the pens that moved to defame the one who awaits you there?
If you come to know about this and wait – even to drink a glass of water – you have waited too long. Rush to the defense of Islam. Rush to the defense of the honor of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Let them taste the fruit of what they have sown. Let them taste the fruit that will make them mutes down to their last generation.
Message to the filth ,
Soldiers of Shaytaan! Take heed! Take heed! We are people who drink blood and we hear your blood is very sweet. You cowards – who have lost on every battlefront – have finally thrown off your veils and exposed your real face. But we knew what you hid in your hearts all along.
We are people willing to die defending the honor of Allah’s Messenger ﷺ and Al-Islam and then rise up again and then die again and then rise up again and then die again – with smiles on our faces – forever. And how long is ‘forever’!
Repent! Repent! before a Muhammad Bouyeri finds you riding a bike on the street. We are not afraid of the darkest prisons or the worst torture. Our worst fear is facing our Rabb on the Day when a person’s limbs will testify against him. So this fleeting world, with its “laws”, “police”, “courts” and “trials”, looks ridiculously childish to us and is unworthy of our attention. So don’t even think that you can stop us from upholding the rights of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. We will not hesitate or show mercy. No! Our heart will not soften for one second to “think twice” or “sympathize” with you. We will, if Allah wills, try our utmost to make sure we are not disgraced on the Day of Judgment.
Your enemy – An Ummati Of Prophet Muhammad (Allah’s Peace and Blessings Be Upon him)
Let the east and the west witness: this is the Ummah of Muhammad ﷺ and it will not abandon him like the previous nations.
Let the east and the west witness that we are lions and we will hunt down these filthy boars and feast on their bloods.
Oh Allah! I have called to Your path for Your sake and out of Tatayyum for you.
By banning facebook, we have accepted that we are not good believers of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). If we were, we would not have required to ban facebook.