Punishment of Apostacy in Islam — Page 1
1 The Holy Quran on Freedom of Conscience From one point of view the universe created by God Almighty is divided into two portions. A large portion does that which it is commanded by God Almighty to do, and thus carries out the will of God. The other portion has been given the choice to carry out God’s behest or to ignore it. This second portion is man upon whom God Almighty has conferred freedom of action. Everything besides man carries out that which God Almighty desires it to do. For instance, the Holy Quran says concerning the angels: They do that which they are commanded (66:7). From this point of view everything besides man is an angel, as it does that which it is commanded to do. The winds carry out whatever they are commanded. During a particular season the trees are commanded to shed their leaves and they do so. The fields are sometimes commanded to produce good harvests and they do so. Sometimes God commands them: I am wroth with a certain region of the earth, so let it bring about conditions of famine, and the same region which has previously produced the means of nourishment for the people, thereupon brings about conditions of famine. Islam is the religion of nature. So far as man is concerned the notion of compulsion in human life is inconsistent with the