Moreover another misconception prevalent in the society is that of blasphemy in the name of freedom of expression or freedom of speech. Mostly blasphemers commit blasphemy by using this title and consider, they have right to say or do anything because they are free so, an individual can do whatever he wants in the light of freedom of speech.
Freedom of speech is not without limits, these limits may vary from state to state, but they usually include defamation, incitement to hatred, to violate and discriminate against a person, a group, or a community.
Basically it’s a matter of respect. If someone is using derogatory remarks or shows an irreverent behavior – is ethically wrong on humanitarian grounds, as being a human everyone deserves respect, honor and admiration.
With respect to blasphemy of the honor and respect of Prophets, specially mostly irreverent words, derogatory remarks or intolerable language is used for Prophet Muhammad in the name of freedom of expression. To make caricatures, films, cartoon etc is a source of hurting the sentiments and emotions of millions of Muslims all over the globe because Prophet Muhammad is very dear and respectable for Muslims.
There was a time when funny was something to laugh at, it was source of joy and happiness, now funny in the name of freedom of expression is painful, hateful and agonizing. To make caricatures of Prophet or compose a film with the name of innocent Muslims or any other blasphemy, under the name of freedom of expression is a misuse of freedom of expression because in reality each and every religion gives the lesson of respect of other and in blasphemy case this is the matter of honor and respect of a person.
A blasphemer, irrespective of his religion, must be punished.
The Muslims are not allowed to condemn other creeds or religions or to ridicule other Prophets and in return, they expect from the followers of other religions and creeds to respect their Prophet and their norms. This is their moral and democratic right as well.
In the Shari’ah context, there is a gulf of difference between proclamation of the actual law and execution of the law. The proclaimed laws are expected to be implemented. But in a secular state (like Nigeria) whereby the predominant law is not Islamic(the actual shari’ah), Muslim leaders and mostly shari’ah courts have their moral rights to proclaim the Islamic injunctions in the society so as to make the Islamic rulings well known to all and sundry and to serve a detterent; while the accused/convict should be given the opportunity of tawbah(repentance) which is the appeal court of today.
Certainly, a Muslim cannot just take any blasphemer and shot him dead or got him killed by his own hand; he must respect the law of the land by raising his case to the appropriate quarters. Even if a blasphemer is convicted at the court of Appeal, his death warrant remains to be signed by the Governor of the land. The ruling that a blasphemer must be killed is a law that must be executed in a shari’ah form of government; for the verses and ahadeeth that denote on that were revealed after the battle of Tabuk in the 22nd year of prophethood in Medina and the whole state was governed by Islamic Laws.
Right of respect is a prime need of every one and this can be fulfilled when each and every person will take this responsibility and take a step forward in demolishing the disharmony in the society. If the right of respect is violated, it leads to hatred and enmity among the people and the situation turns worse if this violation takes the form of blasphemy.