Blasphemy: The West’s Centuries-Old Psychological Warfare
The West’s psychological and ideological war against Islamic civilization has long wielded “blasphemy” as its oldest and most effective weapon. This organized campaign, which began with the so-called “Martyrs of Córdoba,” continues with full force in the modern era through social media. The objective remains unchanged: provoke Muslims, defame Islamic societies, and attack the credibility of those who practice Islam.
This story traces back to the 9th century in Al-Andalus (modern-day Spain) during the peaceful reign of Abd al-Rahman II, when Islam was rapidly spreading across Europe due to its simplicity, equality, and justice. Ordinary people were abandoning Christianity and seeking refuge in Islam, a situation that deeply troubled Christian monks and priests. Unable to resist this shift, as the Christian populace was content under Muslim rule, they devised a cunning strategy to turn public opinion against Muslims and Islam.
Eulogius, a Christian priest, documented these events in his book Memoriale Sanctorum (The Memorial of the Saints). Christian volunteers would appear before Muslim judges, deliberately commit blasphemy, and receive the death penalty. These individuals knowingly embraced death to demonstrate the strength of their faith and be declared “martyrs.” For them, this was a sacred act.
In his book, Eulogius chronicled 48 prominent priests and nobles who were executed for blasphemy between 850 and 859 CE, while countless ordinary Christians also met the same fate. After completing his book, Eulogius himself committed this vile act and was executed on March 11, 859. The purpose was to ignite hatred against Muslims, fostering animosity among Christians and halting the spread of Islam.
This campaign, which began in Córdoba, spread throughout Al-Andalus and later to other parts of Europe. Christian missionaries traveled to Muslim lands, repeatedly committing blasphemy, which escalated tensions between Muslims and Christians to extreme levels. In Christian countries, Muslims began to be viewed with suspicion and hatred, while in Muslim regions, all Christians from Europe were regarded as suspect.
These blasphemous “martyrs” were enshrined in Church history, their stories incorporated into hagiographies (biographies of saints). Commemorative events and holy days were established in their honor, embedding their narratives in the religious and cultural memory of the masses. This psychological strategy intensified during the Crusades.
Later, with the rise of Protestantism in Europe, blasphemy against the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was portrayed as a symbol of “freedom of expression” and proudly adopted. Orientalist writings frequently contained vile attacks on the Prophet’s character.
Today, in Western societies, figures like Salman Rushdie, the Danish cartoonist, Charlie Hebdo, and others who engage in blasphemous acts are granted state protection, and any legal action against them is labeled an attack on “freedom of speech.”
In the current era of social media, blasphemy has become even more dangerous and organized. Evidence has emerged in several Muslim countries of well-funded networks and groups that engage in online blasphemy to incite religious unrest, often driven by external agendas. Unfortunately, many Muslim governments, under Western pressure, deliberately avoid thorough investigations into these networks.
Pakistan is a particular target of this global campaign, as blasphemy carries the death penalty here. For the past three decades, a concerted effort has portrayed Pakistan’s blasphemy law as a “cruel law,” prone to “misuse” and a “symbol of backwardness.” However, the truth is that no blasphemy case in Pakistan’s courts has ever been proven false. Every conviction has been based on evidence, judicial proceedings, and investigations. Yet, due to Western pressure, no execution has been carried out.
When some lawyers in Pakistan voluntarily took up the cause of prosecuting blasphemers, a vicious propaganda campaign was launched against them. They have been mockingly labeled the “blasphemy business gang.” The reality is that these lawyers have protected the country’s constitution and laws through their faith, love for the Prophet (peace be upon him), and judicial processes. Yet, they face a full-fledged propaganda campaign from global liberal media and NGOs.
It must be clear that blasphemy is not merely a matter of religious sensitivity; it is part of a broader civilizational, psychological, and political war against the Muslim Ummah. From the “Martyrs of Córdoba” to the social media era, this war revolves around a single point: exploiting Muslims’ profound emotional attachment to the Prophet (peace be upon him) to provoke them, portray them as extremists and savages on the global stage, and defame Islamic societies and governments.
The time has come for Muslims to understand this mischief, recognize the West’s propaganda, and respond collectively with intellectual, legal, and societal measures. Governments must be urged to take state-level action against these social media groups and foreign-funded networks to safeguard Islamic values and societal peace at all costs.
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