Apostasy for Muslim is a sensitive issue that can not be discussed to deeply without the present of scholars. But this article is not to discuss the problem of apostasy among Muslims.
Apostasy for Muslim is a sensitive issue that can not be discussed without the present of scholars. But this article is not to discuss the problem of apostasy among Muslims. This article will only provide religious rules concerning the question of apostasy. Hopefully those who do not quite understand what it is apostasy in Islam will find little enlightenment from the writings of this article.
First of all it should be stated that there are no compulsion for any one to convert from their religion to Islam and this is explain in the Holy Koran; "There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion. The right course has become clear from the wrong. So whoever disbelieves in Taghut and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy handhold with no break in it. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing." (al Baqarah 2:256)
But for a Muslim by birth or by their own freewill had accept Islam as his religion, it is strictly forbidden for him to leave Islam and if apostasy do happen, he will have to face the consequences. This is explain in the Holy Koran :"And whoever desires other than Islam as religion - never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers." (Ali Imran 3:85)
What is an apostasy in Islam? Apostasy occurs when a person does not comply to the teachings of Islam or to leave and to separate ourselves from religious believe. If a person legalize things that are forbidden by Allah and legalize things that Allah forbid, it is also tantamount as apostasy and shall be punished as an apostate.
In Islam An apostate is a person who turned away from the light to the darkness. In Islam those who commit apostasy should not be left in a fallen state from a believer into the unbeliever. For apostasy there is law that governed this particular act.
What are the sanctions that are provided by the law of Islam? These sanctions can only be conducted by the state not by the ordinary public. Things are not taken lightly regarding apostasy in Islam. Apostasy has been determined to fall under the penalties of hudud.
Hudud law which covered only serious offences such as stealing and murdered. Apostasy has been regarded as serious offense therefore the punishment provided is death but certain condition should be fulfilled by the authority before could carry out the death sentence.
When the incident of apostasy occurred among individual Muslim, an apostate then become the responsibility of the government to ensure that the perpetrators of the apostate repents. First action is to separate him from the public. The government must persuade through advice and motivation the apostate to return to Islam, and if that effort fails, the death sentenced would be carried out.
Such executions have occurred in the era of the Companions of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) such as Abu Bakr, Umar and 'Ali radhiallahuanhum. The action taken is based on the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad that means:"any man who becomes an apostate from Islam, then tell him to repent and if he return to Islam free him, and if not then beheaded him, and any woman who becomes an apostate from Islam, then tell her to repent and if she return to Islam free her, and if not then beheaded her."
Islāmic law also stated that the marriage of an apostate is not valid. If he was married before becoming apostate then his wife must leave him.The slaughtering of animal for food by an apostate is forbidden to be consumed by Muslims. Apostates also cannot accept any inherited estate, and if he has property then the
property also cannot be inherited by his Muslim relatives.
When a Muslim has become apostate, whether due to his "iktikad" (faith) or speech or conduct, meaning he has committed a criminal act not only to himself but to his family and the Muslim community as a whole. Therefore it should be understood Islam never compel others to convert oneself to Islam but once a Muslim there shall be no change of heart.
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