The author of al-Iqna' said: "And he is the one who disbelieves after his Islam, even if he is of discernment and does so willingly."

The questioner : The author, the one of al-Iqna', said: "The chapter on the ruling of the apostate, who is the one who disbelieves after his Islam, even if he is of discernment and does so willingly, even if he is joking. So whoever associates partners with Allah, or denies His lordship, or His oneness".

The Shaykh : Now, do you want us to comment on this, or should we let it go?

The questioner : Let us comment.

The Shaykh : Yes?

The questioner : Comment.

The Shaykh : Now, his saying "willingly" is a precaution against the case of compulsion. If a person is compelled to disbelieve and he disbelieves, if he does so due to the motive of compulsion, meaning to ward off the compulsion, then he does not become a disbeliever, by the saying of the Exalted: But if he does so not due to the motive of compulsion, but because when he was compelled he disbelieved, and in his heart at that moment he did not intend to ward off the compulsion, the scholars differed on whether he becomes a disbeliever or not. The correct view is that he does not become a disbeliever, because he does not intend it and he has no choice in it, and the generality of the verse includes this. As for if he does so with peace of mind regarding it, and says to himself, "When I was compelled to disbelieve, he will disbelieve," then there is no doubt that he becomes a disbeliever, because his heart at that time is not at peace with faith. So the one who is compelled has three states: either he does it to ward off the compulsion, in which case he does not become a disbeliever by unanimous agreement; or he does it with peace of mind regarding what he was compelled to, in which case he becomes a disbeliever by unanimous agreement; or he does it without peace of mind, but because he was compelled and he does not want it, in which case there is disagreement, and the correct view is that he does not become a disbeliever. And we say the same regarding the issue of compulsion to divorce and its like. The common principle is that he has no choice and no desire for it, and he would love for the sky to fall upon him. And one is not compelled to disbelief. Yes.