Recent Saudi Arabia case involving a Sri Lankan man sentenced to death for remarks about Prophet Muhammad
I have some doubts about this case. From what I understand, a Sri Lankan man made some offensive remarks about Prophet Muhammad on social media. He later deleted the post and apologized. Initially, he was reportedly sentenced to five years in prison and a large fine, but later the punishment was changed to the death penalty. Now, due to diplomatic pressure, the death sentence has reportedly been withdrawn, and I think he may eventually be deported to Sri Lanka.
My question is: we know that Prophet Muhammad is someone Muslims learn from, and he was known to forgive people who insulted or wronged him. So why does Saudi Arabia have such strict laws regarding insulting the Prophet?
Wouldn't it be more consistent with the Prophet's teachings to give a fine, rehabilitation, or another form of punishment rather than the death penalty? What is the Islamic reasoning behind such a severe punishment?
I'm genuinely trying to understand this from an Islamic perspective. I feel that giving someone the death penalty simply for insulting the Prophet does not seem consistent with how Prophet Muhammad himself dealt with people who insulted or mistreated him.
I'm not trying to disrespect Islam or defend offensive speech. I genuinely want to understand how Islamic scholars reconcile these laws with the Prophet's examples of forgiveness.