One of the most common issues raised against Islam is that of apostates. Some non-Muslims say: “Islam orders the killing of apostates. Is this a religion or is it the Mafia?! Where is the freedom of choice in that?! Where is ‘Let there be no compulsion in religion’ which you always drawl with?! You people are hypocrites and liars.”

Well, this is an important issue which needs to be addressed. How does Islam order its adherents to deal with apostates? What exactly does the word apostate mean? What are the proofs from the Qur’an and the Sunnah on the punishment ascribed to apostasy? Did Prophet Muhammad apply himself any punishment on those who apostatized during his life? Did the Caliphs apply any punishment on those who apostatized during their reigns? If yes, then what were the circumstances under which such incidents happened?

To tell the truth, the questions raised by non-Muslims are all correct and need answers. Many sheikhs and scholars propagate the idea that Islam orders the killing of apostates. Let’s get to understand their argument so that we can either accept or refuse it. Those scholars built their opinion on two traditions, the first one is:

Prophet Muhammad P.B.U.H. said, “It is unlawful to sentence any Muslim to death except in one of three cases, that he commits murder, that he commits adultery¹, or that he forsakes his religion and departs from the community.” [Recorded by Bukhari]

1 The reader should not think that this tradition is solid evidence on stoning those who commit adultery. Those who deny stoning will say it could have been said before the verses of chapter 24 were revealed, and it is also an indecisive narration of an individual, so it cannot stand as evidence above the decisive verses of the Qur’an. For more info, read my previous post “Islamic Penal Code.“

Jurists deduced from the last clause that apostates should be sentenced to death. The problem with this clause is that it doesn’t describe a person who will only forsake Islam, but will also depart from the community. This creates a dilemma, for if he departs the community and goes to live somewhere else, then Muslims have no authority over him. Moreover, why should he be considered dangerous in any way if he is not living among Muslims? I can imagine that if he apostates and preaches renouncing Islam while living among Muslims, maybe those who are not well grounded in religion will be affected by him and apostate as well, so some may say that he constitutes a sort of danger on the stability of the community. But this person left, he departed the Muslims and went to live on his own at peace, so why should he receive a death sentence?! In other words, what does “depart the community” really mean?

The answer to these questions is found in another version of this tradition. It was recorded by Abu-Dāwud on the authority of Lady ‘Āʾishah that Prophet Muhammad P.B.U.H. said, “It is unlawful to sentence a Muslim to death except in one of three cases, him who commits adultery¹, he is stoned, him who departs the community and wage wars against Allah and His messenger, he is either killed, crucified or banished from the land, and him who commits murder, he is killed.” [Recorded by Abu-Dāwud]

The tradition of Lady ‘Āʾishah clarifies that the person intended is not a peaceful apostate, but this is someone who forsakes Islam, departs the community and wages wars against Muslims. In other words, he joins the enemy’s lines, organizes hostile operations against the community and tries to kill Muslims. This is treason, not apostasy. In this case, I don’t find applying the death sentence something weird.

The second tradition upon which jurists based their opinion is the one in which Prophet Muhammad P.B.U.H. said, “Whoever changes his religion, kill him.” [Recorded by Bukhari]

From this tradition jurists deduced that changing the religion is a crime which entails applying the death sentence on any Muslim who forsakes Islam. This needs some investigation because the word “Badala” translated as “changes” does not imply clearly the intended meaning of the tradition. Since that all Muslims from all sects agree that the Qur’an is the main reference for the Arabic language, let’s search for this word inside it so that we can understand its correct meaning and interpretation.

This word is mentioned in the Qur’an in several verses among them is the following relevant verse: “When Our clear revelations are recited to them, those who do not expect to return to Us say, ‘Bring us a different Qur’an, or make some changes in it.’ Say, ‘It is not for me to change it of my own accord.” [The Qur’an (10:15)].

I guess now things are starting to clear up. The word “Badala” means “tamper with,” “distort” or “make changes in.” So the correct translation of the tradition at hand is: “Whoever makes changes in his religion, kill him.” This is a protective order and punishment against anyone who would try to distort the teachings of Islam and deny any of its decisive teachings while he claims to be a Muslim. This was the case with the Arab tribes who refused to pay Zakah after the prophet’s death, they said that he was the only one entitled to collect and distribute it, and after his death, no Zakah is required any more. On that Abu-Bakr said, “I shall fight against those who have separated Zakah (as an obligation) from Prayers and want to change in our religion and its legal rulings.” [Recorded by Bukhari]

From this we can deduce that if a Muslim tries to distort the decisive Islamic teachings, he is sentenced to death as a traitor, not as an apostate. But as for those who may forsake Islam and embrace a different religion, or forsake all religions and follow a different path of their own choice without fighting against Muslims or committing any treason, they constitute no danger, nor have they committed a crime in choosing the path which they deemed more correct. Allah says: “Let there be no compulsion in religion,” “Whosoever wills, let him believe and whosoever wills, let him deny,” “We did not send you as a warder over them, your duty is but to convey the message,” etc. These, among many other verses stipulate the freedom of choice for every person.

Now some scholars will say “NO, you are wrong, these verses mean that we should not force anyone to embrace Islam, but after he acquires sufficient understanding of its teachings and have all of the misunderstood points explained to him, he is not allowed to apostate. Didn’t you see that many of those whom Abu-Bakr fought against apostatized in the sense that they totally forsook Islam and followed false prophets?”

Exactly, they followed false prophets who claimed that they were receiving new messages from Allah like Prophet Muhammad did, which is tampering with the decisive teachings of Islam, Allah says in the Qur’an: “Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but is Allah’s Messenger and the seal of all Prophets.” [The Qur’an (33:40)].

Prophet Muhammad also said, “Lying false prophets shall come forth from my nation, know that I’m the seal of the prophets, there shall be no prophets after me.” [Recorded by Abu-Dāwud]

“I’m Muhammad, the unlettered prophet, there shall be no other prophets after me.” [Recorded by Ahmad]

Based on the Qur’an and the Sunnah, Abu-Bakr fought against those traitors who fancied prophethood as a privilege, and went mad after the prophet’s death, each one of them seeking to subjugate people to his whim by claiming to be a new prophet. This is not apostasy, but distortion to the Islamic teachings and spreading disorder in the community. Moreover, those people prepared armies to attack Madinah, so what exactly is it that you wanted Abu-Bakr to do, stand watching and clap his hands?! If you revise the incidents mentioned by scholars to prove that the punishment of apostasy is death, you will find that the crime committed was not apostasy but treason. Let’s get back to the origins of this crime as mentioned in the Qur’an for better understanding.

When Muslims started building their capital in Madinah, the Islamic teachings about Jesus and Mother Mary P.B.U.T., and the corruptions in the previous Holy books started spreading among all people. The Jews dwelling there tried to respond to these teachings by seducing Muslims from their faith. They planned that some of them would embrace Islam, then after a short while apostatize claiming that Islam is a fake unworthy religion. This was an attempt to drive people away from Islam and spread disorder among Muslims. They were wishing to disseminate confusion among Muslims and facilitate for the pagans a way to destroy them once and for all. Allah informed Muslims of their plan in the verses that say:

“Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian. But he was an upright Muslim, and was not one of those who associate partners with Allah. The closest of all people to Abraham are those who followed him, and this prophet, and those who believe, and Allah is the Guardian of all believers. A group from the people of the Book loves to mislead you, while they mislead none but themselves, and they do not realize so. O people of the Book, why do you disbelieve in the verses of Allah while you are yourselves witnesses [to their truthfulness]? O People of the Book, why do you confound the truth with falsehood, and conceal the truth when you know [the reality]? And a group from the people of the Book said [to their people]: ‘Believe in what has been revealed to Muslims in the early part of the day, and [declare your] disbelief at the end of it, so that they may turn back, but do not believe [for real] except in those who follow your faith.’ Say [O Muslims], ‘Guidance is only from Allah.’ (But all that you do is due to your envy) that someone is given what is similar to that which you have been given, or that they argue against you before your Lord. Say, ‘All bounties are in the hand of Allah. He gives it to whom He wills.” Allah is All- Embracing, All-Knowing.” [The Qur’an (3:67-73)].

The people mentioned in the previous verses were planning for treason not apostasy. They didn’t believe in Islam in the first place so that we may call them apostates. Their main concerns were spreading disorder and dispersing the Muslims’ unity. The previous 2 traditions under discussion should be understood under the spotlight of these Qur’anic verses. Those who toy with religion and seek to spread corruption in the land should be sentenced to death for treason, not apostasy.

Those who embrace Islam and claim to be sincere Muslims while they lurk to destroy the Muslim community were again mentioned in the following verses. Allah informed the prophet about them and about their plans. He ordered the prophet to warn those traitors of a terrible fate in this life and the next if they do not desist.

“O Prophet, strive against those who deny the truth and the hypocrites, and be firm against them. Their abode shall be Hell: an evil destination. They swear by Allah that they did not, yet they uttered the words of disbelief after they had accepted Islam. They meditated a plot which they were unable to carry out, and being spiteful was their only response to Allah, who had enriched them out of His bounty, and to His Messenger. If they repent, it will indeed be better for them. If they turn away, Allah will punish them with grievous suffering in this world and the Hereafter, and there will be no one on earth to protect or help them.” [The Qur’an (9:73-74)].

What’s truly amazing about this debate is that apostasy is mentioned clearly in the Qur’an several times, but it has no punishment mentioned in this life whatsoever, neither implicitly nor explicitly. Let’s go through these verses to further understand that the crime intended by the previous traditions was treason and not apostasy. Allah says in the Qur’an:

“They will not stop fighting you until they make you renounce your faith, if they can. Whoever of you turns back from his faith and dies as a denier of the truth will have his deeds come to nothing in this world and the Hereafter, and he will be an inhabitant of the Fire, to abide therein forever.” [The Qur’an (2:217)].

“Those who deny the truth after accepting it and then grow in their refusal to acknowledge the truth, their repentance will not be accepted. They are the ones who have gone far astray.” [The Qur’an (3:90)].

“On the Day when some faces shall be bright and some faces shall be dark, it will be said to those with darkened faces, ‘Did you reject faith after accepting it?, taste then this punishment for having denied the truth’.” [The Qur’an (3:106)].

“Muhammad is only a messenger. Messengers have passed away before him. If he should die, or be killed, will you turn back on your heels? Those who turn on their heels do not harm the Lord in the least. Allah will reward the grateful.” [The Qur’an (3:144)].

“Those who have taken denying the truth as the price of their faith shall in no way harm Allah, painful punishment awaits them. Let not those who deny the truth think that granting them respite is good for them: We grant them respite only to permit them to indulge in their disobedience—shameful punishment awaits them.” [The Qur’an (3:177-178)].

“As for those who believe, and then deny the truth, Then again they believe, and again they deny the truth, thereafter they grow stubborn in their denial to the truth—Allah shall never forgive them, nor will He guide them. Warn the hypocrites that for them there is a painful punishment.” [The Qur’an (4:137-138)].

“Believers, if any among you renounce his faith, Allah will replace them by others who love Him and are loved by Him, who will be kind and considerate towards believers and firm and unyielding towards those who deny the truth. They will strive hard for the cause of Allah and will in no way take to heart the reproaches of the fault finder. Such is Allah’s bounty, which He gives to anyone He wishes. God is bountiful and all-knowing.” [The Qur’an (5:54)].

All of the above verses speak about apostasy, not treason, and all of them state that the punishment of apostates is not in this worldly life, but shall be in the hereafter. Verses (4:137-138) speak of a Muslim who would believe then deny, then again believe and then again deny, if killing apostates was Allah’s prescribed punishment for apostates, then how come that Allah speaks of a person who is swinging between apostasy and belief while not ordering once that he should be killed?!

From the previous simplified analysis, it should be clear now that there are two kinds of apostasy, the first kind usually occurs due to misunderstanding the Islamic teachings or the verses of the Qur’an. The following cases are a few examples which we face every day:

• A woman who may apostate when reading verse (4:34) that is always misunderstood to imply that beating women is allowed in Islam.
• Students who find in the evolution theory what proves that there is no God needed for the universe to exist.
• The youths who may not find the teachings of Islam coherent with the modern world.
• A person who may invoke Allah for certain things to happen, and when he does not receive his wish, he loses faith.

The previous among many other examples are a kind of intellectual apostasy. It should be dealt with by reasoning things out and explaining them calmly. We have seen many examples of Muslims who have apostatized in this manner, then after sometime they returned to Islam benefiting us with their experiences. Two famous examples of these are:

• Mustafa Mahmoud (1921-2009 A.D.): The knowledgeable writer, philosopher and Islamic thinker. He is among the most famous contemporary examples of this apostasy. He apostatized for three years during which he read about all religions and followed their ways in his trial to reach the truth, then finally he returned to Islam choosing it as the true path to the Creator, and wrote his famous books “An interview with my atheist friend,” “My journey from doubt to belief,” “The Mystery of Life,” “The Mystery of death,” “The Torah” and many other books that are considered a fortune for any truth seeker.
• Imam Abu-Hamed Al-Ghazzaly (1058-1111 A.D.): By all means, he is one of the most famous Muslim scholars through all times. He apostatized for two months which he spent in solitude doubting everything. After this he returned to Islam but much stronger in faith and wrote his famous books in critical thinking and philosophy which formed a corner stone for the European Philosophy centuries later.

The apostasy of the previous categories does not present a public threat for the community, nor does it contradict the human nature so that any scholar may hold it a crime that deserves punishment. If the 2 knowledgeable scholars we have mentioned apostatized, and they both needed time to think things over and reach the truth, then by all means, having doubts by laymen is something totally normal. Threatening to kill apostates could never produce a righteous community, it can only produce a community of hypocrites who are hiding their disbelief.

Some scholars will say: “We don’t harm apostates in any way except after granting them a chance to clarify their reasons for apostasy and discussing things with them for 3 days. If they are not convinced, then we have no choice but to issue a death sentence against them to protect others who are naïve from their seduction.”

No one should think that there is a fixed period in which an apostate can reach the truth. Some scholars like restricting this period to 3 days as if all apostates are alike, this is wrong. One apostate may need a few hours of thinking to return to Islam, another may need a couple of days, and some cases take years of research. The intellectual problems which we face in the modern world are much more complicated than things used to be 1400 years ago, justice says that every case should be dealt with separately. Besides, who is more dangerous, a person who states clearly that he doesn’t believe in Islam, or a person who hides his disbelief out of fear and gets filled with hatred against Muslims for subjugating him? By all means this is against Islam.

The Islamic teachings are about providing a fair chance for all people to choose their faith. Unlike other religions, in Islam, no religious knowledge is monopolized by any group or authority whomsoever. There is no priesthood in Islam. The Qur’an and the prophetic teachings are clear and available for any person to read and study carefully. Choosing to embrace Islam or disregarding it, is up to the person him or herself. No Muslim ever hides knowledge from others. Prophet Muhammad P.B.U.H. said, “Whoever hides knowledge shall be bridled with a bridle of fire on the judgment day.” [Recorded by Abu-Dāwud and others] Actually the Qur’an orders its reader to study it carefully, ask about all vague issues and think first before taking any decision regarding its truthfulness. If you are not convinced, then you have all the right to disregard it. Freedom of thought and belief are granted in the Qur’anic verses, but we must differentiate between those who are seeking after the truth and those who are toying with religion and seeking to spread disorder among the Muslim communities.

Among the very famous supplications which we were taught by the early generations is the one in which we say: “O Allah we ask you for truthful faith, beneficial knowledge, a pious heart, a tongue that is disposed to mention you continuously.” No one thinks that he or she has reached the apex of faith except a hypocrite, we all have our shortcomings, so who are you to judge that another Muslim deserve to be killed because he or she has an intellectual problem and needs time to think?! If Prophet Muhammad himself was forbidden to assign himself as a warder over people, then who are you to do that?! All we can do is to present the evidence, then it’s up to the people whether to believe or deny. Their choice is not our responsibility in any way.

As for the second kind of apostasy, it is the organized apostasy attempted by some people seeking to:

• Tamper with the decisive teachings of Islam,
• Spread disorder among Muslims,
• Double cross those who are naïve and entice them to renounce their faith,
• Propagate false information to defame Islam,
• Spy on Muslims for a while and plot for their destruction.

If any attempt of that sort was proven to be the intention of an apostate through some solid evidence, then he or she should be sentenced to death for treason, not apostasy. Such persons were never actually Muslims to claim that they apostatized, and Allah knows best,

May Allah guide us all to the truth, Amen.

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Written by: Ehab Shawky