Among those whom Sheikh al-Huwayni would apparently consider “boozers and druggies” are Muslim spokesmen such as Salam al-Marayati, M. Cherif Bassiouni, and Ali Eteraz, all of whom (among many others) assure us that Islam has no death penalty for apostasy, despite Muhammad’s words, “Whoever changed his Islamic religion, then kill him” (Bukhari 9.84.57)
“Shaykh al-Huwayni: The Penalty for Apostasy Is Death; Only “Boozers and Druggies” Say Otherwise,” from Translating Jihad, November 8:
“They say that freedom of conscience should be provided to every human being…. because Allah Almighty says, ‘There is no compulsion in religion’.” So it is like a druggie interpreting the Qur’an.
“There is no compulsion in religion?” True. “Whoever will may believe, and whoever will may disbelieve?” True. However, this is on the condition that you do not enter the Islamic faith. You are free. No one is compelled to believe in, or convert to, Islam. You’re Christian? Be a Christian. You’re Jewish? Be a Jew. You’re in any other religion? Be whatever you like.
But you should know that Islam is a religion that has limitations and rulings. One of its established rulings, upon which all scholars unanimously agree, is that whoever enters Islam voluntarily, not forcibly–it is not permissible for him to apostatize from Islam. If he does that, the ruling upon him is death. You still want to enter the faith with this punishment? Fine. You don’t want to enter? Fine? We don’t need a curse. We don’t want you either. This is the ruling in Islam. “There is no compulsion in religion”? Ah. […]
But some say “There is no compulsion in religion.” He doesn’t pray? “There is no compulsion in religion.” He doesn’t pay alms, or perform the hajj, or fast? “There is no compulsion in religion!” What Muslim scholar has ever approved this? No one ever has, and no one ever should speak this nonsense. The only ones who advocate this are druggies and boozers. At a time when people are reaffirming the Islamic doctrine in every corner on earth, such advocates want to get rid of Islam.