Shar‘i Ruling on the Rights of a Murtad’s (Apostate’s) Family
Question:
If a person becomes a murtad (apostate), what is the Shar‘i ruling regarding his family and household?
Answer by:
Shaykh ʿAbd al-Wakeel Nāṣir (ḥafiẓahullāh)
Impact of Apostasy on the Family
✔ If a person leaves Islam and dies in a state of apostasy, or if he later returns to Islam,
in both cases, his apostasy does not affect the legal or religious status of his family.
Qur’anic Evidence:
“وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِّزۡرَ اُخۡرٰى“
“No bearer of burden shall bear the burden of another.”
(Surah Al-Isrā’: 15)
Prophetic Hadith:
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Be aware! No sinner bears the burden except for his own sin. A father is not held accountable for the sin of his child, nor is a child accountable for the sin of his father.”
(Sunan Ibn Mājah: 2669)
Fiqh Principle:
This legal maxim confirms that the sin of apostasy lies solely with the individual.
The family — whether wife, children, or parents — bear no legal or moral responsibility for his act.
Summary:
❖ If a person becomes a murtad, the Shar‘i consequences do not extend to his family members.
❖ The rights, dignity, and religious status of his wife and children remain unaffected by his personal deviation.
❖ Each soul is accountable for its own actions — neither rewarded nor punished for the deeds of another.
