✿ Objection from Some Modernists
Some modernist critics argue that if other religions were to enforce the death penalty for apostasy as Islam does, it could hinder the propagation of Islam just as it would obstruct the spread of other religions. While a principled response to this objection has already been provided, a practical answer is also essential.
❀ Response to the Objection
The core objection is hypothetical —
"what if" other religions adopted similar measures. However, in reality, this situation already exists. Any religion that is state-affiliated treats apostasy as a crime within its jurisdiction and attempts to suppress it.
The misconception in Western Christian countries arises because religious apostasy no longer carries state-imposed penalties, and religious freedom is broadly granted. This leads some to mistakenly believe that Christianity never viewed apostasy as a crime.
❀ Apostasy and State Religions
In truth, Christianity functions only as a personal religion in those nations and not as the religion of the state or society. Therefore, abandoning Christianity is not treated with significant concern. However, the "collective religion" of these states is their national constitution and civic principles. Denial of these foundational elements is viewed as gravely as apostasy is in Islam.
❀ Illustrative Examples
For example, Britain’s collective religion is not Christianity, but its constitution and state principles. Similarly, in the United States, Christianity is not the state religion — rather, American nationalism and the federal constitution form the foundation of the state. A person rejecting these national principles is deemed a criminal, much like an apostate in an Islamic context.
❀ Apostasy in Western Law
According to legal historians, there was a time in English law when apostasy was punishable by death. While laws have since changed, and restrictions on religious views have diminished, violations of national laws and collective principles remain punishable offenses.
❀ Practical Reality
The fact remains that every religion tied to a state preserves its collective faith. Anyone who rejects the core principles of a state religion or constitutional identity will practically experience that apostasy is still treated as a crime, albeit under different terminologies.
✿ Summary
The objection — that if all religions enforced punishments for apostasy it would create barriers — is practically unfounded. Religions across the globe propagate freely as long as they remain within the limits of the state’s foundational principles. Converting to another religion is not considered apostasy unless it involves abandoning the state’s collective identity.
✿ Conclusion
The notion that other religions might impose punishments for apostasy as Islam does is not theoretical — it already exists in practice. Every state safeguards its collective faith, whether that be Christianity or a constitutional framework. The Islamic ruling on apostasy similarly rests on the principle of preserving the collective religion of the state.
