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Olde Tyme Religion
Egypt's religious adviser says Muslims can change religion
2007-07-25
Egypt’s official religious adviser has ruled that Muslims are free to change their faith as it is a matter between an individual and God, in a move which could have far-reaching implications for the country’s Christians. “The essential question before us is that can a person who is a Muslim choose a religion other than Islam? The answer is yes, they can,” Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa said in a posting on a Washington Post-Newsweek forum picked up by the Egyptian press on Tuesday. “The act of abandoning one’s religion is a sin punishable by God on the Day of Judgement. If the case in question is one of merely rejecting faith, then there is no worldly punishment,” he wrote.

Gomaa warned however that if the conversions undermine the “foundations of society” then it must be dealt with by the judicial system, without elaborating. In September, Egypt’s Supreme Administrative Court is to hear the case of 12 Copts who converted to Islam and have been prevented by the state from reverting to Christianity on the grounds that it is apostasy.
Posted by:Fred

#6  One message for the Kuffur, one for the Ummah
Posted by: Galactic Coordinator Crutle2958   2007-07-25 21:17  

#5  Bummer. It was really exciting until you brought reality into the mix, Glealet Panda9473. Oh, well -- best to know what we're dealing with.
Posted by: trailing wife   2007-07-25 19:44  

#4  Not true. See the denial noted on LittleGreenFootbals.

Cairo: EgyptÂ’s top cleric yesterday denied in a statement that he had said a Muslim can give up his faith without punishment.

Ali GomaÂ’a, the mufti of Egypt, was quoted as saying in a posting on a Washington Post-Newsweek forum that Muslims are free to change their faith and this is a matter between an individual and God.

“What I actually said is that Islam prohibits a Muslim from changing his religion and that apostasy is a crime, which must be punished,” Goma’a said.
Posted by: Glealet Panda9473   2007-07-25 19:10  

#3  if the conversions undermine the “foundations of society” then it must be dealt with by the judicial system

Which will always be the case. SSDD.
Posted by: Zenster   2007-07-25 12:16  

#2  The Mufti speaks out of both sides of his mouth with a forked tongue. Either that or he's an apostate himself.
Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418   2007-07-25 09:39  

#1  Sure you can change religions, you just won't live to talk about it.
Posted by: Ol Dirty American   2007-07-25 00:09  

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