has not wronged him; rather, it is the man who uttered the insult who wronged him.

“No bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another.”

However, if a Muslim insults another Muslim’s father, he is subject to discretionary punishment for that. Thus, if a Hāshimite insults a Muslim’s father, the Hāshimite is subject to discretionary punishment. Likewise, anyone who insults a Hāshimite’s father is subject to discretionary punishment, but this is not deemed an insult to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Even if someone insults his father and grandfather, this is not construed as referring to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, since the wording does not evidently mean that. The unqualified word “grandfather” means one’s paternal grandfather. If a man is called an ancestor, his ancestors are numerous, so no particular one is specified.

Insulting the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, is disbelief warranting execution. Established faith is not nullified by doubt, nor may an inviolable life be taken on the basis of doubt—especially since a Muslim would ordinarily not intend to refer to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Neither his wording nor his circumstances imply that. An unsupported claim that he intended the Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, is not accepted against him. And Allah knows best.

Shaykh al-Islām was asked:

What is the ruling on intentional killing, and what constitutes it? Is it when someone kills another over money, or out of resentment? Or for what reason does a killing count as intentional?

Someone said, “If it is over money, that is not it; nor, if it is out of resentment or over a debt, is he an intentional killer.”

The questioner said, “Then who is the intentional killer?”

He replied, “If he kills someone because of his Islamic faith, he is not a Muslim.”