Our attitude concerning mockery of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
Question

                We have heard about the Westerners making fun of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and mocking him. What should our attitude be towards that? How should we defend the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)?.
Praise be to Allah.
    Firstly: 

    We and every Muslim who feels pride in his religion is 
    grieved by what these fools and criminals have done by mocking our Prophet 
    Muhammad  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) who is the best 
    man who ever walked on this earth, and he is the leader of the earlier and 
    later generations, may the blessings and peace of my Lord be upon him. 

    This insolence is nothing strange on their part, rather it is 
    to be expected of them.  

    Moreover this crime – although it breaks our hearts and fills 
    them with anger, and we are prepared to sacrifice our lives in defence of 
    the Messenger of Allaah  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) – 
    is nevertheless something which brings us glad tidings of their doom, and 
    tells us that the end of their supremacy is at hand. Allaah says 
    (interpretation of the meaning): 

    “Truly, We will suffice you against the scoffers”

    [al-Hijr 15:95]

    Allaah will suffice His Prophet  (peace and blessings of 
    Allaah be upon him) against the criminals who mock him. He says 
    (interpretation of the meaning): 

    “For he who hates you (O Muhammad 
    صلى الله عليه وسلم), 
    he will be cut off (from posterity and every good thing in this world and in 
    the Hereafter)”

    [al-Kawthar 108:3]

    i.e., he is scorned and humiliated and cut off from all that 
    is good. 

    When the Muslims besieged a stronghold and its people 
    resisted, then they heard them mocking and reviling the Prophet  (peace 
    and blessings of Allaah be upon him), they would sense that victory was at 
    hand, and it would only be a short time before Allaah granted them victory, 
    to avenge His Messenger  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). 

    Al-Saarim al-Maslool (p. 
    116-117). 

    There are many historical cases where those who mocked the 
    Prophet  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) were destroyed and 
    finished off. 

    Moreover, why do they resent the leader of mankind, Muhammad 
     (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)? 

    They resent him because he called people to believe in the 
    Oneness of God (Tawheed), and they do not believe that God is One. 

    They resent him because he venerated his Lord, may He be 
    blessed and exalted, and declared Him to be far above what these fabricators 
    say, as they attributed a wife and son to Him. 

    They resent him because he called people to the loftiest of 
    morals and to give up the lowest. He called them to virtue and to block all 
    the means that lead to immorality, but they want moral disorder and 
    unlimited sexual liberty. 

    They want to indulge in the swamp of evil whims and desires, 
    and they have got what they want! 

    They resent him because he is the Messenger of Allaah! 
    Allaah, may He be exalted, is the One Who chose him above all mankind to 
    convey His message and receive His revelation. 

    The signs of his Prophethood are innumerable. 

    Have they not heard about the splitting of the moon? Have 
    they not heard how water sprang from his fingers time after time? 

    Have they not heard about his greatest sign, which is the 
    Holy Qur’aan, the words of the Lord of the Worlds, which Allaah has 
    protected so that it has not been tampered with by those who would distort 
    it? Whereas their books which were revealed to their Prophets have been 
    tampered with to a large extent. 

    “Then woe to those who write the Book with their own hands 
    and then say, “This is from Allaah,” to purchase with it a little price! Woe 
    to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for that they earn 
    thereby”
    [al-Baqarah 2:79]. 

    The greatest proof of the truth of our Prophet Muhammad  
    (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is the fact that his religion 
    has continued for so many centuries to prevail and be victorious. Throughout 
    his lifetime  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) he continued 
    to prevail over his enemies. The wisdom of Allaah dictates that no liar who 
    lies about him and his religion can ever prevail for a long time. Indeed, in 
    their books, which their scholars concealed and distorted, it says that the 
    liar who falsely claims to be a prophet will only survive for thirty years 
    or so, then his message will fade away. 

    It was narrated from one of their kings that a man who 
    followed the same religion as him (Christian) was brought to him, who used 
    to revile the Prophet  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and 
    accuse him of lying. The king summoned his religious scholars and asked 
    them: How long does a liar remain for? They said: Such and such – thirty 
    years or thereabouts. The king said: This religion of Muhammad has lasted 
    for more than five hundred years or six hundred years [i.e., at the time of 
    that king], and it is prevailing and is accepted and followed. How can he be 
    a liar? Then he had that man beheaded. 

    Sharh al-‘Aqeedah al-Asfahaaniyyah 
    by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him). 

    Do they not know that many of their wise men, kings and 
    scholars, when the pure and clear call of Islam reached them, had no choice 
    but to affirm the truth of this religion, and they venerated the Prophet 
     (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and many of them announced 
    their entry into Islam? 

    The king of Abyssinia, the Najaashi (Negus) affirmed that, 
    and became a Muslim. 

    When the Prophet  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon 
    him) sent a letter to Heraclius the king of Byzantium, calling him to Islam, 
    Heraclius affirmed that he was indeed a Prophet, and he thought of 
    announcing his Islam, and he wished that he could go to the Messenger  
    (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and be his servant, but he 
    feared that his people would kill him, so he remained a kaafir and died in 
    that state. 

    Many of their contemporaries are still proclaiming that.  

    1-

    Michael Hart said in his book The 100: A Ranking of the 
    Most Influential Persons in History (p. 13), where he put Muhammad  
    (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) at the head of his list of one 
    hundred: 

    I chose Muhammad  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon 
    him) to be top of this list … because Muhammad  (peace and blessings of 
    Allaah be upon him) was the only man in history who was supremely successful 
    on both the religious and secular levels. 

    2-

    The Englishman George Bernard Shaw wrote a book called 
    Muhammad, which was burned by the British authorities. He said: 

    The world is in the utmost need of a man with the mentality 
    of Muhammad. 

    Medieval ecclesiastics, either through ignorance of bigotry, 
    painted Mohammadanism in the darkest colors. They were in fact; trained to 
    hate both the man Muhammad and his to them was anti-Christ. But I have 
    studied his life, and found him to be extraordinary. I have reached the 
    conclusion that  he was never an enemy to Christianity. He must be called 
    the Saviour of Humanity. I believe that if a man like him were to assume the 
    dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems 
    in a way that would bring it much needed peace and happiness. 

    3-

    Annie Besant said: 

    It is impossible for anyone who studies the life and 
    character of the great Prophet of Arabia, who knows how he taught and how he 
    lived, to feel anything but reverence for that mighty Prophet, one of the 
    great messengers of the Supreme. 

    4-

    The Austrian Schabrak said: 

    Mankind may be proud of having a man like Muhammad among 
    them, for despite being illiterate he was able more than ten centuries ago 
    to introduce legislation that we Europeans would be the happiest ever if we 
    could produce something of equally high quality. 

    5-

    Dr. Zwemer (a Canadian Orientalist): 

    Muhammad was an able reformer, eloquent and well spoken, 
    courageous and daring, a great thinker. We cannot attribute to him anything 
    that contradicts these qualities. This Qur’aan that he brought and his 
    history bear witness to the truth of these claims. 

    6-

    The English philosopher Thomas Carlyle, the Nobel Prize 
    winner, says in his book Heroes: 

    It is very shameful for any individual in this era to listen 
    to what is said about the religion of Islam being a fabrication and Muhammad 
    being a treacherous fabricator. Throughout his life we see him holding firm 
    beliefs, sincere in resolve, generous and kind, compassionate, pious, 
    virtuous, very serious. In spite of that, he was easy-going, cheerful, 
    friendly, and even sometimes light-hearted. He was just, sincere in 
    intention, smart, chivalrous, and quick-witted, as if he carried in his 
    heart the lamps of every dark night, filled with light; a naturally great 
    man who never studied in school or at the hand of a teacher, because he had 
    no need of that. 

    7-

    Goethe, the German poet, said: 

    We Europeans with all our concepts and ideas have not yet 
    attained that which Muhammad attained, and no one will ever surpass him. I 
    searched in history for the loftiest example for man to follow, and I found 
    it in the Prophet Muhammad. Thus the truth must prevail and become supreme, 
    because Muhammad succeeded in subjugating the whole world by means of the 
    message of Divine Oneness. 

    --

    If that is the case, then the entire world – with no 
    alternative – must regard the greatness of Muhammad  (peace and 
    blessings of Allaah be upon him) among all of creation above all greatness, 
    and his virtue above all virtues, and his status as greater than any other. 
    The world must unite in believing in the message of Muhammad  (peace and 
    blessings of Allaah be upon him), and that he is the Final Prophet of 
    Allaah. 

    We would like to make the most of this opportunity to call 
    these people to Islam, for what their sinful hands have fabricated cannot be 
    erased except by Islam. But if they are stubborn and persist in their ways, 
    then let them receive tidings of the punishment of Hell, to abide therein 
    forever. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

    “Verily, whosoever sets up partners (in worship) with 
    Allaah, then Allaah has forbidden Paradise to him, and the Fire will be his 
    abode. And for the Zaalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers) there are no 
    helpers”

    [al-Maa’idah 5:72] 

    “And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will 
    never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers”

    [Aal ‘Imraan 3:85]

    The Prophet  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) 
    said: “By the One in Whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, no one among this 
    nation, Jew or Christian, hears of me then dies not believing in that with 
    which I was sent, but he will be one of the people of the Fire.” Narrated by 
    Muslim (153). 

    Secondly: 

    Allaah is wise and does not decree anything that is pure 
    evil; rather there must be something good in it for His believing slaves, no 
    matter how evil it appears to people. The Messenger  (peace and 
    blessings of Allaah be upon him) spoke the truth when he said: “How 
    wonderful is the situation of the believer, for all his affairs are good. If 
    something good happens to him, he gives thanks for it and that is good for 
    him; if something bad happens to him, he bears it with patience, and that is 
    good for him. This does not apply to anyone but the believer.” Narrated by 
    Muslim (2999). 

    Concerning the incident of the slander (al-ifk) – which is 
    well known – Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

    “Consider it not a bad thing for you. Nay, it is good for 
    you. Unto every man among them will be paid that which he had earned of the 
    sin, and as for him among them who had the greater share therein, his will 
    be a great torment”

    [al-Noor 24:11]

    There follow some of the good things that have resulted from 
    this sinful crime. 

    1.

    What was concealed in the hearts of these criminals, such as 
    resentment and hatred of the Muslims, has been made known, even though they 
    pretend most of the time to be peaceful.

    “Hatred has already appeared from their mouths, but what 
    their breasts conceal is far worse”

    [Aal ‘Imraan 3:118]

     2.

    Exposure of the West’s double standards. Here they cite 
    freedom of opinion, but every wise man knows that this so-called freedom of 
    opinion should stop before violating the sanctity of others and 
    transgressing against them. They are lying in their claims of freedom of 
    opinion. We all remember what happened a few years ago when one government 
    decided to destroy the idols in their country; there was a global outcry! 
    What about this so-called freedom of opinion? Why don’t they regard this 
    also as freedom of opinion? 

    3.

    Demonstration of the falseness of what some westernizers in 
    our countries say, “Don’t call the non-Muslims kuffaar, rather call them 
    ‘others’ so as not to fan the flames of trouble between us and them.” 

    But everyone should understand just who it is that hates the 
    other, and does not respect his sanctity, and declares war against him every 
    time he gets the opportunity. 

    4.

    The falseness of their claim with which they have filled the 
    world, namely the dialogue of civilizations that is based on respect for 
    others and not transgressing against them. What kind of dialogue do they 
    want?! What respect do they claim to show? They want us to respect them and 
    honour them, and even to bow and prostrate to them, but all they do is make 
    fun of us and mock us and wrong us even more. 

    5.

    Reviving faith in Muslim hearts. We have seen the Muslims’ 
    reaction which is indicative of deeply-rooted faith in their hearts and the 
    extent of their love for the Prophet  (peace and blessings of Allaah be 
    upon him); even among those who neglect some religious duties leapt to 
    defend our noble Messenger  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon 
    him). 

    6.

    Uniting the Muslims. We have seen – praise be to Allaah – 
    solidarity among the Muslims who have adopted the same stance despite the 
    differences in their countries and languages. 

    7.

    It has become apparent that the West is ganging up against 
    Islam. As soon as that country sought the help of their fellow, they all 
    stood up to support that country and the criminals encouraged one another to 
    publish these pictures in their newspaper, so that the Muslims would know 
    that they are all united and that we cannot confront them all.  

    8.

    Some Muslims were keen to call these people to Islam and to 
    show them the true image of this religion. We have seen Muslims racing to 
    publish books in the language of these people so that the scales will fall 
    from their eyes and they may see clearly. 

    9.

    The effectiveness of Muslim boycotts against the products of 
    those who transgressed against the Messenger of Allaah  (peace and 
    blessings of Allaah be upon him) has been proven. Their nation did not 
    respond to any official or political requests, even at the highest levels, 
    but the boycott did not last more than a few days before the newspaper that 
    was in the wrong and its chief editor offered apologies and changed their 
    tone, so the Muslims softened their stance somewhat. 

    This appears to be the new weapon of the Muslims, that they 
    can use to influence and harm their enemies. 

    10.

    A clear message was sent to the West: that we Muslims will 
    never accept to see our religion insulted or humiliated, or any 
    transgression against our Messenger  (peace and blessings of Allaah be 
    upon him). We will all sacrifice ourselves for him.  

    Thirdly: 

    As for our role in all of this: 

    1.

    We must denounce it forcefully, each of us according to his 
    abilities, by sending letters and articles, or making phone calls, to their 
    government, foreign affairs departments and newspapers. 

    2.

    We should demand a clear and sincere apology from them, not 
    deception or justification of the crime which they call an apology. We do 
    not want an apology for showing disrespect towards the Muslims; rather we 
    want an admission of error and an apology for that error. 

    3.

    We should request them to punish the criminals for their 
    crime. 

    4.

    We should also request them to stop their governments’ 
    transgressions against Islam and the Muslims. 

    5.

    We should translate books that call to Islam into the 
    language of these people, and books that explain about Islam and its 
    Prophet, and his biography. 

    6.

    We should buy time on radio and television programs to defend 
    the Prophet  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), which should 
    be hosted by people of ability and well-founded knowledge, who know how to 
    speak convincingly to Westerners, of whom there are many, praise be to 
    Allaah. 

    7.

    We should write strongly worded articles to be published in 
    magazines, newspapers and web sites in various languages. 

    8.

    With regard to boycotting their products, if the boycott will 
    have an effect on them – which is what actually happens – then why don’t we 
    boycott them and look for other companies that are owned by Muslims? 

    9.

    We should resist this malicious attack against Islam and its 
    Prophet; by highlighting the beauty of Islam and the fact that it is in 
    accordance with sound reasoning, and responding to the specious arguments of 
    the criminals. 

    10.

    We should adhere to the Sunnah and follow the guidance of the 
    Prophet  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in all things, and 
    be patient in doing so. 

    “But if you remain patient and become Al-Muttaqoon (the 
    pious), not the least harm will their cunning do to you”

    [Aal ‘Imraan 3:120]

    11.

    We should strive to call these people, for although we look 
    at them through a lens of hatred and resentment, we also look at them with 
    compassion, for soon they will die and will be among the people of Hell, if 
    they die in this state; so we should call them to Islam and salvation, out 
    of mercy and compassion towards them. 

    We ask Allaah to cause His religion to prevail and to support 
    His close friends, and to humiliate His enemies.

    “And Allaah has full power and control over His Affairs, 
    but most of men know not”

    [Yoosuf 12:21]

    May Allaah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet 
    Muhammad. 

    And Allaah knows best.