The Issue of Apostasy in Light of Taha Jabir Al-Alwani’s Maqāṣid-Based Qur’anic Perspective
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: The issue of intellectual and religious freedoms has occupied the mind of the contemporary Muslim, and numerous writings have emerged on the question of apostasy and its apparent conflict with freedom of belief. Juristic and intellectual responses to these modern challenges have differed: some continue to uphold the majority opinion of classical jurists mandating the execution of the apostate, while others re-examine the issue through alternative lenses – most importantly the Qur’anic framework and the higher objectives of Islamic law. From this standpoint arises the central question of this study: what foundational, maqāṣid-based, and juristic contributions did Dr. al-‘Alwānī offer regarding freedom of belief and the issues of apostasy and conversion? To explore this, the research employs descriptive and analytical methodologies. The study concludes by highlighting al-‘Alwānī’s key principles in affirming freedom of belief and critiquing the juristic opinions that assert the existence of a fixed legal punishment for apostasy, as well as his critique of the hadith-based evidence for such a ruling. His position is grounded in his view of the primacy and supreme authority of the Qur’an in deriving legal rulings, with prophetic traditions and practical Sunnah serving to elucidate Qur’anic verses – without yielding to foreign cultural influences or temporary socio-political pressures.
Author: Mohammed Abdel Halim Bichi
Institution: Qatar University
Language: English
Subfield: Religious studies
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7148628153