In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Some skeptics claim that the prescribed punishment for apostasy in Islamic law is inconsistent with the freedom of belief that Muslims boast about through His saying: "There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion" (Al-Baqarah 256). They question: Isn't this a form of coercion to remain in Islam?

The faces of refuting the doubt:

1) Freedom of belief is one of the fundamental principles of freedoms in Islam and the most important.

2) The meaning of apostasy, its causes, and the resulting harms imply that the punishment for apostasy is not a suppression of freedom of belief; the issue is not personal, but rather the fate of a nation and the future of a religion.

3) The ruling differs based on the circumstances; disbelief is a reason that necessitates killing in the case of apostasy, but it is not a reason for it in the case of original disbelief.

4) Islam has established a set of precise regulations for the implementation of the punishment for apostasy, and has granted the authority to enforce this punishment to the ruler of the Muslims – or his representative – and no one else.

The detail:

First. Freedom of belief is the foremost principle of liberties in Islam and the most important one.

In this principle, God's honor for humanity is manifested, along with respect for their will, thoughts, and feelings. It leaves the matter of guidance and misguidance in belief to the individual, holding them accountable for their actions and urging them to reflect on themselves.

These are the most essential characteristics of human freedom; for the liberation that we deny to humanity in our time is a form of oppressive ideologies and humiliating systems, which do not allow this being, whom God has honored by granting him the choice of his beliefs, to harbor within his conscience a vision of life and its systems that differs from what the state dictates through its various guiding apparatuses, and what it subsequently imposes upon him through its laws and regulations. Thus, he must either adopt the state's ideology or face death by various means and causes.

Freedom of belief is the first human right that grants a person the label of "human." Therefore, anyone who deprives a person of their freedom of belief is essentially stripping them of their humanity from the outset.

Islam calls for no compulsion in religion, and it is the one that makes clear to its followers, before anyone else, that they are prohibited from forcing people into this faith. It is not permissible to coerce anyone to abandon their religion and adopt another.

The freedom of a person to choose their religion is the foundation of belief, and from this, the Quran emphasizes this point unequivocally in His saying: "so whoever wills - let him believe; and whoever wills - let him disbelieve." (Al-Kahf 29). The Prophet – peace be upon him – recognized religious freedom in the first constitution of Medina when he acknowledged that the Jews, along with the Muslims, form one nation.

It was part of the policy of the Prophet – peace be upon him – and his wise management to start with these Jews with kindness and extend to them the hand of brotherhood, agreeing with them on cooperation; so that the entire city would be united as one. He – peace be upon him – wrote a treaty that outlined the rights and duties of Muslims and the rights and duties of Jews. This treaty stated: "The Jews of Banu Auf are an Ummah with the believers. The Jews have their own religion and the Muslims their own." [1] It embodies the freedom of belief in its highest meanings.

From the standpoint of the religious freedom guaranteed by Islam for all of humanity, the second caliph, Umar ibn al-Khattab, may God be pleased with him, granted Christians – the inhabitants of Jerusalem – safety for their lives, churches, and crosses, ensuring that no one among them would be harmed or forced to abandon their faith.

Islam has also guaranteed the freedom of religious discussions based on objectivity, away from bickering or mocking others. In this regard, the Holy Quran states: "Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best" (An-Nahl 125).

Based on these principles of tolerance, dialogue between Muslims and non-Muslims should take place. The Holy Quran has directed this call for dialogue to the People of the Book, as He, the Exalted, said: "Say, "O People of the Scripture, come to a word that is equitable between us and you - that we will not worship except Allāh and not associate anything with Him and not take one another as lords instead of Allāh."1 But if they turn away, then say, "Bear witness that we are Muslims [submitting to Him].'" (Al-Imran 64).

This means that if the dialogue does not reach a conclusion, then each person has their own faith that they believe in. This is also expressed in the last verse of Surah Al-Kafirun, which includes the words – may He be exalted – to the polytheists on the tongue of Muhammad, peace be upon him: "For you is your religion, and for me is my religion." (Al-Kafirun 6).

Here we wonder: Does freedom of opinion grant its holder in any human society the right to rebel against that society, reject its rules, and oppose its members? Is betraying the homeland or spying for its enemies considered freedom? Is spreading chaos within the Islamic community and mocking its rituals and sanctities considered freedom?!

Therefore, the issue of apostasy needs clarification so that we can understand its dimensions. The Book of God, the Almighty – the Holy Quran – and the teachings of His Prophet – peace be upon him – affirm, for example, that God is one, that the Hereafter is true, that retribution is just, and that fasting is obligatory…

This means that anyone who embraces Islam accepts all these teachings and implements them. So, if someone comes along and says: "I believe in God but reject belief in the Hereafter," or "I believe in both but reject the laws of fasting and retribution," and so on, should this person be allowed to tamper with the religion of God – the Almighty – in this manner?

No, and a thousand noes...! Either he returns to his senses and rejoins the community, or his removal becomes necessary to protect the faith from his antics. If a person harbors doubts, it is the duty of those well-versed in knowledge to dispel them. If these doubts linger in his heart and he isolates himself without anyone sensing the danger, that is one thing. However, if he begins to entertain the idea that, for example, a man should not lead the household, or that he should not receive a double share in inheritance, or if he believes that the system of usury should prevail and dominate the entire economy, and then this person turns into a proponent of his idea and tries to implement it by various means, that is something that cannot be accepted in the name of Islam. To persuade Islam to accept such a situation is folly, and demanding that it provide the right to life and movement for those who wish to undermine its foundations and lower its banner is truly astonishing. There is no society in the world that commits suicide in such a misguided manner.

It was necessary to put an end to this reckless behavior in light of his confusion and psychological distress. Therefore, Islam established the punishment for apostasy to eliminate this intellectual turmoil. So, what is apostasy? And what are its justifications?

Secondly. The meaning of apostasy, its causes, and the resulting harms necessitate that the punishment for apostasy is not a violation of freedom of belief:

Apostasy and deviation: returning to the path one came from, but apostasy specifically pertains to disbelief, while deviation can be used in this context and others, as mentioned in the Holy Quran in the verse: "O you who have believed, whoever of you should revert from his religion" (Al-Ma'idah 54), and in another verse: "And whoever of you reverts from his religion [to disbelief] and dies while he is a disbeliever" (Al-Baqarah 217). It refers to the return from Islam to disbelief. In this sense, the verse states: "So they returned(same pronunciation) , following their footprints." (Al-Kahf 64), referring to Moses – peace be upon him – and his companion. Additionally, it is said: "and do not turn back(same pronunciation)" (Al-Ma'idah 21), meaning that once you have confirmed a matter and learned of a truth, do not turn away from it; thus, apostasy is the disbelief of a Muslim. Scholars have defined it as the severance of Islam with the intention of disbelief, and it is said that the essence of deviation is a Muslim abandoning the religion that God has chosen for him and embracing another faith that contradicts the principles of Islam.

Apostasy can be expressed explicitly, such as by saying "I disbelieve" or "I associate partners with God" or "I became an atheist" or through words that imply disbelief, like denying what is known in religion by necessity, such as the obligation of prayer, zakat, and the prohibition of adultery and unjust killing. It can also occur through actions that clearly entail disbelief, such as throwing a Quran or part of it, even a verse, into filth, even if the filth is considered pure in Islamic law, like saliva or the like. Any act intended to belittle His words and His law, such as mocking a verse from the Quran that is unanimously accepted, or adding a verse while believing it to be from it, or belittling a Sunnah, like when someone is told to trim their nails and they respond, "I won't do it, even if it's a Sunnah," intending to show disdain for it, or saying, "If God and His Messenger commanded me to do such and such, I wouldn't do it." And other matters that are elaborated upon in the books of jurisprudence.

Whoever renounces the religion of Islam for any of the reasons previously mentioned or for other reasons established in the comprehensive legal texts, must be given the opportunity to repent before being executed as a punishment. They should be commanded to recite the two testimonies of faith, and they must do so in the correct order and with proper adherence. This applies even if they acknowledge one of them while denying the other. The reason for the obligation of repentance before execution is that they were once respected as a Muslim.

But perhaps a doubt was presented to him, prompting him to seek its removal; because it is common for apostasy to arise from a doubt that has been introduced. The repentance should be immediate, as the punishment for apostasy is a fixed penalty, and thus should not be delayed like other penalties. The period for seeking repentance is three days from the day of apostasy, according to the most widely accepted opinions.

If he repents and returns to Islam, his Islam is valid; as Allah, the Exalted, says: "Say to those who have disbelieved [that] if they cease, what has previously occurred will be forgiven for them." (Al-Anfal 38). If he does not repent, he must be killed; as the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said: "Whoever changes his religion, kill him." [2] where he commanded that his neck be struck with the sword. Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "It is not permissible to spill the blood of a Muslim except in three [instances]: the married person who commits adultery, a life for a life, and the one who forsakes his religion and separates from the community." [3]

Why is the apostate killed?

If we believe in the religious freedom that Islam has granted to all of humanity, as He, the Exalted, says: "There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion," why is the apostate killed, and how do we reconcile this verse with the saying of the Prophet, peace be upon him: "Whoever changes his religion, kill him" [4] ?

To answer this, we say: apostasy is not a personal matter, even if it seems so at first glance. If we look into most of the early apostates, we find that they renounced their faith due to their refusal to pay zakat. They are thus withholding a duty whose benefits return to the community, while they themselves benefit from their existence within it. Their struggle was in the name of this community and for the public interest, and it was never for the benefit of the ruler alone. We add here that the prohibition of deviation in this society, like the prohibition of alcohol and adultery, is a contagion that, if left unpunished, would spread.

Apostasy is a release from obligations, but an individual cannot free themselves from their commitments to their Lord – the Exalted – and to society; because abandoning obligations to the Creator is simultaneously abandoning commitments to the very community and group in which the apostate lives. By freeing themselves, they pose a danger to the rest of society, so apostasy does not fall within the realm of personal freedom for reasons we will add:

The apostate is a corrupter because he proclaims his wickedness and corruption. If the apostate says that he has apostatized for philosophical reasons and that he adheres to ethical principles, we would respond that your desire to break free from the constraints of morality is the fundamental motive that drove you to flee from religion.

Apostasy from the religion of God after faith means disrupting the system, not just changing an individual belief. Islam is a practical system based on a creed, and a society built on this system, with its commands imposed for the benefit of the individual first and for the community at the same time. Therefore, it is not a personal matter; rather, the harm and benefit in it affect the community.

Based on this, Islam has stipulated the killing of the apostate who openly calls for violating the principles of Islam in every field or gathering, not the one who keeps his thoughts to himself. The apostate is also invited to debate with senior scholars for three days, and there is no doubt that every suspicion has a response, no matter how many doubts there are. Furthermore, the obstinate one is to be killed without dispute. So why is Islam criticized for wanting to eliminate this misleading germ, which, if left unchecked, would corrupt the youth and the rising generation, leading them astray not through knowledge and truth but through their own cunning, poor understanding, and spiritual deviation? The rising generation is innocent of all this because their knowledge is not yet complete; they are confident in the pure and clean society they live in, on one hand.

On the other hand, destruction is easier for the apostate than building upon the believer. Apostasy is a mockery of religion and a misguidance for the faithful. Therefore, the Quran considers apostasy one of the gravest forms of misguidance. Allah, the Exalted, said: "Indeed, those who have believed then disbelieved, then believed then disbelieved, and then increased in disbelief - never will Allāh forgive them, nor will He guide them to a way." (An-Nisa 137).

The reasons for the killing of an apostate can be summarized as follows:

Islam requires an individual who wishes to enter it to do so only after being informed, convinced, knowledgeable, and understanding of all its aspects. If conviction is achieved—even after years—then they are warmly welcomed as a Muslim believer, enjoying the rights of Muslims and bearing their responsibilities. If, however, they do not find conviction in this religion, they are free to adhere to their own faith and remain a dhimmi in the Islamic state, subject to the laws governing dhimmis. Therefore, during the times of Umar ibn al-Khattab, Umar ibn Abdul Aziz, and Hisham II, preachers were appointed to ensure that entering Islam was based on discussion, awareness, and conviction.

In apostasy, there is an offense to Islam, and a mockery that may be deliberate or planned by non-Islamic groups from within or outside. It is as if the apostate says: "I entered Islam and left my previous religion, then I practically explored Islam, and after a long experience, I found it does not measure up to my previous faith; my first religion is better. Here I am, renouncing Islam after my experience and my conviction of its corruption". The apostate acts as a dangerous propaganda voice, preventing people from embracing the religion of Islam, which he has experienced —with his flawed reasoning— or perhaps out of cleverness to deter others from entering a faith that, if any individual were to approach with impartiality and objectivity, they would fall in love with.

Apostasy – in all its forms – such as the refusal to apply Islamic rules, like neglecting zakat, following false prophets, or abandoning religion altogether, is considered an internal counter-revolution. If this is allowed to spread, it will corrupt society, and in the context of the present age, its punishment is death in countries around the world.

Thus, the backlash reveals malicious souls —these souls— either plotting for a far-reaching goal, which is to undermine Islam through media, or they are hesitant and unstable, making their worldly and otherworldly fate a mere plaything.

And we, in turn, ask: What is the penalty for violating the laws of a country in the world? What is the punishment for those who openly oppose it, undermine its system, and call for an internal counter-revolution?

Isn't death the prescribed punishment? Is Islam to be blamed for that decision? And who would bear such a thing upon him except to be filled with hatred and slander?!

The determination of banditry in the heart of the apostate is clear to the point of certainty and conviction.

Are there types of hostility that are more severe and dangerous than the schemes against Islam and Muslims through spreading factors of deviation and attempting to instill doubt in people's beliefs and Islamic principles?

This matter becomes even clearer when you realize that Islamic countries or the Islamic world are surrounded by greedy colonial powers that closely monitor its situation and seek within it—through various means—hired hands and agents or those who are outside the community and the religion of their nation; to assist them and employ them as rare and effective weapons in tearing apart the unity of Muslims and opening intellectual gaps among them, paving the way for their colonial infiltrations and military operations.

If you take a contemplative look at the list of those who have renounced Islam in this era, with Salman Rushdie, the author of "The Satanic Verses," at the forefront, you will undoubtedly see how they have jumped from freedom of belief and thought to an open war against Islam and its people, and against the unity of Muslims on various levels, namely the unity of the national family and the unity of the nation.

It is obvious that entering this arena requires coordination with the hidden forces, most of which are no longer hidden today, and many of which are colonial powers rooted in Zionism, operating in the same arena to spread their toxins.

This leads us to the obvious and logical question...

Thirdly. Why was disbelief a reason for killing in the case of apostasy, but not in the case of original disbelief? Is there a parallel to this in legislative materials?

We say that a Muslim's disbelief after embracing Islam is, in itself, one of the most dangerous threats to the system. This is because they were not coerced into entering Islam; rather, they did so out of conviction. Therefore, when they enter willingly and then declare their exit, it creates a chaos of belief and introduces doubts in the hearts of the simple regarding this religion or this system. This truth is highlighted by His saying, the Almighty: "And a faction of the People of the Scripture say [to each other], "Believe in that which was revealed to the believers at the beginning of the day and reject it at its end that perhaps they will return [i.e., abandon their religion].'" (Al-Imran 72).

Therefore, the backlash serves as a pretext to introduce discord among Muslims, leading to the fragmentation of their internal front, which results in significant corruption and widespread evil.

Then, the apostate, after having had the opportunity to examine the evidence that led him to believe in Islam and to enter it of his own free will, has no excuse for his apostasy.

As for the original disbeliever who may not have the opportunity to access those evidences, he is excused because it is hoped that he will come to know them, or he may have encountered them but did not find them convincing; it is also hoped that he will reach a level of conviction.

As for the distinction between the apostate's disbelief and the original disbeliever's disbelief, we find a similar differentiation in the distinction between the adultery of the married person and that of others. The married person deserves harsher punishment after having followed the straight path in fulfilling the demands of the sexual instinct, only to turn away and choose the path of corruption and chaos. This casts doubt on the value of the first path for others, so it is fitting that the severest punishment be given as a lesson to others, which is stoning to death.

As for the unprotected individual who tries to walk this chaotic path and is surprised by the painful punishment that scorches his body and diminishes his status among people, this leads him to turn back and abandon this path in favor of the straight path, which is marriage. This is similar to what is found in the disbelief of the apostate and others.

Fourth. Regulations for the Application of the Apostasy Punishment:

The belief of a Muslim is the most precious thing they possess; therefore, it is essential to exercise extreme caution and meticulousness before questioning or attacking it. This is to reassure those concerned with human rights and those troubled by the contradiction of legal boundaries – including the punishment for apostasy – who fear the severity and harshness of these boundaries, which they believe do not align with the spirit of the times!

Therefore, we affirm that Islamic law has established conditions and regulations for the application of this punishment – apostasy – just like other legal penalties, which have reached, as usual, a level of precision and fulfillment of circumstances, contexts, and possibilities that is unmatched by any positive legal system. We say this and reaffirm it, in the hope that their restless souls may find peace, and their tearful eyes may cease shedding crocodile tears.

This is a clarification of its regulations:

The ruling on a Muslim's apostasy from their religion is a very serious matter, as it results in their being deprived of all loyalty and connection to family and society. It even separates them from their spouse and children; a Muslim woman cannot remain married to a non-believer, and their children are no longer considered safe. Additionally, there is the material punishment that scholars have unanimously agreed upon in general.

For this reason, one must exercise utmost caution when declaring a Muslim to be an infidel, especially when their Islam is established; for they are a Muslim with certainty, and certainty is not to be undermined by doubt. One of the gravest dangers is to declare someone who is not a disbeliever to be one, and the prophetic tradition has warned against this in the strongest terms.

Those who possess the authority to issue a fatwa regarding the apostasy of a Muslim are the knowledgeable scholars, the specialists who can distinguish between what is definitive and what is speculative, between the clear and the ambiguous, between what can be interpreted and what cannot. They do not declare someone a disbeliever except in cases where there is no possible escape, such as denying what is known to be an essential part of the religion, or mocking a belief or law, or openly insulting God, His Messenger, and His Book, and similar matters.

The one who executes the ruling is the legitimate authority, following the judgment of the specialized Islamic judiciary, which only refers to the law of God – the Exalted – and relies solely on the clear rulings from the Book of God Almighty and the Sunnah of His Messenger – peace be upon him. These are the references to which people should turn in case of disputes: "And if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allāh and the Messenger, if you should believe in Allāh and the Last Day. That is the best [way] and best in result." (An-Nisa 59).

The original principle in Islam is that a judge should be among those capable of independent reasoning. If this is not the case, he should seek the assistance of those who are knowledgeable in this regard until the truth becomes clear to him. He should not make judgments out of ignorance or based on personal desires, lest he become one of the judges of hell.

The majority of jurists stated that it is obligatory to call the apostate to repentance before executing the punishment on them. But Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said in his book "The Sword Unsheathed Against the Abuser of the Messenger": It is the consensus of the companions – may Allah be pleased with them – and some scholars specified it to three days, while others specified a shorter or longer period. The purpose of this is to give him the opportunity to reflect, hoping that the doubt will be removed from him and the evidence will be established, if he is sincerely seeking the truth. If he has a bias or is working for the interests of others, Allah will assign him to what he has turned to.

Among contemporary thinkers, some have stated that repentance is accepted by God and not by humans. However, this applies to the rulings of the Hereafter. As for the rulings of this world, we accept outward repentance and outward Islam, and we do not delve into the hearts of people; we have been commanded to judge by appearances, and God takes care of the secrets. It has been confirmed in the hadith that those who say: "There is no god but Allah" are protected in their blood and wealth, and their reckoning is with Allah Almighty. The text states: "'I have been commanded to fight the people until they say La ilaha illallah. If they say it, then their blood and wealth are prohibited for me, except for a right that is due, and their reckoning will be with Allah.'" [5]. It means: "In what their hearts are bound to."

From here we say: Granting the general public the right to judge someone as an apostate, then ruling that they deserve punishment, specifying it as nothing less than death, and executing that without mercy, poses a severe danger to people's lives, property, and honor. This implies that an ordinary person—who lacks the knowledge of the scholars of fatwas, the wisdom of judges, and the responsibility of executors—would hold three powers in their hands: they would issue fatwas, in other words, accuse, judge, and execute. They would be the mufti, the prosecutor, the judge, and the police all at once!

Some writers in our time – who are not scholars of religious law – have objected to the punishment for apostasy, arguing that it is not mentioned in the Holy Quran and only appears in a single hadith. They contend that a solitary hadith should not be relied upon for legal penalties; thus, they deny its validity.

This statement can be refuted from several angles:

1- The authentic Sunnah is a source of practical rulings agreed upon by all Muslims. Allah, the Almighty, said: "Say, "Obey Allāh and obey the Messenger" (An-Nur 54), and He also said: "He who obeys the Messenger has obeyed Allāh" (An-Nisa 80). The hadiths regarding the punishment of the apostate are authentic, and the Companions implemented this during the era of the Rightly Guided Caliphs.

The claim that solitary hadiths are not accepted in matters of legal penalties is not widely accepted. All established schools of thought have relied on solitary hadiths regarding the punishment for drinking alcohol, even though what has been reported about the punishment for apostasy is more authentic, more abundant, and richer than what has been reported about the punishment for drinking alcohol. If what these individuals assert were true —that solitary hadiths cannot be used in legal rulings— it would mean the cancellation of the Sunnah as a source of Islamic legislation, or at least the cancellation of 95%, if not 99%, of it. There would no longer be any meaning to our statement of following the Book and the Sunnah.

It is well known among scholars that the solitary hadiths constitute the vast majority of the hadiths concerning rulings, while the mutawatir hadith – which is the opposite of solitary hadiths – is extremely rare. Some hadith scholars have even claimed that it is hardly found at all, as mentioned by Imam Ibn al-Salah in his famous introduction to the sciences of hadith.

Many who discuss this matter do not understand the meaning of a single narration (hadith ahad), thinking it refers to something mentioned by only one person, which is incorrect. What is meant by a hadith ahad is that it has not reached the level of widespread transmission (tawatur), and it may be narrated by two, three, four, or more companions, and many more from the followers.

The discussion of killing the apostate has been mentioned by a large number of the companions, so it is one of the well-known and widely reported hadiths.

2- One of the recognized sources of legislation is consensus, and the scholars of the nation from all schools of thought – both Sunni and non-Sunni – have agreed on the punishment for apostasy, and they were close to unanimous that it is death, except for what was reported from Umar, Al-Nakha'i, and Al-Thawri. However, the punishment in general is agreed upon.

3- Some of the scholars of the predecessors have said that the verse regarding fighting mentioned in Surah Al-Ma'idah is specific to apostates. It is His saying: "Indeed, the penalty for those who wage war against Allāh and His Messenger and strive upon earth [to cause] corruption is none but that they be killed or crucified or that their hands and feet be cut off from opposite sides or that they be exiled from the land. That is for them a disgrace in this world; and for them in the Hereafter is a great punishment" (Al-Ma'idah 33). Among those who stated that this verse pertains to apostates is Abu Qilabah and others.

From the words of Ibn Taymiyyah: "Waging war against Allah and His Messenger with the tongue is more severe than waging war with the hand, as is corruption on earth. This is supported by the hadiths that state the permissibility of shedding the blood of a Muslim in one of three cases, one of which mentions: 'one who goes forth to fight with God and His Messenger,* in which case he should be killed, or crucified, or made a fugitive; or one which commits murder for which he is killed.”' as in the hadith of Aisha, instead of the phrases 'apostated after Islam' or 'the one who abandons his religion,' and so on." "This indicates that the verse includes, among other things, the apostates who call for their apostasy."

Summary:

• Islam respects the right of any individual to believe or disbelieve as long as matters are not clear to them. They have the right to study, weigh, and decide. However, when they choose Islam, having entered it willingly and not under compulsion —based on the freedom of belief guaranteed to them— they must be sincere in their faith and respond to its commands, prohibitions, and all its guidance. 
Apostasy – after faith – is not a personal matter, even if it may seem so at first glance. Apostasy is a dissolution of commitments and a corruption of the system, not merely a change in individual belief – especially when openly declaring one's apostasy. Islam is a practical system based on a creed, and a society built on this system, with its commands benefiting both the individual and the community simultaneously. Therefore, it is not a personal issue; rather, the harm and benefit in it reflect on the community.

• It is the right of the Islamic nation to preserve its beliefs and system like any modern society or state that criminalizes those who deviate from it, accusing them of the most severe charges and punishing them with the harshest penalties, which often reach the death penalty.

• Islam has established regulations for the application of apostasy, including that those who judge the apostate are scholars and jurists, and that the one who carries out the punishment is the legitimate authority. The apostate is given a chance to repent before the punishment is executed, and all doubts are addressed in hopes of their repentance and averting the punishment. Thus, Islam —after guaranteeing freedom of belief for people— does not punish for original disbelief, but rather punishes for disbelief after having faith.

[1] It was narrated by Al-Qasim bin Salam in "Al-Amwal," the book on the opening of lands through peaceful agreements, its rulings and traditions, under the chapter "This is the Book of the Messenger of Allah - peace be upon him - to Khazaa'a" (443-444), and by Ibn Zanjawayh in "Al-Amwal," the book of treaties written by the Messenger of Allah - peace be upon him - and his companions, under the chapter "This is the Book of the Messenger of Allah - peace be upon him."(574).

[2] It was narrated by Al-Bukhari in his Sahih, in the book on the repentance of apostates and those who oppose them and fighting them, under the chapter on the ruling of the apostate and the apostate woman and their repentance (6524), and in other places.

[3] It was narrated by Al-Bukhari in his Sahih, Book of Diya, Chapter on the Saying of Allah: "And a soul for a soul, and an eye for an eye" (Al-Ma'idah: 45) (6484), and by Muslim in his Sahih, Book of Qasamah, Chapter on What Makes the Blood of a Muslim Permissible (4470) in a similar manner.

[4] It was narrated by Al-Bukhari in his Sahih, Book of the Repentance of Apostates and Opponents and Fighting Them, Chapter on the Ruling of the Apostate and Apostate Woman and Their Repentance (6524), and in other places.

[5] It was narrated by Al-Bukhari in his Sahih, Book of Faith, under the chapter of the verse: "So if they repent, establish prayer, and give zakah, then let them go on their way" (At-Tawbah: 5) (25), and by Muslim in his Sahih, Book of Faith, under the chapter of the command to fight people until they say: "There is no god but Allah" (135), and in other places.