islam: painful punishment for apostasy (muslims who reject their faith)

koran, surah 4:137-139:

As for those who accept the faith then renounce it, who again embrace it and again deny
it, and go on increasing in unbelief, Allah will neither forgive them nor guide them to
the Right Way.[137] Announce the painful punishment to those hypocrites[138] who
choose the unbelievers to be their protectors rather than believers.

teachings like this are dangerous because they can be interpreted in many, potentially dangerous ways.

If anyone changes his [islamic] religion, kill him

The Qur'an commands your death for leaving Islam (4:89 calls for the murder of renegades from the faith), and Muhammad is explicit in a hadith: "If anyone changes his religion, kill him" (Bukhari).

the "official english translation by dr. rashad khalifa" says "only in war":

[4:89] They wish that you disbelieve as they have disbelieved, then you become equal. Do not consider them friends, unless they mobilize along with you in the cause of GOD. If they turn against you, you shall fight them, and you may kill them when you encounter them in war. You shall not accept them as friends, or allies.

but the yusuf ali, pickthall, palmer and rodwell translations say "kill them wherever you find them":

[4:89] ... But if they turn renegades, Seize them and slay them Wherever ye find them; ...

pickthall:

if they turn back (to enmity) then take them and kill them wherever ye find them

palmer:

but if they turn their backs, then seize them and kill them wheresoever ye find them,

rodwell:

If they turn back, then seize them, and slay them wherever ye find them;

its not difficult to see why the khalifa version is the "official" version =)

Q. i wonder what the literal translation of the arabic actually says?

وَدُّواْ لَوْ تَكْفُرُونَ كَمَا كَفَرُواْ فَتَكُونُونَ سَوَاء فَلاَ تَتَّخِذُواْ مِنْهُمْ أَوْلِيَاء حَتَّىَ يُهَاجِرُواْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ فَإِن تَوَلَّوْاْ فَخُذُوهُمْ وَاقْتُلُوهُمْ حَيْثُ وَجَدتَّمُوهُمْ وَلاَ تَتَّخِذُواْ مِنْهُمْ وَلِيًّا وَلاَ نَصِيرًا

i went to what i would expect to be the official islamic website for the world:
islam.org

i was redirected to islamcity.com

i clicked on quran search and searched for "slay them" and found 4:89:

and if they revert to [open] enmity, seize them and slay them wherever you may find them

ill take this M Asad version as the "official" version since it was the default search preferences.:
seize them and slay them wherever you may find them

Message of the Qur'an
Muhammad Asad (Tra...

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