Critique of The Law of Apostasy in Islam Essay In 1924 Samuel Zwemer wrote The Law of Apostasy in Islam as a response to several books and articles that claimed there is no punishment in Islam for apostate Muslims. Zwemer quotes Khwajah Kemal-ud-Din who wrote in his book India in the Balance, in Islam there is no penalty for apostasy and Mohammed Alis English translation of The Koran neither here nor anywhere else in the Holy Koran is there even a hint of the infliction of capital or any other punishment on the apostate. Zwemer disputes these claims and tries to prove his contention that there is a long history of punishing apostates throughout the Muslim world (Zwemer 8-9). Zwemer was a missionary for the Christian Dutch Reformed church in the Middle East during the latter part of the nineteenth and early twentieth century. The people he worked with and tried to convert to Christianity were Muslims. Zwemer begins his argument in the chapter Why so Few Moslem Converts by citing numerous cases where Muslims practiced punishment and ostracism against apostate Muslims, that is, Muslims who had converted to Christianity. The incidents described are anecdotal and deal with specific examples where apostate Muslims underwent punishment or discrimination at the hands of practicing Muslims. Assuming, for the sake of argument, Zwemer is correct and such practices occurred, Zwemer still does not disprove either of the statements quoted above. What Zwemer proves is that some Muslims were punished, nothing more. He has not proven the Koran supports such practices. The title of this chapter must give the reader pause; it does not seem to be the title of an intellectual argument, but more like a defense of his and other missionaries efforts while working among Muslims. Apparently he had concluded the reason for his lack of success was due to fear of punishment by other Muslims, not because he was a bad missionary, or because the tenets of Islam were more convincing to people in the region than the principles in Christianity (Zwemer 15-29). In the chapter two The Law of Apostasy Zwemer quotes three passages of the Koran that he claims indicate an official sanctioning of punishment of apostates. Zwemer is unconvincing. The phrase take from them [apostate Muslims] neither patron or help (IV. 90, 91) and alleges that the standard commentary of Baidhawi, whoever that is, means take and kill him wheresoever you find ye find him, like any other infidel (Zwemer 33). It appears Baidhawi has chosen an interpretation that is not justified from the original text. He treats the other passages in a similar fashion, interpreting them to mean apostates should be killed or punished, when a more straightforward interpretation does not imply his conclusion. Zwemer errs in at least two fashions. First he appears to equate evidence that indicates punishment has been administered against apostates indicates the sanction of such actions by the teaching of Islam. This is not the case. Throughout history there are far too many examples where common practices were either directly prohibited by official policies or were not addressed by these policies. This does not indicate official policies authorized such actions. Secondly, Zwemers evidence is largely either anecdotal or demand such contrived interpretations of the Koran as to unconvincing. Consequently The Law of Apostasy in Islam does not prove that punishment for apostate Muslims is a tenant of Islam. Works Cited Zwemer, Samuel M. The Law of Apostasy. London: Marshall Brothers Ltd, n. d.
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Population growth has its own effects on economic growth of a country, which can be negative or positive first we will look in to the negatively effecting factors of population growth: 1) Due to increase in Population Consumption Increases, which will decrease, GNP/GDP and Imports will increase and Exports Fall down Budget Defect is the result and the prices mount high. 2) Miss Use OR Over use of Natural Resources. Due to increase in population Man to Land Ratio decreases. As land is inelastic, one cannot increase the amount or supply of land. 3) Raw-Material or Primary Goods are used or processed directly or indirectly which produce finished goods and yield residues some of it is recycled and some is disposed to nature, which effects it negatively. Therefore, when more and more people depend on land there are more chances of the damage accruing to ecosystem. 4) Effect on PCI, if the population growth does not match the labor force there is a negative effect on PCI. 5) Population Growth and Standard of Living, as increase in population leads to more consumption. ALTERNATIVELY, there are more mouths to feed which effects the standard of living. 6) Population and Agriculture, the pressure on land increases and increase disguised unemployment. 7) Population and employment, unemployment increases due to increase in population. 8) Population and Social infrastructure, pressure increases, as one Doctor has to attend more and more patients similarly in other fields also. 9) Population Increase decreases Capital Formation. 10) Population Increase results in Brain Drain. 11) Population Increase negatively effects Environment as urban slums increase.
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