Question :
May Allāh be good to you, the insults against the Prophet ﷺ have repeated in recent time in different forms from films, newspapers, and others. The question is, what is the legislated stance on these insults? And a follow-up question: What is the ruling on expressing anger with these insults to the Prophet ﷺ by protesting?
Answer :
“Oh my brothers this is not new. In the time of the Prophet ﷺ they used to say he was a magician, a liar, soothsayer, poet and other than that. The Messenger ﷺ was patient and he was not hasty. Allāh ordered him with patience:
﴿ اصْبِرْ عَلَى مَا يَقُولُونَ وَاهْجُرْهُمْ هَجْراً جَمِيلاً ﴾
“And be patient (O Muḥammad) with what they say, and keep away from them in a good way”
Surah al-Muzzammil 73:10
He heard it (the insults) however he was patient, ﷺ, with the command of Allāh:
﴿ وَلَقَدْ نَعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ يَضِيقُ صَدْرُكَ بِمَا يَقُولُونَ فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَكُنْ مِنْ السَّاجِدِينَ وَاعْبُدْ رَبَّكَ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَكَ الْيَقِينُ ﴾
“Indeed, We know that your breast is straitened at what they say. So glorify the praises of your Lord and be of those who prostrate themselves (to Him). And worship your Lord until there comes unto you the certainty (i.e. death).”
Surah al-Ḥijr 15:97-99
He was patient and he did not permit anyone of his companions to take revenge, not a single day, while he was in Makkah. He prevented his companions because if they sought revenge against the polytheists it would put an end to Islam in Makkah, and end to the da’wah in its beginning stage, (this was) until they made migration and found the Anṣār (the supporters in Madinah who aided the emigrants). Then Allāh ordered them with the legislated Jihād (to strive in Allāh’s obedience) against the mushrikin (polytheists). As for protesting and destruction or killing the innocent, those under safety and protection of the Muslims, then this is betrayal. It is not allowed. It is not allowed to kill the innocent, even if they are disbelievers. It is not allowed:
﴿ لا يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شَنَآنُ قَوْمٍ أَنْ صَدُّوكُمْ عَنْ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ أَنْ تَعْتَدُوا ﴾
“And let not the hatred of some people in stopping you from Al-Masjid-al-Ḥaram (at Makkah) lead you to transgression (and hostility on your part)”
Surah al-Māʾidah 5:2
The meaning is that it is not allowed to transgress against the innocent. Allah says:
﴿ وَلا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَى ﴾
“No person earns any (sin) except against himself (only), and no bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another”
Surah al-Anʿām 6:164
Allah says:
﴿ إِنْ أَحَدٌ مِنْ الْمُشْرِكِينَ اسْتَجَارَكَ فَأَجِرْهُ حَتَّى يَسْمَعَ كَلامَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ أَبْلِغْهُ مَأْمَنَهُ ﴾
“And if anyone of the Mushrikun (polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah) seeks your protection then grant him protection, so that he may hear the Word of Allah (the Qur’an), and then escort him to where he can be secure, that is because they are men who know not.”
Surah at-Tawbah 9:6
Messengers from the polytheists came to the Messenger ﷺ to enter into negotiations even in his masjid ﷺ. He negotiated with them although they were polytheists and disbelievers. However, it is necessary to know that Islam is not a religion of anger and religion of revenge. Verily it is a religion of guidance, mercy, and leniency as the Prophet ﷺ used to be.
What is the result?
The result is that Allah aided His Messenger and gave might to his religion. Those who used to mock the Prophet ﷺ, some of them became leaders of Islam and those who fight in His way. They came to Islam and their Islam was good because the Prophet ﷺ was patient and forbearing with them and lenient with them until they loved him as Allāh said:
﴿ وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلى خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ ﴾
“And verily, you (O Muḥammad) are on an exalted standard of character.
Surah al-Qalam 68:4
This is the character of the Messenger ﷺ. The disbelievers, when they do these actions, they want an agitation (as a reaction). They say: “See the actions of the Muslims: they will kill the ambassadors, sabotage the houses, destroy the buildings, this is the religion of Islam”. This is what the disbelievers want, annoyance of the Muslims from the actions of their ignorant people; from the behavior of the ignorant or the infiltrators amongst them, it is not permissible to rush in these matters. Allāh says:
﴿ وَلَقَدْ كُذِّبَتْ رُسُلٌ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ فَصَبَرُوا عَلَى مَا كُذِّبُوا وَأُوذُوا حَتَّى أَتَاهُمْ نَصْرُنَا وَلا مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ وَلَقَدْ جَاءَكَ مِنْ نَبَإِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ ﴾
“Verily, (many) Messengers were denied before you (O Muḥammad), but with patience they bore the denial, and they were hurt, till Our Help reached them, and none can alter the Words (Decisions) of Allāh. Surely there has reached you the information (news) about the Messengers (before you).
Surah al-Anʿām 6:34
This is the guidance of Islam with these affairs: leniency, deliberation, patience, lack of hastiness. So the polytheists want to profit from these affairs from what occurs from some Muslims in terms of arrogance, corruption, and killing until the Muslims start fighting between themselves, protesting, fighting against the Muslim men authorized with safety and security. This is what the disbelievers want.”
Original Fatwa: http://www.alfawzan.af.org.sa/node/14103
Answered by: Shaykh Ṣaliḥ al-Fawzān -May Allāh preserve him-
Translated by: Faisal Ibn Abdul Qaadir Ibn Hassan Abu Sulaymaan
(Edited for corrections and better readability)