Punishment of Apostacy in Islam — Page 43
43 the people of the Book come to you, they say: We believe; but they come in disbelieving and go out disbelieving and Allah knows best that which they seek to hide (5:62). Another relevant verse is: He who turns back on his heels shall not harm Allah a whit (3:145). In this verse, turning back on his heels obviously means repudiation of Islam and apostacy, and no punishment for apostacy is mentioned. Also, the affirmation that such a one shall not be able to harm the Muslims at all also indicates that there was no such punishment for apostacy as is now alleged, for if such a one was to be executed immediately, there could have been no apprehension of his doing any harm to anyone. Another verse to the same effect is: Whoever takes disbelief in exchange for belief has undoubtedly gone astray from the right path (2:109). This also indicates that there was no worldly punishment for apostacy. All that is mentioned is that an apostate goes far astray from the right path. Thus there is nothing whatsoever in the Holy Quran from which any inference might be drawn that apostacy is punishable with death or indeed with any worldly penalty. It must, however, be clearly understood that we are concerned with plain and simple repudiation of Islam without any complication, such as an apostate joining the enemies of Islam and fighting along with them against the Muslims, or committing any other offence. Apostacy and Rebellion The advocates of apostacy being treated as a capital offence, or at