The Truth about the Alleged Punishment for Apostasy in Islam — Page 70
70 will soon bring a people" describe a people who are yet to come in the future. If the punishment of apostasy was death by the hands of a people who were yet to come, then it meant that the Holy Prophet sa and his servants (Companions ra )—God forbid—were not the people who loved Allah and nor did Allah love them! Those were the people who were being informed about apostasy, and yet there was none among them with a sense of honour for their faith and a passion to obey Allah, showing courage to fight with those apostates! What an abhorrent argument it is! This is a severe attack on the faith of the Holy Prophet sa and his servant Companions! ra It would mean as if Allah was telling the Holy Prophet sa that if anyone from among his Companions ra who were being purified by him turned to be an apostate, then he was to do nothing — not to worry at all! Allah would bring forth such a people who loved Allah, and Allah loved them, and their characteristics will be that they will be kind to the believers and very harsh towards the disbelievers, and they would destroy them with the sword! "They will strive in the cause of Allah" 69 is translated to mean what is said at the end of above paragraph i. e. the new faithful followers will fight with sword against the apostates! But the fact is that the term "JIHAD" has vast meanings. Elsewhere the Qur’an says: ["Strive against them 69 The Holy Qur’an 5:55. [Publisher]