The death penalty for apostasy is part of Islamic law. It’s based on the Qur’an: “They wish you would disbelieve as they disbelieved so you would be alike. So do not take from among them allies until they emigrate for the cause of Allah. But if they turn away, then seize them and kill them wherever you find them and take not from among them any ally or helper.” (Qur’an 4:89)
A hadith depicts Muhammad saying: “Whoever changed his Islamic religion, then kill him” (Bukhari 9.84.57). The death penalty for apostasy is part of Islamic law according to all the schools of Islamic jurisprudence.
This is still the position of all the schools of Islamic jurisprudence, both Sunni and Shi’ite. Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi, the most renowned and prominent Muslim cleric in the world, has stated: “The Muslim jurists are unanimous that apostates must be punished, yet they differ as to determining the kind of punishment to be inflicted upon them. The majority of them, including the four main schools of jurisprudence (Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi’i, and Hanbali) as well as the other four schools of jurisprudence (the four Shiite schools of Az-Zaidiyyah, Al-Ithna-‘ashriyyah, Al-Ja’fariyyah, and Az-Zaheriyyah) agree that apostates must be executed.”
Qaradawi also once famously said: “If they had gotten rid of the apostasy punishment, Islam wouldn’t exist today.”
“Blasphemy will not be tolerated: Islamic Minister,” RaajjeMV, January 13, 2020 (thanks to The Religion of Peace):
Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dr. Ahmed Zahir, has stated that there will be no room for blasphemers in the Maldives and that such incidents will be closely monitored and investigated.
This comes at a time of public outrage following a video of a Maldivian advocating for the right to leave Islam and defending apostates began circulating on social media during the past week.
Speaking to RaajjeMV, the minister stated that such incidents will be closely monitored by the relevant section of the ministry and that blasphemers who attempt to create hatred and disrupt society’s peace will be swiftly identified.
Highlighting that the Maldives is a 100% Muslim country, the minister stated that such incidents will be taken very seriously and that there will be zero-tolerance against Maldivians spreading blasphemy….
Michael Copeland says
Egyptian sheikh Yassir al-Burhani in an interview:
“For example, is it the right of the Muslim to convert to Christianity or another religion?”
“Of course this is not a right.”
(JihadWatch.org 1 June 2012)
toomanyhobbies says
and that people is the definition of a CULT!
Alarmed Pig Farmer says
For example, is it the right of the Muslim to convert to Christianity or another religion?
Of course this is not a right.
What, do these people think it’s voluntary? Of course it’s not. Forced behavior is at the heart of the Hairy Faith. Kudos to the Sheikh for this refreshing burst of honesty. Transparency is all the rage these days; let’s hope the Moslems go along.
mortimer says
MESSAGE TO THOSE WHO DON’T KNOW ABOUT THE ISLAMIC DEATH SENTENCE FOR LEAVING ISLAM: (from https://islamqa.info/en/answers/811/why-death-is-the-punishment-for-apostasy)
Why death is the punishment for Apostasy –
Alslamualik
This question has been asked several time from non-Muslims and I want to find an answer: Why When the Muslim convert to another religion(Murtad) he/she should be killed?
Praise be to Allaah.
Your question may be answered by the following points:
(1) This is the ruling of Allaah and His Messenger, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever changes his religion, kill him.” (reported by al-Bukhaari, al-Fath, no. 3017).
(2) The one who has known the religion which Allaah revealed, entered it and practised it, then rejected it, despised it and left it, is a person who does not deserve to live on the earth of Allaah and eat from the provision of Allaah.
(3) By leaving Islaam, the apostate opens the way for everyone who wants to leave the faith, thus spreading apostasy and encouraging it.
(4) The apostate is not to be killed without warning. Even though his crime is so great, he is given a last chance, a respite of three days in which to repent. If he repents, he will be left alone; if he does not repent, then he will be killed.
(5) If the punishment for murder and espionage (also known as high treason) is death, then what should be the punishment for the one who disbelieves in the Lord of mankind and despises and rejects His religion? Is espionage or shedding blood worse than leaving the religion of the Lord of mankind and rejecting it?
(6) None of those who bleat about personal freedom and freedom of belief would put up with a neighbour’s child hitting their child or justify this as “personal freedom,” so how can they justify leaving the true religion and rejecting the sharee’ah which Allaah revealed to teach mankind about His unity and bring justice and fairness to all?
We ask Allaah for safety and health. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad .
Mark Spahn (West Seneca, NY) says
Thank you, mortimer, for this citation from Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al-Munajjid’s website. Let’s consider his points, one by one…
“(1) This is the ruling of Allaah and His Messenger, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever changes his religion, kill him.” (reported by al-Bukhaari, al-Fath, no. 3017).”: So neither Allah nor the Prophet (do they agree with each other?) is specifically against leaving Islam. Rather, they are against religion-switching. You must remain with your current religion. Why is that?
“(2) The one who has known the religion which Allaah revealed, entered it and practised it, then rejected it, despised it and left it, is a person who does not deserve to live on the earth of Allaah and eat from the provision of Allaah.”: So if you leave an Allah-revealed religion, you are not entitled to remain alive. This is a mere assertion; no reason is given. So what is the reason?
“(3) By leaving Islaam, the apostate opens the way for everyone who wants to leave the faith, thus spreading apostasy and encouraging it.”: Okay, people sometimes follow the behavior of others. But again, no reason is given for why this is bad.
(4) gives rules for what to do when someone leave, say, Scientology.
(5) asks questions; let’s answer them: “If the punishment for murder and espionage (also known as high treason) is death, then what should be the punishment for the one who disbelieves in the Lord of mankind and despises and rejects His religion? [The two crimes are unrelated; actually, the latter is not even a crime.] Is espionage or shedding blood worse than leaving the religion of the Lord of mankind and rejecting it? [Yes.]”
“6) None of those who bleat about personal freedom and freedom of belief would put up with a neighbour’s child hitting their child or justify this as “personal freedom,” so how can they justify leaving the true religion and rejecting the sharee’ah which Allaah revealed to teach mankind about His unity and bring justice and fairness to all?” Again, “bleating” about freedom of belief and tolerating toddlers’ fighting are different, unrelated matters. The latter sentence is question-begging: it is still to be proved that Islam is “the true religion”.
Simon Fish says
Yet there is “no compulsion in religion”. Apostates facing the death penalty might wish to disagree!
gravenimage says
Spot on. Simon.
Michael Copeland says
There was a report on JihadWatch a few years ago of a teenage Saudi girl who converted to Christianity. Her father cut out her tongue, lectured her on the Koran, and then doused her in gasoline and burnt her alive.
Maybe that is what the Maldives Minister for Islamic Affairs has in mind for this ‘blasphemer”.
gravenimage says
*Horrifying*.
elee says
Imagine this mans courage! Werent gunboats invented specifically for errands like rescuing him from this s**hole?
No Muzzies Here says
It must not be a very pleasant religion. Anyone who tries to leave is killed. People are forced to join under threat of death. Non-members who are not killed are taxed heavily and are treated as second-class citizens.
Without these coercive means of support, this religion would have ceased to exist 1300 years ago.
tim gallagher says
What a pathetic and totally unattractive religious ideology (and so extremely insecure) Islam must be to have to threaten anyone who tries to leave the foul, barbaric ideology with death. As No Muzzies Here says in his comment, Islam probably would have become extinct (as it so richly deserves to be) without this thuggish rule about death to anyone who attempts to leave it. Islam truly is a disgusting and backward ideology with these attitudes, which should have disappeared from human history so long ago. Islam is like some kind of fossil, some remnant from the past, but still somehow fouling up our modern, more enlightened world.
peter says
Islam is for two kinds of people ,retards and clever exploiters
gravenimage says
Maldives: Man advocates for right to leave Islam, official says such blasphemy will not be tolerated
……………………
A very brave man.
Joe says
Apostasy is blasphemy? Someone needs a dictionary.
jca reid says
This further proves that Islam is simply an extortion racket. This action clearly breaches Basic Human Rights.
Battle says
jca reid: +100
dfhdnjdn says
FMR KUWAITI MINISTER: KUWAITIS WHO CONVERT TO JUDAISM & OTHER RELIGIONS SHOULD NOT LOSE CITIZENSHIP
video – 1 minute 23 seconds [Arabic with English subtitles]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=668dktvKDik
gravenimage says
This is a minority opinion, to and put it mildly. In many parts of Dar-al-Islam someone so much as expressing such an opinion would himself be killed.
“Kuwait: 5 Critics Stripped of Citizenship”
https://www.hrw.org/news/2014/08/10/kuwait-5-critics-stripped-citizenship