http://www.faithfreedom.org/2009/06/11/apostasy-in-islam

http://www.faithfreedom.org/2009/06/13/apostasy-in-islam-londonspirit-vs-ibn-kammuna

I provide evidence from Qur’an and Hadith on this matter.

thank you

http://fubarmedia.wordpress.com/2008/01/03/muslim-father-shoots-and-kills-his-two-teenage-daughters/

And there are many other proofs that modern Muslims bring up to negate any worldly punishment for peaceful apostasy. I simply gave you a cliffs notes version.

Take care!

The Quran does not at all say to kill apostates. On the contrary, it says:

“Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth is distinct from error!” (Quran, 2:256)

“And if your Lord had pleased, surely all those who are in the earth would have believed, all of them; will you then force men till they become believers?” (Quran, 10:99)

“The Truth is from your Lord; so let him who please believe and let him who please disbelieve.” (Quran, 18:29)

etc.

There is even a verse which shows that there were people who believed and then disbelieved and then again believed in Islam, etc etc., which simply would not have been possible if apostates were to be killed:

“Those who believe then disbelieve, again believe and again disbelieve, then increase in disbelief, Allah will never forgive them nor guide them to the Way.” (Quran, 4:137)

As for the hadith, then the most commonly quoted one is: “Whoever changes his religion, kill him.” This is often attributed to the Prophet Muhammad (s). However, this is NOT the saying of Prophet Muhammad (s), but rather it is someone paraphrasing his words. If we look at the entirety of what Prophet Muhammad (s) said, the matter becomes clear. Prophet Muhammad (s) said:

“The blood of a Muslim, who confesses that there is no God but Allah and that I am His Apostle, cannot be shed except in three cases: (1) In Qisas (retaliation) for murder, (2) a married person who commits adultery and (3) the one who reverts from Islam (apostates) and leaves the community.”

So a person cannot be killed except for:

1. murder
2. adultery
3. apostasy and leaving the community

The words “leaving the community” refers to high treason. This becomes very clear from what Prophet Muhammad (s) said here:

“The blood of a Muslim, who confesses that none has the right to be worshiped but Allah and that I am His Apostle, cannot be shed except in three cases: (1) a married person who commits adultery; he is to be stoned and (2) a man who went out fighting against God and his Messenger; he is to be killed or crucified or exiled from the land and (3) a man who murders another person; he is to be killed on account of it.”

So again the death penalty is limited to three things:

1. adultery
2. high treason (waging war against God and His Messenger)
3. murder

What all this is a reference to is a war that was going on then between the Muslims of Medina and the Quraish polytheists. So whoever left the Muslims to fight on the side of the Quraish was deemed to be committing an act of apostasy and high treason, and was to be put to death.

So our understanding is that someone who commits high treason by waging war against the state is to be put to death. As for the one who simply leaves Islam peacefully, then that is between him and God!

What I have just given you is the opinion of the majority of Muslims living today, despite what the ultraconservative Muslims claim. The ultraconservatives are not indicative of the general Muslim view no more than the ultraconservative Bible touting evangelicals are of Christians.

As for Ibn Kammuna’s claims, they will all revolve around quoting medieval texts written by the classical scholars who lived in the medieval era. For example, he will quote from “tafseers” written in the medieval period, as if those are canonical to our faith. Yes, the ultraconservative Muslims do cling to these medieval opinions, but most Muslims do not! Why is it that these Islamophobes keep telling us what we believe!? If we say otherwise, we are accused of being “stealth Islamists!”

In conclusion, the Quran has nothing in it about killing apostates. The only punishment mentioned is a heavenly one, and the absence of a worldly one speaks volumes. By killing an apostate, Muslims would be robbing the person of the chance to repent and reenter into Islam before they die, and it would go against the ethos of the Quran which is to never compel belief.

As for the hadiths, yes there are statements in there that can be used as a proof for killing apostates. However, most Muslims today do not understand them that way, despite what ultraconservative Muslims insist! And if we Muslims are to be bound to these statements without any contextual understanding–as the Islamophobes demand–then what about the Bible which actually DOES mandate that apostates should be killed? We read:

Deuteronomy 13:6-9 “If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you love, or your closest friend secretly entices you, saying: Let us go and worship other gods (gods that neither you nor your fathers have known, gods of the peoples around you, whether near or far, from one end of the land to the other, or gods of other religions), do not yield to him or listen to him. Show him no pity. Do not spare him or shield him. You must certainly put him to death. Your hand must be the first in putting him to death, and then the hands of all the people.”

Deuteronomy 17:3-5 “And he should go and worship other gods and bow down to them or to the sun or the moon or all the army of the heavens, …..and you must stone such one with stones and such one must die.”

2 Chronicles 15:13 “All who would not seek the LORD, the God of Israel, were to be put to death, whether small or great, man or woman.”

And there are many more. So why do these Islamophobes demand that we condemn Muslims for their religious texts that are not even in the Quran and that could be interpreted in either way, whereas we have clear and unambiguous verses in the Bible?

Don’t get me wrong: I’m not bashing Christianity here. I don’t think Christians believe in killing apostates. I’m just showing that it’s all too easy to quote a verse or two and then claim that such-and-such religion advocates such-and-such. In fact, what is important is how the believers of said faith contextualize such verses and how they themselves view them. But these Islamophobes are hell-bent on creating hatred in the hearts. Stop telling us what we believe!

Anyways John, I wanted to thank you for keeping an open mind on this, and advise you to be wary of Islamophobes like Ibn Kammuna, just as I caution Muslims to stay away from Islamic extremists and ultraconservatives. There are peace-loving people in the middle of all religions, who take “soft readings” of religious texts, and there are also ultraconservative hate mongers who take “hard readings” of religious texts.

Take care. Have a good day!

Sincerely,
J

Thanks again,
John