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Islam and Apostasy: Difference between revisions
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==In Islamic law and scripture== | ==In Islamic law and scripture== | ||
===In the Qur'an=== | |||
The Qur'an does not assign a specific punishment for leaving the religion, as it does for instance for [[zina]]. Rather the Qur'an promises the punishment and wrath of Allah upon the believer who later leaves the faith: | |||
{{Quote|{{Quran|16|106}}|Whoever disbelieves in Allah after his belief... except for one who is forced [to renounce his religion] while his heart is secure in faith. But those who [willingly] open their breasts to disbelief, upon them is wrath from Allah, and for them is a great punishment;}} | |||
{{Quote|{{Quran|2|106}}|They ask you about the sacred month - about fighting therein. Say, "Fighting therein is great [sin], but averting [people] from the way of Allah and disbelief in Him and [preventing access to] al-Masjid al-Haram and the expulsion of its people therefrom are greater [evil] in the sight of Allah. And fitnah is greater than killing." And they will continue to fight you until they turn you back from your religion if they are able. And whoever of you reverts from his religion [to disbelief] and dies while he is a disbeliever - for those, their deeds have become worthless in this world and the Hereafter, and those are the companions of the Fire, they will abide therein eternally.}} | |||
===In the four schools=== | |||
Islamic jurisprudence is derived from the reported words of Muhammad, especially as interpreted and implemented by the ''Rashidun'' ("rightly guided") Caliphs and his other companions. | Islamic jurisprudence is derived from the reported words of Muhammad, especially as interpreted and implemented by the ''Rashidun'' ("rightly guided") Caliphs and his other companions. | ||
{{Main|l1=[https://wikiislam.net/wiki/Qur%27an,_Hadith_and_Scholars:Apostasy#Fiqh Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars: Apostasy#Fiqh]}}Imam Abu Hanifa’s prescription, as found in his student al-Shaybani's ''Kitab al-Siyar'', grants the apostate a period of three days to revert back to Islam before facing the death penalty. All four schools of [[Sunni]] [[Fiqh|jurisprudence]] are in agreement with this ruling, with only slight variations on whether and how the grace period and punishment are to be applied to females.<ref name="Maududi2" /> The Hanafi school of jurisprudence, the most popular school of jurisprudence in the world today, holds that female apostates form an exception to the rule and, rather than being killed, ought to be beaten every three days and put under confinement until death or repentance, while the remaining Shafi'i, Maliki, and Hanbali schools all agree the verdict for the female apostate is the same as for the male.<ref>'Abdurrahmani'l-Djaziri - [http://www.light-of-life.com/eng/ilaw/l5721et1.htm#p19 The Penalties for Apostasy in Islam According to the Four Schools of Islamic Law] - "The Case of the Female Apostate" (Pg. 19)</ref> In [[Shi'ism|Shia]] Islam, according to the Ja'fari school, the male is to be executed, but females imprisoned and beaten at the times of the [[Salah|daily prayers (salah)]].<ref name="PetersDeVries2">Peters, R.and G.J.J.De Vries (1976-77), 'Apostasy in Islam'. Die Welt des Islams 17, 1/4:1-25 [dare.uva.nl/document/228850 pdf of the article] or [https://www.jstor.org/stable/1570336?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents jstor article with free read access]</ref> All four schools also hold that the apostate must be: performing an act of free will, of adult age (beyond the puberty, in Islamic law), is of sound mind, and acting intentionally.<ref name="PetersDeVries2" /> It is important to note that the Islamic ruling on apostasy only applies to apostates from Islam, not to those who apostatize from other religions, and especially not to those who apostatize from other religions in order to convert to Islam, as this final act is considered to be highly meritorious. | {{Main|l1=[https://wikiislam.net/wiki/Qur%27an,_Hadith_and_Scholars:Apostasy#Fiqh Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars: Apostasy#Fiqh]}}Imam Abu Hanifa’s prescription, as found in his student al-Shaybani's ''Kitab al-Siyar'', grants the apostate a period of three days to revert back to Islam before facing the death penalty. All four schools of [[Sunni]] [[Fiqh|jurisprudence]] are in agreement with this ruling, with only slight variations on whether and how the grace period and punishment are to be applied to females.<ref name="Maududi2" /> The Hanafi school of jurisprudence, the most popular school of jurisprudence in the world today, holds that female apostates form an exception to the rule and, rather than being killed, ought to be beaten every three days and put under confinement until death or repentance, while the remaining Shafi'i, Maliki, and Hanbali schools all agree the verdict for the female apostate is the same as for the male.<ref>'Abdurrahmani'l-Djaziri - [http://www.light-of-life.com/eng/ilaw/l5721et1.htm#p19 The Penalties for Apostasy in Islam According to the Four Schools of Islamic Law] - "The Case of the Female Apostate" (Pg. 19)</ref> In [[Shi'ism|Shia]] Islam, according to the Ja'fari school, the male is to be executed, but females imprisoned and beaten at the times of the [[Salah|daily prayers (salah)]].<ref name="PetersDeVries2">Peters, R.and G.J.J.De Vries (1976-77), 'Apostasy in Islam'. Die Welt des Islams 17, 1/4:1-25 [dare.uva.nl/document/228850 pdf of the article] or [https://www.jstor.org/stable/1570336?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents jstor article with free read access]</ref> All four schools also hold that the apostate must be: performing an act of free will, of adult age (beyond the puberty, in Islamic law), is of sound mind, and acting intentionally.<ref name="PetersDeVries2" /> It is important to note that the Islamic ruling on apostasy only applies to apostates from Islam, not to those who apostatize from other religions, and especially not to those who apostatize from other religions in order to convert to Islam, as this final act is considered to be highly meritorious. | ||