Islamic Cleric Endorses Capital Punishment for Religious Apostasy
Dr. Ibrahim Jalingo, the National Chairman of the Council of Ulama, has publicly expressed support for the death penalty for individuals who renounce their faith.
In a firm statement released via his official Facebook page on Thursday, Jalingo defended a Hadith that prescribes capital punishment for apostates. He criticized those questioning the authenticity of Hadith literature, describing them as “grossly ignorant.”
His comments were in reaction to ongoing debates challenging the compatibility of certain Hadiths with the Qur’an.
Hadiths, which document the sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), are regarded as a primary source of Islamic jurisprudence, second only to the Qur’an.
In his detailed rebuttal, Jalingo dismissed critics as “fabricators,” accusing them of attempting to undermine Islamic teachings. He referenced a controversial Hadith: “Whoever changes his religion, execute him,” and attributed its challenge to a certain Issiyaku Abdulkadir, who allegedly presented a list of Hadiths claimed to contradict the Qur’an.
Responding, Jalingo wrote:
“Thank you for bringing what this self-proclaimed critic considers ‘100 Hadiths that contradict the Qur’an.’ This presents an opportunity to expose his ignorance publicly,” he stated.
He further argued for the divine origin of Hadith, placing it on par with the Qur’an:
“The Prophet never declared that Hadith merely interprets the Qur’an. Rather, he affirmed: ‘I was given the Qur’an and something similar to it.’ This signifies that Hadith, like the Qur’an, is divinely inspired. While the Qur’an may address issues broadly, the Hadith offers detailed explanations.”
Jalingo maintained that the Hadith mandating death for apostasy does not contradict Qur’anic teachings. He cited various verses from the Qur’an, including Surah At-Tawbah (9:5), Surah Al-Baqarah (2:193), and Surah An-Nisa (4:89 and 4:91), to justify the ruling, claiming these verses support combat against disbelief and polytheism.
He went on to assert that the often-quoted verse “There is no compulsion in religion” (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:256) had been abrogated by subsequent revelations.
“The ruling of that verse has been nullified by others that call for harsher measures,” he argued.
In a sharp conclusion, Jalingo criticized his detractors with harsh language, referring to them as individuals whose conduct mirrors that of “prostitutes and effeminate men.”
His statements have since sparked widespread reactions online. While some conservative followers lauded him for upholding traditional Islamic teachings, others within the Muslim community have condemned his remarks as incendiary and detrimental to religious coexistence.
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Islamic Cleric Endorses Capital Punishment for Religious Apostasy