A topic that comes up regularly in the news is the issue of derogatory and hurtful insults in the media in various forms against the Noble Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wa sallam. The French President Macron in 2020 defended the right to broadcast hurtful cartoons against the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam as widely as possible.
This article seeks to explore the Islamic viewpoint on speech, the concept of free speech within current western secular liberalism, whether France has the moral ground to lecture others on human values, and how Muslims can respond to such hostile provocation.
Speech in Islam is acknowledged as being a powerful force for either good or evil.
A narration recorded by Ibn Hibban says, “The greatest natural potential for good or evil lies between a person’s lips, i.e. his tongue.”
The Hadith states that, “A slave speaks a word and it results in him plunging into the fire of Hell further than the distance between the east and the west.” (Bukhari)
The limitations on how to use speech are clear in Islam. In explaining verse 2:83 in the Noble Quran which instructs us to, “speak kindly to people,” Ataa rahimahullah says that this includes those of other faiths such as Jews and Christians. (Qurtubi)
Prophet Musa and Haroon alaihimas salaam were commanded to speak to the acknowledged tyrant Pharaoh with soft and gentle words (Noble Quran 20:44).
Islam acknowledges the power of speech in being a cornerstone of a harmonious society. The family is the core unit of society and children are instructed to never use the slightest hurtful words to their parents (Noble Quran 17:23).
There are rules governing the use of words in Islam. Accusing a person falsely, or slandering someone are not taken lightly and the culprit will face legal ramifications. Backbiting and slander are reckoned among the major sins. So Islam is clear on the limitations of speech and that this produces an ordered society.
What is the free speech or freedom of expression which the French President insisted on foisting on the Muslim community?
- The media frames it as a clash between two camps, an enlightened one standing for freedom of expression and the other from the dark ages wanting to curtail it. Framing it in this way is ingenious; if you take an opposing stance you are deemed to be against an ideal, a human value. In reality the clash is between freedom to insult and what Muslims ask for – freedom from insult.
- Free speech in its absolute and true form is never practiced. If this was the case, everyone should be free to insult the other, such as the employee and the child. In reality if this was truly practiced, society would have collapsed a long time ago. In essence no one practices it in reality, but this is demanded from Muslims.
- It is a basic human civility to respect others. Insulting someone means you are rude and arrogant.
- The concept of free speech is flawed in theory and politicized in practice. It is impossible to fully implement even in liberal democracies.
- Free speech does not exist in absolute form. There are the laws of sedition and defamation. Try tweeting that a president should be assassinated and then argue the right to free speech. There are journalistic and professional standards that govern speech. Try naming your new upstart Google and then explain to the expert legal team that confronts you that you are practicing freedom of expression. Or call out bomb at an airport and explain to the SWAT team your right to free speech. Germany criminalized the denial of the Holocaust, while the UK has the Public Order Act. Write any grossly offensive communication or anything deemed offensive and you will face the brunt of the law. All of this in essence sets limitations on free speech.
The concept of free speech is politicized as well. It is regularly used selectively as a political tool. Liberal secularists use it as a notion of freedom, not actual freedom. In the year 850, Christians would go to the Great Mosque of Cordoba in Muslim Spain and loudly call out blasphemous statements. They wanted to be martyred and provoke a political reaction. Politicians use it today as tool to curry favour with voters or divert attention from their shortcomings.
The reality is somewhat different. The Turkish President Erdogan said that the French President Macron needed to go for a mental checkup and the reaction to this use of free speech was the recall of the French ambassador to Turkey.
Critique of ideas and beliefs and engaging in serious academic or intellectual debate is not what Muslims are against. They are against insult. There exists plenty of Christian and Jewish literature which critiques Islam but this has not resulted in outrage. Non-Muslim citizens in a country governed by Islamic law can practice their religious beliefs in their homes or their places of worship. These religious beliefs are offensive to Muslim sensibilities such as the belief in Trinity as opposed to the belief in one God. The Noble Quran (6:108) alludes to this, but still instructs, “Do not insult those they call upon besides Allah Ta’ala.”
The royal courts of Baghdad and Muslim Spain saw the scholars of other faiths debating matters of belief with the Muslim scholars.
That brings us to an even more important point, does France even have the moral high ground to lecture others on human values? Let us go back a few years.
- Within the first three decades of the French invasion of Muslim Algeria, from 1830-1860, one million Algerians out of a total population of three million were killed by the French due to war, massacres, disease and famine. This continued until 1962, and by then over 10 million Algerians were dead as a result of French rule.
- In 1843, Lt Col Lucien de Montagnac said regarding the Muslims in Algeria, “Everyonemust be seized, with no distinction of age or gender. Don’t bring me a live Arab. Kill all males over 15, and ship the women and children to the islands.”
- On 8 May 1945, Germany surrendered. France was liberated, yet they now turned their guns on the Muslims of Algeria. Muslims had served in the French army fighting against Hitler, yet in the weeks following World War II, the French killed 30,000 Muslims. There was widespread vigilante killings, rape, air bombing and lynchings.
If you think this got any better post-independence, think again. Ex French colonies had to deposit 50% of their gold reserves in France. As a result, France today has the world’s 5th largest gold reserves. France claimed to want to set up a common currency for eight African countries which they had previously colonized, in essence controlling them.
Mali is the 3rd largest gold producer in Africa. They mine 60 tons annually worth around $6 billion, yet Mali only gets 10% of that. That 10% also goes to a government largely educated in French institutes or trained in French military academies. With rampant corruption on the continent, it is no secret where all that money ends up. Mali has, since independence, with French military help and financial oversight, managed to become one of the world’s most indebted nations in the world. All thanks to the inhumane French financial colonialism.
The bottom line is that these continued crimes against humanity mean France has no moral ground to lecture anyone on human values at all.
What is the Muslim response as a minority in a non-Muslim majority country to the derogatory insults against the noble Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam?
- Muslims need to consult their Ulama for guidance which they have provided during similar such incidents in the past.
- Express anger within the legal framework of the country. This does have an impact. Arnoud Van Doorn is a Dutch politician who was part of an Islamophobic right wing party. He produced a film against the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam. The subsequent protests made him ask: Why are so many people so passionate about the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam? His research led him to Islam and repentance of his past.
- Don’t give in to violence and destruction of property and lives.
- Boycott products where possible. This works best on the international level with Muslim countries taking the lead.
- Don’t only concentrate on the current issue; highlight all Islamophobia.
- The greatest thing to do is follow the Sunnah and lifestyle of the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam. We can expect enemies to spew hatred and this is largely out of our control. What is within our control is to bring more of the actions and appearance of the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam within our lives. This will demonstrate our love and show the world that our undying allegiance is to the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam.
The Sahaba radhiallahu anhum practically demonstrated their love for the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam by shielding him from the arrows and swords with their bodies on the battlefield. We can show in our appearance, greeting, eating, mannerisms and interaction that the Sunnah of our beloved is our first priority.
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