What is the legal consequence of killing an apostate (Murtad)?

General Chapter

Al-Mughni

Book of Wounds

Book 47 · Issue 2 · Bab 1

Open in Qurani

Primary text

Neither retribution (qisas), blood money (diyah), nor expiation (kaffarah) is obligatory for the killing of an apostate, regardless of whether the killer is a Muslim or a Dhimmi. This is the position held by some scholars of the Shafi'i school.

Supporting text

Some Shafi'i scholars maintain that qisas is obligatory upon the Dhimmi for killing the apostate, and diyah is due if qisas is waived, based on the argument that the Dhimmi lacks authority over the apostate's life. Another view among them stipulates only qisas, excluding diyah, due to the apostate having no inherent value.