Valery Tolkachev - Yes, +Muhammad Irfan Kas, that was a very detailed answer, thank you. Basically I knew all this already. And I can't argue with the principle that a person should be given freedom to practice what he believes. So I have no argument with this part of what you says.
On the other side, I still see problems with the law of apostasy. Let me illustrate with the example. When I have been reading Sahih Al-Bukhari, on the very first pages I saw something which looked like a variation to something familiar in the Bible. It was Volume 1, Book 2, Number 12:
The Prophet said, "None of you will have faith till he wishes for his (Muslim) brother what he likes for himself." What is said here looks like a variation of a very famous saying from the Bible, which is called sometimes "the Golden Rule": "Whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them". The meaning is very simple but very profound and universal. If you think something is wrong when it is done by somebody else toward you -- don't do it to the other person either. He would think and feel the same as you feel.
What if Christians would take the same attitude toward Muslims? What if they would kill every Christian that converts to Islam? Would you consider it just and fair?
Let's also look at an imaginary situation, an "IF" situation. If, for example, tomorrow a man named+Muhammad Irfan Kas, when carefully studying the Quran, the Bible, the history, the science and so on, will come to a definite conclusion that Islam is not the true religion that represents Allah on this earth. What choice would he have? Will he be able to follow the truth and to reject the error?
Of course, here you may start reasoning that this will never happen because you already know the truth, and so on. But this is an "IF" situation. What IF this will still happen? Terribly many people think they are right and they know the truth. But they live, they think, they search, they study evidences, they change for better (and sometimes for worse). But this is the basic provision Allah gave to men - to choose his personal destiny for himself. And the law of apostasy violated that. Even at this very point, that when a Muslim converts to Christianity - he is no longer a Muslim! He is one of us! And then he is being killed - a person outside of Muslim community.
On the other side, I still see problems with the law of apostasy. Let me illustrate with the example. When I have been reading Sahih Al-Bukhari, on the very first pages I saw something which looked like a variation to something familiar in the Bible. It was Volume 1, Book 2, Number 12:
The Prophet said, "None of you will have faith till he wishes for his (Muslim) brother what he likes for himself." What is said here looks like a variation of a very famous saying from the Bible, which is called sometimes "the Golden Rule": "Whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them". The meaning is very simple but very profound and universal. If you think something is wrong when it is done by somebody else toward you -- don't do it to the other person either. He would think and feel the same as you feel.
What if Christians would take the same attitude toward Muslims? What if they would kill every Christian that converts to Islam? Would you consider it just and fair?
Let's also look at an imaginary situation, an "IF" situation. If, for example, tomorrow a man named+Muhammad Irfan Kas, when carefully studying the Quran, the Bible, the history, the science and so on, will come to a definite conclusion that Islam is not the true religion that represents Allah on this earth. What choice would he have? Will he be able to follow the truth and to reject the error?
Of course, here you may start reasoning that this will never happen because you already know the truth, and so on. But this is an "IF" situation. What IF this will still happen? Terribly many people think they are right and they know the truth. But they live, they think, they search, they study evidences, they change for better (and sometimes for worse). But this is the basic provision Allah gave to men - to choose his personal destiny for himself. And the law of apostasy violated that. Even at this very point, that when a Muslim converts to Christianity - he is no longer a Muslim! He is one of us! And then he is being killed - a person outside of Muslim community.
The Answer
My Dear a person is not pressurized to convert to Islam in any time of History of Islam. But it is totally understood by every person that once the person enters the Islam there is no way of getting out of this faith but death. Now the point here is this that this rule has been set in the roots of Islam and you cannot say that this rule is provided later by any other Muslim conqueror. This rule is set by our beloved prophet Hazrat Muhammad Sallalaho Alaihe Wassalam by himself.
Now when we compare it with Christianity, this rule has not been set at the time of Hazrat Essa Alaihe Assalam (JESUS), and we Muslims have a strong reason for this because it is clearly mentioned by our beloved prophet Hazrat Muhammad Sallalaho Alaihe Wassalam that Hazrat Essa Alaihe Assalam was sent by Allah only for Bani Israel only. The name of our beloved prophet Hazrat Muhammad Sallalaho Alaihe Wassalam is also mention in the Bible Barnabas.
So if today you implement this rule on Christianity. It will not be a valid action, since you have to provide evidence also to implement this rule.
But in Islam it is a totally different situation, because our beloved prophet Hazrat Muhammad Sallalaho Alaihe Wassalam has set this rule by himself by the guidance of Allah.
So please get my point. There is no discussion in Islam about this, that a rule set by our beloved prophet Hazrat Muhammad Sallalaho Alaihe Wassalam is right or wrong.
It is the part of our faith that the rule set by our beloved Prophet Hazrat Muhammad Sallalaho Alaihe Wassalam is always right, and we have to follow these rules only. There can be no change acceptable in any way.
I hope this will make you clear about the question you have asked.
And Secondly about the Hadith mentioned in your comments: We Muslims are practicing this Hadith practically. A Muslim wants another person to be a Muslim since he is a Muslim because he think that it is good for him so he is thinking good for another person also. This is the reason that when the people who left Islam after accepting were captured by Muslims, they were given a chance to again convert to Islam and those who accept it were released. And a non Muslim is not bound to work accordingly to this Hadith since he has not accept Shahadah of "There is no God but Allah, Muhammad (Sallalaho Alaihe Wassalam) is the messenger of Allah".
Now when we compare it with Christianity, this rule has not been set at the time of Hazrat Essa Alaihe Assalam (JESUS), and we Muslims have a strong reason for this because it is clearly mentioned by our beloved prophet Hazrat Muhammad Sallalaho Alaihe Wassalam that Hazrat Essa Alaihe Assalam was sent by Allah only for Bani Israel only. The name of our beloved prophet Hazrat Muhammad Sallalaho Alaihe Wassalam is also mention in the Bible Barnabas.
So if today you implement this rule on Christianity. It will not be a valid action, since you have to provide evidence also to implement this rule.
But in Islam it is a totally different situation, because our beloved prophet Hazrat Muhammad Sallalaho Alaihe Wassalam has set this rule by himself by the guidance of Allah.
So please get my point. There is no discussion in Islam about this, that a rule set by our beloved prophet Hazrat Muhammad Sallalaho Alaihe Wassalam is right or wrong.
It is the part of our faith that the rule set by our beloved Prophet Hazrat Muhammad Sallalaho Alaihe Wassalam is always right, and we have to follow these rules only. There can be no change acceptable in any way.
I hope this will make you clear about the question you have asked.
And Secondly about the Hadith mentioned in your comments: We Muslims are practicing this Hadith practically. A Muslim wants another person to be a Muslim since he is a Muslim because he think that it is good for him so he is thinking good for another person also. This is the reason that when the people who left Islam after accepting were captured by Muslims, they were given a chance to again convert to Islam and those who accept it were released. And a non Muslim is not bound to work accordingly to this Hadith since he has not accept Shahadah of "There is no God but Allah, Muhammad (Sallalaho Alaihe Wassalam) is the messenger of Allah".
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