Leaving Islam Is Not a Capital Crime

The Chicago Tribune ^ | April 2, 2006 | M. Cherif Bassiouni

[quidnunc]

A Muslim's conversion to Christianity is not a crime punishable by death under Islamic law, contrary to the claims in the case of Abdul Rahman in Afghanistan.

While there is long-established doctrine that apostasy is punishable by death, that has also long been questioned by Islamic criminal justice scholars, including this writer.

There are 1.4 billion Muslims who live in more than 140 countries. They constitute the great majority in 53 countries that declare themselves to be Muslim states. Most of these states have constitutions that guarantee freedom of religion, as does the Afghani constitution. Most of these states have criminal codes that do not include apostasy as a crime. Among them are: Algeria, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey.

Other Muslim countries, however, criminalize apostasy on the basis of doctrinal constructs established in the 7th and 8th Centuries, which have been mildly questioned over the years or simply sidestepped. States that recognize it as a crime punishable by death include Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Sudan. However, there are no known cases in recent times in which someone charged with apostasy in these countries has been put to death.

-snip-

[postaldave]

"Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Sudan."

sounds like a list of third world toilets.

[CarrotAndStick]

Other Muslim countries, however, criminalize apostasy on the basis of doctrinal constructs established in the 7th and 8th Centuries, which have been mildly questioned over the years or simply sidestepped. States that recognize it as a crime punishable by death include Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Sudan.

Tragedy for the fallen lands.

[Andy from Beaverton]

Muslim scholars must assume their responsibilities in responding to such negativism, and also by condemning the wrongs committed in the name of Islam.

It will never happen. Great article, I'm surprised it was published.

[tet68]

there are no known cases in recent times in which someone charged with apostasy in these countries has been put to death.

...by the government, anyone committing one of these murders
was probably lauded in the mosque.

[XR7]

Other Muslim countries, however, criminalize apostasy on the basis of doctrinal constructs established in the 7th and 8th Centuries

Yeah. When Islam took over a big chunk of the known world by the sword.

Idiots who believe the propaganda squeezed out by these current "Muslim" scholars are swallowing a line of horsesh*t. Who founded Islam (I don't mean Satan - but you'ld probably be correct if that was your answer)? Mohammed. And his teachings and his life indicate that he was all for killing infidels. His true believers want to follow him in thought and deed, just as true believers in Jesus want to follow Him.

[thoughtomator]

So 42 out of 53 Islamic countries do consider apostasy to be a crime. Of the 11 listed every one is either a monarchy which sees theocracy as a threat to its rule, a US-liberated nation, or has a secular government. Any nation that includes an ounce of Islam in its government considers apostasy a crime.

[LachlanMinnesota]

I wonder about all of those put to death whose cases were not run through the court system to determine the guilt of the defendant offically...

[trubluolyguy]

A Muslim's conversion to Christianity is not a crime punishable by death under Islamic law, contrary to the claims in the case of Abdul Rahman in Afghanistan.

---

Yeah, yeah and murdering innocent children WON'T get you into paradise with your 70 virgins.

Right.

Tell that to the Muzzies, not the infidels.

[Jack Black]

Muslim lies and propaganda. What's the ugly arabic word for it being OK to lie to non-believers. I've been to Malaysia. It is required that Malays (an ethnicity) be Moslems. Freedom of consceince is only for the Chinese and Indian minorities. Were a Malay ethnic openly convert there would be prosecution, though perhaps not a death penalty.

As for Nigeria, it is most certainly not a "Islamic Nation". Rather it has several breakaway provinces in the north that are implmenting sharia law. We've already see the classic "death for adultery" in the case of rape and consensual sex being applied there. So, basically, this article is either so poorly researched as to be useless, or an out an out lie.

[Chgogal]

"Other Muslim countries, however, criminalize apostasy on the basis of doctrinal constructs established in the 7th and 8th Centuries, which have been mildly questioned over the years or simply sidestepped. States that recognize it as a crime punishable by death include Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Sudan. However, there are no known cases in recent times in which someone charged with apostasy in these countries has been put to death."

Is the last two sentences true?

[Cornpone]

No they are not. A book of Islamic law, Reliance of the Traveler, written in the 14th century clearly states that apostasy is punishable by death. Of more recent vintage is a book of Islamic law written in the early 20th century, The Religion of Islam, that says imams who kill based on apostasy have it wrong. They should not kill for apostasy but because the convert is now an enemy within the dar al-Islam and is therefore a traitor...but dead just the same. I could go on and on. While most Islamic states today do not openly execute people for apostasy, they do follow the letter of the law by allowing execution by proxy since the Shariah states there can be no indemnification (penalty) for killing an apostate. Such executions by proxy were witnessed most blatantly in Egypt when 20 Coptic Christians were murdered in 2000 with no prosecution by the state. No one really knows what happens in Saudi Arabia since many of their trials are secret and the prosecuted don’t live to tell the details. This sort of thing happens everyday. The Chicago Tribune has become another victim of Islamic quibbling to obfuscate the truth about Islam. For more insight read Bat Ye’or’s book, The Decline of Eastern Christianity.