Punishment of Apostacy in Islam — Page 21
21 the height of stupidity for anyone else to claim that he has been appointed a guardian over the people and God has bestowed upon him authority to compel people to accept Islam and to continue to adhere to it. Again it is said: Allah will keep a record of the doings of those who have taken protectors besides Him. Thou hast not been appointed a guardian over them (42:7). This means that it is for God Almighty to safeguard their actions and to call them to account if He so wills. This is followed by the verse: Thus have We revealed the Quran to thee in Arabic, that thou mayest warn the people of the central township of the land and those around it, and that thou mayest warn them of the Day of Gathering, concerning which there is no doubt, when God will judge between the people out of His majesty and glory and everyone will realize whether he is among those for whom the gates of the Garden have been opened, or is of those who will be driven to the blazing fire (42:8). Again it is said: Those who disbelieve in the Truth make fun of thee and say: Is this the one whom Allah has chosen as His Messenger out of all others? He had well nigh beguiled us away from our gods, had we not adhered to them steadily. When they behold the punishment they will realize who was most astray from the right path (25:42-43). This is followed by: Hast thou considered the case of one who has made his own evil inclination his god? Canst thou be a guardian over him to force him into ways of righteousness (25:44)? Today it has become a fashion throughout the world that people’s own inclinations have become their gods. Some of them have proclaimed that their