The Correct Stance of Every Muslim on the Film about Muhammad (peace be upon him)

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Shaykh Saalih as-Suhaymee Teacher at the Prophets Masjid in Madeenah

Bismillaah Al-Hamdulillaah wa salatu wa salaamu ala rasulullaah Amma-bad Shaikh Saalih as-Suhaymee (hafidhahullaah Taaala) said: Firstly, there is no doubt that abusing the Prophets is not tolerated by any religion or intellect, and I do not think those intellectuals in those non-Islamic countries accept this (film) either. And Allah has raised the mention of our Prophet (salallaahu alayhi wa sallam), so we are not in need of anyone to clarify his status for us after (what has been stated) about his mention in the Qur`an and Sunnah. [Allah said to His Messenger ('alayhi as-salatu wa salaam:] And (have We not) raised high your fame? (Ash-Sharh, ayah 4) No one approves of this behavior, and I do not think that even those countries would approve of such acts as this. The Mufti has issued a clarification in the Kingdom of Saudia Arabia, denouncing that vile film which does not harm anyone except those who produced it. It does not harm the Prophet (salallaahu alayhi wa sallam) at all, for indeed Allah Tabarak wa Taaala has honored him and revered him. Therefore, if anyone abuses the revered Prophets (such as Muhammad, Jesus, Moses, Abraham, Noah, etc.), then that does not mean the Prophets are harmed due to it; rather the person (who abuses them) is harmed and he will receive the evil repercussions. So it is upon us as Muslims to deal with such events according to the Islamic legislation. Therefore, the demonstrations and the storming of the embassies or the killing of innocent people who are not involved in these affairs

is an evil deed according to us Muslims. We do not approve of this in any circumstance, and this is not from our religion and it is not from our legislation. Thus, the storming of the embassies is not from our religion nor is the killing of so and so ambassador nor is assaulting others a part of our Religion, al-Haneef (The [only] Monotheistic Religion [Islam]). Our religion is a religion of peace; our religion is a religion of goodness. Our religion prohibits assaulting others. Our religion prohibits abusing others. Our religion gives the due right to its people (whether) Muslim or non-Muslim. And that which we hold to be from our Religion is that these chaotic actions that are carried out by some of the youth do not represent the religion of Islam or the Muslim population. Rather, these actions are the result of their emotions and that is not tolerated from them. And we denounce such actions with every kind of denouncing. Just as we have extremely denounced this film and its likes, which were, produced by those rebels from those countries who have only harmed themselves before harming the Messenger (salallaahu alayhi wa sallam). The disbelieving Quraish used to abuse the Prophet (salallaahu alayhi wa sallam), they would call him blameworthy, a poet, and sorcerer and called him whatever they called him (from the vile nicknames), they wounded his head, they broke his molar tooth, and they placed the intestines of a camel on top of his head. They did what they did, however the Muslims (the companions) did not protest or storm or kill, because this does not serve the Religion of Allah, Subhanahu wa Taaala. So I want the youth to understand that they should return back to the scholars who are well cultivated in this issue, those who refute the distortion of the extremists and (refute) those who (distort) the text (Qur`an and Sunnah) to suit their desires, and likewise the ignorant who misinterpret the text. There is no doubt that the killing of the innocent whether a Muslim or non-Muslim is prohibited, and our Religion does not tolerate it, especially if there is a treaty between us and them, like peace treaties or an agreement between us and them. This is the Sunnah of Allah with His creation. So the ambassador serves as an emissary to another country, and the Prophet (salallaahu

alayhi wa sallam) did not kill (the emissaries) of Caesar and the king of Persia and other than those who were upon the same religion as them. So it is obligatory upon us to understand these affairs. These protests are not from the Religion of Allah, Subhanahu wa Taaala; rather it is a symbol of demagogism, which the Religion of Allah does not tolerate. And we by Allah love Allahs Messenger (salallaahu alayhi wa sallam) more than we love ourselves and our families and our parents and our children and all the people together. However, this love should not cause us to go beyond the boundaries which (Allah) has laid down for us from the legislated rulings of Islam. (It should not make us) enter into the religion that, which is not part of it. The Prophet (salallaahu alayhi wa sallam) warned against killing the one who holds a covenant with the Muslims, or the one who is under the protection of the Muslims, or the one who is under a peace treaty with the Muslims. The ambassador is considered to be just like the one who is under a peace treaty with the Muslims, and assaulting him is in opposition to the guidance of the Prophet (salallaahu alayhi wa sallam), who said: Whoever kills a person under a covenant will not smell the fragrance of Paradise. And that ruling is also applicable to the one who is under the protection of the Muslims and Dhimee (Jews and Christians who live under the law and protection of the Muslims). So those people are under our protection in our lands; it is not permissible to violate them with any type of violence. It is obligatory to return to the scholars in this affair as I have said, those who will judge according to the truth and justice. As for dealing with this matter with uncontrolled emotions, then we should place boundaries upon this and free ourselves from it and from its practitioners.___