Challenge an Islamic cleric regarding their immoral “compulsion”, and they will argue that there is no compulsion, because no one is forced to enter Islam (yea right, I’m skeptical about that claim, but let us take it at face value for the moment).
If you then make the observation that they do indeed believe that apostates from Islam (folks who used to by Muslim, but renounce it) must be killed, then in what universe is this not “compulsion”? Well, the answer, which happens to be one used by many clerics to justify this insanity, goes like this …”after somebody chooses to enter Islam, they cannot be allowed to leave. To attempt to leave Islam is akin to treason, and every country in the world punishes treason by death.”.
As a side note, that claim is of course nonsense. For most civilized nations today, the maximum sentence for treason is a life sentence, not death.
This argument is seriously made to justify utterly irrational thinking, and to prove that here is an example. This is a video of Egyptian Shaykh Muhammad Hassan, one of the most popular and well-known Islamic clerics in Egypt and even throughout the Islamic world, making this very claim. Just to prove how popular he is, there is even a campaign in Egypt to try to get him to run for president (now that is a truly scary thought). Anyway, here he is using the above insane logic to justify murdering anybody who attempts to quit being a Muslim:
OK yes. its in Arabic with English sub-titles; to make it easier for you, here is a transcript:
The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: “It is not permissible (to shed) the blood of a Muslim who witnesses that there is no god but Allah and that I am the Messenger of Allah, except for one of the following three conditions:
He is now about to list out three reasons that justify (in his mind) a death sentence.
(First), the life for the life…” This means the killer is killed. But you are not the one who kills him, and neither am I the one who kills him. But the competent legal authority is the one who is responsible for this. Otherwise, Muslim society would descend into chaos, with everyone killing whomever he wanted whenever he wanted. No—blood is sacred; blood is sacred. “It is not permissible (to shed) the blood of a Muslim who witnesses that there is no god but Allah and that I am the Messenger of Allah, except under three conditions: (First), the life for the life…” The Almighty said: “In the law of equality there is (saving of) life to you, o ye men of understanding” (Qur’an 2:179). “In the law of equality there is (saving of) life to you, o ye men of understanding.” “The life for the life”—the killer is killed. The punishment of Almighty Allah is carried out upon him.
So the first is that its OK to kill murderers, and his justification for that is to quote an ancient text.
“(Second), the married person who commits adultery”—I will return to him (later) Allah-willing, in another of the signs.
Now he claims that it is OK to kill if two consenting adults engage in a perfectly natural act and simply don’t happen to have a marriage contract. That is not just insane, that is by any normal moral standing a truly evil stance to take.
However, we are not there yet, it is reason three below that descends deeply into truly bat-shit crazy territory.
“(Third), the one who abandons his religion, and separates himself from the community.” The hadith is in both of the Sahihs (i.e. Bukhari and Muslim). “The one who abandons his religion, and separates himself from the community.”
Yes indeed, just changing your mind and deciding that Islam is not for you after all, merits a death sentence. Why?
Islam does not compel anyone to enter it. This (concept) needs to be firmly established. Islam does not compel anyone to enter it. No. There is no compulsion in religion. But rather we preach (Islam) in truth, mercy, propriety, and humility. Whoever says after the preaching—whoever says after (receiving) the preaching and the call (to Islam), “No, I will not enter this religion.” We say to him, “There is no compulsion in religion.” Truth stands out clear from error. We recite the saying of Almighty Allah, “Let him who will believe, and let him who will disbelieve” (Qur’an 18:29). We recite the saying of Allah Almighty, “You have your religion and I have my religion” (Qur’an 109:6). Beautiful. This is after the preaching and the call (to Islam).
… and here it comes …
But if he enters Islam of his own free will and choice, he does not have the right to leave the religion of Allah whenever he wants, to shake the foundations of Muslim society. No, he does not have the right. Absolutely not. But he does have the right, after having (Islam) preached to him, to say, “I will enter” or “I will not enter this religion.” But to enter it just to leave it whenever he wants? No. This is something which is unacceptable in the religion of Almighty Allah.
or at least so he claims … without one jot of evidence except some ancient text …
Show me a constitution anywhere on earth which grants this for its citizens.
That would be most of the nation states on the planet today, all are quite happy for you to opt out, renounce your citizenship and go live elsewhere. Many people do exactly that. But then like many things … such as reality … that chap appears to be quite oblivious to this.
But rather whoever comes out against the constitution of any nation is accused of treason. Everyone familiar with treason knows that the penalty is death.
Nope, not in any way true.
So what do you think about the one who betrays the religion of Allah Almighty, the one who betrays Allah and His Messenger? “O ye who believe! Do not betray Allah and His Messenger, nor knowingly betray your trusts” (Qur’an 8:27).
Anybody clinging to such delusional nonsense is a stark raving loony, to renounce this truly barbaric superstitions nonsense will instead identify you as not only rational, but also a heck of a lot more moral then this clueless kook.