PRINCIPLES FOR INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE.pdf - CUEA

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traditional theologians, in their elaboration, rely on the one hand on the precedent of the first caliph of Islam, Abu-Bakr (632-634), who energetically fought the tribes who rejected his authority after the Prophet’s death and refused to pay him the alms taxes, likening their rebellion to apostasy. On the other hand they mainly put forward the authority of this Hadith: “Anyone who changes his religion must be put to death” (Bukhari, IX, 19 etc.). I do not know, throughout the history of Islam, of any application of the law condemning the apostate to death. This law is mostly theoretical. But it is not useless to draw attention to the fact that during the seventies in Egypt, the Islamists narrowly failed in enforcing this law against the Copts who, without due consideration, were converted to Islam, generally to marry Muslim girls, and who, after the failure of their marriage, returned to their former religion. Recently too some Tunisian atheists expressed their concern. So the case of the apostate in Islam, though mostly theoretical, needs to be clarified. Let us first point out the fact that the Hadith, upon which essentially the penalty of death relies, is always more or less mixed, in traditional writings, with rebellion and highway robbery. The cases quoted of “apostates” killed, during the Prophet’s life or shortly after his death, are all without exception those of persons who, as consequence of their “apostasy”, turned their weapons against the Muslims, whose community was at that time still small and vulnerable. The penalty of death appears in these circumstances as an act of self-defense in a war situation. It is undoubtedly for that reason that the Hanafi School of fiqh does not condemn to death the woman apostate, “because women, contrary to men, are not fit for war”. On the other hand the Hadith authorizing the penalty of death is not, technically mutawâtir, and consequently, according to the traditional system of Hadith, is not binding. Above all, from a modern point of view, this Hadith can and must be questioned. In my opinion we have many good reasons to consider it as undoubtedly forged. It may have been forged under the influence of Leviticus 24:16 and Deuteronomy 13:2-10 — where it is ordered to stone the apostate to death — if not directly, then perhaps through the Jews and Christians converted to Islam. Created by DEAN-FASSFrederic Ntedika Mvumbi, OP Page 32 of 37
C. The Qur’ânic teaching In any case, and as a matter of fact, the Hadith in question is at variance with the teachings of the Qur’an, where there is no mention of the penalty of death required against the apostate. During the life of the Prophet himself the case presented itself at various times, and several verses deal with it. In all these verses, without a single exception, the punishment of the apostate who persists in his rejection of Islam after having embraced it, is left to God’s judgment and to the afterlife. In all the cases mentioned in the Quran and by the commentators, it is a questions on the one hand of time-servers, individuals or tribes who, according to the circumstances, turned their coats, and on the other hand of hesitant persons attracted by the “People of the Book” (Q 2:109; 3:99-100), Jews and Christians, to their faith. Always taking into account the special situation, the Qur’an argues, warns or recommends the adequate attitude to adopt, without ever threatening death. *The Qur’an argues From a Muslim point of view the Qur’an recognizes all the previous revelations, authenticates and perfects them: Say: We believe in God, and in what has been revealed to us, and what was revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob and the Tribes, and in what was given to Moses, Jesus and the Prophets, from their Lord. We make no distinction between any one of them, and to God we submit (muslimûn) (Q 3:84). It does not follow that each one is permitted, at the convenience of the moment, to change his religion as he changes his coat. Such behavior denotes in fact a lack of true faith. It is for this reason that the following verse insists on the universal meaning of Islam, a call directed to the whole of mankind: If anyone desires a religion other than Islam, never will it be accepted of him; and in the hereafter he will be among the losers (Q 3:85). Accordingly apostates are warned: those who choose apostasy, after being convinced, in their inmost thoughts, that Islam is the truth, are Created by DEAN-FASSFrederic Ntedika Mvumbi, OP Page 33 of 37
Page 1 and 2: PRINCIPLES FOR INTERRELIGIOUS DIALO
Page 3 and 4: Thus, more than what Plato says, In
Page 5 and 6: the Church through Vatican II Counc
Page 7 and 8: WHAT IS INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE? Th
Page 9 and 10: *Living together in spite of our di
Page 11 and 12: FORMS OF INTERRELIOUS DIALOGUE Expe
Page 13 and 14: seeing what Christians and Muslims
Page 15 and 16: With this trust, Muhammad did not h
Page 17 and 18: of peaceful accommodation. With tha
Page 19 and 20: Even if the Umayyad rulers did not
Page 21 and 22: y them. Therefore the Muslims and t
Page 23 and 24: Carthage were by nature the enemies
Page 25 and 26: From the beginning, in our Islamic
Page 27 and 28: To the best of my knowledge, among
Page 29 and 30: in the sight of God is he who is th
Page 31: of tolerance and real prosperity, v
Page 35 and 36: Let there arise out of you a commun
Page 37: apostasy. We have seen, with regard

PRINCIPLES FOR INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE.pdf - CUEA

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