Surah Ahzab sanctions death penalty! Really?!

[Seraphina]

Salam alaikoum everyone, I hope you're having a great Sunday
This question was made to me today regarding the death penalty for insulting the prophet Muhammad pbuh.
Of course, I am a Quran-centric muslim who upholds the view that there is no death penalty for blasphemy (or apostasy) in the Quran. I've read the brother Joseph's articles regarding this subject, and I became completely convinced. But during the discussion I was shown these verses from surah Ahzab:
"Indeed, Allah confers blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels [ask Him to do so]. O you who have believed, ask [ Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [ Allah to grant him] peace. Indeed, those who abuse Allah and His Messenger - Allah has cursed them in this world and the Hereafter and prepared for them a humiliating punishment. If the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is disease and those who spread rumors in al-Madinah do not cease, We will surely incite you against them; then they will not remain your neighbors therein except for a little. Accursed wherever they are found, [being] seized and massacred completely." (Sahih International).
I haven't seen these verses in the articles of brother Joseph regarding this subject, neither have I ever considered them as basis for death penalty for blasphemy, to me they have always been a warning of the hypocrites of Madinah during prophet's lifetime, that if they don't stop their harm against prophet, they will be exposed by God, and they will be executed. It's not that I argue with God's laws (eudhubilah), if prophet was ordered so from God, then so be it. But I can't understand how would a prophet who forgave the jewish women who tried to poison him, or meccan leaders who had fought and tortured him for years, would kill someone just for a spoken word, and furthermore ask us to do the same if someone mocks him in front of us.
Could you brothers and sisters enlighten me about these verses? Do they still prevail in our time, or were they only prevalent during prophet's days in Madinah? I know my posts these days have been very frequent, but I'm working hard and studying a lot to understand Quran better, and this is always the right place to look for the right answers
Thank you in advance,
Your sister Seraphina

[Joseph Islam]

Dear sister Seraphina,

As-salamu alaykum

These verses have nothing to do with 'blasphemy'. There is a common deception amongst 'clerics' to remove / conceal crucial verses from the text when arguing for their extreme interpretations which do not find warrant from the Quran.

Even in the translation that you have kindly shared, you will note that two crucial verses have been omitted. I can only assume that someone has shared these verses with you as I would never expect you to remove two verses knowingly. 

I humbly always urge readers to study the verses for themselves in context and to never rely on verses presented to them or shared with them orally. I will quote from the translation you have kindly used to emphasise the point.

Sahih International:

033:056
"Indeed, Allah confers blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels [ask Him to do so]. O you who have believed, ask [Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [Allah to grant him] peace.

033:057
Indeed, those who abuse Allah and His Messenger - Allah has cursed them in this world and the Hereafter and prepared for them a humiliating punishment.
----
033:058
And those who harm believing men and believing women for [something] other than what they have earned have certainly born upon themselves a slander and manifest sin.

033:059
O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments. That is more suitable that they will be known and not be abused. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.
----
033:060
If the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is disease and those who spread rumors in al-Madinah do not cease, We will surely incite you against them; then they will not remain your neighbors therein except for a little.

033:061
Accursed wherever they are found, [being] seized and massacred completely."

As you will note, verses 33:58-59 in red were missing from the translation that you kindly shared. The 'abuse' against the prophet in verse 33:57 is separated from verses 33:60 which speak about those hypocrites which cause 'fasaad' / corruption in the land by inciting hatred arguably leading to wanton transgression with a view to harm the prophet.

The case of ‘abuse’ / annoyance (adha) in verse 33:57 provides absolutely no mention of execution.  It is simply said that God has cursed them in this world and in the Hereafter, they will be given a humiliating punishment. 

Furthermore, the next verse (33:58) mentions that they have incurred a manifest sin. The matter is still of ‘adha’ (abuse / annoyance) but note how the translator has now translated the word as ‘harm’, but in the previous verse as ‘abuse’ when in fact, the word is exactly the same.

However, two crucial verses are omitted (33:58-59) which separate this annoyance / abuse from the mention of the hypocrites that cause sedition in the land in verse 33:60 which is a very serious matter. This is a totally different matter from ‘abuse’ or mere annoyance. This has now progressed to sedition which can lead to incitement to hatred and corruption (fasaad) in the land. Even today, many nations take ‘incitement to hatred’ as a very serious matter.

The verb 'arjafa' in verse 33:60 means the one who makes a commotion / serious agitation and other verbs from the same root mean to quake or shiver (73:14; 796 - rajafa), an earthquake (7:78; 7:91 - rajfah) or a blast (79:6 - rajifah). It has strong insinuations of serious restlessness, tumult, disturbance, agitation or commotion. Thus, evil tales without truth that are said in order to create agitation, commotion and disturbance in the land is covered by this verb. This is no small matter of merely uttering abuse. This has the intent of serious disturbance and commotion.

Hence there is no contradiction with this and other verses which deal with 'fasaad' / corruption in the land which can lead to the death punishment depending on circumstances and extremity. Please see verse 5:32 which confirms this and the article [1] below.

Therefore, from a Quran's perspective there is a big difference between 'blasphemy / abuse / annoyance' (as in verses 33:57-58) and wanton incitement to hatred / sedition which causes corruption / disturbance / commotion and transgression in the land. (33:60-61).

However, the way verses are often presented, some clerics are often inclined to present verses out of context which to some would appear as a clear deception.

Please see below, a live example of where a cleric uses the same verses that you have shared and appears to 'conceal crucial verses' by reading the Quran out of context to support his particular extreme view. As you will note, the audience appears none the wiser. A translation is provided on the video in English.

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY - FAREED PARACHA [2]
http://quransmessage.com/expose/fareed-paracha%20FM3.htm

There is absolutely no support in the Quran for the death penalty for blasphemy [3] or apostasy [4].

This is arguably further supported by the sheer desperation that is required to make such a case from the Quran that entices certain clerics and those that propound such unwarranted beliefs, to omit / conceal and read verses out of context to make their case.

I hope this helps, God willing
Joseph



REFERENCES:

[1] QURANIC PUNISHMENT - MURDER vs MANSLAUGHTER
http://quransmessage.com/articles/murder-manslaughter%20FM3.htm
[2] ACADEMIC DISHONESTY - FAREED PARACHA
http://quransmessage.com/expose/fareed-paracha%20FM3.htm
[3] DEATH PENALTY FOR BLASPHEMY
http://quransmessage.com/articles/blasphemy%20FM3.htm
[4] APOSTASY
http://quransmessage.com/articles/apostasy%20FM3.htm
[5] FORCED FAITH IS NO FAITH
http://quransmessage.com/articles/forced%20faith%20is%20no%20faith%20FM3.htm

[Seraphina]

Wa alaikoum selam my brother,
Thank you soooo much
As you have supposed, I shared the verses exactly like they were presented to me, and I was aware of the two verses that were 'skipped', but I was given the justification that 'they were in the same context, although it may not look so'. Since I haven't studied the Quran like I studied Bible, I'm always scared that there might be something in the Quran that I don't know I am aghast to see the video you shared in your answer, and to find out that I'm not the only one to go through this thing.
Frankly, I'm sick of seeing people distorting the Quran with their tongue to justify their acts or their desires.
Brother Joseph, thank you for existing may Allah reward you inshallah!
Your sister Seraphina.