Seeing Muhammad - and each other - whole: Lesley Hazleton at TEDxRainier

Addressing the Holy Prophet, God says in the Quran:

1. "Bear patiently what they say." (20:130 and 50:39)

2. "Obey not the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and disregard their hurtful talk." (33:48)

"When you hear Allah's messages disbelieved in and mocked at, sit not with them until they enter into some other discourse." (4:140; see also 6:68).

These verses deal with the case when the religion is being mocked and derided (as distinct from being criticised). A Muslim is required to do no more than to withdraw from such a company, and even that only while the mocking continues, and to actually rejoin the same company when they have changed the subject! How far from ordering Muslims to kill such people!

Any criticism underlying the abuse must, of course, be answered. But the response to any sheer abuse, ridicule or mockery is withdrawal of oneself from the company.