Author

• S. A Mousavian

Abstract

Abstract
According to Islam, man is created free. However, the severe sentence for apostasy has produced a misgiving to the effect that Islam imposes its belief system and prevents freedom of man. This article tries to show that the penalty for apostasy is a political rule formulated to confront enemies fighting Islam. The purpose of this rule is to support Muslims’ social rights and it has never been a basis for the imposition of any belief yet. The following issues have been discussed in this article: 1) canonical rule and the way to recognize them, 2) references to apostasy in the Islamic jurists’ works and their emphasis on it, 3) studying and analyzing verses of the holy Quran about apostasy, freedom of belief, respect for knowledge and the renunciation of blind faith, and examples of sentences for apostasy by the infallibles.

Keywords

• canonical rule
• apostasy
• hadd (Islamic punishment)
• tazir (Islamic punishment)
• freedom of belief
• apostate