Apostasy, apparently a human rights-related issue, is highly sensitive to the multi-racial and multi-religious character of Malaysia. It tends to be problematic, untenable to some, especially when it deals with conversion into and out of Islam. It is true, the whole question involves certain legal and social implications. At times, its repercussions appear to rattle the social solidarity and religious harmony of our peaceful nation. All these threatening consequences are actually caused by ignorance. This writing is not to incite further dissension. Neither is it intended to sound apologetic. On the contrary it calls for all parties directly or indirectly affected by the subject matter, Muslims and non-Muslims alike, to view it with an open heart guided by wisdom.
Scholars have admitted that Islam is the most misunderstood religion of all world religions. Misrepresentations and misperceptions about it are causing many to hurriedly develop an unjustified Islamophobia. This syndrome is actually a “fear of the unknown” as these people do not really understand what Islam is all about. Many simply accept the many global misrepresentations incessantly put to them via the media.
Seen through the lens of discourse on human rights, apostasy in Islam has been notoriously brought into conflict with the doctrine of human rights in general, and with the notion of freedom of religion in particular. Among the questions raised is, if Islam can easily be embraced, by the same token, why does it not allow Muslims to leave Islam ?
It is unquestionable that Islam indeed recognizes human rights, in fact from its very inception, long before these ideas were developed and documented in its modern secular form by the West like the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948. Islam, as systematically reflected by the Cairo Universal Islamic Declaration of Human Rights, 1981, advocates human rights via shariah. These objectives include the establishment of justice, individual education and preservation of human welfare or interests by protecting and preserving the freedom of thought, worship, rights to property and preservation of the progeny. These constitute the inviolable principles of “human rights”.
What many fail to understand is that Islam is probably the only religion that honors its followers to the utmost. Islam regards its adherents, both originally born Muslim as well as converts, as invaluable assets. Once they come to the fold of Islam, they stand equal. Therefore, the responsibilities, duties and rights of all Muslims are basically the same. Individually, they are equally entitled to achieve success in this world as well as salvation in the hereafter, guided by and within the parameters set up by shariah.
Muslims firmly believe that they are in the territory of truth, the right path. They are bathed in the brightest light. For Muslims, truth is light, falsehood is darkness. Therefore, it is a grave injustice to them if they were to deviate from that truth. Furthermore, the fact that Islam prohibits apostasy reflects the integrity and credibility of the religion. If Islam were to grant permission for Muslims to change religion at will, it would imply it has no dignity, no self-esteem. And people may then question its completeness, truthfulness and perfection.
Echoing the observations of Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas, “rights” or huquq in Islam refers to something that is right, true, correct and proper. “Freedom” or ikhtiyar means a choice for the good or better. So it is neither one’s right nor is it freedom to choose something evil, false, wrong, incorrect or imperfect.
Religiously, morally and legally, man has no right to do wrong. Nevertheless, there are feeble, confused Muslims around. They may be the result of improper or inadequate education or the lack of exposure to the more comprehensive teachings of Islam. And due to worldly temptations, this weakness causes their religious foundations to become shaky. Apparently, their common feature is a lack of knowledge and understanding of Islam. So if one insists on adopting the aforementioned wrong conception of “rights” and “freedom”, one is actually exposing one’s shameful ignorance !
For converts, before they become Muslims, no matter for what reason, it is only reasonable that they must have a certain degree of basic knowledge about Islam. They must take efforts to study the fundamentals of the religion first. This is actually their responsibility and duty. Take note that rights do not come out of a vacuum ; they are accompanied by certain responsibilities and duties. For example, before one can exercise one’s freedom to buy a car of his choice, one must first obtain a driving licence. Without that document, one will only endanger oneself as well as others. One cannot scream to be given the right or freedom to buy if the requirement of responsibility is not fulfilled beforehand.
Muslims must understand that once they come into the fold of Islam, there is no question of leaving the faith or reverting to their earlier beliefs even if the very reason for one to come to Islam in the first place ceases to exist. One may be a bad or a non-practising Muslim, but there is hardly any room available for one to denounce that religion.
One cannot argue that Islam does not recognize the idea of freedom of worship. First and foremost, the very doctrine of Islam, as reflected in the Quran, teaches that there is no compulsion. Freedom of worship is to be understood not only in the sense of making a choice for the better, but also in the sense of freedom to practise a particular religion. Once one accepts Islam or decides to become a Muslim, one is subjected to all the rules prescribed by the religion.
If Islam forbids apostasy, not only the Muslims must observe it, but the followers of other religions that do not have such provisions must appreciate and respect this position as well. This is actually the freedom of worship that must be perceived by all.
Dav. what abt sura 9.111 ? I didnt catch what you were trying to say abt it.
Allow me to quote Donald Morgan’s comment on John 14:6 “No one comes to the Father except
through me.”
If you must accept Jesus as your savior in order to be saved {John 14:6}, what about the billions of beings that die as fetuses, infants, mental deficients, etc.? For them to accept Jesus would be impossible, so they are condemned to hell because of conditions over which they had no control.
Also, if Bill Clinton said, “I am THE President…” Does it mean that he is the ONLY President ?
hmmmmm.… (I am beginning to think that this hmmmmm thing is a very good and polite protocol)
Hmmm Startucus, U are an interesting knowledgable thinker. God Bless you.
Hi All,
The Bible n The Quran were written long time ago. The Bible were recording of many phrophets. God gave the commandments as a guidance to the particular ppl, the Israelites. The Quran called them the ppl of the Book, the LAW. So the Israelite are bound by the commandments God gave to them. So the it applies to the Israelites of that time. I think without The LAW once always claim ignorance of what GOD wants. Is just like dealing with a child. Telling them what is right and what is wrong in your home(nation). What will happen if the rules is broken. Hoever a father in a home still loves the child (isralites). God being a loving God will also reach out to his people. A loving father would also to the same. Jeremiah 31:31 God said,
31Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah :
32Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt ; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD :
33But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel ; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts ; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
34And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD : for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD : for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
Jesus gave a new commandment ” A new commandment I give to you that you love one another as I have love you”. Here He has gave a strong message. If you love will you kill ? If you say you love will you steal ? The utmost importance of all this is the direction back to GOD. Jesus fulfilled the phrophcies of the phrophets and more better showed the way to a meaningful relationship with God for all ppl.
John 14:6
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Nabi Isa here is making a serius statement, this the way. “Believe in Me and I will show you the way”. He us not saying something like” I myself is not sure if I am going to heaven or telling you something like Sura 9.111
Again I will ask you, your decision will either make a Loving God happy or someone else happy.
Please read both the Injil(Gospel) to decide. Not because someone else in a far away land tells you so.
Dear, Malikam X
“Q4. Circumcision. every man’s nightmare. However, yr argument…u must keep whatever God gave u…. I hope you dont believe that… pls make sure you cut yr nails and hair and brush yr teeth and etc, etc, etc… you get my drift ? Otherwise, never take the plane because if God had wanted men to fly, He would haver given them wings, huh?.”
“Christians are no longer bound by the Law but dead to it.”
Hmm I guess that allows you complete authority to put aside the ‘Thou shall Not KILL’, ‘Thou shall not committ Adultery’, ‘Thou shall not steal’ etc etc all on that alleged demonic ‘feeling’ inside you which pushes you towards annihilating the Law while keeping you content under the delusion that its God telling you to go ahead and break up all the commandments cos ‘He Loves You’.
Some hypocrisy — I guess the church did take that into consideration during the Crusades when All of the crusaders FILLED with the Holy Ghost decimated thousands of Arabs, Turks, Muslims, Jews and Christians alike ALL because they believed ‘Jesus loves them’.
Christians had best learn from their bloody past on the atrocities committed by the church — a merciful and peaceful religion — I think NOT. Furthermore I wonder what do you christians have to say about the following command attributed to Jesus in YOUR bible :
For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given ; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him. But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and SLAY them before me. And when he had thus spoken, he went before, ascending up to Jerusalem” (Luke 19:26 – 28)
Hmmm kill all who don’t submit to rule — doesn’t sound very peaceful to me. Kinda explains the attitude of the church over the years to non christians. Also pretty much explains the Christian Wests rampage on the Islamic world.
As for asking Jesus whether he is God [funny why you would resort to a gut feeling which you attribute to some holy spirit that has no qualms on you rip off the sanctity of the Law, rather than try and read what Jesus was alleged to have said in your bible] — if feeling good is all it takes for you guys to conclude that some holy spirit has entered you — well I guess you could conclude that the tooth fairy is God, Buddha is God, hey even Vince McMahon could qualify base dupon your stupid assumptions and weird orgy feelings of being infested by some demonic possession that gets you falling on the floor bubbling out gibberish.
Dear Ishark,
I would suggest that you refer to the following site ie Harun Yahya (Adnan Oktar) who in my opinionc could give you a better insight of what Islam is all about. There are quite number of articles explained with scientific fact about Allah is the Creator and Islam as a whole and present it in a very layman terms.
http://www.hyahya.org
I have collected 152 books and articles of Harun Yahya and if you need it in a cd form,
email me your home address at ripaai@yahoo.com, I’ll send them one, free of charge.
If you are sincere enough to learn please refer.
Thanks
good point Terence
the bible also says tht OT is to be followed forever :
“The LORD heard you when you spoke to me and the LORD said to me, “I have heard what this people said to you. Everything they said was good. Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands ALWAYS, so that it might go well with them and their CHILDREN FOREVER!”
[Deuteronomy 5:28 – 29]
Ishark Pls click on the following site. This may be the reason why the Moslems feel so strongly about the Quran.
http://www.theinimitablequran.com/InimitableFeatures.html