“The case, in the north-western city of Nouadhibou, divided Mauritania, the Islamic republic with many conservative muslims calling for his execution.”
Indeed, and Mauritanian authorities could have put Cheikh Ould Mohamed Ould Mkheitir to death. There is much support in the Qur’an and Sunnah for the death penalty for blasphemy. It can arguably be found in this verse: “Indeed, the penalty for those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and strive upon earth [to cause] corruption is none but that they be killed or crucified or that their hands and feet be cut off from opposite sides or that they be exiled from the land. That is for them a disgrace in this world; and for them in the Hereafter is a great punishment.” (5:33)
Also: “Those who annoy Allah and His Messenger – Allah has cursed them in this World and in the Hereafter, and has prepared for them a humiliating Punishment” (33:57)
And: “If they violate their oaths after pledging to keep their covenants, and attack your religion, you may fight the leaders of paganism – you are no longer bound by your covenant with them – that they may refrain” (9:12).
There is more in the hadith. In one, Muhammad asked: “Who is willing to kill Ka’b bin Al-Ashraf who has hurt Allah and His Apostle?” One of the Muslims, Muhammad bin Maslama, answered, “O Allah’s Apostle! Would you like that I kill him?” When Muhammad said that he would, Muhammad bin Maslama said, “Then allow me to say a (false) thing (i.e. to deceive Kab).” Muhammad responded: “You may say it.” Muhammad bin Maslama duly lied to Ka’b, luring him into his trap, and murdered him. (Bukhari 5.59.369)
“A Jewess used to abuse the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) and disparage him. A man strangled her till she died. The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) declared that no recompense was payable for her blood.” (Sunan Abu-Dawud 38.4349)
“Mauritanian blogger yet to be freed after serving sentence for blasphemy,” Africa News, July 6, 2018:
Cheikh Ould Mohamed Ould Mkheitir, a young Mauritanian blogger sentenced to death in 2014 for blasphemy but whose sentenced was later commuted to two years in prison hasn’t yet regained freedom.
He should have left jail in November 2017. The blogger’s article was considered insulting to the Muslim Prophet Muhammad, after questioning choices made by the Prophet during the jihads fought in the 7th Century. Also in the article, he condemned the mistreatment of black Mauritanians who are allegedly discriminated against.
But Cheikh Ould Mohammed had argued that in all, his article was meant to criticise the use of religion to justify discrimination. The case, in the north-western city of Nouadhibou, divided Mauritania, the Islamic republic with many conservative muslims calling for his execution.