Is there a consensus in Islam regarding free speech?

If  so who are the people who make the consensus? 

What is the consensus with regards to free speech?

Does this consensus apply to Non-Muslims?

As you may be aware there  are Muslims who are.....upset with recent episodes on South Park.  Some of them(misunderstanders of Islam?)have issued veiled threats against the lives of the South Park producers.  

I would like to know the opinions of Muslims regarding free speech. 

Have A Thinking Day And May Reason Guide You  

Howdy sonrisdeallh

Apr 22, 2010 -- 2:07PM, sonrisadeallah wrote:

I really want to see the episode, but gave up finding a direct link.  Can you mail it to me if you have one?

I is my understanding that there are two parts to the episode 201.  I missed part one and saw part two.  Episode two was so censored, both visually and audiably that  I had no idea that it was Muhammad was the subject.  It was only the day after that I found out through the dreaded Islamophobic western media that what was being censored was Muhammad in a bear suit. 

Apr 22, 2010 -- 2:07PM, sonrisadeallah wrote:

I don't really know the answers to your questions about consensus, but I do have a book here that I bought a long time ago called "the freedom of opinion in Islam" by Abdus-Salam al-Basuni.  I would guess from where I bought this from, it is probably Salafi bent.

From the book:

"In the religion of Islam, "freedom of opinion" refers to the individual's right to his point of view and to express it without any restrictions as long as he does not violate the teachings of Islam"

I would guess that any depiction of Muhammad, and especially one that mocks him would definetly violate the teachings of Islam.

Apr 22, 2010 -- 2:07PM, sonrisadeallah wrote:

The book mainly argues that there is freedom of expression in Islam (and this book is talking about living under a version of Shari'ah) with limits and that although we think we have freedom of expression in places like the US, we are also under limitations. 

Yes we do have limitations on the freedom of expressions in the US but they do not include the mocking, satire,parody or even the outright insulting depictions of dead people.  Even people who are alive may be the subject of such depictions, for example our former beloved president the Sock Puppet. 

Apr 22, 2010 -- 2:07PM, sonrisadeallah wrote:

It describes the freedoms and the appropriate ways to express yourself and inappropriate ways within Islam.  Although I really didn't think this book had great arguments against the western idea of freedom, I did find myself agreeing with it in many ways in terms of the proper behavior of expression it described based on Quran and Sunnah, and I do try to abide by it and teach my children these values. 

It is my understanding from reading the Quran that depicting Muhammad in a way that in a Bear Suit would not be an aporopiate way to express yourself within Islam.

Apr 22, 2010 -- 2:07PM, sonrisadeallah wrote:

Kind of off subject, but this just reminds me that I really would not want to see someone's version of 100%Islamic rule become law in the US, as it will always be imposing man's version of ancient man's version of what somebody heard was God's intention and forcing it upon everyone.  I believe the US constitution's 1st ammendment is my best protection to allow me to uncover every day what God has asked of me as a Muslim.

SDA

Sticking to the subject of the thread, I would agree that the US Constituion's first amendment protection is far superior to the Islamic Shariah. 

I googled South Park in an effort to find the episodes and found:

www.google.com/search?q=south+park+episo...

www.southparkstudios.com/guide/

It appears tha Comedy Central has caved in the terrorists threats and has cowardly prevented the full episodes from being shown. 

I find it interesting that in part two of the episode that I saw there was a depiction of the Prophet Buddha snorting lines of cocaine and also negative depictions of the Prophet Jesus and there have been no threats from Buddist or Christians.   I guess that is because they do not love their Prophets as much. 

Have A Thinking Day And May Reason Guide You

Howdy Abduallah

Apr 23, 2010 -- 3:27PM, Abdullah. wrote:

Apr 22, 2010 -- 11:09AM, IDBC wrote:

Is there a consensus in Islam regarding free speech?

If  so who are the people who make the consensus? 

What is the consensus with regards to free speech?

Does this consensus apply to Non-Muslims?

As you may be aware there  are Muslims who are.....upset with recent episodes on South Park.  Some of them(misunderstanders of Islam?)have issued veiled threats against the lives of the South Park producers.  

I would like to know the opinions of Muslims regarding free speech.  

Apr 23, 2010 -- 3:27PM, Abdullah. wrote:

Hi IDBC!

Not sure about consensus' regarding this but basically one is free to say what he likes as long as he is not harming others by it, or backbiting, slandering or saying anything that constitutes sin

So in the case of South Park portraying Muhammad in a Bear Suit, that would be a sin because it hurts the feelings of other Muslims and it would be slander. 

 

Apr 23, 2010 -- 3:27PM, Abdullah. wrote:

Also it is emphasised in Islam that one should iether speak good or not speak at all, for one will be accountable for each word he says. 

So all those people who did not speak good of our former beloved President Brush should not have said anything?

Have A Thinking Day And May Reason Guide You