Editing Blasphemy (section)

====Punishment and definition====
{{anchor | Punishment in Islam }}

Blasphemy in [[Islam]] is impious utterance or action concerning [[God in Islam|God]], [[Muhammad in Islam|Muhammad]] or anything considered sacred in Islam.<ref>"[http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/blasphemy Blasphemy]" at dictionary.com</ref><ref name="Wiederhold, Lutz 1997">Wiederhold, Lutz. "Blasphemy against the Prophet Muhammad and his companions (sabb al-rasul, sabb al-sahabah): The introduction of the topic into shafi'i legal literature and its relevance for legal practice under Mamluk rule". ''Journal of semitic studies'' '''42'''.1 (1997): 39–70.</ref> The [[Quran]] admonishes blasphemy, but does not specify any worldly punishment for blasphemy.<ref name="SaeedSaeed2004">{{Cite book |last1 = Saeed |first1 = Abdullah |last2 = Saeed |first2= Hassan |title = Freedom of Religion, Apostasy and Islam |publisher = Ashgate Publishing Company |year = 2004 |location = Burlington VT |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sjQKAQAAMAAJ&q=Freedom+of+Religion,+Apostasy+and+Islam |isbn = 978-0-7546-3083-8|pages=38–39}}</ref> The [[hadith]]s, which are another source of [[Sharia]], suggest various punishments for blasphemy, which may include [[Capital and corporal punishment in Islam|death]].<ref name="SaeedSaeed2004"/><ref>Siraj Khan. ''Blasphemy against the Prophet, in Muhammad in History, Thought, and Culture'' (ed: Coeli Fitzpatrick PhD, Adam Hani Walker). {{ISBN|978-1-61069-177-2}}, pp. 59–67.</ref> However, it has been argued that the death penalty applies only to cases where there is [[Treason#Muslim countries|treason]] involved that may seriously harm the [[Muslim]] community, especially during times of war.<ref>{{cite book|author=Taha Jabir Alalwani|url=http://iiit.org/iiitftp/publications/Bibs/Books-in-Brief%20Apostasy%20in%20Islam%20A%20Historical%20and%20Scriptural%20Analysis.pdf|title=Apostasy in Islam: a Historical and Scriptural Analysis|location=Herndon, VA|publisher=International Institute of Islamic Thought|year=2012|isbn=978-1-56564-585-1|type=Archived copy |access-date=2015-09-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150219032457/http://iiit.org/iiitftp/publications/Bibs/Books-in-Brief%20Apostasy%20in%20Islam%20A%20Historical%20and%20Scriptural%20Analysis.pdf |archive-date=19 February 2015}}</ref> Different traditional [[Madhhab|schools of jurisprudence]] prescribe different punishment for blasphemy, depending on whether the blasphemer is Muslim or non-Muslim, a man or a woman.<ref name="SaeedSaeed2004"/> In the modern [[Muslim world]], the laws pertaining to blasphemy [[Blasphemy law|vary by country]], and some countries prescribe punishments consisting of fines, imprisonment, [[Zanjeer zani|flogging]], [[hanging]], or [[Beheading in Islam|beheading]].<ref name=psns>P Smith (2003). "Speak No Evil: Apostasy, Blasphemy and Heresy in Malaysian Syariah Law". ''UC Davis Journal Int'l Law & Policy''. 10, pp. 357–373.
* N Swazo (2014). "The Case of Hamza Kashgari: Examining Apostasy, Heresy, and Blasphemy Under Sharia". ''The Review of Faith & International Affairs'' '''12'''(4). pp.&nbsp;16–26.</ref> Blasphemy laws were rarely enforced in pre-modern Islamic societies, but in the modern era some states and radical groups have used charges of blasphemy in an effort to burnish their religious credentials and gain popular support at the expense of liberal Muslim intellectuals and religious minorities.<ref name=failed3>{{cite encyclopedia|encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Islam|title=Blasphemy|editor= Juan Eduardo Campo|publisher=Infobase Publishing|year=2009}}</ref> In recent years, accusations of blasphemy against Islam have sparked international controversies and played part in incidents of mob violence and assassinations of prominent figures.