Purely
for academic reasons we can analyze the subject from the
Qur’an. The corresponding word in the Qur’an
is ‘IRTIDAD’. Its root is ‘R-D-D’
to derive its meaning from the Qur’an we refer to
verse 12:96
“And
when the bearer of good tidings came with the shirt of
Yusuf, he laid it over the face of Yakub, and he regained
(YARTADDA) his sight …..”
Simply
the word means, ‘to come back.’ or ‘to
turn back’. Assuming that the word Apostasy corresponds
to the Qur’anic term IRTIDAD, we find that this
word has been used only twice in the entire Qur’an.
“……..
And they will not cease to fighting you until they turn
you back from your faith (YARUDDOOKUM), if they can. And
if any of you turn back from his faith (YARTADID) and
die as disbeliever, their works will bear no fruit in
this life and in the hereafter. They will be the companions
of the Fire of Hell and will abide therein.”
Chapter
2 verse 217
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“O
ye who believe! If any from amongst you turn back from
his faith (YARTADID) soon will Allah produce a people
whom He will love and they will love Him ……”
Chapter
5 verse 54
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From
the above two verses it is quite clear that there is no
order to kill a MURTAD and it is only in Allah’s
domain to reward or punish a person on the basis of his
faith and beliefs. There are explicit verses granting
man the freedom to make a choice.
“To
you be your DEEN and to me my DEEN.”
Chapter
109 verse 6
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“We
showed man both the ways: whether he be grateful (SHAKIRAN)
or ungrateful (KAFOORA)”
Chapter
76 verse 3
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“Say,
this is the truth from your Lord. So whoever wills –
let him believe, and whoever wills – let him disbelieve.
For the Kafireen we have prepared the fire …..”
Chapter
18 verse 29
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“Let
there be no compulsion in religion. Truth has become clear
from error ….”
Chapter
2 verse 256 clearly sums up the matter:
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Death penalty for an apostate, meaning
a person who has renounced Islam, is not said in The Qur'an.
It is a different matter that with the establishment of
kingdoms and decline in moral standards, laws of the land
were enacted to suit the regimes of the times wherein
arbitrary, cruel and inhuman enactments were given Islamic
gloss. History is replete with such laws passing of as
divine ordinances and unfortunately the same blemish the
dignity of Islam till this day.
Apostasy
is one such legal myth. It was convenient for the rulers
of those days to execute opponents on the ground of apostasy
rather than treason. This quelled their guilt and provided
them an aura of self-righteousness.
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Team explore-quran.com
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