Napoleon Defends the Prophet ﷺ Against Voltaire

This post is a translation of the original Arabic article.

The tension between creative expression and sacred figures, particularly our beloved Prophet, peace be upon him, has presented itself again. Reviewing several historical instances of those who insulted our Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, I was struck by how old this problem is.

Among them was a play written in 1816 by one of the greatest philosophers of the Enlightenment, Voltaire, which mocked our noble Prophet.

God Always Raises Defenders

What is remarkable is that God, glory be to Him, always appoints a defender for every person who attacks the Prophet, peace be upon him. In that era, one of Voltaire's greatest admirers was the Emperor Napoleon — and he spoke words of magnificent defense on behalf of the Prophet, peace be upon him.

Here is what he said:

"Muhammad was the subject of stronger attacks by [Voltaire] regarding his character and actions. The Emperor said: You have failed, Voltaire, historically and morally in your judgment. You have sold the character of Muhammad in an unworthy fashion and with the basest of plots. You have portrayed a great man who had changed the face of the world as though he were among the most despicable of criminals on their way to the gallows."

Reference: Voltaire's Mahomet: Still Controversial After All These Years