17/25. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 1458 — Apostasy and No Burning
What Has Been Related About The Apostate
Hadith About Apostasy and Not Punishing with Fire
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 1458
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 1458
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَبْدَةَ الضَّبِّيُّ الْبَصْرِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ الثَّقَفِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا أَيُّوبُ، عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ، أَنَّ عَلِيًّا، حَرَّقَ قَوْمًا ارْتَدُّوا عَنِ الإِسْلاَمِ، فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ فَقَالَ لَوْ كُنْتُ أَنَا لَقَتَلْتُهُمْ، لِقَوْلِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَنْ بَدَّلَ دِينَهُ فَاقْتُلُوهُ " . وَلَمْ أَكُنْ لأُحَرِّقَهُمْ لِقَوْلِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لاَ تُعَذِّبُوا بِعَذَابِ اللَّهِ " . فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ عَلِيًّا فَقَالَ صَدَقَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ صَحِيحٌ حَسَنٌ . وَالْعَمَلُ عَلَى هَذَا عِنْدَ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ فِي الْمُرْتَدِّ . وَاخْتَلَفُوا فِي الْمَرْأَةِ إِذَا ارْتَدَّتْ عَنِ الإِسْلاَمِ فَقَالَتْ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ تُقْتَلُ وَهُوَ قَوْلُ الأَوْزَاعِيِّ وَأَحْمَدَ وَإِسْحَاقَ . وَقَالَتْ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْهُمْ تُحْبَسُ وَلاَ تُقْتَلُ وَهُوَ قَوْلُ سُفْيَانَ الثَّوْرِيِّ وَغَيْرِهِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكُوفَةِ .
'Ikrimah Narrated from:
'Ali Burnt Some People Who Apostasized From Islam. This News Reached Ibn 'Abbas, So He Said: "If It Were Me I Would Have Killed Them According To The Statement Of Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ). The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) Said: 'Whoever Changes His Religion Then Kill Him.' And I Would Not Have Burned Them Because The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) Said: 'Do Not Punish With The Punishment Of Allah.' So This Reached 'Ali, And He Said: "Ibn 'Abbas Has Told The Truth."
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1458In-book reference : Book 17, Hadith 42English translation : Vol. 3, Book 15, Hadith 1458
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 1458
This hadith about apostasy and punishment by fire reports that Ali burned some people who had apostatized from Islam. When Ibn Abbas heard about it, he said that if it were him, he would have killed them based on the statement of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم: “Whoever changes his religion then kill him.” He also said he would not have burned them, because the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Do not punish with the punishment of Allah.” When this reached Ali, he said that Ibn Abbas had told the truth. The key point for readers is that the report contains two teachings together: the ruling mentioned for apostasy and the rejection of burning as a punishment. According to Islamic scholars, such punishments belong to lawful authority, not individuals.
What we learn from this hadith
- Ibn Abbas objected to burning as a method of punishment.
- He cited the Prophetic statement against punishing with the punishment of Allah.
- Ali accepted Ibn Abbas’s correction and said he told the truth.
- The report joins legal judgment with limits on how punishment is carried out.
