Apostacy in Islam: through the eyes of a former apostate Dr. T. O. Shanavas Opinion
A Few years ago, during question-answer session in the Islamic Center
of Greater Center, a member inquired about the punishment for apostasy
in Islam. It is an unfortute common belief among many Muslims that
Shariah prescribes death for the apostate!
I was once an
apostate and openly declared I did not believe in Islam and rejected
even the existence of God. Thank God! I was then living in a country,
India, where people did not execute apostates. I thank God for giving
me a chance to repent and return to the fold of Islam. I, being an
apostate once, became free from the cultural and ethnic Islam to study
true Islam with an open mind. "Islamic scholars" and imams do not
anymore control my mind and beliefs unless their decrees (fatawa) are (1) in conformity with the Qur'an, (2) the hadiths that they quote do not contradict the Qur'an.
Many Muslims today practice an ironic form of idolatry (in Islamic terminology, shirk, the one sin Allah does not forgive).
We, Muslims, criticize other religions for not being truly
monotheistic, yet so many of us are guilty of another, more subtle form
of shirk: we worship our scholars instead of Allah! We commit the sin
for which other people are condemned by God in the Qur'an:
"They have taken as lords besides Allah their rabbis and their monks
and the Messiah son of Mary, when they were bidden to worship only one
God. Be He glorified from all that they ascribe as partner unto Him!”
[9:31]
Now, most classical commentators of the Qur'an agree that the grave
transgression alluded to here is not the literal worship of the learned
people. According to Tirmidhi, the Holy Prophet was asked to explain
this verse by Adi ibn Hatim, a convert (or apostate)
from Christianity, and he confirmed that the sin was the people,
"considering lawful what their priest declared lawful, even though it
was forbidden by Allah." (Al-Jami, 44:9;IJ).
I believe that many Muslims are reluctant to speak up because many
"Islamic" cultures today encourage docility and teach to
unquestioningly accept the decisions of "qualified" scholars. This is a
new phenomenon; in the time of Muhammad (s),
ideas were only supported after they had been proven to be in harmony
with the Qur'an. Scholars could not just pull rank, as they were
expected to be able to argue their cases. In fact, in a famous incident
of Islamic history, a humble woman of Medina publicly corrected the
Caliph. One day, Hazrat Umar (RA) was announcing a
change in the rule mahr, when the woman in the crowd suddenly stopped
him in his track by loudly quoting a verse of the Qur'an which
contradicted his proposal. He had to relent, saying, "The women of
Medina know the Qur'an better than Umar." So, it is time for Muslims to
question the imams and scholars if they deviate from the Qur'an and
hadiths that do not contradict the Qur'an. We must not only be
satisfied by the answer of the scholars, but we must verify the source
of their references. Remember, if Hazrath Umar (RA) can make a mistake, ordinary scholars and ordinary people like us also can make greater mistakes.
The Qur'an and the sayings of the Prophet (s)
require Muslims to think critically. Pagans are repeatedly berated for
not questioning, for not using reason, even being compared to dumb
animals on several occasions!
"When it is said unto them:
'Follow that which Allah has revealed:' they say: 'Nay! We shall follow
the ways of our fathers.' What! Even though their fathers were void of
wisdom and guidance?....Deaf, dumb, blind, therefore they have no
sense.” [2:170-171]
"He it is Who has sent down to thee the Book: In it are verses basic or fundamental (of established meaning); they are the foundation of the
Book.....” [3:7]
"Will they not then ponder on the Qur'an? If it had been from other
than Allah they would have found herein much incongruity.” [4:83]
So, the principle established here is that (1) Muslims are required to think critically and not blindly accept the authority of their scholars, and (2)
that the clear message of the Qur'an is to be preferred to any isolated
law interpretation which contradicts the Qur'an's clear spirit.
The Qur'an teaches that human beings are individually responsible. So,
I believe that Allah would not forgive my sins on the Day of Judgment
even if my sins were the result of following the advice of a certain
Imam. I would not be able to hide behind any Imam or behind his fatwa
even if coming from the most respected and revered Imam of any time.
Therefore, views expressed here are my opinions based on the references
given. I do not claim to be a scholar, but there are sometimes cases
where the violation of the Qur'an is so self-evident that all Muslims
can see them.
I believe that inhuman law of apostasy has nothing to do with Islam of the Prophet (s)
and it is an interpolation into Islam by fanatics among us and the
selfish rulers. There are many reasons for me to believe that execution
for apostasy is a manufactured law rather than divine law.
Holy Prophet (s)
spent his entire life fighting in defense of fundamental human rights
that everybody should be free to choose his religion; no one must be
physically forced to change religion. Prophet (s)
struggled with the Meccan establishment to have the freedom to invite
non-believers to Islam. This was consistent with the practices of all
other Prophets.
The Qur'an states:
"...There is no compulsion in religion. The right direction is here forth distinct from error...”[2:256]
In the light of the above verse, a person has to be insane to belief that Islam prescribes execution for apostasy.
The Qur'an further states:
" Say (Muhammad it is) truth from Lord of all. Whosoever will, let him believe,
and whosoever will, LET him disbelieve.” [18:29]
In no uncertain terms, Allah commands Prophet to allow people to
believe and disbelieve. If the Shariah recommends to kill an apostate,
this law cannot be Islamic because it contradicts the above two verses.
The Qur'an further states:
"And so, O Prophet, exhort them, thy task is ONLY to exhort; thou canst NOT compel them to believe.” [88:21-22]
"Thy duty is to make the message reach them; it is OUR PART to call them to
account." [13:40]
"Call thou (all mankind) unto thy Sustainer's path with wisdom and goodly exhortation, and argue with them in MOST KINDLY MANNER...” [16:125]
While the Qur'an commands the Prophet (s)
not to compel people to believe in Islam and invite people with the
most kind manner and words, fanatics among us threaten people with
death mercilessly to keep them in the Muslim Ummah as hypocrites as if
the dishonest hypocrites are better than honest apostates. It is a most
heinous crime against Islam and Prophet (s) to
manufacture inhuman law of execution of apostate. If the Qur'anic
verses tell the Prophet not to compel people to believe in Islam (88:22) and the responsibility to call disbelievers to account rests with God only (1:40), the law of execution of apostates is of human origin.
Initial reluctance of the people of Arabia to accept Islam disturbed Prophet (s). Then the following verse was revealed:
"And had your Lord willed, whoever in the earth would have believed all
together, will you then coerce people to become believers?” [10:99]
According to the above verse, even God will not coerce people to become
Muslims or remain as Muslim once a person accepts Islam. So, Muslims
must condemn the law of apostasy and save innocent Muslims becoming
intolerant and violent by the henious indoctrination by fanatics among
us because Allah says:
"Who can be more wicked than the one who invent a lie against God,...” [6:93]
So, religious belief is a personal matter. It is God alone --not the
state or religious authorities--who know what is in the heart of the
people. If the highest human authority, Prophet (s),
cannot call anyone to account for belief or disbelief, no sane person
can believe that religious scholars and the state have the authority to
execute people for their personal belief.
The Qur'an states:
"A section of the People of the Book say: 'Believe in the morning what
is revealed to the believers, Bur reject it at the end of the day;
perchance they may (themselves) turn back." [3:72]
A section of People of the Book used a tactic to create doubt among the
Muslims in the hope that some of them might thereby be beguiled into
repudiating Islam. How could it be possible for non-Muslims to have
enacted this plan to entice Muslims to believe one day and reject next,
if death was the penalty for apostasy? This tactic of a group of People
of the Book mentioned in the Qur’an exposes apostasy law of the Muslim
fanatics as un-Islamic. In spite of the deceptive behavior, the above
verse cautions Muslims that “perchance they may themselves turn back”
truly to Islam. The Qur’an does not rule to kill the apostates.
Abdullah b.Ubayy b.Salul was the leader of the munafiqun (hypocrites). But Prophet (s)
took no action against him. Prophet prayed for him and stayed at the
grave until he was buried. Those fanatics among us must explain the
reason for Prophet (s) not executing the known
hypocrites like Abdullah b.Ubayy. Ubbay lived until death plotting to
destroy Islam and Prophet knew it. He was not executed for apostasy.
This suggests that apostasy law is not a divine law but interpolation
by fanatics among us.
Another verse states:
"Those who believe, then reject Faith, then believe (again)
and again reject Faith, go on increasing in Unbelief--God will not
forgive them nor guide them on the Way.” [4:137]
An
apostate cannot enjoy the repeated luxury of believing and disbelieving
if punishment is death. A dead man has no further chance of again
believing and disbelieving. Furthermore, if taken at face value, this
verse indicates that God will only withdraw His guidance after repeated
rejections. It does not tell Prophet (s)
to kill these apostates. So, what right do these religious authorities
and imams have to deprive a person of access to the divine guidance
after the first?
The Qur'an states:
"How shall God guide those who reject Faith after they accepted it and
bore witness that the apostle was true and that clear signs had come
unto them? But God guides not a people unjust. Of such the reward is
that on them (rests)
the curse of the God, of His Angels, and of all mankind;--In that will
they dwell; nor will their penalty be lightened, nor respite be their
lot;--except for those that repent (even) after that, make amends; For verily God is oft-forgiving, most merciful.” [3:86-89]
It is obvious from these verses that no punishment is to be inflicted
by one man or another for apostasy. By no stretch of the imagination
can the phrase, "curse of Allah," be interpreted to be a license to
murder anyone who he considers to be an apostate. If any such
commandment was prescribed it would have been clearly defined as all
other punishments are in the Holy Qur'an.
The fact is that the Qur'an even mentions that apostates can be
forgiven if they amend and repent. How could they repent if apostates
are killed? By forced repentance? Then, does not Qur'an state that
there is no compulsion in religion? The one verse that states that
there is no compulsion in religion should be enough for a fair minded
person to realize that Islam does not teach death to apostates.
Finally, can any one hadith suggesting to kill the apostate invalidate
all the Qur'anic verses quoted earlier? We, Muslims, blame the West for
anti-Muslim reporting. What do you expect from the West if we provide
the sticks to beat us up? Will Muslims object the persecution of the
new Muslim convert for his/her apostasy by his/her erstwhile
co-religionists? If we believe that it is injustice to kill a new
Muslim by non-Muslims for his/her apostasy from his/her former faith,
you must give the same just treatment to Muslims who become Christians,
Jews, Hindus, atheists, etc. Let Allah call to account those people who
left Islam.
I, like many Muslims, am still bitter over smear jobs done on my
religion by Western media over the Gulf war, and the Rushdie affair.
So, the last thing that I want is to see Islam slandered all over again
because of the barbaric and un-Islamic apostasy law. Ask yourselves:
what kind of religion kills people for simple choice of faith, a change
of heart? Not a religion of love and peace, not a religion worthy of
respect! Perpetuation of the law to kill apostates can only increase or
create doubts in the heart of the Muslims and potential Muslims, as
people everywhere are already bombarded by negative images of Islam.
My message to those Muslims who, like me, yearn to project true
compassionate face of Islam is that Dawa will never be successful in
the West as long as crazy nonsense of law of apostasy is unchallenged
by Muslims. If Muhammed Ali, Cat Stevens, and Murad Hoffman were
harassed by a reactionary Christian group, the Muslims will be up in
arms! We must be consistent in our attitude and compassionate to those
Muslims who want to leave Muslim community.
"Believers, men and women, are protectors, one of another: they enjoin what is just, and forbid what is evil....” [9:71]
Therefore, let us protect the rights of all people to have freedom to
believe and disbelieve. In closing, Islam is only vulnerable when
Muslims abandon its clear teaching of reason, religious freedom,
tolerance, and peace.
Note: The views expressed in these articles does not necessarily represent the views of Muslims in Toledo, Ohio nor the views of ToledoMuslims.com, it's staff, owners, editors, webmaster, or writers. The views expressed represent the views of the writer only. ToledoMuslims.com is not responsible for any of the expressed views. Please feel free to comment on our articles in the article discussion area provided.
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