Does Islam Kill Apostates?

Robert: How do you justify the death penalty for apostasy in Islam mentioned in Quran 4:89?

Jacob: Whenever you take a verse out of an entire chapter and try to interpret that verse, you get the meaning of that verse wrong (you fail to interpret that verse in the light of the entire chapter). Read the two next verses of 4:89. Not all apostates are not to be killed. Apostates those fight against Muslims are to be killed.

4:89-They desire that you should disbelieve as they have disbelieved, so that you might be (all) alike; therefore take not from among them friends until they emigrate in God's way; but IF THEY TURN AWAY, THEN SEIZE THEM AND KILL THEM wherever you find them, and take not from among them a friend or a helper.

4:90-Except those who reach a people between whom and you there is an alliance, or who come to you, their hearts shrinking from fighting you or fighting their own people; and if God had willed, He would have given them power over you, so that they should have certainly fought you; therefore IF THEY WITHDRAW FROM YOU AND DO NOT FIGHT YOU AND OFFER YOU PEACE, THEN GOD HAS NOT GIVEN YOU A WAY AGAINST THEM.

What does "turn away" mean in 4:89? It not only means to "run away" from Islam or "leave" Islam. It also means to harm Islam and Muslim instead of making peace after leaving Islam (See 4:90). Also, note that God forgives apostates as soon as they stop fighting after starting and offer peace (See 4:90). Same message has been repeated in 4:91: "...Every time they are returned to disbelief, they fall back into it. SO IF THEY DO NOT WITHDRAW FROM YOU OR OFFER YOU PEACE OR CONTROL THEIR HANDS, THEN SEIZE THEM AND KILL THEM WHEREVER YOU OVERTAKE THEM. And those - We have made for you against them a clear authorization." (4: 91)

The Quran doesn't say to kill all apostates. 4:91 says to kill apostates those declare war on believers instead of making peace with them. It's completely okay if you leave Islam but you must not harm believers with your hands.

Robert: But there are hadith that say to kill apostates.

Jacob: Hadith that matches with Quran is authentic. Hadith that doesn't match with Quran is unauthentic.

Also, The Quran doesn't tell the believers to force nonbelievers (people of other religions and atheists) to believe. Let me quote the verse: "LET THERE BE NO COMPULSION IN RELIGION.  Truth has been made clear from error. Whoever rejects false worship and believes in God has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that never breaks.  And God hears and knows all things." (Quran 2:256) Same message is repeated in another place in the Quran- [And say [O Muhammad]: 'The truth [has now come] you're your Sustainer: LET, THEN, HIM OR HER WHO WILLS, BELIEVE IN IT, AND LET HIM OR HER WHO WILLS, REJECT IT.] (Quran 18:29)

Robert: The verses you just quoted sounded like Bible. Bible does not say to kill people of other religions.

Jacob: Not really. Bible isn't as kind as Quran to the people of other religions and atheists.

Robert: What are you talking about? Bible is all about love.

Jacob: Well, let me quote some bible verses for you then. Bible gives death penalty to the people of other religions and atheists: "If your brother, the son of your mother, or your son or your daughter or the wife you embrace or your friend who is as your own soul entices you secretly, saying, 'Let us go and serve other gods,' which neither you nor your fathers have known, some of the gods of the peoples who are around you, whether near you or far off from you, from the one end of the earth to the other, you shall not yield to him or listen to him, nor shall your eye pity him, nor shall you spare him, nor shall you conceal him. But you shall kill him. Your hand shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people. You shall stone him to death with stones, because he sought to draw you away from the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery" (Deuteronomy 13:6-11 ).

Robert: That's Jewish Bible (Torah). Not Christian Bible (Gospel).

Jacob: Well, let's see what Gospel says then: Jesus says-"People who do not want me to follow, bring them in front of me and slay them" (Luke 19:27). Jesus also says- "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword" (Matthew 10:34).