Being the rendition of Ustadh Qomardeen Yunus Fiqh Delil lecture on Radio Lagos. Translation by Aboo Ubayy Sharif Hamzah
All praise to Allaah who commanded all His creation - humans and jinns - to practisw the religion of Islaam. May the peace and blessings of Allaah be upon Prophet Muhammad, his household and his companions. Aameen.
O brethren, today's topic is very important in our society which is "Apostasy - leaving the fold of Islaam; its causes and consequences in this life and in the hereafter.
Al-Islaam is the religion of peace, it is the (total) submission that Allaah is the only One we worship, He is the only One we seek help from, He is the only One that we will direct our affairs to and He is the only one that is deserved to be truly worshipped; that is the definition of Islaam.
From it is that we will be nice to all the creatures of Allaah, we will eat good food, engage in good job and be a peace to the world because Islaam is the religion of peace.
Whosoever serves as a source of pain to people is not a proper muslim, he has not truly embraced Islaam.
To say someone has left the fold of Islaam is for him to just decide that he is no longer a Muslim, and he would start practicing another religion.
O brethren, leaving the fold of Islaam is when Allaah has removed one from Islaam.
The following are the consequences of the one who has apostised, or whose child has left the fold of Islaam, whose spouse has left the fold of Islaam or the one who just decided to leave the fold of Islaam.
Islaam is the religion of Allaah; Allaah himself says in the Qur'an that islaam is the only religion He is pleased with.
Allaah says in Surah Aal-e-Imran, Verse 19:
إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِندَ اللَّهِ الْإِسْلَامُ...
"Truly, the religion with Allah is Islam... "
Allaah says in another Verse which was revealed on the evening of the day of Arafah during the farewell pilgrimage of the Prophet - sallallaahu alahyi wa sallam-, which was the only pilgrimage the Prophet - Sallallaahu alahyi wa sallam - did.
Allaah says in Surah Al-Maeda, Verse 3:
.. ِ الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلَامَ دِينًا...
"... This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion..." Qur'an 5 verse 3.
(This verse) means the religion of Islaam has been completed on the day of Arafah, there is no need for innovation in Islaam.
All what was not part of islaam during the time of the Prophet - sallallaahu alahyi wa sallam - that has been added to Islam is what we call bidiah- innovation in the Deen.
Allaah says he has completed His favours and He has done the greatest favor for us by blessing us with Islaam.
What we understood from the above verses (of the Qur'aan) is "there is no freedom of religion in the sight of Allaah" as it exists among the western world.
But Allaah has said the religion we should practise (in the Qur'an) is Islaam, Allaah did not give us the freewill to choose any religion among the religions on earth.
Islaam is the religion of Allaah - the Creator - who created the earth (and what it contains) and He can end the world anytime He wishes.
Practising any religion apart from Islaam is worshipping the creation of Allaah.
The best thing for those who can hear me (or read this, as the case may be) is not to practise any religion except Islam.
Let's abandon worshipping Allaah's creation, calling upon Allaah's creation and we should revert to Islaam.
Allaah confirms this in another verse of the Qur'aan and it is apparent as the rising of the sun.
Allaah has warned those practising other religion apart from Islaam to renounce it else they would be among the doomed in the hereafter.
Allaah says in Surah Aal-e-Imran, Verse 85:
وَمَن يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ الْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا فَلَن يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ وَهُوَ فِي الْآخِرَةِ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ
And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers.
Indeed you will regret in the hereafter if you die upon a religion other than Islaam.
I have related it as Allaah said in the above verse of the Qur'aan.
Islaam is a beautiful religion; it is the religion in which Allaah -the Creator- is the only One we supplicate to, bend to (ruku'u), obey, rely on, and seek help from. He is our might over our affairs, He is the One we tell all our problems, that is what is called Islaam.
You will be of good conduct to Allaah's creation, abandon all bad habits, abstain from unlawful foods and drinks. After which you will be of good conduct and you will have peace of mind.
Brethren, Allaah further confirms it that Islaam is mandatory upon all human beings and Jinns, Allaah said it is mandatory for you to practise Islaam, I hereby urge the non-Muslims reading this to go and embrace Islaam and learn about it. Allaah says, Surah Al-Isra, Verse 23:
وَقَضَىٰ رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوا إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا إِمَّا يَبْلُغَنَّ عِندَكَ الْكِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَا أَوْ كِلَاهُمَا فَلَا تَقُل لَّهُمَا أُفٍّ وَلَا تَنْهَرْهُمَا وَقُل لَّهُمَا قَوْلًا كَرِيمًا
And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them but address them in terms of honour.
Allaah also says in Surah Al-Bayyina, Verse 5:
وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ حُنَفَاءَ وَيُقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَذَٰلِكَ دِينُ الْقَيِّمَةِ
And they were commanded not, but that they should worship Allah, and worship none but Him Alone (abstaining from ascribing partners to Him), and perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat) and give Zakat: and that is the right religion.
