INVESTIGATING ISLAM

Part 3: Blasphemy and Apostasy

Protecting Muhammad, Not God

Series: Muhammad the Untouchable — Why Islam Depends More on Its Founder Than Its God

Who Is Islam Really Defending?

Every religion has some concept of sacredness. In theory, Islam is built on Tawhid — the absolute oneness and uniqueness of God. But in practice, Islam's fiercest protections don’t guard God. They guard Muhammad.

Blasphemy laws. Apostasy rulings. Assassinations. Fatwas. Riots.
They don’t erupt over insults to Allah.
They explode when Muhammad’s reputation is challenged.

This tells us something deeply revealing — and damning:
Islam’s center of gravity is not the divine. It’s the Prophet.

1. The Qur’an Says God Doesn’t Need Defense

If Islam were truly about God, you’d expect God to be the focus of protection. But ironically, the Qur’an repeatedly shows that God doesn’t need humans to defend Him:

"Indeed, We are sufficient for you against the mockers." (Qur’an 15:95)
"Do not argue on behalf of those who deceive themselves. Indeed, Allah does not like one who is a habitual sinner and liar." (Qur’an 4:107)

No verse commands Muslims to execute those who insult Allah.

But insult Muhammad?
That’s a death sentence.

2. Blasphemy Laws: Obsessively Prophet-Centric

Blasphemy in Islam is not about denying God — it’s about offending the Prophet.

The most brutal examples come from modern Islamic states:

Pakistan:

Section 295-C of the penal code mandates death for insulting Muhammad, including in speech, writing, or innuendo.
No proof is required beyond accusation. No forgiveness is legally possible.
Victims:
- Asia Bibi, a Christian woman, spent 8 years on death row for allegedly insulting Muhammad during an argument over drinking water.
- Mashal Khan, a university student, was lynched on campus after false accusations of posting blasphemous content about Muhammad online.

Iran:

Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa for the execution of Salman Rushdie in 1989 over his fictional book The Satanic Verses, claiming it insulted Muhammad.
Rushdie spent decades in hiding, was stabbed in 2022, and permanently lost sight in one eye.

Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Egypt, Afghanistan — all have state-sanctioned punishments or mob justice systems that target critics of Muhammad, not Allah.

You can curse God and walk free in some cases. But insult the Prophet? That’s the red line.

3. Muhammad Was Protected by Assassination

This isn’t a modern distortion. It’s rooted in Muhammad’s own example.

Multiple early Islamic sources confirm that Muhammad ordered the killings of poets, critics, and opponents for mocking him — not for denying Allah:

Ka’b ibn al-Ashraf

A Jewish poet who mocked Muhammad.
Muhammad said: “Who will rid me of the enemy of Allah?”
He was lured out by deceit and stabbed to death.
(Source: Sahih Bukhari 4037, Ibn Ishaq)

Asma bint Marwan

A poetess who criticized Muhammad.
According to Ibn Ishaq, a follower murdered her in the night after Muhammad said she had “no right to live.”

Abu ‘Afak, Abdullah bin Khatal, and others were executed for satirical or critical speech — not for disbelief in God.

This is not the conduct of a spiritual guide. This is the conduct of a man obsessed with personal image management through violence.

4. Apostasy = Treason Against Muhammad

Leaving Islam is one thing. Criticizing Muhammad on the way out? That’s a death sentence.

“Whoever changes his religion — kill him.” (Sahih Bukhari 6922)

Classical jurists unanimously agreed:

Apostasy is punishable by death.
The real crime? Rejecting Muhammad’s authority.

Why? Because if people start leaving Islam and openly criticizing the Prophet’s life — his marriages, his wars, his teachings — the entire structure begins to crumble.

Thus, apostasy laws are not about preserving belief in God. They are about safeguarding Muhammad’s legacy from scrutiny.

Modern Islamic states still enforce this:

Afghanistan: Apostasy = death.
Saudi Arabia: Apostasy = capital crime.
Iran: Converts and ex-Muslims are routinely imprisoned, tortured, or killed.

Islam can tolerate heresy about Allah.
But it cannot survive public disloyalty to Muhammad.

5. The Modern Cult of the Prophet’s Image

This is not just legal. It’s cultural. The modern Muslim reaction to insults makes this crystal clear.

2005 Danish Cartoons:

12 caricatures of Muhammad published in Jyllands-Posten.
Global outrage: embassies attacked, 200+ killed in riots, boycotts, fatwas, and church burnings — not for blasphemy against God, but for drawing a picture of the Prophet.

2015 Charlie Hebdo Massacre:

12 murdered in Paris by jihadists for publishing Muhammad cartoons.

Countless Cases:

YouTube videos, memes, tweets — if they mock Muhammad, they provoke violence.

Islamic mobs are not triggered by theological debates.
They are programmed to explode over any perceived insult to Muhammad.

Meanwhile, open atheism, denial of God, and even mocking Islamic theology rarely provoke the same rage.

6. The Ultimate Blasphemy Is Doubting the Prophet

Think of it this way:

You can doubt Allah’s mercy, justice, or existence — and still be debated.
You question Muhammad’s moral character?
You're hunted.

This inversion is not accidental. It’s structural.

Islam’s entire religious, legal, and moral system is welded to Muhammad’s personality. Insulting him isn't just offense — it threatens the whole edifice.

That’s why:

Blasphemy = Personal attack on Muhammad
Apostasy = Political betrayal of Muhammad
Criticism = Ideological treason against Muhammad

And that’s why both are punishable by death — by mob, by law, or by fatwa.

Conclusion: God Is Abstract. Muhammad Is Sacred.

Islam’s most sacred line isn’t “There is no god but Allah.”
It’s “And Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.”

That second half is the controlling clause.

You can’t just believe in God. You must submit to Muhammad.
And if you question, insult, or leave — you’ve declared war not on heaven, but on the Prophet’s earthly cult.

Islam has turned the messenger into the message, the man into the idol, and his ego into the red line that cannot be crossed.

This is not monotheism.
This is personality worship — enforced by law, sword, and fear.

Next in the series: Part 4: The Shahada Prioritizes Muhammad