Honoring Those Who Impugn the Religion of Islam
Respected scholars, as-salamu `alaykum. What is the Shari`ah ruling regarding granting a financial reward and a medal of high honor to a per son who has attacked – in his notorious published books – the Prophet of Islam, describing him as an imposter and describing the religion of Islam as a false religion? He claimed that the revelation and prophethood are no more than an invention devised by Abu Talib so that he could seize sovereignty over Quraish and Makkah from Banu Umayyah. Moreover, he alleged that `Abdul-Muttalib sought the help of the Jews in justifying the tale of prophethood. So, is it permissible that a committee grants such a person an honorary award paying tribute to and exalting him, and also maintaining the propagation of his words and ideas among people, knowing that such an award is funded by Muslims? The committee does so while they know about what he mentioned in his books as already quoted above. These books are printed, published and circulated. And if this is impermissible, who is liable for the amount of such an award which is squandered from public money? Jazakum Allahu Khayran.
