37/14. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 4060 — Apostasy and the Ban on Punishment by Fire
The Ruling on Apostates
Hadith About Apostasy and Punishment by Fire
Sunan an-Nasai : 4060
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 4060
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْمُبَارَكِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو هِشَامٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا وُهَيْبٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَيُّوبُ، عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ، أَنَّ نَاسًا، ارْتَدُّوا عَنِ الإِسْلاَمِ، فَحَرَّقَهُمْ عَلِيٌّ بِالنَّارِ قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ لَوْ كُنْتُ أَنَا لَمْ، أُحَرِّقْهُمْ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لاَ تُعَذِّبُوا بِعَذَابِ اللَّهِ أَحَدًا " . وَلَوْ كُنْتُ أَنَا لَقَتَلْتُهُمْ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَنْ بَدَّلَ دِينَهُ فَاقْتُلُوهُ " .
'Ikrimah Narrated from:
Some people apostatized after accepting Islam, and 'Ali burned them with fire. Ibn 'Abbas said: 'If it had been me, I would not have burned them; the Messenger of Allah [SAW] said: 'No one should be punished with the punishment of Allah.' If it had been me, I would have killed them; the Messenger of Allah [SAW] said: 'Whoever changes his religion, kill him.'
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4060In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 95English translation : Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4065
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 4060
This hadith about apostasy reports that some people left Islam after accepting it and were burned by Ali. Ibn Abbas clearly objected to the method of burning. He quoted the Messenger of Allah saying that no one should be punished with the punishment of Allah. He then stated that he would have applied the separate ruling mentioned in the narration concerning a person who changes religion. The key teaching in this report is the distinction between the stated legal ruling and the forbidden use of fire as punishment. It also shows Ibn Abbas correcting an action by referring directly to Prophetic words. According to Islamic scholars, penal rulings are handled by lawful courts and qualified authorities, not by private individuals.
What we learn from this hadith
- Punishment by fire is rejected in the words quoted by Ibn Abbas.
- Religious judgments should be checked against the teachings of the Messenger of Allah.
- The narration separates the legal ruling from the method used to carry it out.
- Serious legal matters are not presented as personal or emotional decisions.
