Limits on Harsh Descriptions of Religious Opponents — Jurisprudential Answers — Miscellaneous Issues, Vol. 3
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Question 149
I ask whether it is permissible to describe religious opponents using descriptions that God uses for opponents in the Holy Quran and that occur in the sayings of Muhammad and the family of Muhammad. The Quran says: ‘We have certainly created for Hell many of the jinn and mankind. They have hearts with which they do not understand, eyes with which they do not see, and ears with which they do not hear. Those are like livestock; rather, they are more astray. It is they who are heedless.’ For example, someone who claims knowledge may not even distinguish a she-camel from a male camel, then enters a debate and, when unable to stand in the discussion, tries to flee to another subject. We expose his ignorance, but may we say to him, ‘You are a beast’ or ‘more astray than a beast’? May openly hostile people and nasibis be described as children of prostitutes or as more impure than impure dogs? May jurists of misguidance who carried the Torah and then did not carry it be described as donkeys or dogs? There are simple, ignorant people listening who cannot themselves distinguish truth from falsehood and do not understand why such language is being used; they hear only the descriptions and then say, for example, ‘You have no morals; you insult people—is this the character of the supporters?’ Enemies also exploit this before their followers and simple people, and this can become an obstacle for people who are influenced by personalities rather than taking the truth from its proper source. What is correct? What are the limits when dealing with such nasibis, ignorant people or misguided people in front of ordinary people?
Ahmed al-Hasan Response:
As to whether it is permissible to describe someone whom you have identified with certainty as an instance of those whom God described as donkeys and the like, it is certainly permissible. However, it is better to be content with applying the rule. May God grant you success and guide your steps.
published translation. Source [1]
Source: الأجوبة الفقهية (مسائل متفرقة – ج3); Question 149; Page 53; FIQH-MISC-V3-Q149. View Arabic source · Open the original Arabic source ↗
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References
- ↑ أحمد الحسن. الأجوبة الفقهية (مسائل متفرقة – ج3). Question 149; Page 53. FIQH-MISC-V3-Q149. View Arabic source
Cite this page
الأجوبة الفقهية (مسائل متفرقة – ج3) — أحمد الحسن. Question: 149. Page: 53. FIQH-MISC-V3-Q149. https://books.ahmadalhassan.com/readbookshow/346
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