Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (9/348)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

after he has been apprehended, the death penalty is waived and he is not executed. If it were a fixed prescribed punishment, it would not be waived after he had been apprehended, because Allah says:

“Except for those who repent before you apprehend them. Then know that Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [al-Ma'idah]

Thus, the correct view is that execution for apostasy is not a fixed prescribed punishment, even according to those who hold that repentance is not accepted for certain forms of apostasy. The sound view, however, is that repentance is accepted for every form of apostasy. Even if a person insults the Lord of the worlds, the Messengers, or the angels, then repents, his repentance is accepted. For among the polytheists were those who insulted Allah, yet their repentance was accepted. Moreover, the general import of the evidence—such as His saying, Exalted is He:

“Say, ‘O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of Allah’s mercy. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins.’” [al-Zumar: 53]

—indicates that whatever sin a person repents from, Allah accepts his repentance. Even if he were to insult Allah openly in broad daylight, then repent and mend his ways, his repentance would be accepted—all praise is due to Allah—for the door of repentance remains open.

However, if someone insults the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, and then repents, we accept his repentance but execute him, because his insulting the Messenger, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, is a human right. We do not know whether the Messenger, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, pardoned him or not, since the Messenger, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, has died; therefore, execution is unavoidable. Yet if he repents, he is executed as a Muslim: he is washed, shrouded, the funeral prayer is offered for him, mercy is invoked for him, and he is buried among the Muslims.

In any case, it is permissible to appoint an agent both to establish and to carry out the fixed prescribed punishments.

Who may appoint such an agent? It is the one who has the authority to enforce the prescribed punishment. During the time of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, the ruler, judge, Messenger, commander, and leader was the Prophet, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him; thus, there is no difficulty in the matter.

بعد القدرة عليه فإنه يرفع عنه القتل ولا يقتل، ولو كانت حدّاً ما ارتفع بعد القدرة عليه؛ لقول الله ﵎: ﴿إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ تَابُوا مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ تَقْدِرُوا عَلَيْهِمْ فَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ *﴾ [المائدة]. فالصواب أن القتل بالردة ليس حدّاً، حتى على قول من يقول: إن من أنواع الردة ما لا تقبل فيه التوبة، مع أن الصحيح أن جميع أنواع الردة تقبل فيها التوبة، حتى لو سب الإنسان رب العالمين، أو الرسل أو الملائكة، ثم تاب فإن توبته مقبولة؛ لأن من المشركين من سب الله ﷿ ومع ذلك قبلت توبتهم، ثم إن عموم الأدلة كقوله ـ تعالى ـ: ﴿قُلْ يَاعِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا﴾ [الزمر: ٥٣]، يدل على أن أي ذنب تاب الإنسان منه فإن الله يتوب عليه، حتى لو سب الله جهاراً نهاراً ثم تاب وحسنت حاله، قبلت توبته، والحمد لله؛ لأن باب التوبة مفتوح. لكن من سب الرسول ﷺ ثم تاب فإننا نقبل توبته، ولكننا نقتله؛ لأن سبه للرسول ﷺ حق آدمي، ولا نعلم هل عفا عنه الرسول ﷺ أم لا؟ لأن الرسول ﷺ قد مات فالقتل لا بد منه، لكنه إذا تاب يقتل على أنه مسلم، يغسل ويكفن ويصلى عليه، ويدعى له بالرحمة، ويدفن مع المسلمين. على كل حال الحدود يجوز التوكيل في إثباتها واستيفائها. ومن الموكل؟ الموكل من له إقامة الحد، ففي عهد الرسول ﷺ الأمير والقاضي والرسول والقائد والإمام هو النبي ﷺ، فلا إشكال في الموضوع.