The Holy Prophet SAW taught us passivity and non-violence in the bitterness of life. When the prophet was insulted individually, the Prophet responded to insults with silence. But shariah also teaches us the need to answer a public insult that may intimidate the symbol of Islam. Here are a few examples:
1. On the authority of Bukhari, the hadith relating on Hudeibiyah, Urwah a meccan non muslim came as ambassador of negocation to the prophet SAW. While speaking, Urwah came close to the prophet SAW and he put his hands even in the beard of the prophet SAW.
Hazrat Mughirah bin Shu`bah R.A. tapped his hand with the handle of his sword and shouted: ”Take out your hand from the beard of Prophet SAW ” The holy Prophet SAW did not reprimand Urwah on his action or on his words. He approved the action of Mughirah r.a.. So if the Prophet SAW is insulted in public, it becomes important to defend him in public.
2. Furthermore, the same hadith reports that during further talk, Urwah verbally intimidated the Prophet SAW and the muslims. On this hazrat Abu Bakr r.a. replied harshly to Urwah’s verbal intimidation.
3. Famous that when the kuffaar came to Madinah on purpose to dishonour the prophet with poems, then Hassaan bin Thabit r.a. was the poet chosen to defend the holy prophet SAW.(Muslim)
4. Finally in a hadith of Bukhari, when the Battle of Uhud ended, kaafirs shouted at muslims: ”We have our idols and you do not have any idols.” On that, the Prophet SAW addressed to his companions: ” Why don’t you answer? ” The sahabas said ”What should we answer?” The Prophet said,’ ‘Answer: Allah is our Savior and you have no savior.” You see, we are instructed by Qur-aan not to insult any religion, but when our religion is insulted in public, then there is a need to answer. The minimum answer should be “I am not Charlie” – ie, I do not support those who insult our Prophet SAW by cartoons.
Futhermore, the Qur’an imposes on us to express our disaproval to a non islamic public trend. Bara-ah or freeing oneself from an action or an ideology is important and wajib in certain circumstances. For instance, Allah Ta’ala has ordered his Prophet SAW to publicly disavow the actions of non-Muslims: ‘Say: “Do you bear witness that besides Allah there are other gods? Say: “I do not attest.” And Say[also]: “There is only One God. And I DISAPPROVE of those that you associate with Allah” (6: 19). Hazrat Ibrahim made bara-ah also: ” When he saw the rising sun … Then when the sun set, he said: “O my people, I DISAPPROVE all that you associate with Allah.” (6: 78) And so Hazrat Hud a.s. made a public statement of disproval to the general trend of his people (11: 54). The following ayahs also contain disaoproval commands: (10:41), (11:35) and (26:216).
So it is important to disaprove the public trend that says “I am Charlie” and express ourselves publicly. A simple way is to exchange the following banner and also stating it publicly by putting it as your profile picture. The west want to have the licence of freedom of speech to insult our Nabi SAW. Come and show ourselves against it and doing this without breaching any legal framework.
So send to muslims and also to non muslims colleagues and answer to the insult and make bara-ah also. Because freedom of speech should be without insult. The holy prophet SAW is dearest to us than our family members or anyone.