Question
I wish to know as far as your opinion on killing for the cause of someone changing his deen and Offensive Jihad after a formation of Islamic state, which you term only to be existing till the prophet’s time and such killing and sub-domination over other non islamic states isn’t righteous now?
Answer
My response to your question is in the affirmative: We are not allowed to kill anyone who does not accept Islam or converts to some other religion. The Holy Qur’an has a clear stance regarding taking one’s life. It says:
He who killed a human without the later being guilty of killing someone else or spreading disorder in land, it is as if he killed whole mankind. (5:32)
Therefore, we should be very clear that we may not kill a person for changing his religion. The only exception in this case are the addressees of a Rasul or of the particular collectivity of the Banu Ishmael (The Banu Ishmael, by the express directive of the Qur’an are appointed as “Shuhadaa Allah fi al-ard” (witnesses of God’s truth on God’s earth).)). A study of the Holy Qur’an reveals that the Messenger of God and, after him, the Banu Ishmael were subject to specific Divine laws. God’s messengers are destined to prevail over their disbelievers; whosoever does not accept them is humiliated in this very world. The fact that enables them to punish the disbelievers is that they explain the truth in its ultimate form and no one is left with an excuse to deny it. Those who do deny it are therefore accordingly punished. Since the original rejecters of them stand prone to punishment, those who turn back later are also punished. This law is specific to the era of a Rasul and cannot be extended to other periods. Offensive Jihad to force people accept Islam does not hinge upon solely on an Islamic state but, additionally, on the fact whether a Rasul has elucidated the message of Allah to people, after which they are left with no excuse. Hence, it can safely be concluded that Jihad for converting people to Islam or killing an apostate is not a part of the permanent law of Islam.
Jhangeer Hanif
July 2, 2003