Mick Hartley

Here’s an interesting debate by a couple of Muslim scholars on apostasy: a liberal Egyptian, Gamal Al-Bana, takes on a cleric, Gamal ‘Allam, mediated by Sheik Tareq Al-Sweidan. The Saudi audience are asked to vote on the question, “Does a Muslim have the right to change his religion?” Their answer? A majority No.

Al-Sweidan: I’d like to give the floor to Dr. Gamal again. 76% of the young people here believe that a Muslim does not have the right to change his religion. How do you respond to that?

Gamal Al-Bana: That is very saddening. This result indicates a lack of knowledge regarding the essence of Islam, which is faith and liberty. If belief is not based on awareness and conviction, it is worthless. As the Koran says: “If it had been thy Lord’s will, they would all have believed.” In other words, every Muslim has the right to change his religion as much as he likes, and nobody is allowed to stand in his way, because this is a question of freedom of conscience, and it is forbidden to intervene in matters of people’s conscience. Talk to him, persuade him, hold a dialogue with him, but do not force him. You presented three options: Dialogue, killing, or the legal system. What do the legal system or killing have to do with people’s conscience? […]

That is very sad. Most of you are young and do not believe in freedom.

Gamal ‘Allam: I’d like to salute our young men and women for their natural and healthy belief and for their religious zeal. At the same time, it was sad to hear Mr. Gamal Al-Bana calling for “freedom of thought,” but let me make a correction – what he is calling for is “freedom of heresy” in Muslim countries. […]

Gamal ‘Allam: Islam is the only religion that begins with the imperative “Read.” It is the only reasonable and convincing religion.

Al-Sweidan: But what if a person is not convinced?

Gamal ‘Allam: Then there is something wrong in his head.

Al-Sweidan: That’s what you think, but isn’t he entitled to have something wrong in his head?

Gamal ‘Allam: Anybody who is insane should go to a mental asylum, or else if he is insane, his head should be removed so that it does not contaminate the heads of others.

Clear enough? But the last word goes to Gamal Al-Bana:

I believe that the freedom of thought and belief is absolute, because this freedom of thought leads to freedom of political opposition, which established democracy and got rid of kings and tyranny. It also led to freedom of the sciences, which has led progress, and freedom of justice, which led to fair treatment for laborers and women. Freedom of thought is indivisible, and the most important element of freedom is one’s belief, because it has to do with one’s conscience. Therefore, it cannot be restricted in any way.