Answer
Salam (Peace) Dear Brother,
Thank you for your question and for contacting Ask About Islam.
Let me first put the readers in the picture. In your question you referred to Salmaan Taseer, a Pakistani businessman and politician who served as the governor of the province of Punjab from 2008 until his assassination in early 2011.
On January 4, 2011, Taseer was assassinated in Islamabad by his own security guard, who disagreed with Taseer’s opposition to Pakistan’s blasphemy law.
This law is an internal Pakistani issue. The Pakistani lawmakers have their own understanding of Shariah laws.
Islam as a divine message teaches that people are free to believe or not believe in God’s Oneness. And say:
{The truth [has now come] from your Sustainer: let, then, him who wills, believe in it, and let him who wills, reject it.} (Al-Kahf 18:29)
Islam also teaches that:
{There shall be no compulsion in religion…} (Al-Baqarah 2:256)
This is the Islamic stance on a very important issue, i.e. the issue of belief. I started with this issue because many people associate blasphemy with apostasy.
Neither the Prophet nor any of the four rightly guided caliphs who succeeded him were in the habit of hunting down people and executing them for merely changing their religions. Rather, they refrained from doing so except in rare cases involving treason.
When it comes to blasphemy, Islam is very clear about it. Blasphemy has much to do with freedom of speech. Islam guarantees freedom of speech as long as it is not grossly misused.
Islam had been very clear with its followers on how to deal with people of other faith communities. We read in the Quran what means:
{Unto you is your religion and unto me mine.} (Al-Kafirun 109:6)
{… And, behold, either we [who believe in Him] or you [who deny His oneness] are on the right path, or have clearly gone astray!”} (Saba’ 34:24)
Please notice the usage of the pronoun “we” in this verse. Some might think that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was doubting his faith. No, it was a way of winning them to their side.
In dealing with others, Islam always looks for a common ground and does not focus on differences:
{Say: “O followers of earlier revelation! Come unto that tenet which we and you hold in common: that we shall worship none but God, and that we shall not ascribe divinity to aught beside Him, and that we shall not take human beings for our lords beside God.” And if they turn away, then say: “Bear witness that it is we who have surrendered ourselves unto Him.”}(Aal Imran 3:64)
Now, we move to how others treat Prophet Muhammad and the Muslims. In the past few years many attempts have been made to defame the Quran, which Muslims believe is the word of God, and Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
The perpetrators do this under the pretext of freedom of speech. We have seen Salman Rushdi’s Satanic Verses, Theo Van Gogh’s Submission, the Danish Cartoons, Wilder’sFitna, etc. Such works do not advocate free speech but rather they claim a right to ridicule and abuse others which is not accepted at all even by Western standards.
The hadith you quoted in your question should be understood in its proper context. The Prophet never retaliated against those who personally insulted him. He did not seek vengeance on them.
One has to repeat the question that is always raised by Dr. Adil Salah. Why should anyone abuse the prophet of Islam? No one asks them to believe in Islam. They have their own faith, but why abuse the man who brought us God’s guidance? Only malice and spite produce such an attitude.
We call upon all those who do not follow Islam to have a proper understanding of it. They are best advised not to watch the anti-Islam media which have one stereotype of Muslims.
I hope this answers your question.
Salam and please keep in touch.