I must seriously disagree. It is not at all a matter of “stupidity” that some (many) converts fall away from Islam. I have read and heard repeatedly, from multiple sources, that in Canada and the USA as many as two-thirds to three-quarters of converts eventually fall way from Islam (become apostates, if you want to use that term). A large majority of converts leave!

And yes, to be blunt, some of them were more or less, even if subtly, pressured into pronouncing the Shahada and declare themselves Muslims. Believe me, it really does happen. It does. I can testify from personal experience, “no compulsion in religion” or not.

Some (many?) of these individuals may really not understand what they are doing or what their beliefs really are. There are a lot of “marginal” weak people in this world, and some of them go here and there in the wind. It is almost as if the Shahada is some sort of magical incantation, just say these words, and alhamdulillah, now you are a Muslim! Believe me once again, it really does happen.

Then they are not really accepted into the Ummah in any meaningful sense. This is a chronic, major, major problem in many places in North America. Converts are not really made to feel welcome, made to feel part of the community. So they get disillusioned, discouraged, and leave. Period. It seems that many Muslims are either unaware or unwilling to admit this. The dropout rate of converts to Islam in North America is really rather ferocious.

nobody can be pressured into reading the shahaada period .. This whole apostasy issue was never an issue in times gone by but seems to be a hot topic particularly by zionist sites . Its almost as ifthey are trying to find a chink in the armour of Islam .What they are doing is merging sedition into apostasy to serve their deceptive agenda . I just fail to understand what the hullabaloo is all about . The matter is very simple . If Allah says clearly “No compulsion in religion” and ” To you your way and to me mine” What dont people understand about it . Any hadith that says the Prophet did anything contrary to Quranic injuctions is a fabricated hadith and false and must be treated as such ,Regardless of whose name is attached to the hadith . The Quran is the primary text for muslims and everything else must fall in line with it . It is simple logic .
This whole apostasy issue is really an excercise in stupidity

Those minority shadh opinions do not affect the fact that the overwhelming majority arrived at a different consensus.

Salaam to all. Allah (swt) knows best; I certainly do not. My question, as I raised before, is what about the case of someone who in all sincerity declared herself/himself Muslim, perhaps under severe urging (it happens), but who was weak in character, possibly laboring under a mental disturbance? I will in no way presume what will be the judgment of such a person in the Hereafter. I have no right to speculate on that, although I can hope that Allah (swt) will be merciful to such a troubled person. I only think that there are cases in which it is illegitimate for us limited and mortal humans, in accordance with Qur’anic principles as set out in this article, to presume to impose temporal punishment on such individuals.

Yes, Allah allows leaving Islam. But one who does so must face the consequences – just as we must face the consequences of any action we do.

The point of the article is that the consequences are faced in the hereafter, and not in this world (unless its a case of war/sedition).

Nevertheless, lets be absolutely clear – the consequences faced in the hereafter will NOT be pretty…

That is the point of the article. Of course it is not allowed, it is considered to be disbelief. However, that does not mean the government has a right to execute the individual. Just as they don’t have a right to execute any other individual who is not Muslim.

Does ALLAH allows one leaving Islam? in other words does ALLAH allows Muslims to leave Islam as he/she pleases?

However, with regard to the notion that apostates should be killed, I can tell you that no one mentioned it to me before I accepted Islam. When I found out about it I was horrified, even though I never had the notion of leaving Islam. It is really hypocritical of Muslims to accept this idea, and then complain about human rights abuses against us. What if the Christians, Jews or Hindus said “from now on we will kill anyone who becomes Muslim.” How would that sit?

When I found out about it, I did not simply accept it or ignore it though, as I’ve seen many Muslims do. I tried to find out where the idea comes from, because as the author mentioned, it is nowhere in the Quran.

I really think the scholars of Islam need to revisit this issue, and I’m glad some of them are doing so. The Quran states: “And do not insult those they invoke other than Allah , lest they insult Allah in enmity without knowledge….”

If we are not allowed to even insult the false idols of non-Muslims, how can we even consider killing someone who changes their religion? How is it not insulting to the followers of a faith when we actually murder someone for adopting that faith?

Furthermore, if you read the Quran, Chapter 4 (An-Nisa) verses 88-90, it seems to describe the problem on apostasy and its solution very clearly. Yes, it does describe the killing of apostates, but only those who actually take arms up against the Muslim community. Then it says “…Therefore if they withdraw from you but fight you not, and (instead) send you (Guarantees of) peace, then Allah Hath opened no way for you (to war against them).”

Please someone explain why this verse of the Quran should be ignored while the opinions of dead scholars should be adopted without fully understanding their reasoning or circumstances? I am truly curious, please explain.

I would love to hear the thoughts of the sheikh on these points.

In regard to the matter of apostasy of those who come to Islam and then who leave, more or less, in some way or another, it seems to me that there is not enough consideration of human weakness.

Consider, please. A non-Muslim is genuinely attracted to Islam, although her/his understanding may be only superficial because of ineffective da’wah. Nevertheless, the attraction is genuine as far as it goes.

However, the individual has issues. She or he may be weak in character, may have mental health issues, may already (as a non-Muslim) have substance abuse issues. Then she or he in all honesty and sincerity professes herself or himself a Muslim. Again, in all sincerity, regardless of what she or he understands, because (I speak from experience) some individuals are almost pressured to pronounce the words of the Shahada almost as if they are an end in themselves.

Then this person (again, perhaps weak of character and/or understanding and maybe even mentally disturbed — it happens) is not well received into the Muslim community. That also happens, all too frequently (sadly) in North America. She or he with all of the personal problems and weaknesses flounders with no meaningful support.

Let us be honest. For many people, it is not entirely easy to be a devout Muslim in many circumstances here in North America. If such a person is already weak and disturbed and receives no support from the community, is such a person to be blamed if she or he slips away from Islam?

I mean no offence, but the conclusions of scholars who died hundreds of years ago are not what we are going to be questioned about on the Day of Judgment.