Punishment for an Apostate in Islam

Unfortunately, the topic of the punishment for an apostate seems to come up all the time, and many Muslims have become apologetic to this issue. I felt a need to make a blog post about the Punishment for an Apostate in Islaam. All of these aHaadeeth are taken from Shee`ah books, so this will give you an insight into what is the REAL Shee`ah viewpoint of an Apostate. Majority of the aHaadeeth are taken from Al-Kaafi, vol. 7, Kitaab Hudood (Book of Punishments) from the chapter titles بَابُ حَدِّ الْمُرْتَدِّ (Chapter on the Punishment of an Apostate).

I have presented only SaHeeH (Authentic), Hasan (Good), and Muwaththaq (Reliable) hadeeth regarding this issue.

Punishment for a Male Apostate

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ وَ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ جَمِيعاً عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنِ الْعَلَاءِ بْنِ رَزِينٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع عَنِ الْمُرْتَدِّ فَقَالَ مَنْ رَغِبَ عَنِ الْإِسْلَامِ وَ كَفَرَ بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ ص بَعْدَ إِسْلَامِهِ فَلَا تَوْبَةَ لَهُ وَ قَدْ وَجَبَ قَتْلُهُ وَ بَانَتْ مِنْهُ امْرَأَتُهُ وَ يُقْسَمُ مَا تَرَكَ عَلَى وُلْدِهِ

From Muhammad bin Muslim said: That I said Abaa Ja`far (عليه السلام) about the apostate (murtad). So he (عليه السلام) said: “Whoever turns away from Islaam, and disbelieves in what Allaah has revealed to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) after being a Muslim, there is no repentance for him, and it is waajib (obligatory) to kill him, and his wife becomes a stranger to him, and his legacy be divided among his children.”

Source:

1.     Al-Kulayni, Al-Kaafi, vol. 7, pg. 256, hadeeth # 1

Grading:

1.       Al-Majlisi said this hadeeth is Hasan Kal-SaHeeH (Good like an Authentic (hadeeth))
à Mir’aat Al-`Uqool, vol. 23, pg. 396

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنِ الْعَمْرَكِيِّ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ النَّيْسَابُورِيِّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ أَخِيهِ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ ع قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ مُسْلِمٍ تَنَصَّرَ قَالَ يُقْتَلُ وَ لَا يُسْتَتَابُ قُلْتُ فَنَصْرَانِيٌّ أَسْلَمَ ثُمَّ ارْتَدَّ عَنِ الْإِسْلَامِ قَالَ يُسْتَتَابُ فَإِنْ رَجَعَ وَ إِلَّا قُتِلَ

From `Alee bin Ja`far from his brother Abee Al-Hasan (عليه السلام) said: I asked him (عليه السلام) about a Muslim who becomes a Christian. He (عليه السلام) said: “He (should be) killed, and no repentance from him” I said: “What about a Christian who becomes Muslim then Apostates from Islaam?” He (عليه السلام) said: “He is asked to repent. And if he returns (to Islaam that is okay), or otherwise he is killed”

Source:

1.     Al-Kulayni, Al-Kaafi, vol. 7, pg. 257, hadeeth # 10

Grading:

1.       Al-Majlisi said this hadeeth is Muwaththaq (Reliable)
à Mir’aat Al-`Uqool, vol. 23, pg. 400

Regarding this hadeeth, I do not understand why Al-Majlisi has graded this as Muwaththaq (Reliable), all of the narrators are said to be thiqaat (pl. thiqah) and a 12’er Shee`ah. So this hadeeth should be classed as SaHeeH (Authentic).

Punishment for a Female Apostate:

  وَ فِي رِوَايَةِ غِيَاثِ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ ع أَنَّ عَلِيّاً ع قَالَ إِذَا ارْتَدَّتِ الْمَرْأَةُ عَنِ الْإِسْلَامِ لَمْ تُقْتَلْ وَ لَكِنْ تُحْبَسُ أَبَداً

From Ghiyaath bin Ibraaheem from Ja`far bin Muhammad (عليه السلام) from his father (عليه السلام) That `Alee (عليه السلام) said: “When a woman apostates from Islaam, she is not killed, but she is imprisoned forever!”

Source:

1.     Al-Sadooq, Man Laa YaHDuruh Al-Faqeeh, vol. 3, Baab Al-Irtidaad, pg. 150, hadeeth # 3549

Grading:

1.       Al-Majlisi I (Al-Majlisi's Father) said this hadeeth is Muwaththaq Kal-SaHeeH (Reliable like a SaHeeH)
à RawDah Al-Muttaqqeen, vol. 6, pg. 386

This hadeeth is actually graded as SaHeeH since the narrator Ghiyaath bin Ibraaheem is thiqah (trustworthy) and 12’er Shee`ah, and all the narrators in the tareeq (path) to Ghiyaath are thiqaaat (pl. thiqah) and 12’er Shee`ah. Al-Khoei says the tareeq of Al-Sadooq to Ghiyaath bin Ibraaheem is SaHeeH (See: Al-Khoei, Mu’jam Rijaal Al-Hadeeth, vol. 13, pg. 234, person # 9274)

Here is tareeq (path) from Al-Sadooq to Ghiyaath bin Ibraaheem: (all narrators are thiqaat)

فطريق الصدوق إليه: أبوه (رضي الله عنه) عن سعد بن عبد الله عن أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى عن محمد بن إسماعيل بن بزيع عن محمد بن يحيى الخزاز عن غياث بن إبراهيم

Punishment for Talking Against the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ وَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ وَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ جَمِيعاً عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ عَمَّارٍ السَّابَاطِيِّ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ كُلُّ مُسْلِمٍ بَيْنَ مُسْلِمَيْنِ ارْتَدَّ عَنِ الْإِسْلَامِ وَ جَحَدَ مُحَمَّداً ص نُبُوَّتَهُ وَ كَذَّبَهُ فَإِنَّ دَمَهُ مُبَاحٌ لِكُلِّ مَنْ سَمِعَ ذَلِكَ مِنْهُ وَ امْرَأَتَهُ بَائِنَةٌ مِنْهُ يَوْمَ ارْتَدَّ فَلَا تَقْرَبْهُ وَ يُقْسَمُ مَالُهُ عَلَى وَرَثَتِهِ وَ تَعْتَدُّ امْرَأَتُهُ [بَعْدُ] عِدَّةَ الْمُتَوَفَّى عَنْهَا زَوْجُهَا وَ عَلَى الْإِمَامِ أَنْ يَقْتُلَهُ وَ لَا يَسْتَتِيبَهُ

From `Ammaar Al-SaabaaTee said: I hear Abaa `Abd Allaah (عليه السلام) he (عليه السلام) said: “Every Muslim amongst the Muslimeen who apostates from Islaam, and denies Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) prophecy and (call) him (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) a liar. His blood is allowed (to kill) whoever hears that from him. And his wife baa’inah (?) from the day of apostasy, and she should not go near him. And his wealth is divided amongst his heirs and his wife invokes upon herself `iddah of the death of her husband. And it is upon Imaam (leader) that he kills him, and does not ask for repentance”

Source:

1.     Al-Kulayni, Al-Kaafi, vol. 7, pg. 257-258, hadeeth # 11

Grading:

1.       Al-Majlisi said this hadeeth is SaHeeH (Authentic)
à Mir’aat Al-`Uqool, vol. 23, pg. 400

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع أَنَّهُ سَأَلَ عَمَّنْ شَتَمَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص فَقَالَ يَقْتُلُهُ الْأَدْنَى فَالْأَدْنَى قَبْلَ أَنْ يَرْفَعَهُ إِلَى الْإِمَامِ

From Hishaam bin Saalim from Abee `Abd Allaah (عليه السلام) That he was asked about one who abuses the Messenger of Allaah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) So he (عليه السلام) said: “He is to be killed, for the lowest of the low (rebuke) before he is taken to the Imaam”

Source:

1.     Al-Kulayni, Al-Kaafi, vol. 7, pg. 259, hadeeth # 21

Grading:

1.       Al-Majlisi said this hadeeth is Hasan (Good)
à Mir’aat Al-`Uqool, vol. 23, pg. 402

Punishment for Claiming Divinity of the Imaams (عليهم السلام)

Here is a SaHeeH hadeeth taken from Rijaal Al-Kashee, about the infamous `Abd Allaah bin Saba’.

حدثني محمد بن قولويه، قال حدثني سعد بن عبد الله، قال حدثنا يعقوب بن يزيد و محمد بن عيسى، عن ابن أبي عمير، عن هشام بن سالم، قال : سمعت أبا عبد الله (عليه السلام) يقول و هو يحدث أصحابه بحديث عبد الله بن سبإ و ما ادعى من الربوبية في أمير المؤمنين علي بن أبي طالب، فقال إنه لما ادعى ذلك فيه استتابه أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام) فأبى أن يتوب فأحرقه بالنار.

From Hishaam bin Saalim said: I heard from Abaa `Abd  Allaah (عليه السلام)  and he said: “And he narrated from his companions the narration of `Abd  Allaah bin Sabaa’ and he called (to people) the lordship/divinity of Ameer Al-Mumineen `Alee bin Abee Taalib (عليه السلام). So he (عليه السلام) said: That Ameer Al-Mu’mineen ordered him to repent, but he refused. Then Ali let him burn in fire."

Source:

1.     Al-Kashee, Rijaal Al-Kashee, pg. 107, hadeeth # 171

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ أَتَى قَوْمٌ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع فَقَالُوا السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا رَبَّنَا فَاسْتَتَابَهُمْ فَلَمْ يَتُوبُوا فَحَفَرَ لَهُمْ حَفِيرَةً وَ أَوْقَدَ فِيهَا نَاراً وَ حَفَرَ حَفِيرَةً أُخْرَى إِلَى جَانِبِهَا وَ أَفْضَى مَا بَيْنَهُمَا فَلَمَّا لَمْ يَتُوبُوا أَلْقَاهُمْ فِي الْحَفِيرَةِ وَ أَوْقَدَ فِي الْحَفِيرَةِ الْأُخْرَى [نَاراً] حَتَّى مَاتُوا

A group came to Ameer Al-Mu’mineen (عليه السلام), and they said: “Assalaamu `Alayka (Peace be upon you), O our Lord (rabbanaa)! So he asked for their repentance, but they did not repent. So he dug a ditch for them and lit a fire in it and dug a ditch to its other side and conveyed between them. So when they did not repent he threw them in the ditch and lit in the other ditch until they died.

Source:

1.     Al-Kulayni, Al-Kaafi, vol. 7, pg. 258-259, hadeeth # 18

Grading:

1.       Al-Majlisi said this hadeeth is Hasan (Good)
à Mir’aat Al-`Uqool, vol. 23, pg. 401

Punishment for Declaring to be a Prophet

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي يَعْفُورٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع إِنَّ بَزِيعاً يَزْعُمُ أَنَّهُ نَبِيٌّ فَقَالَ إِنْ سَمِعْتَهُ يَقُولُ ذَلِكَ فَاقْتُلْهُ قَالَ فَجَلَسْتُ لَهُ غَيْرَ مَرَّةٍ فَلَمْ يُمْكِنِّي ذَلِكَ

From Ibn Abee Ya`foor said: I said to Abee `Abd Allaah (عليه السلام) that Bazee` calims that he is a Prophet. So he (عليه السلام) said: “If you hear him saying that you (must) kill him”. He (the narrator) said: “I sat (with Bazee’) another time, and he (made it) impossible for that (killing him)”

Source:

1.     Al-Kulayni, Al-Kaafi, vol. 7, pg. 259, hadeeth # 22

Grading:

1.       Al-Majlisi said this hadeeth is Muwaththaq Kal-SaHeeH (Reliable like an Authentic)
à Mir’aat Al-`Uqool, vol. 23, pg. 403

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي يَعْفُورٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع إِنَّ بَزِيعاً يَزْعُمُ أَنَّهُ نَبِيٌّ فَقَالَ إِنْ سَمِعْتَهُ يَقُولُ ذَلِكَ فَاقْتُلْهُ قَالَ فَجَلَسْتُ لَهُ غَيْرَ مَرَّةٍ فَلَمْ يُمْكِنِّي ذَلِكَ

From Ibn Abee Ya`foor said: I said to Abee `Abd Allaah (عليه السلام) that Bazee` calims that he is a Prophet. So he (عليه السلام) said: “If you hear him saying that you (must) kill him”. He (the narrator) said: “I sat (with Bazee’) another time, and he (made it) impossible for that (killing him)”

Source:

1.     Al-Kulayni, Al-Kaafi, vol. 7, pg. 258, hadeeth # 13

Grading:

1.       Al-Majlisi said this hadeeth is Majhool (Unknown)
à Mir’aat Al-`Uqool, vol. 23, pg. 401

Unfortunately, I do not have a clue to why Al-Majlisi has graded this hadeeth Majhool, when this is the same hadeeth that I have narrated previously. Both hadeeth have the same isnaad (chain of narrators) and the same matn (content). So I do not know his reasoning behind this grade. Based off of the previous grading, this hadeeth should actually be graded as Muwaththaq Kal-SaHeeH (Reliable like an Authentic)

Punishment for Intentionally Breaking Your Fast for Three Days

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ مَنْ أُخِذَ فِي شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ وَ قَدْ أَفْطَرَ فَرُفِعَ إِلَى الْإِمَامِ يُقْتَلُ فِي الثَّالِثَةِ

“Whoever is caught in the month of RamaDaan and he is breaking (his fast), he is taken to the Imaam, and he is killed in the third (offense)”

Source:

1.     Al-Kulayni, Al-Kaafi, vol. 7, pg. 258, hadeeth # 12

Grading:

1.       Al-Majlisi said this hadeeth is Muwaththaq (Reliable)
à Mir’aat Al-`Uqool, vol. 23, pg. 401

I do not understand why Al-Majlisi has graded this hadeeth as Muwaththaq (Reliable), since all of the narrators in the chains are thiqaat (pl. thiqah) and a 12’er Shee`ah. This hadeeth should be graded as SaHeeH.

ابْنُ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ بُرَيْدٍ الْعِجْلِيِّ قَالَ سُئِلَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ع عَنْ رَجُلٍ شَهِدَ عَلَيْهِ شُهُودٌ أَنَّهُ أَفْطَرَ مِنْ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ فَقَالَ يُسْأَلُ هَلْ عَلَيْكَ فِي إِفْطَارِكَ إِثْمٌ فَإِنْ قَالَ لَا فَإِنَّ عَلَى الْإِمَامِ أَنْ يَقْتُلَهُ وَ إِنْ هُوَ قَالَ نَعَمْ فَإِنَّ عَلَى الْإِمَامِ أَنْ يَنْهَكَهُ ضَرْباً

From Burayd Al-`Ijlee said: Aboo Ja`far (عليه السلام) was asked about a man who witnesses upon him (say) they witness that he broke (his fast) from the Month of RamaDaan three days. So he (عليه السلام) said: “Ask him: ‘Do you (belief) that breaking (your fast) is a sin?’ And if he says: “No”. It is upon the Imaam (leader) that he kills him, and if he says “Yes”, then it is upon the Imaam that he strikes him hard (?)”

Source:

1.     Al-Kulayni, Al-Kaafi, vol. 7, pg. 259, hadeeth # 20

Grading:

1.       Al-Majlisi said this hadeeth is Hasan (Good)
à Mir’aat Al-`Uqool, vol. 23, pg. 402