Islam mandates death for non-Muslim subjects of the Islamic state who mention “something impermissible about Allah, the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), or Islam” (Umdat al-Salik, o11.10). This goes for Muslims as well. Such laws go back to passages in the Hadith and Sira in which Muhammad orders the murders of people who have insulted him, including Abu Afak, who was over one hundred years old, and the poetess Asma bint Marwan. Abu Afak was killed in his sleep, in response to Muhammad’s question, “Who will avenge me on this scoundrel?” Similarly, Muhammad on another occasion cried out, “Will no one rid me of this daughter of Marwan?” One of his followers, Umayr ibn Adi, went to her house that night, where he found her sleeping next to her children. The youngest, a nursing babe, was in her arms. But that didn’t stop Umayr from murdering her and the baby as well. Muhammad commended him: “You have done a great service to Allah and His Messenger, Umayr!” (Ibn Ishaq, 674-676)
Then there was Ka’b bin Al-Ashraf. 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)
“Kano Shari’a Court Sentences Scholar to Death for Blasphemy,” Arise News, December 16, 2022:
An Upper Shari’a Court sitting in Kano, on Thursday, sentenced to death by hanging, renowned Islamic cleric, Abduljabbar Nasiru Kabara, for alleged blasphemy.
The presiding judge, Ibrahim Sarki Yola, delivered the conviction in a court session, which lasted over three hours, amid tight security.
The defendant was arraigned on July 16, 2021 by Kano State Government on a four count-charge bordering on blasphemous comments against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
The presiding judge, Ibrahim Sarki-Yola, said the prosecution had proven their case beyond reasonable doubt.
“I Sarki-Yola sentence the defendant to death by hanging for making blasphemous comments against Prophet Muhammad (PUBH),” the judge said. He ordered the state government to seize all the 189 books the defendant tendered as exhibits to be taken to Kano State Library for public use, relying on Section 331 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) Kano 2019.
“I hereby order the state government to seize the defendant’s two mosques used in committing the offences situated at Mushe and Sabuwar Gandu and should not to be used.”
Sarki-Yola also ordered the general public, radio stations, TV stations to stop using the defendant’s preaching and pictures especially, in any social media, adding that anyone found would be prosecuted relying on section 396(2) of Kano State ACJL 2019.
“The defendant did not follow the right path of preaching he fabricated all the meaning of the hadith and made a blasphemous comment against Prophet Muhammad PBUH. I, therefore, find him guilty. The defendant has the right to appeal within 30 days,” he added.
He called on the general public and all Kano clerics to be careful with the words they used while preaching and translating, especially, concerning Prophet Muhammad PBUH.
Prosecution Counsel, Suraj Sa’eda urged the court to sentence the defendant after finding him guilty, saying, the defendant committed the offence on August 10, October 25 and December 20, 2019 while conducting his preaching at his two mosques.
Sa’eda stated, “The defendant made a blasphemous comment against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his marriage with Nana Safiyya in hadith 1,365, 1,428, 2,326 and 5,120 Sahih-Bukhari and Muslim and posted it on his Facebook page, Ashabul Kahfi.”
Sa’eda said the offence contravened Section 382 (b) and 375 of Kano State Sharia Law 2000.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges….
Westman says
And this is what passes for society, using religion as a killing weapon to acquire the followers of another notable? At its base it is no different than Boko Haram killers or the men who orchestrated the Salem Witch Trials to grab land.
Nigeria is the home of internet scams, violence, misogyny, and forced early marriages that often lead to fistulas. Education is not wasted: higher education hosts, “campus cults”, and their alumni who run much organized crime.
And yet Islam plays no part in cleaning up Nigeria and is active in persecuting the 46% Christians.
Sharia law is recognized under Nigeria’s Constitution but it does not convey killing of convicts for religious infractions. If this cleric is hung, it violates Nigerian law. In Nigeria does law really work?
Alkflaeda says
Am still wondering just what it was that he said that was so offensive….or was it so dreadful that it could not be repeated in Court?
Weird that we are told repeatedly that Mohammed does not claim to be God, and yet it is possible to blaspheme against him. I have no reason to criticise Isaiah or Jeremiah or Hosea – but if I did, it would not attract a death sentence.