The Truth about the Alleged Punishment for Apostasy in Islam — Page 113
113 and the ruler of the time (or the victorious general) decides that he is to be killed because he had fought against him and had killed his comrades, but the captive, to save his life, accepts Islam, then what should be done to that person? It is the legal right of the ruler or victorious general to choose to forgive or order death penalty. Then the moment he renounces Islam he, as it were, presents himself to the authorities to be killed. In such a case it would be obvious that the decision to kill him at the first place was right. In any case a sword would always be hanging over his head. No one can be permitted to escape justified verdict against himself through deception. But this is quite a separate subject and has nothing to do with apostasy. A TRADITION OF THE ‘AL I RA ERA: We now enter the era of Hadrat ‘Al i ra. Here again, a most perilous looking Hadith, (rather a narrative, which has an associated Hadith) is presented. The credibility of this Hadith is apparently very strong. I shall discuss it is some detail. But first I shall quote the Hadith as it is found in S a hih Bukh a ri. The Hadith is: