In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Nowadays with tv programs and the internet, there are literally thousands of people talking about the religion. A lot of those people are after money and others are after popularity. So, how can we distinguish between the right and the wrong?The best way is to ask the best of knowers, Allah. And Allah says, your answer is in the Qur'an, in the story of Ibrahim.

About Prophet Ibrahim, Allah says: "He is your father Ibrahim who called you Muslims long time ago". So, Islam started with Ibrahim and was completed with Mohamed. Prophet Ibrahim enjoyed a special status with Allah. God says: "And Allah took Ibrahim as a close friend" A close friend who stood by him, advised him, and protected him. Allah approved of the way of Ibrahim saying: "And whoever turns away from the way of Ibrahim is such as debasing their souls with folly". Prophet Ibrahim grew up among people who used to worship the sun, the moon and many worshiped idols. Somehow Ibrahim did not accept such practices. He asked the religious scholars of his time who assured him that such traditions were the acceptable means to please God. But he was not convinced. He looked at the sky and saw a star, he said this is my God. When the stare disappeared, he said God does not disappear. Then he saw the moon and said this is my God. When the moon sat, he said unless God guides me, I will be among the people who go astray. Then, he saw the sun blazing and said this is my God as this is the biggest. When it sat, he said O people I am innocent of what you do (I refuse it). Something inside Ibrahim made him reject his people's religious practices. He tried to show them the silliness of worshiping idols so, while they were not at the temple, he demolished all idols except the biggest one. When they asked if he demolished their idols, he denied telling them to ask the biggest one. When he said that, they knew he was the one and was just trying to show them their wrong ways. They didn't approve of what he did and decided to make an example of him by burning him. They built a fierce fire over days and threw him into it. Their expectation was that he would scream once and then become a piece of charcoal. But the close friend came to protect his friend. Allah said: "O fire be cool and peaceful for Ibrahim". And Ibrahim walked away from the fire unharmed. Prophet Ibrahim asked the religious scholars of his time, Sheikh Sharawy of his time, Sheikh AbdelKafy of his time, Sheikh Jumaa of his time and they all assured him that the ways of his people were the correct ways, but he was convinced otherwise. So, he started to look for God on his own until he was guided.

This is the way of Ibrahim that Allah approved of and expects all Muslims to follow. So, answering our question, the way of Ibrahim we must follow as Allah expects to is to read and listen to all, but think and reflect. Don't blindly follow someone no matter how well known he might be. Remember that on the day of judgement, you will stand alone before Allah answering for what you did. Do as the Prophet Mohamed said: "Ask your heart even if they assured and assured you". Imam Malik used to sit in the mosque of the Prophet in Medina. He taught his students and gave Fatwas or religious opinions. Because of his great knowledge, people used to say that no one should give a fatwa as long as Malik was in town. But listen to what Malik said about that. He said: we listen to everyone accepting some of what they say and rejecting some except for the man buried under this dome (meaning Prophet Mohamed).

Blindly following someone without thinking and reflecting is Islamically unacceptable.

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

We always refer to the Qur'an which is the first and most accurate reference.

1. The Qur'an says to people who chose other than Islam "لكم دينكم ولى دين" or unto you your religion and unto me mine. This is very clear that people are entitled to their choices. But to this, those so-called scholars say the people have the choice but once choice is made, they cannot change. This is their interpretation and it does not coinside with the meaning of the verse.

2. The Qur'an says "من شاء فليؤمن ومن شاء فليكفر" or whoever chose let him believe and whoever chose to disbelieve, let him disbelieve. This is the freedom of choice given to people by God and cannot be taken away from them. But again, those so-called scholars would say, yes but at the beginning but once choice is made, they cannot change back. And here again their explanation contradicts the verse.

3. Lastly the Qur'an as always does give the absolute and most clear answer. The Qur'an says: امنوا ثم كفروا ثم امنوا ثم كفروا ثم ازدادوا كفرا لم يكن الله ليغفر لهم ان الذين "Those who believed then left the faith, then believed then left the faith, then became grew increasingly in their disbelief, Allah will not forgive them." - Surat Al Nisa verse 13 Those who believed then left the faith, watch this, they believed then left the faith. If they were killed for what they have done, matter is over, they are gone. No, the verse says those same people returned back to the faith and afterwards, left the faith again. Not only they left the faith, they became increasingly in the disbelief and God did not say should be killed even then, rather He said He will not forgive them. So, it is a matter between the human and his God. Thus, the Qur'an gives no proof of any punishment to be inflected by society for leaving the faith.

Some say but Khalifa Abu Bakr fought and killed people in the war of الردة Redda or apostacy (leaving one’s faith). This incident happened after the death of the Prophet. Some Muslims decided not to pay Zakah. The title of this incident is completely wrong and misleading as it was not apostacy, those people were Muslims but decided to leave out one of the rituals. Even Omar Ibn El khattab the great companion asked Abu Bakr how could he fight people who say لا اله الا الله محمد رسول الله - or there is no God but the one God and Mohamed is His Prophet. They were Muslims and did not really leave their faith. But then, was Abu Bakr wrong in fighting them? No, he was not. Zakah was the blood line for funds to finance the Islamic Umma and withholding it would have hurt the Umma. It became like taxes imposed by the society. If one does not pay his/her taxes, they will be apprehended and if they resisted and fought, they would be fought against.

Lastly, some might say they should be killed as they are considered to be spies. If it was proven in a court of law that they were indeed spies, they should be killed not because they left the faith but because they spied. This becomes the penalty for spying whether the person still has the faith or left it.

One more note, it was not established that the Prophet did kill or ordered the killing of anyone who left his/her faith.