Apologists & Apostasy… Thoughts from an American Soldier
While the rest of the world generally believes if God wanted people dead over their religious beliefs, then He would do the job Himself. Apostasy was taken so seriously by Muslims, that it spawned the first of many serious internal wars.
Immediately after Muhammad’s death, several tribes wanted to leave Islam and return to their preferred religion. In a conflict known as the Ridda (apostasy) Wars, they were slaughtered in such places recalled as “Garden of Death” and “Gulley of Blood”. These events occurred during the first caliph Abu Bakr’s aggressive and violent campaign to force submission. Abu Bakr had to keep the tribute payments flowing back to Mecca. Within months, a great many people were dead including Muslims who had memorized the Quran by heart.
As Abu Bakr, Muhammad’s closest companion, explained in a letter at the time, his prophet “struck whoever turned his back to Him until he came to Islam, willingly or grudgingly.” Abu Bakr promised to “burn them with fire, slaughter them by any means, and take women and children captive” any who left Islam. You can find this here… (al-Tabari v10 p.55-57)
Ali, the fourth “Rightly Guided Caliph” was Muhammad’s son-in-law. Ali was one of the first converts to Islam. He also had people burned alive for wanting to follow their conscience. An old man named Rumahis b. Mansur, who regretted leaving Christianity and vowed not to remain a Muslim, was quickly beheaded by Ali. Here’s where it’s found in case anyone challenges your knowledge of the TRUTH… (al-Tabari v.17 p.191).
In 1400 years, there has never been a system of Islamic law that did not prescribe the death penalty for Muslims choosing to leave Islam. Even in modern, ostensibly secular Islamic countries with constitutions “guaranteeing” freedom of religion, there is de facto enforcement of this law with intimidation and the vigilante murder of apostates.
A sound philosophy never requires violence or threats to retain believers. Contemporary Muslim apologists sometimes find it embarrassing that their religion, and theirs alone, endorses killing someone over a mere change in opinion.
As critic Geert Wilders puts it, “Any religion that invites you in but then will not let you out is no longer a religion”.
There are various tricks played to deny or explain away this weak and draconian thought which is so well-ensconced in Islamic tradition.
So do NOT believe APOLOGISTS OF ISLAM: THOSE THAT TRY TO DEFEND ISLAM…
These apologists also ignore the actions of Muhammad at Mecca and those actions of his companions following his death, particularly the bloody Ridda Wars. How could those closest to him have felt that there should be “no compulsion in religion” if they were instructed to kill anyone who wanted to leave Islam?
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