Respected scholar of learn-islam.org

Assalamo Alaikum,

What is the punishment of apostate in Islam? It is clear that a traitor of the nation must be given death sentence, but what about the person who leaves Islam after accepting it in his/her individual life?

Wassalam

MANSOOR TIRMIZI

 

Answer:

 

Yes, there are ahadith which say that apostates should be killed. However, the following points must be kept in mind:

1. According to Imam Al-Shaukani in Nayl-al-Autar, all such ahadith are weak due to problems in their Isnads.
2. Another hadith (Aisha, Abu Dawood) explains that only a man who goes out warring against Allah and His Messenger should be killed or exiled.
3. The Messenger (S) himself had not killed a single person on this change of religion. A Bedouin who had wanted to change his religion, though not allowed to change it by the Messenger, was, however, let to leave Medinah (Jabir bin Abdullah, Bukhari).
4. The Qur’an itself talks about the apostates and heretics on many places, but does not suggest killing them in this world. For examples,

 

و من يرتدد منكم عن دينه فيمت و هو كافر فأُؤلائك حبطت أَعمالهم فى الدنيا والآخرة و أُؤلائك أَصحاب النار

(And if any of you turn back from their faith and die in unbelief, their works will bear no fruit in this life and in the Hereafter; they will be companions of the Fire) (2:217)

 

Or, even on repeat performance of heresy,

 

إن الذين ءامنوا ثم كفروا ثم ءامنوا ثم كفروا ثم ازدادوا كفراً لم يكن الله ليغفرلهم ولا ليهديهم سبيلاً

(Those who believe, then reject faith, then believe again, then reject faith again, and go on increasing in unbelief – Allah will not forgive them, nor guide them on the way) (4:137)

 

Moreover, they were not executed,

 

كيف يهدى الله قوماً كفروا بعد ايمانهم و شهدوا ان الرسول حقُ و جآءهم البينات والله لا يهدى القوم الظالمين

(How shall Allah guide those who reject faith after they accepted it and bore witness that the Messenger was true and that the clear signs had come to them? But Allah does not guide unjust people) (3:86)

 

5. Note, also, that, on many places, the Qur’an preaches complete freedom of conscience and belief. For example,

 

و قل الحق من ربكم فمن شآء فليؤمن و من شآء فليكفر

(Say, “The Truth is from your Lord”; let him believe who so wants, and let him reject who so wants) (18:29)

 

6. Umar R, when he came to know that a heretic was killed by the people, had said, “They should have left him alone. Perhaps, one day, he might have re-embraced Islam.” (Fiqh of the four mazahib).
7. Probably, based on the story of Umar R, Dr. Al-Qardhawi concludes that the Messenger’s order of killing was an executive order (a ruler’s decision), and not a religious edict.
8. Also, do not forget the golden rule of the Fiqh: “If doing something good results in greater harm and damage to Islam or its community, then the doing good should be avoided or abandoned.”  In the present time, Islam or Muslim community is too weak to sustain any harm or damage, because of implementing its certain laws or edicts.

 

Allah knows the best. May Allah guide us to the right path and decision, Amen!

 

Dr. Syed Hasanuddin Ahmad