Islamic apologists in the West routinely insist that Islam has no death penalty for apostasy, but as always, reality is otherwise. 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.”
“Death Penalty Now Mandatory for Apostasy in Mauritania,” Missions Box, June 8, 2018:
NOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania – On 27 April 2018, The National Assembly of Mauritania passed a law that makes the death penalty mandatory for anyone convicted of “blasphemous speech” and acts deemed “sacrilegious.”
Human rights experts from the UN, the African Commission of Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR), and more than 20 NGOs have called upon the government of Mauritania to review and rescind Article 306 of the Criminal Code that carries the mandatory death sentence for people convicted of blasphemous speech or any acted deemed to be sacrilegious.
Prior to 27 April, the law permitted three days during which convicted defendants were allowed to repent. It appears that the revision to the Code was engendered by the high-profile case of a Mauritanian blogger, Mohamed Cheikh Ould Mkhaïtir. Mkhaïtir, a member of the blacksmith caste, had posted a blog in “denouncing the use of religion to legitimize discriminatory practices” against his caste.
That was in 2014. Although his sentence was commuted to two years in prison, as of this article, he has not been released. His successful appeal, however, outraged the conservative Muslims in a country that seems bent on bringing its national laws into agreement with Sharia. Several months ago, prosecutors sought to reopen the case and to reinstate the death sentence….
The Minister of Defense defended the need for Article 306, saying that “what we had before was in contradiction with official Sharia code, the official law. We want to be as close to the real Sharia law as possible, so we needed to eliminate that discrepancy between the two.”
Article 306 is subtly aimed at Muslim apostasy and blasphemy. Technically, they become apostate if they convert to Christianity. Conversion becomes the legal grounds for imposing the death penalty….
elee says
“Human rights”? Only Muslims are human, others are subhuman and have no “human” rights.
mortimer says
elee, even Muslims in a Muslim state have few rights. They are all dictatorships and oligarchies. Everyone lives in constant fear of everyone else.
gravenimage says
Grimly true, Mortimer.
john spielman says
yup muhammed, that old reprobate demon possessed mas murderer thief liar, pedophile pervert, necrophiliac and supreme NARCISSIST is considered the ” perfect man of islam “!
that is why sharia compliant countries are all SH*T HOLES OF HUMAN RIGHTS!
Eur says
Muslims are slaves who enslave.
madpatriot says
Muslims and Islam is the evil of satan and not to be pushed on people! They are insane
and full of themselves, if they think anyone will listen to them, that has a true heart and brain! Muslims and Islam are rubbish, that needs to be fought and dealt with! They are NOT a religion, but a totalitarian governmental system that rules and ride rough shod over its people, who out of stupidity listen to such nonsense! It is nothing anyone should listen to or believe in that is decent. God, the real one is loving and not full of hate and arrogance like these people are! Their Koran was made up by Muhammad…an insane terrorist that killed his way through lands of that time!! Muslims need to be put in their place and told that they have the freedom to worship as they wish but they sure as hell have no right to demands a thing or expect us to kowtow to their insanity! How can they think they should be so put on a pedestal when they belong to Satan and all about them is evil!? Fools! They turbans are wound too tight in that bunch! Free people have the right to say what they think and believe on their own and live as they see fit…NOT according to these nut cases …yet many are moving into our nation and demanding what they have no right to…..they must go back where they came from if they want to rule their world without freedoms. If this insanity keeps up, America will nto be free either anymore. We will be subjugated just like muslims, only in a different way by our own! Muslims, who will never stop demanding and pushing ARE being dead wrong in all things! A most evil group, that must be told and put in their place, away from the free world- that doesn’t believe as they do or has to or wants to either! Stuff it muslims and go home, we do not want you here so take the illegals with you and leave! God, the real one, is all that is important to us…not your sharia of hell!
boakai ngombu says
no freedom of conscience in islam
if only more would learn that
mortimer says
You got, BN! How do we teach people who refuse to learn anything?
The freedom of conscience is a corollary of the Golden Rule, but the GR does not exist in Islam.
mortimer says
Sharia supremacism is a REALITY of Islam which over 60% of Muslims worldwide THINK they want. In REALITY, though, Muslims FLEE from Sharia dictatorships like rats from sinking ships!
Muslims LIE TO THEMSELVES about Sharia law and then they lie to the kafirs that Sharia requires them to hate ‘for the sake of Allah’.
Sharia law creates DYSFUNCTIONAL SOCIETIES and corrupt oligarchies that are undeniably the WORST and LEAST-DESIRABLE countries to live in.
Islam as a political philosophy is a prescription for FAILED STATES.
melek-ric says
Islamic theocrats love Shari’a. Muslims who aspire to be Islamic theocrats, or benefit from the theocracy, love Shari’a. All others fear it, hate it and dream of escaping it, but dare not say so.
boakai ngombu says
” Muslims LIE TO THEMSELVES about Sharia law and then they lie to the kafirs that Sharia requires them to hate ‘for the sake of Allah’….”
complete and total subjugation of the will is absolute slavery to whatever requires it
the muslim (slave to the allah god – the best of all deceivers) is enslaved to the LIE. only an act of the Living God can eliminate the bond of falsity and ennoble – not abase, encourage – not terrify, the spiritually impoverished muslim
boakai ngombu says
excuse. this comment was made in response to Mortimer’s 10:45 entry.
Agha Ali Arkhan says
At war, loyalty is mandatory.
LeftisruiningCanada says
In civilized cultures this is true. Traitors are a great danger, since they may pass on secrets and could be used as spies.
What secrets does islam have to hide that it will gladly kill for?
And yes, islam is always at war; with us, with themselves and with God Himself.
Older Canadian says
Is this surprising coming from a country that still has slaves? Nope!
Will western MSM even mention it? Nope!
Will the UN condemn it?
LeftisruiningCanada says
If the UN condemns something, but it isn’t Israel, does anybody care?
D J says
If a tree fell in the UN and killed all members of the OIC would anybody care?
duh swami says
A super deep study of Quran 4:89 reveals the true meaning…
Hug those who turn away and show them love and compassion so they will return to Allah…If they refuse your advances, then kill them…
Stacy Girl says
The hug will probably suffice for the killing. You’ve heard the phrase, “kill them with kindness.” Or in Arabic “Allahu Akbar.”
Gjallarhornet says
Bet the western liberals will storm the streets now, raving about how Mauritania has ‘misunderstood islam’ ….
LeftisruiningCanada says
But it’s their culture!
Gjallarhornet says
There we have another point: why do the left go on and on about ‘misinterpreting islam’ when they – on the other hand – proclaim that all creeds are equally valid and that everything is relative. Indeed, a central proclamation of post-modernism is that EVERYTHING is relative and that there is no universal truth to be found. So — does this not apply to koranic interpretation or what’s the doctrine here?
Rarely says
Without a death penalty for apostacy islam would probably disappear.
It should be relatively easy to enforce in muslim majority countries. but becomes somewhat problematic elsewhere. Adherents must be kept in perpetual ignorance so they don’t find out that the World is round thereby putting a big chink in the muslim armour.Tough to keep people totally ignorant in a country that mandates a minimum education level.
I guess we can expect a huge increase in muslim-murdering-muslim murders in North America in the near future IF we don’t get overrun before then.
gravenimage says
Grimly true, Rarely.
Carl Goldberg, PhD says
The official name of the country is “The Islamic Republic of Mauritania”. There is a reason for that.
Lydia Church says
I sense that….there will be….more Christian martyrs soon to enter heaven…!
Stacy Girl says
Seems like it was just yesterday that Nour was unsuccessfully dispelling the idea of a death penalty for Muslim apostates. Nour, you there?
Ashley says
I was thinking the same thing, Stacy Girl.
Ibrahim itace muhammed says
Mr Spencer, Muslims are not like Jews and Christians who change what God has decreed, because He is omniscient. It is boldly written in the Torah and Injeel (true Gospels) that whoever leaves the religion shall be put to death. In Islam ,it not mere leaving Islam by an individual that attracts death penalty. The apostate must withdraw his allegiance to Islamic community and does an act of rebellion before he can be tried for apostasy. if convicted he will be given 3 days to restore allegiance to Islamic community. This is exactly what had been the practice from the time of caliph Abubakar who fought apostates as rebels and they were tried. This is the prepondarant view of Muslim jurists and had been the practice among Muslim ummah for decades. The isolated opinion held by zahiri school is that mere leaving Islam leads to death penalty. This view has not been used by Muslim ummah.
Now ,since mauritania follows maliki school, which adopted the majority view, we can assume that mere leaving Islam will not lead to death penalty under their new law. In Nigeria where Sharia has been practiced in some states, mostly in Northern Nigeria, Maliki school is adopted, which means no death penalty for mere leaving Islam and no case was reported where a person is tried for mere leaving Islam, even under sokoto and Borno caliphates.
Rarely says
They don’t have time to kill the apostates when they are so busy killing everyone else.
What part of “Sharia Law is inherently evil” do you not understand? That someone gave his daughter a sweet before subjecting her to an honour killing or complimented his wife for a nice dinner before beating her does not convince ANYONE that Sharia Law is humane. That is to anyone but a brain dead muslim.
Non-muslims are not here on this Planet at the pleasure of muslims regardless of what the imams say.
Why is it that every muslim with a grade 8 education or better is called “Dr.”?
Ibrahim itace muhammed says
Rarely, there is nothing like honor killing in Islam. in the Quran that barbaric and savage practice of honor killing by pagan Arabs during jahiliyya (Darkness) period by burying her alive was condemned. Are you saying whatever a Muslim does is Islamic even if it contravenes the sharia ?Eg, where a Muslim commits adultery or takes intoxicant drink, does that make such acts permissible in Islam? You must be crazy
boakai ngombu says
itace, you are still dead in soul and now we learn that you read without understanding.
1) the koranic TORAH and INGIL are only partial, at best. neither of the koranic versions are “true gospels,” as you propose. so, you are reading without complete understanding; your knowledge is not complete.
2) “…Article 306 is subtly aimed at Muslim apostasy and blasphemy. Technically, they become apostate if they convert to Christianity. Conversion becomes the legal grounds for imposing the death penalty….”
the quote from the article refers to Article 306 and there is a death penalty. [this is not RS writing, but the report writer]
question to you: why should anyone die, even a slave of the allah god of islam (unknowable; the best of all deceivers), for having a qualm of conscience? human beings change their minds about matters … even slaves may have a fleeting thought that differs (be honest. you don’t/can’t obey the allah god in all things all of the time).
perhaps your mind is fuzzy from lack of nourishment these days.
gravenimage says
The vile Ibrahim itace muhammed wrote:
Mr Spencer, Muslims are not like Jews and Christians who change what God has decreed, because He is omniscient. It is boldly written in the Torah and Injeel (true Gospels) that whoever leaves the religion shall be put to death.
……………………………
Sane people who have read the Bible might wonder what Ibrahim itace muhammed is babbling about here–but Muslims claim that Jews and Christians “corrupted” the Torah and Gospels, which used to be just as savage as the Qur’an and Hadith.
Never mind that there is not the slightest scholarly or archaeological proof of this–in fact, all evidence is to the contrary. Not that devout Muslims care about rational proof.
This claim that Judaism and Christianity call for the slaughter of apostates is more of the same claptrap.
More:
In Islam ,it not mere leaving Islam by an individual that attracts death penalty. The apostate must withdraw his allegiance to Islamic community and does an act of rebellion before he can be tried for apostasy.
……………………………
Note that “an act of rebellion” can include mentioning they have left Islam or not going to the Mosque–let alone practicing another faith. In other words, an apostate is only safe so long as he gives no sign whatsever that he is no longer Muslim.
There is no freedom of conscience in Islam.
More:
if convicted he will be given 3 days to restore allegiance to Islamic community. This is exactly what had been the practice from the time of caliph Abubakar who fought apostates as rebels and they were tried. This is the prepondarant view of Muslim jurists and had been the practice among Muslim ummah for decades. The isolated opinion held by zahiri school is that mere leaving Islam leads to death penalty. This view has not been used by Muslim ummah.
……………………………
In other words, if the apostate does not return to Islam after three days, *then* he can be murdered.
Ibrahim itace muhammed has, in fact, affirmed here before that apostates can be murdered. *Ugh*.
More:
Now ,since mauritania follows maliki school, which adopted the majority view, we can assume that mere leaving Islam will not lead to death penalty under their new law.
……………………………
Uh…right. Except that the National Assembly of Mauritania just passed such a law.
And Ibrahim itace muhammed hs also said that anyone who “blasphemes” Islam can be murdered. Note that such “blasphemy” may just entail practicing another faith or saying you no longer believe in Islam.
More:
In Nigeria where Sharia has been practiced in some states, mostly in Northern Nigeria, Maliki school is adopted, which means no death penalty for mere leaving Islam and no case was reported where a person is tried for mere leaving Islam, even under sokoto and Borno caliphates.
……………………………
Actually, the Shari’ah states in Nigeria *do* have the death penalty for “blasphemy”.
Shari’ah states in Nigeria have not so far been able to stone girls to death, either, due to international pressure.
This doesn’t mean the victims will always be safe.
In fact, Muslim mobs regularly attack and even murder those accused of apostacy or “blasphemy”, and such atrocities are almost never prosecuted:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blasphemy_law_in_Nigeria
(Go down to “Selected Cases”)
Does Ibrahim itace muhammed have any problems with this? Of course not.
More:
Rarely, there is nothing like honor killing in Islam.
……………………………
Um…right. Never mind that Ibrahim itace muhammed has said that disobedient wives can be killed. I guess he just calls it something else…
More:
in the Quran that barbaric and savage practice of honor killing by pagan Arabs during jahiliyya (Darkness) period by burying her alive was condemned.
……………………………
Ibrahim itace muhammed here cites the *only* decent thing in all of the Islamic texts–that infant girls are not to be buried alive. Of course, this was *already* illegal under Judaism and Christianity, so it wasn’t really anything new.
But given that orthodox Islamic law per the Reliance of the Traveller has no penalty for Muslims killing their own children, it really doesn’t make much difference.
More:
Are you saying whatever a Muslim does is Islamic even if it contravenes the sharia ?
……………………………
A Muslim killing his wives, children, or apostates *doesn’t* contravene Shari’ah–that’s the whole point.
More:
Eg, where a Muslim commits adultery or takes intoxicant drink, does that make such acts permissible in Islam? You must be crazy
……………………………
It is fine so long as the Muslim is having extra-marrital sex with rape victims in Jihad or Infidel sex slaves.
But he’s right that Islam universally condemns sipping a beer–but pedophilia, piracy, slavery, rape, and mass murder are A-OK.
God, I hate Islam.
Wellington says
Another superb point by point refutation, gravenimage, of an opposing “viewpoint,” this time provided by that beacon of Islamic rectitude, one Ibrahim itace muhammed. Oh yeah, you could have been a trial attorney.
Ibrahim itace muhammed says
Wellington, she has refuted any thing because her head is empty suffering from mental delusion as of possession by the Satan Christians Call Holy Spirit.
Ibrahim itace muhammed says
I mean she has not refuted any thing
gravenimage says
Thank you, Wellington. High praise from you–it means a lot to me.
gravenimage says
Of course, Ibrahim itace muhammed is incapable of addressing a single point I made. No surprise there.
Eur says
The summary is much simpler. Mauritania, the illiteracy rate is very high and even more so among women. Illiterate societies are easy to control and religion is a very powerful weapon. Morocco, Mauritania, Gambia … illiterate countries and the worst for women. Islamic societies are the worst in the world for a woman to empower herself and that is fertile ground for religious fundamentalism. In South America, too, literacy is very low and religious social control is high … although nothing to do with Islamic societies, in which the most liberal is a theocratic, infected well.
Ren says
If there is no death penalty for apostasy in islam, islam would dissolve like heated ice long time ago.
Rarely says
And those 72 virgins would get a well-earned break.
Ren says
What 72 virgins?
somehistory says
islam: if it can’t keep them, the blind, slavishly devoted, then kill them.
Like the Aryan Brotherhood: the only way out is by the shedding of blood…the blood of the one wanting out.
The U.N has protested. But many of the members of the UN, are run by devotees to islam and its evil, unlawful, code of beastly demands.
No Fear says
Given the death penalty for leaving Islam, it is only fair that joining Islam (i.e. leaving “non Islam”) should be punished with the death penalty. All things must be equal!
JM says
Islam has much in common with Mara Salvatrucha (MS), commonly known as MS-13. For one thing, MS-13’s motto is “mata, viola, controla” – which means “kill, rape, control.” Sound familiar?
Also, attempting to leave either Islam or a vicious street gang usually leads to a death sentence, which is carried out with extreme violence and brutality, to warn other members not to attempt to leave the organization.
Sadly, however, most people are born into Islam. I feel sorry for them.
gravenimage says
Mauritania makes death penalty for leaving Islam mandatory: “We want to be as close to the real Sharia as possible”
………………
Mauritania is already a hideous Islamic sh*t hole that enslaves 17% of its population. This further savagery should not surprise.
Hari Singh says
Gee, how can conversion to Christianity be apostasy, when all the Muslims tell me Jesus was a Muslim.
duj swami says
Muslim with a lower case ‘m’, means belief in one God…Muslim with a capital ‘M’, means a member of a cult called Islam…So Jesus was a muslim, but not a Muslim…
isabella says
What about if you p on yourself by accident
IS that still the death penalty then
Tom says
When its participants are under threat of death for speaking out or for leaving, it is NOT a religion, it is a CULT.
Followers of a religion do so voluntarily because they believe in the tenets and purpose of the religion, as well as the promise of some form of eternalism.
If a group has to threaten participants to keep them then it is obviously not anything like a religion but is more like a criminal organization.
samuel says
For God’s sake…stuffing religion in the throats of those who resist to be lead like animals is brutal and ungodly. Nowhere in God’s scriptures does it say that God needs idiots to defend His will. I believe that people should be allowed to discover, on their own or through some outside on inside help, the path to follow particularly in spiritual matters.