Muslims should show their support for the Prophet in accordance with the Holy Qur’an and the Prophet's Sunnah.

(WASHINGTON, DC) – The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, and Head Cleric of the Committee of Senior Scholars, and of the Department of Islamic Research and Rulings [also known as Chairman of the Council of Senior Ulema (religious scholars) and the General Presidency of Scholarly Research and Ifta], Shaikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Ashaikh, stressed in a statement issued on Saturday that the greatest way to show support for the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is to follow his guidance and to actualize his traditions in our lives, spreading knowledge of his virtues and by openly proclaiming the noble values of Islam and its teachings.

In a statement citing the Holy Qur’an and the Prophet’s Sunnah [the teachings and sayings of the Prophet Muhammad], the Mufti said that the criminal attempt to broadcast a film abusing the Prophet (peace be upon him) would never harm the noble Prophet in any way, nor the Islamic religion as a whole as Allah the Almighty said in the Holy Qur’an: “For he who hates you, he will be cut off (from posterity and every good thing in this world and in the Hereafter)."

His Eminence emphasized that the condemnation of Muslims to this criminal attempt should be in accordance with the Holy Qur’an and the Prophet's Sunnah. They ought not to allow their anger and revulsion to lead them to go beyond that which has been legislated and towards that which has been forbidden, thereby unwittingly bringing about some of the very objectives that this offensive film was intended to cause. Muslims ought not allow their anger and revulsion to lead to transgression against the blood and wealth of the innocent or to subjecting public buildings to burning and destruction. Rather, Muslims should continue moving ahead with persistence and determination in developing their countries for the benefit of all of mankind.

The Mufti appealed to the nations of the world and international organizations to make moves towards criminalizing the act of abusing all prophets and messengers, such as Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad, peace be upon them all.

The full text of his Eminence's statement in English is available here.