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344chapter six1. By a ÈadÊth, narrated by al-Bukh§rÊ, Abå D§wåd, al-Nis§"Ê,al-TirmidhÊ, Ibn \ay§n, al-\§kim, AÈmad b. \anbal, Abå Ya#l§,al-BayhaqÊ, al-D§quãnÊ, al-•abar§nÊ, Ibn AbÊ Shaybah, reportedfrom ‘Ikrima: ‘#AlÊ had burnt a group of apostates. This [news]reached Ibn #Abb§s who said, “Had it been me, I [also] would havekilled them because of the statement of the Messenger (ß): ‘he whochanges his religion, kill him’. But I would not have burnt thembecause of the statement of the Messenger (ß): ‘Do not punish withAllah’s punishment.’ This [news] reached #AlÊ who said: “Ibn#Abb§s has spoken the truth”. Abå ‘^s§ al-TirmidhÊ said: ‘ThisÈadÊth is ßaÈÊÈ Èasan, and based on this is the practice of the peopleof knowledge regarding apostates. They [only] differ with regardto [the treatment of a] woman if she apostacizes. One group said:she is to be killed; and this is stated by al-Awz§#Ê and AÈmad; andone group said: she is to be imprisoned and not killed; and this isstated by Sufy§n and others from Kåfah." 8Also, by a ÈadÊth narrated by Im§m M§lik in his Muwaãã§, reportedby Zayd b. Aslam: ‘The Prophet (ß) said: “He who changes hisreligion, cut off his head.” This is mursal according to all narrators.The meaning of the Prophet’s (ß) statement is, according to ourunderstanding—and Allah is most knowledgeable—that whoeverleaves Islam for another [religious community], including thezan§diqah [those who have secretly apostacized] and similar others,if they make it [i.e., their apostasy] [publicly] manifest, they willbe killed and will not be asked to repent. As for someone who hasleft Islam for another [religious community] but did not make it[publicly] manifest, he will be asked to repent. If he repents [heshould be left alone], otherwise he will be killed. The Prophet (ß)[however] did not intend [to include], according to our understanding—andAllah is most knowledgeable—someone who leavesJudaism for Christianity or someone [who leaves] Christianity forJudaism or for any other [religious community]…’. 9Three things can be deduced from M§lik b. Anas’s account:First, the prophetical statement, reported by Zayd b. Aslam, is8Abå ‘^s§ MuÈammad al-TirmidhÊ, Sunan al-TirmidhÊ (Cairo: Mußãaf§ al-B§bÊ,1937), vol. 4, 59 (ÈadÊth no. 1458).9M§lik b. Anas al-AßbaÈÊ, Muwaã㧠al-Im§m M§lik (Abu Dhabi: Mu"assasat Z§yidb. Sulã§n $l Nahy§n, 2004), vol. 4, 1065, (ÈadÊth no. 2727).