What Is the Punishment for Apostasy in Islam? The Truth from the Quran

Introduction

Many non-Muslims allege that Islam calls for the killing of those who leave this religion.

This is completely false.

The Holy Quran contains zero verses prescribing any worldly punishment or death penalty for apostasy. The example of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is the exact opposite. He did not kill a single person for leaving Islam, and we have authentic historical examples where he allowed individuals to leave Islam without punishing them.

What Does the Holy Quran Say About Apostasy?

The Holy Quran mentions apostasy in numerous verses. In every single verse, Allah mentions zero worldly punishment for it.

Verse 1: Quran 2:256

The Quran lays down an absolute foundational rule:

لَا إِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّينِ ۖ قَد تَّبَيَّنَ الرُّشْدُ مِنَ الْغَيِّ

“There should be no compulsion in religion. Surely, right has become distinct from wrong.”

[Quran 2:256]

If Islam ordered people to be killed for leaving, that would be the highest form of compulsion.

Verse 2: Quran 18:29

Allah makes faith a voluntary personal choice:

وَقُلِ الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكُمْ ۖ فَمَن شَاءَ فَلْيُؤْمِن وَمَن شَاءَ فَلْيَكْفُرْ

“And say, ‘It is the truth from your Lord; wherefore let him who will, believe, and let him who will, disbelieve.‘”

[Quran 18:29]

Belief and disbelief are left entirely to the individual.

Verse 3: Quran 4:137

This verse completely destroys the claim of a death penalty:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ثُمَّ كَفَرُوا ثُمَّ آمَنُوا ثُمَّ كَفَرُوا ثُمَّ ازْدَادُوا كُفْرًا لَّمْ يَكُنِ اللَّهُ لِيَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ وَلَا لِيَهْدِيَهُمْ سَبِيلًا

“Those who believe, then disbelieve, then again believe, then disbelieve, and then increase in disbelief, Allah will never forgive them nor will He guide them to the way.”

[Quran 4:137]

Look at what Allah describes:

1. A person believes.
2. Then they disbelieve.
3. Then they believe again.
4. Then they disbelieve a second time.
5. Then they increase in disbelief.

If Islam executed apostates, how could someone leave Islam, return, and leave it again?

A person killed after their first disbelief could never commit apostasy twice. This verse proves there is no death penalty in Islam for leaving the faith.

Verse 4: Quran 3:72

During the life of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in Medina, a group of Jews planned a scheme to create doubt:

وَقَالَت طَّائِفَةٌ مِّنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ آمِنُوا بِالَّذِي أُنزِلَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَجْهَ النَّهَارِ وَاكْفُرُوا آخِرَهُ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ

“And a section of the People of the Book say, ‘Believe in that which has been revealed unto the believers in the early part of the day, and disbelieve in the latter part thereof, that perchance they may return.'”

[Quran 3:72]

In Tafsir Ibn Kathir [Vol. 2, p. 59], Mujahid explains:

يعني يهود، صَلَّت مع النبي ﷺ صلاة الفجر وكفروا آخر النهار، مكراً منهم، ليُرُوا الناس أن قد بدت لهم منه الضلالة، بعد أن كانوا اتبعوه.

“This refers to the Jews who prayed the Fajr prayer with the Prophet ﷺ and disbelieved at the end of the day, as a plot from them, to show the people that misguidance had become apparent to them from him after they had followed him.”

[Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Vol. 2, p. 59]

They converted in the morning and left Islam at sunset. Not one of them was killed, arrested, or harmed.

If Islam prescribed death for apostasy, this plot would have been impossible to attempt.

Verse 5: Quran 88:21–22 & 10:99

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was sent only to convey the message, not to force hearts:

فَذَكِّرْ إِنَّمَا أَنتَ مُذَكِّرٌ ۝ لَّسْتَ عَلَيْهِم بِمُصَيْطِرٍ

“Admonish, therefore, for thou art but an admonisher; Thou art not appointed a warden over them.“

[Quran 88:21–22]

Allah also states:

وَلَوْ شَاءَ رَبُّكَ لَآمَنَ مَن فِي الْأَرْضِ كُلُّهُمْ جَمِيعًا ۚ أَفَأَنتَ تُكْرِهُ النَّاسَ حَتَّىٰ يَكُونُوا مُؤْمِنِينَ

“And if thy Lord had enforced His will, all who are on the earth would have believed together. Wilt thou, then, force men to become believers?“

[Quran 10:99]

Over 20 Additional Quranic Verses on Freedom of Religion

1. “…and whoso among you turns back from his faith and dies while he is a disbeliever, their works shall be vain in this world and the next…” [Quran 2:218]
2. “…and if they turn back, then thy duty is only to convey the message…” [Quran 3:21]
3. “…how shall Allah guide a people who have disbelieved after having believed… except those who repent thereafter and amend…” [Quran 3:87–90]
4. “O ye who believe! Whoso among you turns back from his religion, then Allah will soon bring a people whom He will love and who will love Him…” [Quran 5:55]
5. “The duty of the Messenger is only to convey the message. And Allah knows what you reveal and what you hide.” [Quran 5:100]
6. “Say, ‘I am not appointed a guardian over you.‘” [Quran 6:67]
7. “And We have not made thee a keeper over them, nor art thou over them a guardian.” [Quran 6:108]
8. “Pharaoh said, ‘Believe ye in him before I give you leave? Surely, I will cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, and then I will crucify you all.” [Quran 7:124–125]
9. “…and whoever goes astray, he goes astray only to his own loss; and I am not a keeper over you.” [Quran 10:109]
10. “…thy duty is only to convey the message, and Ours is to reckon.” [Quran 13:41]
11. “But if they turn away, thy duty is only the clear conveyance of the message.” [Quran 16:83]
12. “Whoso disbelieves in Allah after having believed… upon them is the wrath of Allah, and they shall have a severe punishment.” [Quran 16:107]
13. “…and We have not sent thee as a keeper over them.” [Quran 17:55]
14. “Pharaoh said, ‘Believe ye in him before I give you leave?… Surely, I will crucify you on the trunks of palm-trees…” [Quran 20:72]
15. “…and upon the Messenger lies only the clear conveyance of the Message.” [Quran 24:55]
16. “Pharaoh said, ‘You have believed in him before I gave you leave?… I will surely crucify you all together.” [Quran 26:50]
17. “Surely, thou canst not guide whomsoever thou lovest, but Allah guides whomsoever He pleases.” [Quran 28:57]
18. “…whosoever goes astray, goes astray only to his own loss; and thou art not a keeper over them.” [Quran 39:42]
19. “But if they turn away, We have not sent thee as a guardian over them. Thy duty is only to convey the Message.” [Quran 42:49]
20. “Surely, those who turn their backs after guidance has become clear to them, Satan has seduced them…” [Quran 47:26]
21. “We know best what they say; and thou hast not been appointed to compel them.” [Quran 50:46]
22. “…but if you turn away, then upon Our Messenger lies only the clear delivery of the message.” [Quran 64:13]
23. “…many among the People of the Book wish to turn you back into disbelievers after you have believed… but pardon them and pass by them until Allah brings about His command.” [Quran 2:110]

Did Prophet Muhammad ﷺ Ever Execute an Apostate?

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ never killed anyone for leaving Islam.

1. The Bedouin Who Cancelled His Pledge (Sahih al-Bukhari 7322)

عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، أَنَّ أَعْرَابِيًّا بَايَعَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى الإِسْلاَمِ، فَأَصَابَ الأَعْرَابِيَّ وَعْكٌ بِالْمَدِينَةِ، فَأَتَى الأَعْرَابِيُّ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَقِلْنِي بَيْعَتِي‏.‏ فَأَبَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ثُمَّ جَاءَهُ فَقَالَ أَقِلْنِي بَيْعَتِي‏.‏ فَأَبَى، ثُمَّ جَاءَهُ فَقَالَ أَقِلْنِي بَيْعَتِي‏.‏ فَأَبَى، فَخَرَجَ الأَعْرَابِيُّ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏”‏ إِنَّمَا الْمَدِينَةُ كَالْكِيرِ، تَنْفِي خَبَثَهَا، وَيَنْصَعُ طَيِّبُهَا ‏”‏‏.‏

Narrated Jabir bin ‘Abdullah (RA):

“A Bedouin gave the Pledge of allegiance for embracing Islam to Allah’s Messenger ﷺ, and then he got an attack of fever in Medina and came to Allah’s Messenger ﷺ and said: ‘O Allah’s Messenger! Cancel my pledge.’

Allah’s Messenger ﷺ refused to do so. The Bedouin came to him again and said, ‘Cancel my pledge,’ but he refused again. And then again, the Bedouin came to him and said, ‘Cancel my pledge,’ and Allah’s Messenger ﷺ refused.

The Bedouin finally went away, and Allah’s Messenger ﷺ said: ‘Medina is like a pair of bellows (furnace), it expels its impurities while it brightens and clears its good.’“

[Sahih al-Bukhari 7322]

The Bedouin renounced his pledge of Islam three times directly before the Prophet ﷺ in Medina. The Prophet ﷺ did not execute him, jail him, or harm him. He let him walk away freely.

2. The Treaty of Hudaybiyyah (Sahih al-Bukhari 2700)

قَالَ صَالَحَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم الْمُشْرِكِينَ يَوْمَ الْحُدَيْبِيَةِ عَلَى ثَلاَثَةِ أَشْيَاءَ عَلَى أَنَّ مَنْ أَتَاهُ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ رَدَّهُ إِلَيْهِمْ، وَمَنْ أَتَاهُمْ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ لَمْ يَرُدُّوهُ

Narrated Al-Bara’ bin ‘Azib (RA):

“On the day of Hudaibiya, the Prophet ﷺ made a peace treaty with the Al-Mushrikun on three conditions:

1. The Prophet ﷺ would return to them any person from Al-Mushrikun [who came as a Muslim].
2. Al-Mushrikun pagans would not return any of the Muslims going to them [who left Islam].
3. The Prophet ﷺ and his companions would come to Makkah the following year…”

[Sahih al-Bukhari 2700]

The Prophet ﷺ signed a treaty explicitly agreeing that any Muslim who apostatized and joined the pagans in Mecca would be allowed to go freely. He would never have agreed to this if apostasy required execution.

Refutation of Misquoted Hadiths

Critics and extremists ignore the Quran and Sunnah, and quote a few isolated Hadiths out of context.

1. “Whoever Changes His Religion, Kill Him”

Opponents quote this line from Ibn Abbas (RA): “Whoever changes his religion, kill him” (man baddala dīnahu faqtulūhu).

Taken literally without context, this would mean killing a Christian or Jew who converts to Islam.

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ explained the exact meaning in Sahih al-Bukhari:

وَاللَّهِ مَا قَتَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَحَدًا قَطُّ إِلاَّ فِي إِحْدَى ثَلاَثِ خِصَالٍ رَجُلٌ قَتَلَ بِجِنَايَةِ نَفْسٍ فَقُتِلَ، أَوْ رَجُلٌ زَنَى بَعْدَ إِحْصَانٍ، أَوْ رَجُلٌ حَارَبَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَارْتَدَّ عَنِ الإِسْلاَمِ

Narrated Abu Qilaba:

“By Allah, Allah’s Messenger ﷺ never killed anyone except in one of the following three situations:

1. A person who killed somebody unjustly (in Qisas).
2. A married person who committed illegal sexual intercourse.
3. A man who fought against Allah and His Apostle and deserted Islam and became an apostate.“

[Sahih al-Bukhari 6899]

In Sunan an-Nasa’i, Hazrat Aisha (RA) confirms:

لاَ يَحِلُّ دَمُ امْرِئٍ مُسْلِمٍ إِلاَّ فِي إِحْدَى ثَلاَثِ حُرَمٍ زَانٍ بَعْدَ إِحْصَانٍ فَعَلَيْهِ الرَّجْمُ أَوْ رَجُلٌ قَتَلَ رَجُلاً مُتَعَمِّدًا فَعَلَيْهِ الْقَتْلُ أَوْ رَجُلٌ خَرَجَ مِنَ الإِسْلاَمِ يُحَارِبُ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَرَسُولَهُ يُقْتَلُ أَوْ يُصْلَبُ أَوْ يُنْفَى مِنَ الأَرْضِ

Narrated Aisha (RA):

“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘It is not permissible to shed the blood of a Muslim except in three cases: An adulterer who had been married… a man who killed another man intentionally… and a man who left Islam and waged war against Allah, the Might and Sublime, and His Messenger, who should be killed, or crucified, or banished from the land.‘”

[Sunan an-Nasa’i 4048]

The Hadith is not talking about personal belief. It refers strictly to apostasy plus treason and rebellion—leaving the community to physically fight against the Muslims.

2. Mu’adh bin Jabal in Yemen (Sahih al-Bukhari 6923)

Critics cite the narration where Mu’adh bin Jabal (RA) told Abu Musa al-Ash’ari (RA) to execute an apostate in Yemen.

However, in Al-Musannaf of Imam Abdur-Razzaq as-San’ani [Vol. 10, p. 466], the full narration shows that Mu’adh was quoting that exact same Hadith:

أبي بردة قال : قدم على أبي موسى الأشعري معاذ بن جبل باليمن ، فإذا برجل عنده ، فقال : ما هذا ؟ فقال : رجل كان يهودياً فأسلم ثم تهود ، ونحن نريده على الإسلام منذ – أحسبه قال – شهرين ، فقال معاذ : والله لا أقعد حتى تضربوا عنقه ، ثم قال معاذ : قضى الله ورسوله أن من رجع عن دينه فاقتلوه ، أو قال : من بدّل دينه فاقتلوه

Narrated Abu Burdah:

“Mu’adh said: ‘By Allah, I will not sit down until you strike his neck.’ Then Mu’adh said: ‘Allah and His Messenger decreed that whoever turns back from his religion, kill him; or he said: whoever changes his religion, kill him.’“

[Al-Musannaf of Abdur-Razzaq, Vol. 10, p. 466, Hadith 18972]

Mu’adh was quoting the exact same narration of Ibn Abbas (RA) that applies to apostasy combined with rebellion and treason.

This is a single incident with no details about the individual’s crimes. An isolated report cannot create a general rule that contradicts the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

3. Ali (RA) and the Burning Incident (Sahih al-Bukhari 6922)

Opponents also bring up the narration where people called Zanadiqa were burnt by Ali (RA):

عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ، أَنَّ عَلِيًّا ـ رضى الله عنه ـ حَرَّقَ قَوْمًا، فَبَلَغَ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ فَقَالَ لَوْ كُنْتُ أَنَا لَمْ أُحَرِّقْهُمْ لِأَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ لاَ تُعَذِّبُوا بِعَذَابِ اللَّهِ‏.‏ وَلَقَتَلْتُهُمْ لِقَوْلِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏”‏ مَنْ بَدَّلَ دِينَهُ فَاقْتُلُوهُ ‏”‏‏.‏

Narrated Ikrima:

“Ali burnt some people. The news reached Ibn Abbas, who said: ‘If I had been in his place, I would not have burnt them, for the Prophet ﷺ said: Do not punish with Allah’s punishment (fire). I would have killed them according to the statement of Allah’s Messenger ﷺ: Whoever changes his religion, kill him.‘”

[Sahih al-Bukhari 6922]

This narration is vague and gives zero details about what crimes these individuals committed.

A single, isolated incident of a companion cannot be taken as a general rule, especially when key details are missing. The Holy Quran and the authentic Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ come first.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Holy Quran punish apostasy?

No. There is zero punishment for leaving Islam in the Holy Quran. The Quran mentions apostasy in dozens of verses and describes it strictly as a spiritual matter judged by Allah in the Hereafter (e.g. Quran 4:137, 2:217).

Did Prophet Muhammad ﷺ ever kill anyone for leaving Islam?

No. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ never executed anyone simply for changing their religion. In Sahih al-Bukhari 7322, a Bedouin took back his pledge of Islam three times and the Prophet ﷺ let him walk out of Medina safely. In the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah (Sahih al-Bukhari 2700), he agreed that apostates were free to leave.

What is the meaning of “Whoever changes his religion, kill him”?

This statement was made about wartime treason. Parallel authentic Hadiths in Sahih al-Bukhari 6899 and Sunan an-Nasa’i 4048 state that the death penalty applies only to a person who left Islam and took up arms to wage war against the community.

Why do some people believe Islam kills apostates?

In early history, leaving Islam almost always meant joining enemy tribes to wage war against Muslims. Some scholars confused political treason during war with a peaceful change of belief.