The Truth about the Alleged Punishment for Apostasy in Islam — Page 111
111 man another chance after his apostasy! He had apostatized not once or twice but several times! Why it was allowed to happen and why he was not killed? Instead, Hadrat ‘Umar directed to allow him to accept Islam as many times as Allah allowed him. That is to say, he could accept Islam as many times he was apprehended, and that it was incumbent upon the ruler to let him off. What we have here is an inference of Hadrat ‘Umar ra. But even this inference of Hadrat ‘Umar ra does not give the scholars any right over the lives of other Muslims. Hadrat Umar ra pronounced that if the man would say that he was a Muslim, then, despite the history of his repeatedly apostatizing, each time on his confession of Islam, he was to let go. He was to decide his own fate. His word, despite the previous pattern, was acknowledged as reliable. No one can say that Hadrat ‘Umar ra had said that as the man’s falsehood was proven, because his betrayal was established, therefore, his word should not be paid heed to even if he accepted Islam one more time. So, how does the validity of death as punishment of apostasy is inferred from this Hadith? How can one infer that even if one repents, one should not be forgiven and whenever one apostates one should be killed?