A review of apostasy article in the Leiden Encyclopedia of the Quran

The current research introduces and reviews the article of apostasy written in the Leiden Encyclopedia of the Quran. Wael Hallaq is the writer of the very article and deals with the following subjects: the concept of apostasy, the historical and conceptual relation of disbelief and apostasy, disbelief from perspective of the Quran, the fate of the apostates vary in the Quran, wars of apostasy, predicting death penalty for the apostate after the holy prophet’ lifetime, those who commit apostasy and their punishment. Notwithstanding many positive points in the article, there are some arguable points that can be debated and criticized. The present article reviews and criticizes those questionable points. The writer tries to review the following materials of the article: the three cognitive concepts such as disbelief, apostasy and debauchery [fisq], various kinds of faith for the apostates in the Quran and their punishments. According to him the writer of the article has failed to characterize and mention different kinds of apostasy.