The ruling on one who changes his religion from Islam
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Q288: The questioner asks: What is the authenticity of the hadith: Sunan Ibn Majah 2535Sahih (Darussalam) and what is its meaning? How do we reconcile it with the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Al-Baqarah 2:256], and with His saying:
[Yunus 10:99], and with the saying of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): Riyad as-Salihin 1209 Is embracing the religion of Islam by choice or by declaration?
A288: The hadith:Sunan Ibn Majah 2535Sahih (Darussalam) is an authentic hadith narrated by al-Bukhari and others from the people of the Sunnah in this wording: Sunan Ibn Majah 2535Sahih (Darussalam) As for the relationship between it and the evidence mentioned, there is no contradiction between the evidence, praise be to Allah, because the saying of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): , this is regarding the apostate who disbelieves after his Islam; he must be killed. He is given the opportunity to repent; if he repents, otherwise he must be killed. As for the saying of Allah the Exalted:
[Al-Baqarah 2:256], and His saying: [Yunus 10:99] there is no contradiction between these proofs; because entering into Islam cannot be coerced. This is a matter of the heart, and the heart must be convinced. We cannot manipulate hearts; this is in the hand of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). He is the Turner of hearts, and He guides whom He wills and misguides whom He wills. But our duty is to call to Allah (Mighty and Majestic), to explain, and to strive in the path of Allah against those who are obstinate, who know the truth and then remain obstinate after knowing it. We must strive against them. As for forcing them into Islam and putting Islam in their hearts, that is not for us; it is for Allah (Mighty and Majestic). But first, we must call to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) with wisdom and good admonition,
and explain this religion to people, and strive against the people of obstinacy, and the people of disbelief and denial, so that there is no fitnah (trial, discord or temptation). As for the apostate, he is killed; because he disbelieved after his faith, and left the truth after knowing it. This is a corrupt member; it must be amputated to relieve the society from it; because his creed is corrupt and it is feared that he will corrupt the creed of the others. So when his creed became corrupt, and his heart turned away; he must be killed, because he left the truth, not out of ignorance, but out of obstinacy, and after knowing the truth. Therefore, he is not fit to remain, so he must be killed for that reason. There is no contradiction between the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Al-Baqarah 2:256], and the killing of the apostate; because His saying: [Al-Baqarah 2:256] this is at the time of entering Islam. As for the killing of the apostate, this is at the time of leaving Islam, and knowing the truth. As for the verse, which is the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Al-Baqarah 2:256], there are opinions of the exegetes: some say: it is specific to the People of the Book, and that the People of the Book are not coerced, but rather they are asked to believe, or pay the jizyah (the tax on protected non-Muslims), and they are left on their religion, if they pay the jizyah, and enter the protection
of Islam, and it is not general for everyone. And some of the scholars hold: that it is abrogated by the saying of Allah the Exalted:[At-Tawbah 9:5] But the correct view is that it is not abrogated, and that it is not specific to the People of the Book, but rather its meaning is: that this religion is clear and obvious, accepted by the fitrah (the innate natural disposition) and the minds, and that no one enters it out of hatred; but rather he enters it out of conviction, and love, and desire. This is the correct view regarding the meaning of the verse.
Whoever changes his religion, execute him.
من بدل دينه فاقتلوهThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion
لاَ إِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّينِAnd had your Lord willed, those on earth would have believed - all of them entirely. Then, [O Muhammad], would you compel the people in order that they become believers?
وَلَوْ شَاءَ رَبُّكَ لَآمَنَ مَنْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كُلُّهُمْ جَمِيعًا أَفَأَنْتَ تُكْرِهُ النَّاسَ حَتَّى يَكُونُوا مُؤْمِنِينَIbn 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "I have been commanded to fight people till they testify 'La ilaha illallah' (there is no true god except Allah) that Muhammad (ﷺ) is his slave and Messenger, and they establish Salat, and pay Zakat; and if they do this, their blood (life) and property are secured except when justified by law, and it is for Allah to call them to account." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] .
أمرت أن أقاتل الناس حتى يشهدوا أن لا إله إلا الله وأن محمدا رسول الله، فإذا فعلوا ذلك عصموا مني دماءهم وأموالهم إلا بحق الإسلام، وحسابهم على الله عز وجلA288: The hadith:
Whoever changes his religion, execute him.
من بدل دينه فاقتلوهWhoever changes his religion, execute him.
من بدل دينه فاقتلوهWhoever changes his religion, kill him.
من بدل فاقتلوهThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion. The right course has become clear from the wrong. So whoever disbelieves in Taghut and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy handhold with no break in it. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing.
لاَ إِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّينِ قَدْ تَبَيَّنَ الرُّشْدُ مِنَ الْغَيِّ فَمَنْ يَكْفُرْ بِالطَّاغُوتِ وَيُؤْمِنْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدِ اسْتَمْسَكَ بِالْعُرْوَةِ الْوُثْقَى لاَ انْفِصَامَ لَهَا وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌAnd had your Lord willed, those on earth would have believed - all of them entirely. Then, [O Muhammad], would you compel the people in order that they become believers?
وَلَوْ شَاءَ رَبُّكَ لَآمَنَ مَنْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كُلُّهُمْ جَمِيعًا أَفَأَنْتَ تُكْرِهُ النَّاسَ حَتَّى يَكُونُوا مُؤْمِنِينَand explain this religion to people, and strive against the people of obstinacy, and the people of disbelief and denial, so that there is no fitnah (trial, discord or temptation). As for the apostate, he is killed; because he disbelieved after his faith, and left the truth after knowing it. This is a corrupt member; it must be amputated to relieve the society from it; because his creed is corrupt and it is feared that he will corrupt the creed of the others. So when his creed became corrupt, and his heart turned away; he must be killed, because he left the truth, not out of ignorance, but out of obstinacy, and after knowing the truth. Therefore, he is not fit to remain, so he must be killed for that reason. There is no contradiction between the saying of Allah the Exalted:
There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion
لاَ إِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّينِThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion
لاَ إِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّينِThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion
لاَ إِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّينِof Islam, and it is not general for everyone. And some of the scholars hold: that it is abrogated by the saying of Allah the Exalted:
And when the sacred months have passed, then kill the polytheists wherever you find them
فَإِذَا انْسَلَخَ الْأَشْهُرُ الْحُرُمُ فَاقْتُلُوا الْمُشْرِكِينَ حَيْثُ وَجَدْتُمُوهُمْ
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.