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.”
“Friday Sermon: Islam endorses capital punishment for social stability,” by Murtadha Gusau, Premium Times, February 4, 2022 (thanks to The Religion of Peace):
…Dear brothers and sisters! Today, the question of whether to apply capital punishment for unusually severe or heinous crimes is a moral dilemma for civilised societies across the world. But for Muslims, Islamic law guides their views on this, clearly establishing the sanctity of human life and the prohibition against taking human life but making an explicit exception for punishment enacted under legal justice.
The Qur’an establishes that killing is forbidden, but as clearly establishes conditions under which capital punishment may be enacted. Allah Almighty says:
“… If anyone kills a person — unless it is for murder or for spreading mischief in the land — it would be as if he killed all people. And if anyone saves a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all people.” [Qur’an, 5:32]
Life is sacred, according to Islam and most other world faiths. But how can one hold life sacred, yet still support capital punishment? The Qur’an answered as follows:
“…Take not life, which Allah has made sacred, except by way of justice and law. Thus does He command you, so that you may learn wisdom.” [Qur’an, 6:151]
The critical point is that one may take life only “by way of justice and law.” In Islam, therefore, the death penalty can be applied by a court as punishment for the most serious of crimes. Ultimately, one’s eternal punishment is in Allah’s hands, but there is a place for punishment enacted by society in this life as well. The spirit of the Islamic penal code is to save lives, promote justice, and prevent corruption, mischief and tyranny.
Islamic philosophy holds that a harsh punishment serves as a deterrent to serious crimes that harm individual victims or those that threaten to destabilise the foundation of society.
According to Islamic law (in the first verse quoted above), the following two crimes can be punishable by death:
1. Intentional murder;
2. Spreading mischief in the land (Fasad fil-Ard).
Now let’s consider each of these in turn:
• Intentional Murder: The Qur’an legislates that the death penalty for murder is available, although forgiveness and compassion are strongly encouraged. In Islamic law, the murder victim’s family is given a choice to either insist on the death penalty or to pardon the perpetrator and accept monetary compensation (Diyyah) for their loss.” [Qur’an, 2:178]
• Spreading mischief in the land (Fasad Fil-Ard): The second crime for which capital punishment can be applied is a bit more open to interpretation, and it is here that Islam has developed a reputation for harsher legal justice than what is practiced elsewhere in the world.
“Spreading mischief in the land” can mean many different things, but it is generally interpreted to refer to those crimes that affect the community as a whole and destabilise society.
Crimes that have fallen under this description (Spreading mischief in the land) have included:
1. Treason
2. Apostasy
3. Terrorism…
Derek says
The most “logical” reason to kill the apostates is undefeatable. In the first place a kaffir is allowed to live if he accepts Islam. Thereafter if he leaves Islam then why should he not be eliminated.
Only those who accept to convert or those who accept to live a life of a dhimmi are permitted to live. So is it not logical to kill an apostate. Once you have joined the cult and know all its secrets, there is no way out. The only way out is – up.
Quite like the Mafia.
Michael says
I would endorse capital punishment for enticing to Islam, as it amounts to enticement to idolatry.
Derek says
Michael,
There is nothing evil about idolatry ? They do not profess to kill anyone who does not believe in their deity.
maria says
Me too
gravenimage says
Michael, civilized people do not act like Muslims.
mortimer says
Derek said, ‘…like the Mafia.’ Rather, the opposite is true. The Mafia was developed as a mirror image of Islamic jihad squads which used violence, threats, extortion, robbery and enslavement.
Historians now believe that the Mafia is a copy of what the Muslim invaders did in Southern Italy and Sicily. The Calabrians and Sicilians fought fire with fire.
HERE IS THE LOGIC of the Islamic death sentence for apostasy:
The reason for the apostasy execution is POLITICAL, because Islam is a POLITICAL SYSTEM. The apostate is a TRAITOR to the POLITICAL UNIT of Islam, so he must be executed as a POLITICAL TRAITOR.
The apostasy death sentence proves that Islam is not ‘merely’ a religion, but a complete system of GOVERNANCE (Arabic: ‘deen’), culture and society.
The death sentence for defection from Islam also demonstrates that Islam is permanently AT WAR with non-Muslim societies and non-Muslim cultures. Islam decrees that every Muslim should take part in the struggle (jihad) to take over the world and impose discriminatory Sharia law.
gravenimage says
True, Mortimer. The Mafia developed in Sicily, which was under Islamic conquest for centuries.
Walter Sieruk says
What that Muslim cleric said further confirms what with Islam there is no concept of separation, at all , between religion and government.
mortimer says
Walter is right on. The mosque and the state are united seamlessly in Sharia law. The chief role of the Islamic ruler is to impose Sharia, and, if he does not, the Muslim subjects have a right to make jihadic revolution against the lax ruler to overthrow him and replace him with a more fanatical Sharia-supporting ruler.
Michael Ccpeland says
“Separation of religion and state is not an option” – Dr JS Idris, Sudan
https://www.jihadwatch.org/2010/09/separation-of-religion-and-state-is-not-an-option-for-muslims-because-is-requires-us-to-abandon-alla
https://gatesofvienna.net/2020/02/islams-agenda-muslims-speak/
Michael Copeland says
“Separation of religion and state is not an option” – Dr JS Idris, Sudan
https://gatesofvienna.net/2020/02/islams-agenda-muslims-speak/
gravenimage says
Good exchange.
tim gallagher says
2022 and these Muslim knuckle draggers still think and also act this way. If you dare to leave Islam then you deserve to be murdered. Yeah, that sounds like a reasonable type of punishment. Seriously, all people should be ashamed to live, in the modern age, in this disgusting, moronically stupid, and evil 7th century way. Most of the human race has moved on centuries ago from such savagery, but there is Islam still carrying on with stone age crap like this.
Keith O says
The second sentence is very telling.
“Islamic law guides their thoughts on this”.
Translation, there is no free thought in islam and we will tell you, via a 1400 year old book with n relevance to todays world, what to think and control every aspect of your lives.
Michael Copeland says
“We follow blindly. You better follow blindly. You need to follow him blindly. “Blindly” means you don’t use your brain. (1.16) You may use your brain to understand what he said, but if you want to use your brain to reject what he said then you don’t need your brain any more.”
imam
We Follow M0hammed Blindly (video)
https://ne-np.facebook.com/DoctrineApologetics/videos/we-follow-m0hammad-blindly/636122597445309
Keith O says
Bastard, I had a mouth full of beer when I saw that!
Ty Ader says
Read Ayatolla Khomeini’s “Little Green Book”. It demonstrates how Islam seeks to dominate even the most trivial aspects of a person’s life
OLD GUY says
You know it is interesting how They the leaders of Islam keep telling us how evil Islam is and we still don’t see it. Can you imagine the media uproar if Lutheran’s, Methodist, Baptist or Catholic’s came out and said that church members who leave the faith should be killed? Sadly under Islam it is the truth.
gravenimage says
Muslim cleric defends capital punishment for those who leave Islam
……………
I believe this savagery from Murtadha Gusau is out of Nigeria. No wonder the barbaric Boko Haram have such a free hand there.