❀ Question:
Some people object: If followers of other religions are allowed to accept Islam without penalty, then why is a Muslim not allowed to leave Islam without facing consequences such as capital punishment?✔ Response:
Fundamentally, this question pertains to Islamic legal and moral principles, not a comparison with how other religions operate. However, since this objection is often used to confuse or dissuade Muslims—especially the unaware—it becomes essential to clarify the reasoning behind Islam’s stance on apostasy.✿ ① Difference Between Truth and Falsehood:
Islam considers itself the absolute truth. Thus:- A person coming to the truth (accepting Islam) is praised.
- A person leaving the truth (apostasy) is condemned.
Treating these two individuals as equal would be a logical contradiction. No rational system treats adherence to and rejection of truth as equal acts.
✿ ② Abrogation of Previous Religions:
With the advent of Islam, all previous divine laws were abrogated. This is similar to how a new constitution supersedes old laws in a country.- A citizen acting on the previous, repealed law is considered a lawbreaker.
- If someone actively seeks to replace the new law with the old, they are labeled a rebel.
If a government punishes someone for undermining its constitution, is that called justice or oppression? Similarly, a person who abandons Islam is rejecting divine truth and deserves consequences—not praise.
❖ Conclusion:
Islam does not present any contradiction in allowing others to accept it while punishing apostasy, because it considers itself the final and only truth.Rejecting Islam after accepting it is not just personal disbelief—it’s an act of public rebellion against the divine order, similar to treason against a state.
Thus, Islam logically and lawfully distinguishes between:
- A non-Muslim accepting truth, and
- A Muslim abandoning the truth after recognizing it.
