The Truth about the Alleged Punishment for Apostasy in Islam — Page 16
16 to this third definition. How is it possible that this Hadith escaped the attention of the ulema? Today, the ulema are openly proclaiming that any Ahmad i , who recites L a il a ha illAll a h , would deserve to be put to death. We cannot tolerate it, under any circumstance, that an Ahmad i may recite L a il a ha illAll a h , or that he may go round wearing a badge of L a il a ha illAll a h on his lapel. The fatwas have gone to such limits as to declare that: 'if now we ever caught any Ahmad i in the act of reciting L a il a ha illAll a h , we will dismember his nose and ears!' Some fatwas have gone to the extent of declaring that it becomes obligatory upon every Muslim to kill any such Ahmad i who recites L a il a ha illAll a h , Mu h ammadur Ras u lull a h. And the argument they advance in support of their position is the one that has already been rejected by the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa. Their argument is: we prescribe this because L a il a ha illAll a h does not reside in their hearts; it only flows upon their tongues. It is astonishing. Such an act of transgression against that Spiritual Master sa whose devotional servitude they continue to profess. This constitutes an open revolt, and they insist on continuing in this rebellion. And, due to this rebellion, they practice such high-handedness and persecution that they are forcing the government authorities that they should follow the lead of the ulema and officially declare the legitimacy of a general massacre of all those Ahmad i s who proclaim to adhere to L a il a ha illAll a h , Mu h ammadur