In an article posted on Bakkah.net, the Salafi scholar Richardson said, “In the wake of the Charlie Hebdo incident in Paris, France, a number of self-appointed spokesmen for Islam have appeared in Western media. From the most deviant and ignorant of them is a UK-based supporter of the beliefs and practices of the Khawaarij Cult, Anjem Choudary. In his interviews and writings, he has attributed the following fabrication to the Messenger of Allaah (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace): ‘Whoever insults a Prophet, kill him'”.

The scholar technically explained why the narration is fabricated.

He said, “With the wording, ‘Whoever insults the prophets…’ it was collected by at-Tabaraanee in his al-Mu’jam al-Awsat and al-Mu’jam as-Sagheer, with Ubaydullaah ibn Muhammad al-Umaree in the chain, a man whom the scholars of hadeeth identify as a liar”.

“Ibn Hajr referred to this narration specifically as one of his contradictions to what is authentic. Al-Albaanee in research Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth ad-Dha’eefah graded it ‘Mawdoo’ which means fabricated”, he added. “With the wording, ‘Whoever insults a prophet…’ it was also collected by Tammaam ar-Raazee in his Fawaa’id (no.740), with Husayn ibn Humayd in the chain, another known liar”.

Richardson said that it’s punishable offense in the Muslim countries to disrespect the Prophet which can even lead to capital punishment in some cases, however this does not mean that Muslims have the right to defend those who violate the law by acting as judges, juries, and executioners without following the proper procedures.

It is also significant to note that it is impossible to uphold the Prophet’s honor by attributing lies to him. And how absolutely ironic it is that those who support and defend the deviant Khawaarij Cult’s doctrine would fabricate hadith about the Prophet, he wrote.

Richardson is a graduate from Saudi Arabia’s Umm al-Qura University in Makkah. He received his degree from the Da’wah Faculty. His teachers (outside of his academic education at university) are, Shaykh Rabee Ibn Hadee al-Madkhalee, Shaykh Muhammad Bazmool, and others. Currently, Richardson lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he works as an Imam at al-Masjid al-Awwal (The First Muslim Mosque).