Nasai

(1) By "deen" is meant the true religion, that is, Islam. This punishment is only for the person who, after accepting Islam, becomes a disbeliever again. Only such a person will be called a murtad (apostate), because the Prophet’s address is related to Muslims.

(2) The command to be killed for abandoning the religion of Islam and adopting another religion includes both men and women. The Hanafi scholars do not hold that a female apostate should be killed, except if she is of such a status that she could harm the Muslims. Thus, according to them, the killing is not the punishment for apostasy, but rather the punishment for waging war (muharaba). However, in the hadith, the punishment for changing the religion is mentioned, not for waging war.

Hadith Commentary:
These people were the Saba’iyyah.
They were followers of Abdullah ibn Saba, the Jew, who outwardly became Muslim in order to corrupt the Muslims, but inwardly was a disbeliever.
This accursed individual taught his followers that Ali radi Allahu anhu—Allah forbid—was not a human being, but rather God.
Some say that they used to worship idols.
Among the Rafidah is a sect called the Nusayriyyah, who claim that Ali radi Allahu anhu is the great God and that Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq rahimahullah is the lesser god. La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah (Wahidi).

Hadith Commentary:
➊
During the caliphate of Ali (radi Allahu anhu), there were some people who would receive government stipends but, in secret, they were idol worshippers. They were arrested and brought before Ali (radi Allahu anhu), who imprisoned them. Then, after consulting with the people, it was decided that they should be killed. However, Ali’s (radi Allahu anhu) position was that they should be treated in the same manner as they had treated our forefather Ibrahim (alayhis salam). Thus, a large fire was prepared, and they were burned and reduced to ashes.
(Fath al-Bari: 6/183)

➋
In the present era, instruments of war such as cannons, rockets, and explosives, etc., are all forms of fire. Since the disbelievers have begun to use such weaponry, there is no harm in using such weapons in response. Now, petrol bombs have been invented, and wherever they fall, fire erupts and burns everything to ashes. According to our inclination, the use of these modern weapons is a separate matter; however, to burn someone in fire in an absolute sense cannot be considered permissible or commendable from a Shari‘ah or ethical perspective.
And Allah knows best.

Benefits and Issues:
If a Muslim turns away from the religion of Islam, he is called a murtadd (apostate). The punishment for this in Islamic law is that he should be killed.

The Hanafi followers, without justification, have made an exception for women from this general ruling. They say that if a man becomes an apostate, he will be killed, but if a woman becomes an apostate, she will not be killed; rather, she will be imprisoned. The Hanafi position is contrary to the aforementioned Prophetic command, as:

◈ The commentator of Sahih Bukhari, Allamah Abu al-Hasan Ali bin Khalaf bin Abd al-Malik, Ibn Battal rahimahullah (d. 449 AH), in his commentary on the above hadith, states:
“The word «من» is used for both men and women. This generality includes both men and women, because the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam did not specifically exclude women from this ruling while addressing men. Imam Ibn al-Mundhir rahimahullah says: Disbelief (kufr) is the greatest sin and the gravest crime that can be committed by Muslim men and women, and in the Book of Allah there are many rulings and prescribed punishments (hudud) for crimes less than disbelief, such as adultery (zina), theft, drinking alcohol, false accusation (qadhf), and retribution (qisas). All these rulings and prescribed punishments, which are of a lesser degree than apostasy, are obligatory upon both men and women (then how can women be excluded from the punishment for apostasy?). Furthermore, the command of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is also general: ‘Whoever changes his religion, kill him.’ In this situation, how can it be permissible for anyone to differentiate between men and women in the punishment for this greatest sin and exempt women from it, while in lesser sins the punishment is obligatory upon them? This is a clear mistake.” [شرح صحيح البخاري: 573/8، 574]

◈ The commentator of Sahih Bukhari, Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah, states:
“It has been deduced from this hadith that just as a male apostate is to be killed, so too is a female apostate. However, the Hanafis have restricted this hadith to men and have tried to use as evidence the hadith prohibiting the killing of women. The majority of the jurists, however, have interpreted this prohibition as applying to women who are originally disbelievers and who did not participate in fighting during war, because in some chains of this hadith, these words are also found: when the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam saw a slain woman, he said: ‘She could not have fought (in battle), (so why was she killed?),’ after which the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam forbade the killing of women.” [فتح الباري فى شرح صحيح البخاري: 272/12]

Hadith Commentary:
Such aforementioned people are called "zindiq" in Arabic, such as naturalists, materialists, dualists, etc., who do not believe in God, or those who consider the Shariah and religion to be a joke, adapting themselves according to the situation—among Muslims, they act as Muslims; among Hindus, as Hindus; among Christians, as Christians.

Some have said that these people who were brought before Ali radi Allahu anhu belonged to the Saba’iyyah sect, whose leader was Abdullah bin Saba, a Jew who outwardly became Muslim, but inwardly intended to destroy and misguide the Muslims. He taught these people that Ali radi Allahu anhu is an incarnation (avatar) of God, just as the Hindu polytheists believe that Allah ta’ala comes into the world in the guise of a man or animal, and they call this an "avatar."

When Ali radi Allahu anhu became aware of these people’s beliefs, he had them arrested and burned in the fire.

May Allah curse them.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
From this hadith, it is understood that any Muslim who changes his religion should be killed, whether male or female.

(2)
In this hadith, the term "zindiq" refers to a person who makes corrupt interpretations of facts established by the Book (Qur'an), the Sunnah, and the consensus (ijma') of the Ummah. For example:
making such corrupt interpretations regarding intercession (shafa'ah), the Day of Judgment (yawm al-akhirah), the vision of Allah (ru'yat Bari Ta'ala), the punishment of the grave, the Bridge (Sirat), and the reckoning (hisab), by denying them in a manner of interpretation that has never been heard before.
Such a person is called a zindiq.
The punishment for such a person is death.
Ali radi Allahu anhu brought such people to justice.
And Allah knows best.

(3)
It should be noted that those whom Ali radi Allahu anhu burned with fire were people who held the belief of divinity regarding him, but in the present era, who will give such a punishment to those who hold the belief that Ali radi Allahu anhu fulfills needs and removes difficulties?
And Allah is the one whose help is sought.

Benefits and Issues:
➊ Punishing with fire is exclusive to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic.
It is not permissible for any person to punish a criminal with fire, no matter how great his crime may be.
And the punishment for one who apostasizes from the religion of Islam is execution.

➋ The noble verse (لَا إِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّينِ) (al-Baqarah 256) means that there is no compulsion in religion.
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Its meaning is that no person will be forcibly entered into Islam.
Jihad and fighting are for the dominance of Islam and to remove the obstacles in its path.
If someone does not wish to become Muslim, then he must pay jizyah and live under the authority of the Muslims.
However, if someone accepts Islam, then all the rulings and obligations of Islam become binding upon him, and the door to return (to disbelief) is closed.
If this path were left open, then this religion would become nothing but a child’s play; therefore, the one who accepts Islam should do so thoughtfully, knowing that returning is no longer possible. The polytheists of Makkah and all the people of ignorance were aware of this reality: that accepting Islam means adopting a completely new way of life, entirely contrary to their previous way of life.
This issue can also be understood from another perspective: that apostasy is rebellion, and rebellion is considered an unforgivable crime in any religion, nation, law, or government.

English translation:

By “the punishment of Allah” is meant burning with fire. This punishment is solely within the authority of Allah, exalted is He. It is not permissible to burn even an animal with fire.

Takhrij:
«أخرجه البخاري، استتابة المرتدين.....، باب حكم المرتد والمرتدة.....، حديث:6922.»©Explanation:
This hadith is also an explicit and clear proof that, according to the Shari‘ah, the punishment for apostasy is death, whether the apostate is a man or a woman.
Now, if someone openly becomes an apostate, then after this is established in court, the punishment of death will be given and he will be executed.
However, if the apostasy is not outward but internal, and knowledge of his apostasy is not established, then the punishment of death will not be given.
And if a person is compelled to utter a word of disbelief (kalimat al-kufr) under duress, then in such a situation he is also not deserving of punishment.

Benefit:

➊ Punishing with fire is exclusive to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic. It is not permissible for any person to punish a criminal with fire, no matter how great his crime, and even if he has apostatized from the religion of Islam, his punishment is execution.

➋ The meaning of the noble verse ﴿لَا إِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّينِ﴾ (al-Baqarah: 256) — "There is no compulsion in religion" — is that no one is to be forced into entering Islam. Jihad and fighting are for the dominance of Islam and for removing the obstacles in its path. If someone does not wish to become Muslim, then he must pay jizyah and live under the authority of the Muslims. However, if someone accepts Islam, then all the rulings and obligations of Islam become binding upon him, and the door to return (to disbelief) is closed. If the way back were left open, then this would not be a religion, but would become a child's plaything.

Therefore, whoever wishes to accept Islam should do so with full understanding and consideration, knowing that returning is now impossible. The polytheists of Makkah and all the people of ignorance were aware of this reality: that accepting Islam means adopting a completely new way of life, entirely contrary to their previous way of life.

This issue can also be understood from another perspective: that apostasy is rebellion, and rebellion is considered an unforgivable crime in any religion, nation, law, or government. [سنن ابي داود : 332/4 در السلام]