Does one who has renounced his religion have the right to return a second time?

The Shaykh : And to whom is the question? Yes.

The questioner : A man has many debts, O Shaykh, exceeding three hundred thousand riyals. He wrote to one of the rulers, who undertook to pay this debt on the condition that the creditors waive one-third of what is owed to them; for example, one who is owed sixty thousand waives twenty thousand. Then they all gathered at the court and signed the waiver. After they left the court, they began coming to this man and asking him for the remaining debts. Has his conscience been cleared by their waiver at the court, or is he still obligated to pay them?

The Shaykh : No, he owes nothing.

The questioner : So his conscience is cleared, O Shaykh?

The Shaykh : Because this man did not force them; if they had wished, they could have said: "No, we will wait and take our full right." He did not force them, and waiving part of a deferred right or a right that is difficult to fulfill is permissible. For this reason, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said to the creditors of Jabir: Then, damaging property in order to preserve it is permissible. Al-Khidr damaged the ship, although it was damage to it, but for the sake of preserving it. So this action is permissible and there is no harm in it. But tell me, perhaps the matter was concluded on this basis. I say: perhaps the matter was concluded on this basis. Does "the matter was concluded on this basis" mean that they waived two-thirds of the right and accepted one-third?

The questioner : And they received it.

The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, that is from the grace of Allah. Yes.