The Punishment for Changing Religion
Question: If someone apostatizes from Islam, the punishment is death, but why is this punishment not applied to someone who accepts Islam?
Answer: The one who accepts the religion of Islam demonstrates their servitude to Allah practically and sincerely accepts this religion, proving their obedience to it. Accepting and believing in it is obligatory upon every accountable being among jinn and humans, and this is the right of the Creator over His creation. Allah Almighty says:
«وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ»
“And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.”
He also said:
«إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِندَ اللَّهِ الْإِسْلَامُ»
“Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam.”
«وَمَن يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ الْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا فَلَن يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ وَهُوَ فِي الْآخِرَةِ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ»
“And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be among the losers.”
Regarding the reward of one who enters Islam, faith settles in their heart, and its effect appears on their limbs in the form of good deeds. Allah Almighty says:
«إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ كَانَتْ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتُ الْفِرْدَوْسِ نُزُلًا ﴿١٠٧﴾ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا لَا يَبْغُونَ عَنْهَا حِوَلًا»
“Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds – they will have the Gardens of Paradise as a lodging.”
He also said:
«يَا بَنِي آدَمَ إِمَّا يَأْتِيَنَّكُمْ رُسُلٌ مِّنكُمْ يَقُصُّونَ عَلَيْكُمْ آيَاتِي ۙ فَمَنِ اتَّقَىٰ وَأَصْلَحَ فَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ»
“O children of Adam, if there come to you messengers from among you relating to you My verses, then whoever fears Allah and reforms – there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve.”
Then He said:
«فَإِمَّا يَأْتِيَنَّكُم مِّنِّي هُدًى فَمَنِ اتَّبَعَ هُدَايَ فَلَا يَضِلُّ وَلَا يَشْقَىٰ»
“And whoever follows My guidance will neither go astray nor suffer.”
He also said:
«مَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا مِّن ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنثَىٰ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَلَنُحْيِيَنَّهُ حَيَاةً طَيِّبَةً ۖ وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْرَهُم بِأَحْسَنِ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ»
“Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer – We will surely cause him to live a good life, and We will surely give them their reward [in the Hereafter] according to the best of what they used to do.”
There are many verses with this meaning. This is the reward for the one who accepts Islam, is content with Allah as their Lord, Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم as the Prophet and Messenger, and Islam as the religion: guidance, light, a pure life in this world and the Hereafter, the blessings of Paradise, attaining Allah’s pleasure, and salvation from Hellfire.
But the one who does the opposite and turns away from the truth revealed from the heavens disobeys Allah and opposes His command, for which he deserves the punishment of death in this world and eternal torment in Hell in the Hereafter. Allah Himself has decreed this judgment:
«وَمَن يَرْتَدِدْ مِنكُمْ عَن دِينِهِ فَيَمُتْ وَهُوَ كَافِرٌ فَأُولَٰئِكَ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ ۖ وَأُولَٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ»
“And whoever among you reverts from his religion [to disbelief] and dies while he is a disbeliever – for those, their deeds have become worthless in this world and the Hereafter, and those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally.”
