Abstract
Freedom of expression is considered as one of the fundamental issues of the
contemporary socio-political world. It has divided the society into two major groups;
one is the follower of infinitive freedom and other wants some limits up on it.
Definitely, Western thought is the representative of unbounded freedom of speech
whereas Islam chooses the second one. Islamic concept of freedom of expression has
various moral and legal bindings but in western perspective, only nominal legal
restrictions exist, because revealed ethics are not concern of the western thought.
These legal restrictions are meant to protect freedom of expression and individual
rights and not to curb the acts of civil and religious defamation. Hence, these legal
constraints are insufficient because the freedom of speech is unlimited and legal
restrictions are either partial or nonexistent. In spite of presence of laws, the so-called
racial discrimination and religious defamation have become the most dangerous and
lethal weapon against minorities in the West, especially blasphemy of the Holy
Prophet (SAW) has become a painful trend and cheap hobby under the banner of
freedom of speech. In this regard, the limitless freedom of expression and its link with
blasphemy of the prophet (SAW) as become one of the major conflicting issues
between Islam and the West. In this study the efforts are made to examine the
freedom of expression from Islamic and western perspectives and its link with
blasphemy and religious defamation from the western side.
Riaz Ahmad Saeed. (2016) EXPLORATION OF FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IN ISLAM AND WEST: ITS RELATION WITH BLASPHEMY AND RELIGIOUS DEFAMATION, Journal of Islamic Thought and Civilization, Volume VI, Issue 1.
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