Saturday, March 24, 2012

Punishment of Apostates in Islam is Death by Beheading

The Quran, hadiths, sira and Islamic history from the days of Muhammad to the present agree to this.

By Syed Kamran Mirza

In Islam, “Apostasy” (Arabic: irtidad or ridda or Murtadd) means the rejection of Islam in word or deed by a person who has been a Muslim. An apostate in any pure Islamic country is deserved to be killed, period. Muslims, who deny this fact, are stealthily engaged in Taqiyya (lie and deceptions), or utterly ignorant about real Islam. Islam is the most intolerant religion on Earth. There are plenty of glaring examples or records of extreme intolerance and intimidations from the past and present history of Islam. And this intolerance is rooted in the Quran and Sunnah (Ahadiths – traditions of Prophet Muhammad), and also by the deeds and practices of the early disciples of Prophet Muhammad. In all Sharia-ruled pure Islamic countries, such as in Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Kuwait, Sudan etc., all apostates are punished by death penalty.

All five major schools of Islamic jurisprudence agree that a sane male apostate must be executed. A female apostate may be put to death, according to some schools, or imprisoned, according to others.

Apostate punishing verses from Quran

Regarding punishing apostates, 4:89, 3:85 and 3.90-91 are the main verses, but many other verses like 16:106-107, 2:217, 9:73-74, 5:54, and 9:66 are considered supporting verses.

It also could be asserted here that, during the time of final compilation of the Quran, many important verses were lost in the process for various reasons, such as the demise of many disciples (who memorized Quranic verses) in the Battle of Apostasy (Ridda War) and invasion of Yamama. Verses of stoning-death for adultery were amongst the lost verses, but Prophet Muhammad and the rightly guided Caliphs routinely practiced stoning-death. Even in the modern world, in most Sharia-ruled Muslim nations, both apostates and adulterators are punished by death penalty and stoning deaths, respectively.

Support from Quranic verses for punishing apostates

  1. Quran 4.89: They but wish that ye should reject Faith, as they do, and thus be on the same footing (as they): But take not friends from their ranks until they flee in the way of Allah (From what is forbidden). But if they turn renegades (change to other religion), seize them and slay them wherever ye find them; and (in any case) take no friends or helpers from their ranks; (trs. YUSUFALI; Saudi King approved translation).
  2. Quran 3.85: If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission to Allah), never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter, He will be in the ranks of those who have lost (All spiritual good). (trs. YUSUFALI)Quran 3.90-91: "But those who reject Faith [kafaroo] after they accepted it, and then go on adding to their defiance of Faith, - never will their repentance be accepted; for they are those, who have (of set purpose) gone astray. As to those who reject Faith [kafaroo], and die rejecting [kuffaroo], - never would be accepted from any such as much gold as the earth contains, though they should offer it for ransom. For such is (in store) a penalty grievous, and they will find no helpers."
  4. Quran 9.73: O Prophet! strive hard against the unbelievers and the Hypocrites, and be firm against them. Their abode is Hell, - an evil refuge indeed. (trs. YUSUFALI)
  7. Quran 9.66: Make ye no excuses: ye have rejected Faith after ye had accepted it. If We pardon some of you, We will punish others amongst you, for that they are in sin. (trs. YUSUFALI)

Now some Sahih Hadiths

Most of the hadiths are from Sahih al-Bukhari and also by many others
Commandment to Execute the Apostate after the Qur'anic (Allah’s) orders (above), here are some glaring Commands (Hadiths)—from the Prophet of Islam.

The reason why executing apostates has always been well-ensconced in Islamic law is that there are indisputable and shining records of Muhammad and his companions doing exactly that according to the reliable Hadiths. According to the verse 4:80 (Yusuf Ali): "He who obeys the Messenger, obeys Allah: But if any turn away, We have not sent thee to watch over their (evil deeds)."

Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 84, Number 58:


[It should be noted that this incident took place during the life of the Prophet. At that time Abu Musa represented the Prophet as governor and Muadh as vice-governor. If their action had not been based on the decision of God and His Messenger, surely the Prophet would have objected.]

Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 84, Number 59:


Bukhari (83:37)

"Allah's Apostle never killed anyone except in one of the following three situations: (1) A person who killed somebody unjustly, was killed (in Qisas), (2) a married person who committed illegal sexual intercourse, and (3) a man who fought against Allah and His Apostle and deserted Islam and became an apostate."

Bukhari (52:260):


Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 84, Number 57:

Narrated 'Ikrima: Some Zanadiqa (atheists) were brought to 'Ali and he burnt them. The news of this event, reached Ibn 'Abbas who said, "If I had been in his place, I would not have burnt them, as Allah's Apostle forbade it, saying, 'Do not punish anybody with Allah's punishment (fire).' I would have killed them according to the [words of] Allah's Apostle, “Whoever changed his Islamic religion, then kill him”.

Bukhari (89:271): A man who embraces Islam, then reverts to Judaism is to be killed according to "the verdict of Allah and his apostle."

Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 84, Number 64:


Abu Dawud (4346):

"Was not there a wise man among you who would stand up to him when he saw that I had withheld my hand from accepting his allegiance, and kill him?" Muhammad is chastising his companions for allowing an apostate to "repent" under duress. (The person in question was Muhammad's former scribe who left him after doubting the authenticity of divine "revelations" upon finding out that he could suggest grammatical changes. He was brought back to Muhammad after having been captured in Medina).

Bukhari, Volume 5, Book 59, Number 632:


Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 83, Number 37:


More Hadiths from various sources for Punishing Apostates

Sahih Bukhari hadith
  • Abu Bakr vowed to fight the apostates and those who refused to pay Zakat… (2.23.483)
  • Muhammad ordered to kill the apostates (‘If somebody (a Muslim) discards his religion, kill him’)… (4.52.260)
  • Khalid killed some apostates and ordered those taken as captives to be killed too... (5.59.628)
  • An apostate was killed for no reason... (5.59.630)
  • A Jewish apostate's head was chopped off... (5.59.632)
  • Apostates will be sent to hellfire… (8.76.587)
  • A Muslim can be killed only for: (1) qisas for murder, (2) a married person committing adultery, (3) becomes an apostate... (9.83.17, 20)Whoever changed his Islamic religion must be killed... (9.84.57)
  • M'uadh would not sit down until the apostate was killed... (9.84.58)
  • Some Muslims will leave Islam like an arrow goes out of the bow; so wherever you find them kill them... (9.84.64, 66)
  • Some Iraqi believers will go out of Islam... (9.84.68)
  • Young people will leave Islam like an arrow leaves its bow; whoever leaves Islam kill him... (4.55, 577,578)
  • Whoever changes his religion (apostasy) kill him… (9.83.57)

Sahih Muslim hadiths
  • Muhammad (SWS) asked Urina tribe to drink camel’s milk and camels urine; then they killed a shepherd and became apostates; so Muhammad got their hands and feet cut off and put out their eyes and then threw them on the stony ground until they died… (16.4130, 4131, 4132)
  • Muadh did not want to sit down until an apostate who was bound hand and feet was killed in front of him… (20.4490)
  • Anyone to whom Allah and Muhammad is dearer than all else, who loves a person for Allah’s sake alone and who does not apostatize is the best Muslim… (1.7, 1.68)
  • Muslims will leave Islam just as an arrow leaves its bow; so kill them, Muhammad said… (5.2323)
  • The future young Muslims would leave Islam as an arrow leaves its bow; so kill them; if you kill them you will get a great reward from Allah… (5.2328).

Sunaan Abu Dawud hadiths
  • Kill the apostates… (3.38.4337).
  • A Muslim should not be killed except for three reasons: 1. adultery, 2. killing another Muslim intentionally, 3. becoming an apostate… (3.38.4338)
  • Muadh b. Jabal would not sit down until an apostate who was standing was killed right in front of him… (3.38.4340, 4341)
  • An apostate (Jew) was killed because he retreated from Islam… (38.4341)
  • An apostate was given twenty (20) days to repent but he refused to revert to Islam; so he was beheaded… (3.38.4342, 4344)
  • A scribe of Muhammad (Abdullah ibn Abu Sarh) was ordered by Muhammad to be killed because the scribe joined the infidels; however Uthman ibn Affan saved his life… (38.434)
  • When a Muslim’s slave runs away and becomes an apostate he should be killed… (3.38.4347)
  • Some Muslim apostates’ hands and feet were cut off and their eyes were put out because they stole Muhammad’s camels and killed the Muslim herdsman… (38.4356)
  • Muhammad (SWS) ordered the killing of ibn Khatal, the apostate; he was killed while hanging on the curtain of Kaba. Abu Barzat al-Aslami killed ibn Khatal… (2.14.2679)
  • Many people will recite the Qur’an but will leave Islam very quickly; so kill them wherever you find them… (40.474)
  • Young people with feeble mind will leave Islam like an arrow goes through the animal aimed at, wherever you meet them kill them… (3.40.4749, 4750)
Sunaan ibn Majah hadiths
  • Kill adult fornicators, murderers, and apostates of Islam… (4.2534)
  • Kill the apostates of Islam… (4.2535)
  • Allah does not accept the testimony of an apostate till he returns to Islam… (4.2536)
  • Muhammad tortured and then killed the Uraina apostates… (4.2578)
  • Those who leave Islam, kill them… (1.168)
Tirmidhi hadiths
  • Any Muslim who leaves the community will be in hell-fire… (57, 58)
  • A Muslim must not be killed except for adultery, apostasy or killing another Muslim… (993)
  • Sunaan Nasai hadiths
  • Uraina/Uki tribes punishment was for their apostasy… (1.309)

Islamic Law

There is also a consensus by all four schools of Sunni Islamic jurisprudence (i.e., Maliki, Hanbali, Hanafi, and Shafii), as well as classical Shiite jurists, that apostates from Islam must be put to death. The process of declaring a person to be an apostate is known as takfir and the apostate is called a murtadd.


Averroes (d. 1198), the renowned philosopher and scholar of the natural sciences, who was also an important Maliki jurist, provided this typical Muslim legal opinion on the punishment for apostasy: "An to be executed by agreement in the case of a man, because of the words of the Prophet, 'Slay those who change their din [religion]'...Asking the apostate to repent was stipulated as a condition... prior to his execution."


As Abu Bakr, Muhammad's closest companion, explained in a letter at the time, his prophet "struck whoever turned his back to Him until he came to Islam, willingly or grudgingly." Thus did Abu Bakr promise to "burn them with fire, slaughter them by any means, and take women and children captive" any, who left Islam. (al-Tabari v10, p. 55-57)

Ali, the fourth "Rightly Guided Caliph" was Muhammad's son-in-law and one of the first converts to Islam. He also had people burned alive for wanting to follow their conscience. An old man named Rumahis b. Mansur, who regretted leaving Christianity and vowed not to remain a Muslim, was beheaded by Ali. (al-Tabari v.17, p. 191).

Supports from historical facts

A. The First Caliph's Jihad (Holy War) against Apostates

After the death Prophet Muhammad, Abu Bakr became the first Caliph. Most of the Bedouin Arabs who had converted to Islam out of fear of their lives, changed their mind and reverted back to their parental religions. Caliph Abu Bakr immediately declared Jihad (Holy war) against those apostates. It took almost two years of bloody battles by the first Khalifa, Abu Bakr and under the generalship of Khalid Ibn al Walid (The Sword of Allah) to subdue, subjugate and force those secessionists and apostates to return them once more - to the fold of PEACEFUL 'Islam'; at the point and edge of SWORDS. Tens of thousands of Arab apostates were slaughtered in this war. This event therefore clearly proves that those persons who received religious instruction directly from the Prophet were united in deciding that an Islamic government should wage war against any group that renounces Islam. Within months, a great many people were dead, including Muslims who had memorized the Qur'an by heart.

The Sahih Hadiths below is the testament of this ancient historical battle against apostates:

Volume 9, Book 84, Number 59:


At the time when Abu Bakr sent Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl to wage a jihad against the people in South Arabia who had confessed the prophethood of Laqit ibn Malik al-Azdi, he advised him: “Wherever you find apostates from Oman to Hadramaut and Yemen, crush them.”

First Caliph Abu Bakr’s historical Proclamation

It is worth noting that had there been no sanction or divine approval (from Allah and Prophet) of punishing apostates with deadly force—there could be no urgency or need of declaring such a bloody war by the first caliph against those apostates, immediately after ascending to the throne of infant state of Islamic Caliphate in the ancient Arabia. Caliph Abu Bakr's had issued in writing such proclamation to each of the commanders of the eleven armies at the time he sent the armies to the various parts of Arabia to wage jihad against the apostates. Hafiz ibn Kathir has copied the full proclamation in his book al-Badayah w'al-Nahayah (Vol. 6, p. 316). The following sentences especially merit consideration:

“I have come to know about the movement of those among you who have accepted following Satan and who, having no fear of God, have turned from Islam to kufr. Now I have sent you someone with an army of faithful followers [24], and have advised him to accept nothing from anyone except faith and to execute no one without first inviting him to God, the Mighty and Glorious One. Then whoever accepts his invitation to God and, after confession, maintains good conduct, he will accept his confession and assist him in walking in the right path. And he will fight whoever refuses until he returns to the commandment of God. And he has been ordered to leave no one alive whom he has seized among those who have refused, to set fire to their villages, to destroy them, to enslave their women and children and to accept nothing from anyone except Islam. Thus whoever accepts his word does it for his own good and whoever does not will not be able to impoverish God. I have also directed the commander whom I have sent to announce my plan in all your assemblies and that the sign of accepting Islam is the call to prayer. Do not oppose the village where the call to prayer is heard. Where there is no call to prayer, ask the people why. If they refuse, attack them. If they confess, treat them as they deserve.”

B. Punishment for apostate as per Fatwa by Alazher University Cairo Document

This document was received from Oda Dridi-Dörffel, Parliament (Bundestag), Ministry of the Interior, the Army (Bundeswehr), Ministry of Integration and the Police organizations. Oda Dridi-Dörffel is an esteemed figure in international circles.

Here Oda Dridi-Dörffel presents the actual fatwa issued at Al-Azhar University in Cairo, the most important institution of islamic law in the sunni world, and where Obama made his speech to the Muslim world. (More on Obama's speech here and here.)
Obama describes Al-Azhar University this way: "For over a thousand years, Al-Azhar has stood as a beacon of Islamic learning, and for over a century, Cairo University has been a source of Egypt’s advancement". The following translation is a rough guide:
In the Name of Allah the Most Beneficient the Most Merciful. Al-Azhr Council of Fatawa.




2) Are his children considered Muslim or Christian?

The Answer:



Seal of Al-Azhr

Head of the Fatawa Council of Al-Azhr.

Abdullah al-Mishadd (
عبد الله المشد )

23rd September 1978.

C. Some Examples of modern day incidence of punishing an Apostate

Throughout the history of 1,400 years of Islam, millions of human beings lost their precious lives at the hands of Islamic jihadi butchers every where in the whole world. And even today—tens of thousands of innocent humans are losing their lives every year, simply because they have changed their belief, or left Islam (apostate) for another faith. Below are some examples of such tragedy caused by the religion of peace (see links to following news-reports at


Islam survived for 1400 years by Taqiyya (Deceptions and lies) and also by coercion, intolerance, and intimidations. Islam is one way traffic; one can get in, but can not get out with his life. The only freedom of belief in Islam is the freedom to become Muslim. Those who turn their back on Islam are to be executed. This is confirmed by the words and deeds of Prophet Muhammad and his early disciples. 

For hundreds of years, there has never been a system of Islamic law that did not prescribe the death penalty for any Muslim choosing to leave Islam. Even in modern, ostensibly secular Muslim majority countries with constitutions "guaranteeing" freedom of religion, there is de facto enforcement of this law with intimidation and the occasional murder of apostates. 

Contrary to all the platitudes, Taqiyya, disinformation, misinformation, lies and falsifications of the historical records conducted by the followers of Muhammad, his 'Islam' was born by the shedding of a SEA of blood in the Arabian Peninsula, followed by the shedding of an OCEAN of blood throughout the Asia, Africa and Europe, and elsewhere.

2. Hadiths from various sources (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslims, Sunaan Abu Dawud, Sunaan ibn Majah, Tirmidhi, Sunaan Nasai) and ancient Islamic history.
3. Guide to Understanding Islam:
4. The punishment of the Apostate according to Islamic law: Abdul Ala Mawdudi, Translated and annotated by Syed Silas Husain and Ernest Hahn. URL:
5. Fatwa by Alazher University, Cairo, Egypt on Punishment for apostate.
6. Some Examples of modern day incidences of punishing an Apostate in the 21st Century world.

Kuwait: New Death Penalty for Blasphemy


By Mohshin Habib







Without Islam’s Command for Killing Apostates, Islam Would Not Survive Today

By Ali Khalaf

In his book “The 100”, which lists history’s top-100 most influential people, author Michael Hart declared Prophet Muhammad to be No. 1, while Genghis Khan came 21st, Hitler 35th and Stalin 63rd. Why was Prophet Muhammad given the top position, although he only mass murdered thousands while the other three had killed in millions. Because Muhammad’s was way smarter and his cult and memory flourished, but the other three are forgotten along with their cult. Today, even after 1,400 years of his passing, his cultists continue to love and   adore him and passionately, would kill any one who insults Muhammad or draws his cartoon.

How Muhammad did it was truly genius. He devised a “Carrot and Stick” scheme to fool his fool hardy cultists to gain wealth, women and power. His plan worked beyond his wildest imagination. Through this scheme, Prophet Muhammad soon became the ruler of whole Arabia, gathered immense wealth, and slept with more women than he had dreamt.

Here is his Carrot-and-Stick Scheme:

1. God guarantees paradise only to those, who kill, or get killed by, infidels (9.111).

2. God wants Muslims to attack, rob and kill the infidels and capture their goods and women as booty. God gets 20% of this booty, which Muhammad collects and enjoys on His behalf. The remaining 80% are distributed among Muhammad’s looters. Sex with captured women is considered halal and clean by God (8.41, 4.3, 4.24, 23.6, 33.50. 70.30). If any one dies in this attack, God rewards him with paradise (many ayas). If the infidels surrendered without fighting, God got 100% of the booty, collected by Muhammad.

3. If any one refuses to go, tries to leave the cult, criticizes or even expresses doubts on what Muhammad says, he is to be immediately killed by the next person. The killed one heads to perpetual hell and the killer is guaranteed paradise with virgins with swelling breasts. (4.89, others)

It is 3rd last clause of blasphemy/apostasy, which has kept Islam alive and kicking till today. Had he not incorporated his third rule, Muhammad’s cult would have vanished after him like all other cults. That is exactly what today’s leading Islamic authority, Imam Al Qardawi, acknowledges:

No comments:

Post a Comment

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...