Freedom to Believe by Patrick Sookhdeo

Author:Patrick Sookhdeo
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: BookBaby
Published: 2009-01-08T05:00:00+00:00

Conclusion

The above discussion illustrates the interpenetration of Muslim political and religious identities and the serious view taken by many Muslims of the rejection of Islam by a Muslim. This attitude results from the way in which Islamic sources and history have been interpreted by jurists and scholars and implemented by rulers from the beginning. Despite differences and minority opinions there is broad agreement in Islamic law, both Sunni and Shi‘a, about the basic penalties for apostasy, including the execution of adult male apostates.207 Shari‘a hudud and ta‘zir laws against apostasy, blasphemy and unbelief, all of which potentially carry the death penalty, are the basis for their attacks.

This book has sought to describe the great variety of measures used in Muslim societies and states against any deviation from whatever form of Islam is normative in each place. In some countries the state legal system has adopted shari‘a laws that enable official charges to be made within the state courts against converts from Islam. (These blasphemy and apostasy laws enable the state arbitrarily to detain citizens who for any reason are viewed with disfavour by the authorities or by militant Muslims.) In these contexts self-appointed guardians of “true” Islam may level accusations of apostasy, blasphemy, heresy, desecration of the Qur’an and insulting Islam or Muhammad. Many specific accusations result from personal grudges borne by the accusers against the defendants; others are brought by militant Islamic organisations intent on purifying Muslim societies from any hint of deviation, heresy, innovation and reform.

Where such provisions do not yet exist, or where state legal systems are not interested in such prosecutions, groups and individuals within the society may act instead to carry out what they see as obligatory shari‘a penalties. Islamic scholars and mullahs may issue private fatwas demanding the killing of the accused, and families may use coercive measures, which sometimes culminate in murder, as they try to expunge the shame that they feel conversion brings on the whole family. In some contexts mobs can be easily incited to frenzied attacks against an alleged apostate.208 Individual Muslims zealous for their religion and its honour may take it on themselves to assassinate the accused, believing that they are doing a holy service to God and to Islam.

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 right includes the freedom to change his religion or belief.” This freedom to change one’s religion is completely denied in Islam. The reviewed cases highlight the negative impact of the Islamic attitudes to apostasy and blasphemy on freedom of expression and treatment of minorities. Given the rise in Islamist power across the Muslim world and the increased application of shari‘a in new regions and states, such travesties of justice are likely only to increase.

Muslims are well aware that the rest of the world finds their apostasy

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