Hasan A. Yahya, Ph.Ds

More than a millennium ago, a poet called Abul Alaa’ al-Ma’arri described religious followers as follows:

Hanifs are stumbling, Christians all astray,

Jews wildering, Magins far in error’s way,

We mortals are composed of two great schools—

Enlightened knaves or else religious fools.

Salman Rushdie may be classified under the enlightened knaves school according to Abul Alaa`s verse. The poet, in fact, rejected all religious claims to posses the truth including Islam. While he attacked all dogmas of religions, he did not refrain from doubting that Qur’an was really the Word of God. Abul Alaa’ was considered a free thinker and materialist in his times, while Rushdie is considered as liberal, materialist and freethinker, but both writers did NOT announce that they are disbelievers (Kafirs). And both are the products of their age. No one asked them why they announce their beliefs as they did. The difference between the two writers is a millennium, but in Abul Ala’a age the Muslims where in a high point of their civilization, contrary to the Western civilization which was in almost complete darkness. And in Rushdie’s times, The western civilization is in its highest point. And Muslims are in their lowest point of their civilization.

In Islam, blasphemy covers various areas of sin, like public insult of faith, or its founder, or ridicule its practices. Blasphemy is similar to heresy and apostasy, and these concepts are used across history to attack the intellectual Muslims who challenge Islamic doctrines. Blasphemy was condemned in Islamic courts in the 17th century, even if committed by Jews or Christians when they ridicule Jesus and Moses. Because Qur’an views both Prophets as over ridicule and have to be respected as Messengers from God. On the other hand, apostasy is worse than blasphemy, it means abandonment of faith or converting from one religion to another, such act is punishable by death in an Islamic state. But the question is: was that by the Prophet Muhammad. This punishment is recalled in Qur’an and Prophet Sunnah (sayings). What was the truth of acts and their judgment across Islamic history concerning apostasy? (360 words) www.hasanyahya.com