Does God Forgive Sins of Ex-Apostates?

Christian: The Quran 3:86-91 say God doesn’t forgive sins of apostates if they re-convert to Islam. If Islamic God is merciful, then why he doesn't accept the repentance of apostates? (Note that an apostate is someone who rejects Islam after accepting it.)

Muslim: Lets see if the Quran 3:86-91 say that God doesn't forgive the sins of apostates if they re-convert to Islam –  

The Quran 3:86 – “How shall God guide people who disbelieved after their belief and had witnessed that the Messenger is true and clear signs had come to them? And Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.”

Interpretation: There are people who accept Islam after witnessing clear proof that Islam is the truth and then they leave Islam for earthly gains. God says these are wrongdoing people and God doesn’t guide them. 

The Quran 3:87 – “Those - their recompense will be that upon them is the curse of Allah and the angels and the people, all together.”

Interpretation: Those will have God’s curse on them. (Note that God refers to the people mentioned in 3:86 by “those”.)

The Quran 3:88 – “They will abide eternally therein. The punishment will not be lightened for them, nor will they be reprieved.”

Interpretation: They will stay in hell forever. (Note that God refers to the people mentioned in 3:86 by “they”.)

The Quran 3:89 – “Except for those who repent after that (after rejecting Islam) and correct themselves. For indeed, God is Forgiving and Merciful.”

Interpretation: By “those”, God refers to the people among “people mentioned in 3:86” who re-convert to Islam. God will forgive them and spare them from hell. This verse clearly says God will forgive apostates if they re-convert to Islam.

The Quran 3:90 – “Indeed, those who reject the message after their belief and then increase in disbelief - never will their [claimed] repentance be accepted, and they are the ones astray” (3:90).

Interpretation: By “those”, God refers to people “among people mentioned in 3:86” who don’t re-convert to Islam. The Quran 3:90 says people “among people mentioned in 3:86” who don’t re-convert to Islam will not have their repentance accepted that they made when they converted to Islam.

In Islam, if someone converts to Islam and sincerely repent for his/her past sins, his/her past sins will be forgiven. For example -

·         If 20 years old Peter converts to Islam and sincerely repent for his past sins, then his sins from the age of 1 to 20 will be forgiven.

·         But if Peter leaves Islam at the age of 21, his sins from the age of 1 to 20 will not be forgiven. ***

·         But if Peter re-convert to Islam at the age of 22, his sins from the age of 1 to 22 will be forgiven, and so on.

Now let’s look at the Quran 3:90 again: “Indeed, those who reject the message after their belief and then increase in disbelief - never will their [claimed] repentance be accepted, and they are the ones astray”.

Analysis:

·         Indeed, those who reject the message after their belief >>> apostates

·         and then increase in disbelief >>> and if apostates remain disbelievers/don’t re-convert to Islam

·         never will their [claimed] repentance be accepted >>> the repentance for the past sins apostates made will not be accepted.***

·         and they are the ones astray >>> and they are the example of people who are misguided.