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A prominent Muslim writer has criticized non-Muslim critics of Sharia and dhimmitude for claiming that "apostasy from Islam was universally punished by death." And of course, he's right. No law in the history of the world has ever been universally enforced. But what's really disturbing about Islamic apostasy law is that some would like to see it enforced today: including the famous Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, who has been hailed as a "reformist" by no less a luminosity than John Esposito.
From "Accusing Muslim Intellectuals of Apostasy," in MEMRI, with thanks to Ali Dashti:
Sheikh Al-Qaradhawi Advocates Implementing the Ridda Death PenaltyIn an interview with the Egyptian weekly Al-Ahram Al-Arabi, Sheikh Yousef Al-Qaradhawi, one of the most prominent clerics in Sunni Islam and among Islamist circles and a spiritual leader for the Muslim Brotherhood movement, discussed the view of modern religious law on carrying out the punishment for ridda, and permitted the murder of free Muslim intellectuals whose views differ from those of Islamist clerics.
Asked, "In Muslim society, has an individual the right to change his religion as he wishes?" Al-Qaradhawi drew a distinction between two types of ridda: "One of the freedoms that Islam does not accept is the freedom of ridda that expands [from the realm of the individual to that of the group] and threatens the social fabric and its foundations. [On the one hand,] there is limited ridda, and [on the other,] there is ridda that expands [from the individual to the group].
"Limited ridda is the ridda of the individual who switches religion and is not interested in others. According to Islam, the punishment for this individual is [Hell] in the world to come…
"But [the other] ridda, which expands [from the individual to the group], is a ridda in which the individual who abandons Islam calls [upon others] to do likewise, [thus creating] a group whose path is not the path of society and whose goal is not the goal of the [Muslim] nation, and whose allegiance is not to the Islamic nation. Such [individuals] endanger the social fabric, and they are like the murtaddoon [apostates], who were fought by [the first Caliph] Abu Bakr together with the Companions of the Prophet [the Sahaba]. Those murtaddoon falsely claimed that they were prophets with the same inspiration as was given to the Prophet Muhammad…"
Asked what the view of the modern Muslim sage should be about the danger of ridda, Al-Qaradhawi replied: "The gravest danger facing the Muslim is the one that threatens his spiritual existence – i.e., that threatens his belief. Therefore, apostasy, or unbelief after having been Muslim, is the gravest danger to society…
"In our generation, Muslim society has been subject to violent invasions and severe attacks aimed at uprooting it, and these were manifested by the invasion of Christian missionaries that began with Western colonialism and is continuing in the Islamic world and among the Islamic communities and minorities [outside the Muslim world] … [and by] the Communist invasion that destroyed entire Muslim countries in Asia and Europe and made every effort to eliminate Islam and remove it ultimately from people's lives … and by the third and worst invasion, the secular invasion that is continuing to this day in the heart of the Islamic world, sometimes openly and sometimes covertly, and which persecutes the true Islam…
"For Muslim society to preserve its existence, it must struggle against ridda from every source and in all forms, and it must not let it spread like wildfire in a field of thorns. This is what Abu Bakr and the companions did when they fought the people of ridda who followed the false prophets… There is no escape from struggling against and restricting the individual ridda so that it will not worsen and its sparks scatter, becoming group ridda… Thus, the Muslim sages agreed that the punishment for the murtadd [who commits ridda ] … is execution…"(3)
In his book 'Islam and Secularism,' Al-Qaradhawi explains: "The Muslim sages agreed unanimously that anyone who denies something that is known in the religion … is an apostate who abandons his religion. The Imam must demand of him to repent, and recant his deviation from the righteous path, or the laws regarding the murtadd will apply to him."
Posted by Robert at February 20, 2005 7:31 AM
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How subtle. How thoughtful. It replicates exactly, almost word for word, the excuse for burning heretics in the worst periods of European history. From anti-semitism to heresy hunts, it really is true that what Western society has rejected, Islam has appropriated, metabolized, and taken to treating as sacred.
Posted by: Paolo![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jihadwatch.org/dhimmiwatch/nav-commenters.gif)
at February 20, 2005 8:54 AM
I'm sure the mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, who remains Qaradawi's close pal will be able to explain this. Nice choice of friends Ken!
Posted by: Sebastien at February 20, 2005 12:12 PM
The arguments laid out by Qaradawi are the same as those laid out by countries in order to justify sedition and treason laws. Thus, this becomes yet another evidence of political theological nature of Islam. This starkly contradicts some Left-wing apologists who posit that the Ummah does not exist.
Posted by: ted at February 20, 2005 1:11 PM
Sebastien, about Ken Livingstone: he is a vile anti-Semite of the worst sort. Some British politicians pursue the Muslim vote out of expediency and hypocrisy; he does so because he really hates what he calls "Zionism". When handed a dossier about Al Qaradawi, he refused to look at it because "it was put together by Zionists". That was bad enough, but the way he just called a Jewish journalist a Nazi and a war criminal - and totally refused to apologize - shows that he took his position because, well, it is his position. This sort of thing, we know, is not uncommon in his kind of Left. Personally, I will register to vote just in order to vote against him next time. I don't want a kill-the-kikes moron as the mayor of the city where I live, thank you very much.
Posted by: Paolo at February 20, 2005 3:29 PM
This is why CAIR is fighting for Sharia law in Canada,once they get it I know it will only be a matter of time before it expands to cover "Theo Van Gogh" murders on the Streets of Canadian Cities.
The media already censors their news as to not offend Muslims,the lawsuits and threats have
columnists and writers fearing for their lives from death threats by Muslims. Just wait until Sharia is used to enforce Quranic justice,Muslims
will support slaying the infidels for Allah or be an apostate to be slayed for Allh.
at February 20, 2005 7:21 PM
Nice foundation for a religion...Welcome to our beliefs, by the way if you want to leave we will have to kill you.
Moose
Posted by: Moose at February 20, 2005 9:02 PM
Good one, Moose. Makes me think this is the Religion of the Hotel California.
Posted by: ted at February 21, 2005 1:38 AM
Good one, Moose. Makes me think this is the Religion of the Hotel California.
Posted by: ted at February 21, 2005 1:44 AM
Not quite, Ted. At least, "you can check out any time you like" from the Hotel California.
Posted by: Paolo at February 21, 2005 6:16 AM
Ken's mate.
Ken Livingstone is a typical lefty hypocrite.
he so indoctrinated by his left wing socialist, communist beliefs he can't see the wood for the tree's.
The incident with the Jewish journalist, occurred at a party to "celebrate" the coming out of the closet of a gay labour party MP.
What is the penalty for homosexuality in islam?
DEATH
He writes an article in the Londoner freebie just last week in which he praises and defends freedom of religion.
What is the penalty for Apostacy ?
DEATH
He writes & preaches equality for women.
Well we all know how women are treated in islam.
Is he so indoctrinated by his leftwing views that he can't see the obvious contradictions in his "friendship" with his new mate ?
Posted by: apostate_islam at February 21, 2005 7:40 AM
Good point, Paolo. Reminds me of stories I've heard of Muslims converting to Christianity but keeping it a secret and continuing to behave in traditional Muslim ways in order to not be killed. Thus, the full lyrics of Hotel California would come to bear:
"You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave."
Also, Hotel California is about the Church of Satan on California Street in San Francisco. There is much to ponder in that implication as well.
Posted by: ted at February 21, 2005 11:33 AM
A Mosque and Islam is much like the "Roach Motel" where you check in but can't check out
because of the poison injested while assuming the nurishment would help you and not kill you.
The other choice is a giant "Mosque-E-toe"
BugZapper to vapourize them so they don't suck out our life-blood and kill the body they feed off of.
NO ISLAM - NO WAR
Posted by: ala-sux at February 21, 2005 10:09 PM
And here we see that vital element that seperates us from these primitive amoebas..... in our society freedom of choice in a persons beliefs is encouraged ; in hell.... sorry .... in the islamic ummah , if anyone dares to choose their belief they are capped off for their troubles.
And the liberals amongst us want us to be tolerant of them???
We need no further proove that our societies cannot co-exist, therefore muslims have no place in our society until either their cult changes completely, or they leave it behind like an unwanted car at a scrap-yard (the metaphor of scrap being enirely suitable for this particular sentence).
Posted by: Rikki at February 25, 2005 5:33 AM
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