I beg to disagree with the statement below made by Mujahid Yusof Rawa in his letter Ayah Pin issue not about freedom of faith .

He said, 'But if someone were to choose Islam out of his own will, he must understand that there is provision in the faith of Islam that apostasy is prohibited'.

I cannot find any references in the Quran to such a statement. As a matter of fact, the Quran specifically envisages that there will be people who will leave Islam. It, in fact, warns repeatedly against people turning away from the faith.

And this should only be natural. Much as followers of a faith would want everyone to remain firm in their chosen beliefs, the reality is that man has been endowed with consciousness and free will.

When there is free will, it must be expected that people may make bad choices. It is not denied that when someone makes to leave Islam, it may be such a bad decision. I can also agree that Muslims will think that this is a terrible thing.

What cannot be sustained is their interpretation of what to do when someone turns away from the faith. If it can be agreed that the Quran itself envisaged apostasy, then the only question to resolve is what to do when someone leaves the faith.

While there are clear provisions for death sentences for offences like murder in the Quran, there is no such specification for apostasy. The verse below says that they will 'die in unbelief', that their 'works will bear no fruit in this life and in the hereafter' and so on.

Verse 2:217: 'They ask Thee (Mohammed) concerning fighting In the Prohibited Month. Say: Fighting therein is a grave (offence); but graver is it in the sight of Allah to prevent access to the path of Allah, to deny Him, to prevent access to the sacred Mosque, and drive out its members.

'Tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter. Nor will they cease fighting you until they turn you back from your faith if they can. And if any of you turn back from their faith (Islam) and die in unbelief, their works will bear no fruit in this life and in the hereafter; they will be companions of the fire and will abide therein.'

It is clear to any just-minded persons that apostates are warned of spiritual chastisement for eternity should they turn back from God. The verse, however, does not give the right or encourage anyone to speed along this process, so to speak, by punishing them physically.

Why don't we all let God deal with the apostates as he promises to do? Surely we can all agree that He is Almighty?