Cafe o f Iflam
upon com-
pulfion.
Cafe o f ahuf-
band acknowledging
his
having apof-
tatized upon
compulfion.
change of belief; and the compulfion, on the other hand, affords an
argument that the belief has not been altered:—confequently his declaration
muff be credited.— It is otherwife with refpeft to a man
turning Mujfulman upon compulfion; as a man who embraces the
faith upon compulfion is neverthelefs admitted to be a Mujfulman, be-
caufe of the poflibility that his faith accords with his words.— In Ihort,
in both cafes (namely, compulfion to apoftacy, and compulfion to
IJldni) a preference is given to IJlam, as it is the fuperior, and cannot
be overcome.— What is here advanced relates merely to the award of
the Kdzee * ; for with G o d , if the perfon do not believe in his heart,
he is not a Mujfulman.
If a perfon become a Mujfulman upon compulfion, fo as to be decreed
a Mujfulman, and afterwards apoftatize, ftill he is not worthy of
death, fince his IJldm is doubtful, and doubt prevents the execution of
death upon him.
If a perfon, after having made, upon compulfion, a declaration of
infidelity, fhould fay to his wife, who claims a reparation, “ I faid a
“ thing in which I was not ferious,” (in other words, “ I fpoke
“ falfely,” ) in this cafe his'wife is feparated from him in thé conception
of the Kdzee+, and he [the Kdzee] muff iffue a decree accordingly,
although there be no feparation before G o d .— T h e reafon of this is,
that from his acknowledgment it is eftablithed that he was not compelled
into his declaration, but made it without compulfion, as the
compeller ufed compulfion towards him not with a view to extort the
declaration from him, but with a view to make him change his faith;
and as he, of his own choice, made the declaration of infidelity, and
his wife claims a feparation, his allegation that “ he intended nothing”
cannot be credited with the Kdzee, who muff therefore iffue a decree
of feparation, although there be no feparation in the fight of God.—
* That is, w relates to the mere point o f law»” + That is, <c in the eye o f the law. *
if,
If, on the other hand, he allege that “ he intended merely to fulfil
“ the defign of the compeller, namely, to make a declaration o f infi-
“ delity, at the fame time that he fpoke under a mental refervation,”
in this cafe his wife is feparated from him both with the Kdzee, and
alfo in the fight of G o d becaufe in this cafe he appears to have made
a ferious declaration o f infidelity, notwithffanding he may have fcreened
himfelf under the mental refervation.— In the fame manner, i f a perfon
compel another to worthip a crofs, or to revile the holy perfon of
the prophet, and he do fo accordingly, and afterwards plead that “ his
“ defign in worthipping was the worfhip of G o d , ” — or “ by Mohammed
“ he meant fome other than the prophet,” his wife, claiming feparation,
is feparated from him with the Kdzee, but not in the fio-ht of
G o d ;— whereas if he were thus to worfhip a crofs, or to revile the.
prophet, under a mere mental refervation, his wife would be feparated
from him both with the Kdzee, and alfo in the fight of G o d , for the
reafons above ftated.
O o a 2 H E D A T A .