Toronto Imam on Reactions to Inappropriate Cartoons – Fighting Extreme Secularism

After the beheading of French teacher Samuel Paty Toronto Imam, Maulana Syed Rizvi, gave a lecture on the crisis surrounding free speech that was uploaded Nov 20, 2020.

Imam Rizvi makes the point that free expression has limits. He also points out “Insult of the Prophet Mohammad is where we (Muslims) draw the line.”

Imam Rizvi: The recent events in France and the reaction of President Macron to them is a matter of concern for us. In the west, especially in Canada, because whatever happens in France has a ripple effect in Canada in Quebec, which is our French-speaking province. We have previously seen anti-Muslim sentiments in France. But the recent beheading of the teacher which showed the cartoons of the prophet Muhammad in a classroom discussion last month, this incident was exploited by the French government to control and curb the freedom of thought of Muslims in France. Muslims are not against freedom of expression. But freedom of expression has its own limitations especially when it ends up creating hatred towards a visible minority. No Muslim would ever object to an academic work which criticizes Islam and the prophet of Islam but when it is done to abuse, demean and insult the prophet of Islam that is where we draw the line.

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QUESTION: Is it essential to respond to those who defame the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)

It says in al-Mawsoo‘ah al-Fiqhiyyah (40/61):  If the one who impugns the Prophet PBUH is an apostate, then the punishment prescribed for him in sharee‘ah is execution; there is no difference of scholarly opinion concerning that. 

Verily, those who annoy Allah and His Messenger (SAW) Allah has cursed them in this world, and in the Hereafter, and has prepared for them a humiliating torment.

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