Author: Dr. Muhammad Zia-ur-Rahman Al-Azmi رحمه الله
If the punishment for leaving Islam is death, why is there no such punishment for one who accepts Islam?
When a person accepts Islam, he does so by:
This acceptance is in accordance with the right of the Creator over His creation.
① Purpose of Creation:
﴿وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ﴾
[Adh-Dhāriyāt: 56]
"And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me."
② Only Islam is Acceptable to Allah:
﴿إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِندَ اللَّهِ الْإِسْلَامُ﴾
[Āl-ʿImrān: 19]
"Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam."
﴿وَمَن يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ الْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا فَلَن يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ﴾
[Āl-ʿImrān: 85]
"And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam—it will never be accepted from him."
The one who embraces Islam and:
is promised immense reward:
﴿إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ كَانَتْ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتُ الْفِرْدَوْسِ نُزُلًا • خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا لَا يَبْغُونَ عَنْهَا حِوَلًا﴾
[Al-Kahf: 107–108]
"Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds—for them will be Gardens of Paradise as hospitality, abiding therein forever."
Additional promises from Allah ﷻ include:
As stated in:
﴿فَمَنِ اتَّقَىٰ وَأَصْلَحَ فَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ﴾
[Al-Aʿrāf: 35]
﴿فَمَنِ اتَّبَعَ هُدَايَ فَلَا يَضِلُّ وَلَا يَشْقَىٰ﴾
[Ṭāhā: 123]
﴿فَلَنُحْيِيَنَّهُ حَيَاةً طَيِّبَةً﴾
[An-Naḥl: 97]
But the one who abandons this truth, turns away from divine revelation, and rebels against Allah's commands:
As stated in:
﴿وَمَن يَرْتَدِدْ مِنكُمْ عَن دِينِهِ فَيَمُتْ وَهُوَ كَافِرٌ فَأُولَٰئِكَ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ ۖ وَأُولَٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ﴾
[Al-Baqarah: 217]
"And whoever among you turns back from his religion and dies while a disbeliever—then their deeds have become worthless in this world and the Hereafter. They are the companions of the Fire; they will abide therein forever."
[Al-Lajnah al-Dā’imah: Fatwa no. 21166]
❖ Question:
If the punishment for leaving Islam is death, why is there no such punishment for one who accepts Islam?
❖ Answer:
When a person accepts Islam, he does so by:
- Submitting himself sincerely to Allah ﷻ,
- Accepting His religion with full conviction, and
- Demonstrating obedience to what is obligatory upon every morally responsible human and jinn.
This acceptance is in accordance with the right of the Creator over His creation.
Supporting Evidence from the Qur’an
① Purpose of Creation:
﴿وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ﴾
[Adh-Dhāriyāt: 56]
"And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me."
② Only Islam is Acceptable to Allah:
﴿إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِندَ اللَّهِ الْإِسْلَامُ﴾
[Āl-ʿImrān: 19]
"Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam."
﴿وَمَن يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ الْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا فَلَن يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ﴾
[Āl-ʿImrān: 85]
"And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam—it will never be accepted from him."
✔ Reward for Accepting Islam
The one who embraces Islam and:
- Believes with his heart,
- Acts upon it with his limbs, and
- Lives a life of obedience to Allah,
is promised immense reward:
﴿إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ كَانَتْ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتُ الْفِرْدَوْسِ نُزُلًا • خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا لَا يَبْغُونَ عَنْهَا حِوَلًا﴾
[Al-Kahf: 107–108]
"Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds—for them will be Gardens of Paradise as hospitality, abiding therein forever."
Additional promises from Allah ﷻ include:
- Guidance and security
- Relief from sorrow and fear
- A pure and fulfilling life
- Reward for good deeds in both worlds
As stated in:
﴿فَمَنِ اتَّقَىٰ وَأَصْلَحَ فَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ﴾
[Al-Aʿrāf: 35]
﴿فَمَنِ اتَّبَعَ هُدَايَ فَلَا يَضِلُّ وَلَا يَشْقَىٰ﴾
[Ṭāhā: 123]
﴿فَلَنُحْيِيَنَّهُ حَيَاةً طَيِّبَةً﴾
[An-Naḥl: 97]
✘ Consequence of Abandoning Islam
But the one who abandons this truth, turns away from divine revelation, and rebels against Allah's commands:
- Has committed a grave act of defiance,
- Becomes subject to the death penalty in this world, and
- Earns eternal punishment in the Hereafter.
As stated in:
﴿وَمَن يَرْتَدِدْ مِنكُمْ عَن دِينِهِ فَيَمُتْ وَهُوَ كَافِرٌ فَأُولَٰئِكَ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ ۖ وَأُولَٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ﴾
[Al-Baqarah: 217]
"And whoever among you turns back from his religion and dies while a disbeliever—then their deeds have become worthless in this world and the Hereafter. They are the companions of the Fire; they will abide therein forever."
[Al-Lajnah al-Dā’imah: Fatwa no. 21166]
