Apostasy in Islam

In response to an article that states that the US is concerned about the possibility of Islam spreading and being the dominant religion in Russia, I wrote a note that said that there is legitimate cause for concern.

Here is some of what concerns me:

A Policy Exchange report finds in a 2007 study of BRITISH MUSLIMS:
36% of 16-24 year old British Muslims "believe if a Muslim converts to another religion they should be punished by death."

The question asked was:

"The following is a list of laws that are defined in most scholarly interpretations of sharia law. Please say if you personally agree or disagree with the law mentioned:

That Muslim conversion is forbidden and punishable by death

 
Ages:
16 – 24
25 – 34
35 – 44
45 – 54
55+
Total

% Agree
 
   36
   37
   27
   19
  19
   31

One may ask, "Why do these people think that a thought-crime should be punished by death?"

Depends who you ask, a Muslim in Western society often tries to imply that there is no reason to think that Islam is the reason these people are insane.  Indeed, ODer The Muslim Master says in a note (emphasis mine):

There are Muslims who believe that Women are not to drive cars, or to have education.

What I say is that they haven’t understood their religion. The same is true about apostasy.

Islam doesn’t force anyone to become Muslim, and it doesn’t force anyone to keep being so. This should make this clear: http://www.answering-christianity.com/apostates.htm

My next entry will be an interesting article about how killing apostates is nothing new to Christians and Jews, who are commanded by their Book to kill apostates.

This issue of Islam killing apostates is mostly a mass media attempt to damage Islam’s reputation. [The Muslim Master]

One direct request to The Muslim Master before I continue. Are you willing to condemn those that call for the death of apostates?

If you ask me why some Muslims think that apostates should be killed, I’d answer that it’s based off of the Koran and (mostly) the Hadith.

Koran (Quran) verses

4:089 They long that ye should disbelieve even as they disbelieve, that ye may be upon a level (with them). So choose not friends from them till they forsake their homes in the way of Allah; if they turn back (to enmity) then take them and kill them wherever ye find them, and choose no friend nor helper from among them

4:101 The disbelievers are an open enemy to you.

9:012 If they … assail your religion, then fight the heads of disbelief. … Fight them! Allah will chastise them at your hands, and He will lay them low and give you victory over them

9:029 Fight against such of those who have been given the Scripture as believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, and forbid not that which Allah hath forbidden by His messenger, and follow not the Religion of Truth, until they pay the tribute readily, being brought low.

9:073 O Prophet! Strive against the disbelievers and the hypocrites! Be harsh with them. Their ultimate abode is hell, a hapless journey’s end.

9:123 Fight those of the disbelievers who are near to you, and let them find harshness in you.

Hadiths – (oral traditions about prophet Muhammad)

The most trusted Sunni collection of Hadiths was collected by Muhammad Ibn Ismail Ibn Ibrahim Ibn al-Mughirah Ibn Bardizbah al-Bukhari (810 – 870 CE) is called Sahih al-Bukhari (which means "authentic al-Bukhari").

From the Sahih al-Bukhari:

Volume 4, Book 52, Number 260:
Narrated Ikrima:
Ali burnt some people and this news reached Ibn ‘Abbas, who said, "Had I been in his place I would not have burnt them, as the Prophet said, ‘Don’t punish (anybody) with Allah’s Punishment.’ No doubt, I would have killed them, for the Prophet said, ‘If somebody (a Muslim) discards his religion, kill him.’ "

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 statement of Allah’s Apostle, ‘Whoever changed his Islamic religion, then kill him.’"

Volume 9, Book 83, Number 17:
Narrated ‘Abdullah:
Allah’s Apostle said, "The blood of a Muslim who confesses that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that I am His Apostle, cannot be shed except in three cases: In Qisas for murder, a married person who commits illegal sexual intercourse and the one who reverts from Islam (apostate) and leaves the Muslims."

So I would make the case that it doesn’t just happen to be that 37% of 16-24 year old British Muslims are both insane AND Muslim — and yes, Iam calling insane any person that advocates the death penalty for a thought crime.

It looks as though are insane BECAUSE they are Muslim (and have a somewhat cogent grasp on what they are expected to do).

If you want the links to each of the verses/hadiths that I cite, or the polls, etc. Please see the write up that I did in these two places:

http://religiousdebate.wikidot.com/apostasy

http://religiousdebate.wikidot.com/troubling