WHEN DISCUSSING SHARIAH, a common allegation that further helps develop the narrative that Islam is an oppressive religion is that it does not allow freedom of speech and freedom of expression. This however is a gross injustice to Islam. Freedom of conscience is one of humanity’s most precious heritage. In fact, a religion which does not give unqualified recognition to this right of human beings, brings them down to a much-degraded position. The following verses of the Holy Quran demonstrate how Islam advocates freedom of speech and conscience:
And say, ‘It is the truth from your Lord; wherefore let him who will, believe, and let him who will, disbelieve.’208
Say, ‘O ye men, now has the truth come to you from your Lord. So whosoever follows the guidance, follows it only for the good of his own soul, and whosoever errs, errs only against it. And I am not a keeper over you.’209
There should be no compulsion in religion. Surely, right has become distinct from wrong; so whosoever refuses to be led by those who transgress, and believes in Allah, has surely grasped a strong handle which knows no breaking. And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.210
The above injunctions are not mere words. They were carried into actual practice by Prophet Muhammadsa and his companions, even if following such divine ordinances meant a serious financial loss to them. Let us illustrate this point with three examples.
Before the arrival of Islam in Madīnah, the Aus and Khazraj tribes had a highly superstitious and degrading practice that if a father remained childless for a long time he would take a pledge that if a son were born to him, he would have him converted to Judaism and actually raised up by the Jews. When the Jewish tribe, Banū Nadhīr, due to their repeated acts of deceit were ordered to leave Madīnah, they were ready to take a large number of boys with them who belonged to the above two tribes. The Aus and Khazraj tribes, who had since then embraced Islam resented their own children being taken away by the Jews and insisted on their being kept back and converted to Islam, by force, if necessary. This became a delicate situation when the dispute arose regarding the custody of the boys – whether they were to remain with their real parents, or their adopted parents. Muslim parents could not entertain the idea of allowing their own sons to go into banishment with the Jews. The Jews on the other hand were equally insistent on taking them along.
When the dispute was brought to Prophet Muhammadsa, he made a decision using the golden principle of the Holy Quran that there should be no use of force in matters of religion and conscience. Hence, the choice was left to the youth themselves. They were allowed to go with the Jews if they themselves so liked; and many freely chose not to change their religion. The whole history of religion fails to produce such a noble example of religious tolerance and freedom of conscience. These young men were the kith and kin of the Muslim tribes in Madīnah. The Jewish tribe, on the other hand, was utterly at the mercy of the Muslims. The Muslims could have compelled them to hand over their own children but this was against the religion of Islam.
This is obviously not a solitary example of the broad-mindedness which the Muslims displayed in religious matters. Asbāq, a Christian slave of Hazrat ‘Umarra, narrates that he tried to persuade him on several occasions to accept Islam but he always refused and when his persistent refusal to accept Islam would hurt the Khalīfa, the latter consoled himself by reciting this verse of the Holy Quran, “There is no compulsion in religion”. Such was the importance of freedom of speech and conscience in Islam. If extremist groups openly act against these teachings, then the religion and teachings of Islam cannot be held accountable for their un-Islamic behaviour.
The third example entails another subject that is much misunderstood by Muslims and non-Muslims alike and that is in regard to blasphemy. The Holy Quran says:
And He has already revealed to you in the Book that, when you hear the Signs of Allah being denied and mocked at, sit not with them until they engage in a talk other than that; for in that case you would be like them. Surely, Allah will assemble the hypocrites and the disbelievers in Hell, all together.211
And when thou seest those who engage in vain discourse concerning Our Signs, then turn thou away from them until they engage in a discourse other than that. And if Satan cause thee to forget, then sit not, after recollection, with the unjust people.212
Here the Muslims are clearly commanded that if someone commits blasphemy and makes fun of their faith, or God, or even Prophet Muhammadsa himself, he should just turn away and leave such a place where blasphemy is being committed. At no occasion are Muslims instructed to become violent or react aggressively.
A great form of blasphemy for Muslims today is one made against the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa. The Holy Quran specifically mentions this, too, when it quotes the words of ‘Abdullāh bin Ubayy bin Salūl, who is known in the history of Islam as the chief of the hypocrites. Once, when returning from an expedition, ‘Abdullāh said in front of others that the moment they return to Madīnah, the noblest among them would expel the meanest among them. The Holy Quran records this as follows:
They say, ‘If we return to Madīnah, the one most honourable will surely drive out therefrom the one most mean;’ while true honour belongs to Allah and to His Messenger and the believers; but the hypocrites know not.213
These words were so offensive to the Muslims, and because of this utterance their tempers were running so high, that no less a person than the son of ‘Abdullāh came to Prophet Muhammadsa seeking permission to kill his father. However, Prophet Muhammadsa refused to grant him his request, and forbade others from harming ‘Abdullāh.
‘Abdullāh continued to live his life peacefully despite the above incident, but when he died, Prophet Muhammadsa gave his own shirt to be used as a shroud to cover his body. In addition to that, Prophet Muhammadsa decided to lead his funeral prayer. Such an act of forgiveness and compassion was so astounding that some companions did not understand the wisdom behind this decision. Hazrat ‘Umarra even came to Prophet Muhammadsa to express his unease. The narration is as follows:
Allah’s Messengersa had hardly got up to observe the prayer for [‘Abdullāh bin Ubayy] that ‘Umarra stood up and caught hold of the garment of Allah’s Messengersa and said: “Allah’s Messengersa, are you going to conduct prayer for this man, whereas Allah has forbidden you to offer prayer for him?” Thereupon, Allah’s Messengersa said: Allah has given me an option as He has said: ‘You may beg pardon for them or you may not beg pardon for them, and even if you beg pardon for them seventy times’ [Allah will never forgive them], and I am going to make an addition to the [number of] seventy”. He was a hypocrite and Allah’s Messengersa offered prayer for him…214
This was the great and noble example of Prophet Muhammadsa who chose to seek forgiveness more than seventy times for a person who insulted him publicly in the cruellest manner. Therefore, it is utterly unjust to insinuate that Islam does not tolerate freedom of speech.