Abu Abd al-Rahman al-Misri
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Abu Abd al-Rahman al-Misri is an Egyptian Islamic author known for his treatise Tahdhir al-Muslimin min al-sabb wa-al-istihza' bi-al-din ("Warning Muslims Against Reviling and Mocking Religion") .
Legal and Theological Contribution
Abu Abd al-Rahman composed his treatise, titled in full Tahdhir al-Muslimin min al-sabb wa-al-istihza' bi-al-din mimma ja'a fi tafsir ayatay Surat al-Tawbah wa-aqwal al-fuqaha' wa-ijma' al-Muslimin, after observing the spread of verbal blasphemy—specifically cursing God, His Messenger, and Islam, as well as mocking religious tenets—among both practicing and non-practicing individuals . He viewed this phenomenon as a grave transgression inviting divine retribution and the subjugation of the Muslim community, which prompted him to clarify the legal rulings regarding blasphemy and mockery .
In the treatise, he structured his discourse around several theological and juristic inquiries:
- The gravity of spoken words in Islamic law .
- The Qur'anic exegesis of two relevant verses in Surat al-Tawbah .
- Scholarly consensus (ijma') and rulings recorded in classical works of jurisprudence concerning blasphemy against God, the Prophet, and the religion .
- Arguments from the innate disposition (fitrah) and rational proofs demonstrating that blasphemy and ridicule nullify faith .
- The question of whether an internal conviction of permissibility (istihlal) in the heart is required to judge a blasphemer as an apostate .
- The factors leading to blasphemous speech, examples of statements and curses that constitute apostasy, and the validity of repentance before death .
In his analysis of linguistic convention, he addressed local context in Egypt, noting that customary usage (al-haqiqah al-urfiyyah) directs the intent of the word al-din (religion) in prevalent abusive phrases specifically to the Islamic faith rather than merely to a person's individual character or manners .
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List of Works
Tahdhir al-Muslimin min al-sabb wa al-istihza bi al-din (Warning Muslims Against Reviling and Mocking Religion) is an Islamic treatise that examines the legal and theological rulings on blasphemy, specifically reviling (sabb) and ridiculing (istihza) God, the Prophet Muhammad, and the religion of Islam.