Islam recognizes the freedom of religion as a right for every individual. Irtidad, or apostasy, is defined as turning away from islam or severing the ties with islam1 and an apostate in arabic, murtadd is one who turns his back on religion. Taking the life of a person without just cause is according to the quran equivalent to the killing of the whole of mankind. Scholars who interpret prophetic texts declare the death penalty for apostasy, basing his. Mar 31, 2006 apostasy has nothing to deal with freedom of choosing religion. Religious decrees are significant because islam is the official state religion under article 3 of the moroccan constitution of 2011. The first relates to freedom of religion in the general sense, namely, the right to choose ones faith prior. Personal apostasy means to simply leave the religion of islam without rebelling or declaring war against the state.
This book argues that the law of apostasy and its punishment by death in islamic law is untenable in the modern period. Freedom of religion, apostasy and islam by abdullah saeed and. Freedom of religion, apostasy and islam abdullah saeed and hassan saeed. This book argues that the law of apostasy and its punishment by. The issue of freedom of religion has always been situated at the intersection between human rights, personal freedom of choice, religious belief and apostasy. A genuine islamic conceptualization of religious freedom. Tensions and crises such as these urge us to reexamine some former views on certain rulings to be able to be better aligned with the spirit of faith.
Abdullah saeed minerva access university of melbourne. Pdf apostasy and islamic civil society in malaysia. The constitution does not make any mention of freedom of religion or belief, and. In fact, these two issues are relating to each other in the sense the phrase religion of the federation indicates that the federation has islam as her religion and must perform the. The loc source states, on page 11, in april 20, the supreme council of religious scholars issued a religious decree fatwa that moroccan muslims who leave islam must be sentenced to death. On the other hand, classical islamic law has prescribed the death penalty for apostasy. In the name of allah, the beneficent, the merciful. Freedom of expression, t o p i c a l i ss u e s a n d c o m m. The law of apostasy in islam stands in stark contrast to modern understandings of human rights and religious liberty according to article 18 of the united nations universal declaration of human rights, everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. This latter issuethat of leaving islam, or apostasy ridda. No discrimination shall prevail because of birth, race, sex, opinion or any other personal or social condition or circumstance. Freedom of religion and apostasy in islam virtual mosque.
Freedom of expression, t o p i c a l i ss u e s a n d c o. The author argues that islam in fact guarantees religious freedom. However, article 2 of the same constitution undercuts this claim. This is clear from the quranic injunctions assuring the freedom of choice whether to embrace islam or not. While freedom supporters argue that one is free to choose his or her religion, including changing religion, the quran has made it clear that islam allows changing of religion so long as it is from any religion to islam and not from islam to another religion. This chapter examines the issue of apostasy in islam and under the sharia, and how this understanding can be reconciled with the practical operation of such an understanding for muslim minorities under the freedom of religion provisions under international law and ultimately under a freedom of religion provision in a putative bill of rights. Freedom of religion in algeria is regulated by the algerian constitution, which declares sunni islam to be the state religion article 2 but also declares that freedom of creed and opinion is inviolable article 36. Apostasy is universally acknowledged by muslim jurists as a hadd offence alongside adultery. An interactive english talk show series exploring various matters relating to islam, the beacon of truth. And to quote one more apologist for islam mohammed ali, m. Freedom is one of the fundamental concepts to be practice in islam, according to the qur. In this scenario there is absolutely no doubt regarding the right to embrace any faith one.
Oct 23, 2018 my book freedom of religion and apostasy in islam was banned in the maldives in 2008 after a targeted campaign against my coauthor and brother hassan saeed by certain politicians and an. Though particular religions or beliefs may wish to label apostasy as sin, the question for the. Apostasy conflicts with a variety of foundation texts of islam and with the current ethos of human rights, in particular the freedom to choose ones religion. Freedom of speech is stated to be an open access to discuss any issue related to religion, status of women, polygamy, polyandry and forced conversion. Some other modern islamic scholars reserve penal sanctions only in instances where apostates challenge the writ of the islamic. This type of apostasy which is better classified as rebellion against the state carries the death sentence.
Todays topic is on religious integration, apostasy. Freedom of religion, apostasy and islam liturgy, worship and society series 9780754630821. Challenges to freedom of religion or belief in malaysia a. In the reinterpretation of classical sharia, these jurists argue for the recognition of a guaranteed right of freedom of religion or belief including atheism or the rejection of islam rehman, 2005.
Apostasy means leaving or giving up ones religious faith. Request pdf on jan 1, 2005, urfan khaliq published freedom of religion, apostasy and islam by abdullah saeed and hassan saeed, ashgate publishing ltd. The only recognized conversions are from another religion to islam. This, for very obvious reasons, is due to the fact that the greatest triumphs of the true religion of allah have throughout lain in the fact of its being extremely rational, persuasive, and human. Aug 28, 2020 the provisional constitution claims to provide for some freedom of religion, as well as some freedom of expression. God makes it clear in his book that the islamic religion is based on freedom. But blasphemy and apostasy laws can be used both to suppress thought and debate and to harass religious minorities, both inside and outside islam. This is founded on the following quranic principles. Rejection or criticism of the all mighty or his prophet is perceived as an insult to islam, offensive and routinely regarded as blasphemous. By law, nonmuslims may not engage in public persuasion or attempted conversion of muslims. Abandoning islam apostasy for another religion, or no religion. Jan 05, 2017 this book argues that the law of apostasy and its punishment by death in islamic law is untenable in the modern period.
Freedom of religion is a basic need central to the nature of human beings. In fact, these two issues are relating to each other in the sense the phrase religion of the federation indicates that the federation has islam as her religion. Sudan 2019 international religious freedom report executive summary on august 17, following the april ouster of president omar albashir after months. On one hand, we know that islam strictly prohibits compulsion in religion. Apostasy and freedom of religion in malaysia by joshua neoh. In muslim countries, apostasy and blasphemy laws are defended on the grounds that they are based on islamic sharia and intended to protect religion. This chapter examines the issue of apostasy in islam and under the sharia, and how this understanding can be reconciled with the practical operation of such. Freedom of religion, apostasy and islam 1st edition abdullah saee. These new circumstances magnify the tension between the principle of freedom of religion, which is essential in islam, and the historical punishment for apostasy. These two aspects of our faith exist in tension with one another and the news media often highlights controversial cases in which someone in the muslim world has been charged with apostasy. The first relates to the freedom of religion in the general sense. Apostasy and the notion of religious freedom in islam. Pursuant to article 114, federal law or state law can arguably be used to restrict the right to propagate religion for those professing islam.
Apostasy from islam is a crime punishable by death. Islam and religious freedom berkley center for religion. Abdullah saeed, sultan of oman professor of arab and islamic studies, university of melbourne, australia editors. Freedom of religion and apostasy are major issues challenging muslims in our times. This report surveys the apostasy laws of twentythree countries in africa, the. Debate on freedom of religion as a human right takes place not only in the western world but also in muslim communities throughout the world. The constitution designates the government as the guardian of religion and requires the president to be muslim. It also prohibits discrimination against individuals on the basis of religion or religious identity and provides for the freedom to practice religious rites so long as doing so does not disrupt public order.
The second matter is the main subject of this lesson and that is the case of one who embraced islam only to renounce it later. Muslim debates on riddah and freedom of religion core. Article 160 of the constitution defines a malay person as a person who professes the religion of islam, habitually speaks the malay language and conforms to malay custom. The catholic encyclopedia defines apostasy as the desertion of a post, the giving up of a state of life. Under the condition of death penalty for apostasy it makes it solely up to the 100% conviction of the mans mind and soul as to whether accept islam or not. Joshua neoh, apostasy and freedom of religion in malaysia, in paul babie. Freedom of religion, apostasy and islam by abdullah saeed. The scholars differ on the punishment for the perpetrators of apostate.
This article is intended to show that islam recognises complete freedom of religion and belief for every human being, and that, consistently with this principle, it does not prescribe any punishment whatsoever for a person who leaves the religion of islam to adopt some other faith. The criminal code states that deliberate and insistent denunciation of islam or conversion from islam to another religion is apostasy, a capital offense. Request pdf on jan 1, 2005, urfan khaliq published freedom of religion, apostasy and islam by abdullah saeed and hassan saeed. Apostasy in islam and the freedom of religion in international law 155 that islam is easy and consequently, that the umma is against extremism of any form. Its official religion is the doctrine of the twelver jaafari school. Ahmed raysuni this topic, as noted in the title, addresses two issues. The apostasy law in islam is an anticonversion law, which contradicts articles 18 and 19 of the universal declaration of human rights.
This chapter examines the issue of apostasy in islam and under thesharia, and how this understanding can be reconciled with the practical operation of such an understanding for muslim minorities under the freedom of religion provisions under international law and ultimately under a freedom of religion provision in a putative bill of. Infidel this topic, as noted in the title, addresses two issues. Under the law, a child born to a muslim father is muslim. Freedom of religion, apostasy, and islam by abdullah saeed. The basic law declares that islam is the state religion and that sharia islamic law is the source of legislation. For muslims, converting to a different religious belief like christianity or renouncing religion at all, that is becoming an atheist, equals apostasy a capital sin. Apostasy, not ambiguous religious freedom provisions, should be the. In this new and important analysis of apostasy alriddah, the author examines fundamental teachings of the quran, the. It takes up such matters as the contradiction between apostasy laws and the freedom of belief. Arabic scholars used many words to express the meaning of freedom of expression and thought, while some make use of hurriyathu ray freedom of opinion, hurriyathu al. Man needs a belief, authority or power to guide him to the right path and to achieve the objectives of his life. While freedom supporters argue that one is free to choose his or her religion, including changing religion, the quran has made. The article also proposes a set of constitutional and legal measures to enhance freedom of religion in egypt. Mar 30, 2004 for muslims concerned for this freedom, one of the major difficulties is the punishment for apostasy death for those who desert islam.
The constitution guarantees freedom of belief, conscience, and exercise of religious practices. It is vital therefore, that in the interests of compassion and justice, as well as freedom of belief, this subject is clearly addressed once and for all. The socalled muslims sunni and shia believe in the killing of those who embrace islam and then reject it and naturally oppose it. Pdf apostasy and islamic civil society in malaysia sophie. Freedom of religion, apostasy and islam abdullah saeed. Blasphemers are usually charged with spreading corruption on earth, or mofsedefilarz, which can also be applied to criminal or political crimes. Ones might find it difficult to relate between the issue of apostasy and the position of islam. Mar 02, 2017 for muslims concerned for this freedom, one of the major difficulties is the punishment for apostasy death for those who desert islam.
The truth about the alleged punishment for apostasy in islam xi the name of muhammadsa, the holy prophet of islam, has been followed by the symbol sa, which is an abbreviation for the salutation sallallahu alaihi wasallam may peace and blessings of allah be upon him. Freedom of religion, apostasy and islam 1st edition. Every religion and faith group that resided in the lands which islam entered still exists there today, and whoever wants to remain a member of one of those congregations is free to do so. For muslims concerned for this freedom, one of the major difficulties is the punishment for apostasy death for those who desert islam. Laws criminalizing apostasy in selected jurisdictions library of.
953 1180 176 281 589 1349 50 1134 1091 661 710 737 83 293 22 1234 1075 807 690 1377 1297 910 1430 392 832 1320