Ruling on one who apostatizes

‘Ikrimah said:
‘Ali burned some people who retreated from Islam. When Ibn ‘Abbas was informed of it, he said: If it had been I, I would not have burned them, for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Do not inflict Allah’s punishment on anyone, but would have had killed them on account of the statement of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. The Apostle said: Kill those who change their religion. When ‘Ali was informed about it he said: How truly Ibn ‘Abbas said!

حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ حَنْبَلٍ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَيُّوبُ، عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ، أَنَّ عَلِيًّا، عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ أَحْرَقَ نَاسًا ارْتَدُّوا عَنِ الإِسْلاَمِ فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ فَقَالَ لَمْ أَكُنْ لأَحْرِقَهُمْ بِالنَّارِ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ " لاَ تُعَذِّبُوا بِعَذَابِ اللَّهِ " . وَكُنْتُ قَاتِلَهُمْ بِقَوْلِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَإِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ " مَنْ بَدَّلَ دِينَهُ فَاقْتُلُوهُ " . فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ عَلِيًّا عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ فَقَالَ وَيْحَ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ .

`Abd Allah (b. Mas`ud) reported the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) as saying:
The blood of a Muslim man who testifies that there is no god but Allah and that I am the Messenger of Allah should not be lawfully shed but only for one of three reasons: married fornicator, soul for soul, and one who deserts his religion separating himself from the community.

حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عَوْنٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مُرَّةَ، عَنْ مَسْرُوقٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ " لاَ يَحِلُّ دَمُ رَجُلٍ مُسْلِمٍ يَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلاَّ بِإِحْدَى ثَلاَثٍ الثَّيِّبُ الزَّانِي وَالنَّفْسُ بِالنَّفْسِ وَالتَّارِكُ لِدِينِهِ الْمُفَارِقُ لِلْجَمَاعَةِ " .

Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin:

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ Said: The blood of a Muslim man who testifies that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is Allah's Apostle should not lawfully be shed except only for one of three reasons: a man who committed fornication after marriage, in which case he should be stoned; one who goes forth to fight with Allah and His Apostle, in which case he should be killed or crucified or exiled from the land; or one who commits murder for which he is killed.

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سِنَانٍ الْبَاهِلِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ طَهْمَانَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ بْنِ رُفَيْعٍ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ عُمَيْرٍ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، رضى الله عنها قَالَتْ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ " لاَ يَحِلُّ دَمُ امْرِئٍ مُسْلِمٍ يَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلاَّ بِإِحْدَى ثَلاَثٍ رَجُلٌ زَنَى بَعْدَ إِحْصَانٍ فَإِنَّهُ يُرْجَمُ وَرَجُلٌ خَرَجَ مُحَارِبًا لِلَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ فَإِنَّهُ يُقْتَلُ أَوْ يُصْلَبُ أَوْ يُنْفَى مِنَ الأَرْضِ أَوْ يَقْتُلُ نَفْسًا فَيُقْتَلُ بِهَا " .

Abu Burdah said on the authority of Abu Musa :
I went to the Prophet ﷺ while two men who were Ash’ arIs were with me. One of them was on my right and the other on my left side. Bothe of them asked him for employment. The prophet ﷺ was silent. He asked : What do you say Abu Musa, or ‘Abd Allah b. Qais (Abu Musa’s name)? I replied: By him who has sent you with truth, they did not inform me of what they had in their hearts, and I did not know that they would ask for an employment. He said : I have the scene before my eyes that he had his toothstick below his lip which receded. He (the prophet) said: We will never or will not put in charge of our work anyone who asks for it. But go, ye, Abu Musa, or ‘Abd Allah b. Qais. He then sent him as a Governor of the Yemen, After him he sent Muadh b. Jabal. When Muadh came to him, he said: come down , and he put a cushion for him. He saw that a man was chained with him. He asked : What is this? He replied: He was a Jew and he accepted Islam. He then converted to his religion, an evil religion. He said: I will not sit until he is killed according to the decision of Allah and his Apostle ﷺ. He said: Yes, be seated. He said: I will not sit until he is killed according to the decision of Allah and his Apostle (peace be upon him). He said it three times. He then commanded for it and he was killed. Both of them then discussed the question of prayer and vigilance at night. One of them, probably Muadh, said : So far as I am concerned, I sleep and I keep vigilance: I keep vigilance and I sleep: I hope for the same reward for my sleep as for my vigilance.

حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ حَنْبَلٍ، وَمُسَدَّدٌ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، - قَالَ مُسَدَّدٌ - حَدَّثَنَا قُرَّةُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا حُمَيْدُ بْنُ هِلاَلٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بُرْدَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو مُوسَى أَقْبَلْتُ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ وَمَعِي رَجُلاَنِ مِنَ الأَشْعَرِيِّينَ أَحَدُهُمَا عَنْ يَمِينِي وَالآخَرُ عَنْ يَسَارِي فَكِلاَهُمَا سَأَلَ الْعَمَلَ وَالنَّبِيُّ ﷺ سَاكِتٌ فَقَالَ " مَا تَقُولُ يَا أَبَا مُوسَى " . أَوْ " يَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ قَيْسٍ " . قُلْتُ وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ مَا أَطْلَعَانِي عَلَى مَا فِي أَنْفُسِهِمَا وَمَا شَعَرْتُ أَنَّهُمَا يَطْلُبَانِ الْعَمَلَ . قَالَ وَكَأَنِّي أَنْظُرُ إِلَى سِوَاكِهِ تَحْتَ شَفَتِهِ قَلَصَتْ قَالَ " لَنْ نَسْتَعْمِلَ - أَوْ لاَ نَسْتَعْمِلُ - عَلَى عَمَلِنَا مَنْ أَرَادَهُ وَلَكِنِ اذْهَبْ أَنْتَ يَا أَبَا مُوسَى أَوْ يَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ قَيْسٍ " . فَبَعَثَهُ عَلَى الْيَمَنِ ثُمَّ أَتْبَعَهُ مُعَاذَ بْنَ جَبَلٍ قَالَ فَلَمَّا قَدِمَ عَلَيْهِ مُعَاذٌ قَالَ انْزِلْ . وَأَلْقَى لَهُ وِسَادَةً فَإِذَا رَجُلٌ عِنْدَهُ مُوثَقٌ قَالَ مَا هَذَا قَالَ هَذَا كَانَ يَهُودِيًّا فَأَسْلَمَ ثُمَّ رَاجَعَ دِينَهُ دِينَ السُّوءِ . قَالَ لاَ أَجْلِسُ حَتَّى يُقْتَلَ قَضَاءُ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ . قَالَ اجْلِسْ نَعَمْ . قَالَ لاَ أَجْلِسُ حَتَّى يُقْتَلَ قَضَاءُ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ . ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ فَأَمَرَ بِهِ فَقُتِلَ ثُمَّ تَذَاكَرَا قِيَامَ اللَّيْلِ فَقَالَ أَحَدُهُمَا مُعَاذُ بْنُ جَبَلٍ أَمَّا أَنَا فَأَنَامُ وَأَقُومُ - أَوْ أَقُومُ وَأَنَامُ - وَأَرْجُو فِي نَوْمَتِي مَا أَرْجُو فِي قَوْمَتِي .

Narrated Mu'adh ibn Jabal:

AbuMusa said: Mu'adh came to me when I was in the Yemen. A man who was Jew embraced Islam and then retreated from Islam. When Mu'adh came, he said: I will not come down from my mount until he is killed. He was then killed. One of them said: He was asked to repent before that.

حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، حَدَّثَنَا الْحِمَّانِيُّ، - يَعْنِي عَبْدَ الْحَمِيدِ بْنَ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ - عَنْ طَلْحَةَ بْنِ يَحْيَى، وَبُرَيْدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى، قَالَ قَدِمَ عَلَىَّ مُعَاذٌ وَأَنَا بِالْيَمَنِ، وَرَجُلٌ، كَانَ يَهُودِيًّا فَأَسْلَمَ فَارْتَدَّ عَنِ الإِسْلاَمِ، فَلَمَّا قَدِمَ مُعَاذٌ قَالَ لاَ أَنْزِلُ عَنْ دَابَّتِي حَتَّى يُقْتَلَ . فَقُتِلَ . قَالَ أَحَدُهُمَا وَكَانَ قَدِ اسْتُتِيبَ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ .

Abu Burdah said:
A man who turned back from Islam was brought to Abu Musa. He invited him to repent for twenty days or about so. Muadh then came and invited him (to embrace Islam) but he refused. So he was beheaded.

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْعَلاَءِ، حَدَّثَنَا حَفْصٌ، حَدَّثَنَا الشَّيْبَانِيُّ، عَنْ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ، بِهَذِهِ الْقِصَّةِ قَالَ فَأُتِيَ أَبُو مُوسَى بِرَجُلٍ قَدِ ارْتَدَّ عَنِ الإِسْلاَمِ، فَدَعَاهُ عِشْرِينَ لَيْلَةً أَوْ قَرِيبًا مِنْهَا فَجَاءَ مُعَاذٌ فَدَعَاهُ فَأَبَى فَضُرِبَ عُنُقُهُ . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَرَوَاهُ عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ بْنُ عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ لَمْ يَذْكُرْ الاِسْتِتَابَةَ وَرَوَاهُ ابْنُ فُضَيْلٍ عَنِ الشَّيْبَانِيِّ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ فِيهِ الاِسْتِتَابَةَ .

The tradition mention above has also been transmitted by Abu Musa through a different chain if narrators. But there is no mention of demand of repentance.

حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ مُعَاذٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، حَدَّثَنَا الْمَسْعُودِيُّ، عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ، بِهَذِهِ الْقِصَّةِ قَالَ فَلَمْ يَنْزِلْ حَتَّى ضُرِبَ عُنُقُهُ وَمَا اسْتَتَابَهُ .

Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas:

Abdullah ibn AbuSarh used to write (the revelation) for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Satan made him slip, and he joined the infidels. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded to kill him on the day of Conquest (of Mecca). Uthman ibn Affan sought protection for him. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ gave him protection.

حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْمَرْوَزِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ وَاقِدٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ يَزِيدَ النَّحْوِيِّ، عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ كَانَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَعْدِ بْنِ أَبِي سَرْحٍ يَكْتُبُ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَأَزَلَّهُ الشَّيْطَانُ فَلَحِقَ بِالْكُفَّارِ فَأَمَرَ بِهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَنْ يُقْتَلَ يَوْمَ الْفَتْحِ فَاسْتَجَارَ لَهُ عُثْمَانُ بْنُ عَفَّانَ فَأَجَارَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ .

Narrated Sa'd ibn AbuWaqqas:

On the day of the conquest of Mecca, Abdullah ibn Sa'd ibn AbuSarh hid himself with Uthman ibn Affan.

He brought him and made him stand before the Prophet ﷺ, and said: Accept the allegiance of Abdullah, Messenger of Allah! He raised his head and looked at him three times, refusing him each time, but accepted his allegiance after the third time.

Then turning to his companions, he said: Was not there a wise man among you who would stand up to him when he saw that I had withheld my hand from accepting his allegiance, and kill him?

They said: We did not know what you had in your heart, Messenger of Allah! Why did you not give us a signal with your eye?

He said: It is not advisable for a Prophet to play deceptive tricks with the eyes.

حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ الْمُفَضَّلِ، حَدَّثَنَا أَسْبَاطُ بْنُ نَصْرٍ، قَالَ زَعَمَ السُّدِّيُّ عَنْ مُصْعَبِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ، عَنْ سَعْدٍ، قَالَ لَمَّا كَانَ يَوْمُ فَتْحِ مَكَّةَ اخْتَبَأَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَعْدِ بْنِ أَبِي سَرْحٍ عِنْدَ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عَفَّانَ فَجَاءَ بِهِ حَتَّى أَوْقَفَهُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ بَايِعْ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ . فَرَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ فَنَظَرَ إِلَيْهِ ثَلاَثًا كُلُّ ذَلِكَ يَأْبَى فَبَايَعَهُ بَعْدَ ثَلاَثٍ ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ عَلَى أَصْحَابِهِ فَقَالَ " أَمَا كَانَ فِيكُمْ رَجُلٌ رَشِيدٌ يَقُومُ إِلَى هَذَا حَيْثُ رَآنِي كَفَفْتُ يَدِي عَنْ بَيْعَتِهِ فَيَقْتُلَهُ " . فَقَالُوا مَا نَدْرِي يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا فِي نَفْسِكَ أَلاَّ أَوْمَأْتَ إِلَيْنَا بِعَيْنِكَ قَالَ " إِنَّهُ لاَ يَنْبَغِي لِنَبِيٍّ أَنْ تَكُونَ لَهُ خَائِنَةُ الأَعْيُنِ " .