[Recognizing the Apostate[1]]

Based on this, only those are considered to have left Islam who know and openly acknowledge their leaving Islam—such as those about whom Allah has said: ﴿شَاهِدِينَ عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ بِالْكُفْرِ﴾[2]; “While they are bearers of witness upon themselves to disbelief,” and: ﴿وَشَهِدُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا كَافِرِينَ﴾[3]; “And they bore witness against themselves that they were disbelievers.” Therefore, those who consider themselves Muslims in belief are regarded as Muslims, even if they prostrate to other than Allah in outward action; because disbelief is based on intention, and one who does not intend it is not considered a disbeliever—such as the angels who prostrated to Adam ; as Allah Almighty has said: ﴿وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ اسْجُدُوا لِآدَمَ فَسَجَدُوا﴾[4]; “And when We said to the angels: ‘Prostrate to Adam,’ so they prostrated”—and such as the sons of Ya‘qub , who prostrated to Yusuf ; as Allah Almighty has said: ﴿وَرَفَعَ أَبَوَيْهِ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ وَخَرُّوا لَهُ سُجَّدًا﴾[5]; “And he seated his parents upon the throne, and they fell down in prostration before him.”

[Recognizing the Hypocrite[6]]

Even hypocrites—whose hearts are full of disbelief and who are inferior to disbelievers in the Hereafter—are regarded as Muslims because they consider themselves Muslims. However, in reality, they are disbelievers, and recognizing them is possible by observing their words and actions; as Allah Almighty has said: ﴿وَلَتَعْرِفَنَّهُمْ فِي لَحْنِ الْقَوْلِ ۚ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ أَعْمَالَكُمْ﴾[7]; “And indeed, you recognize them by the tone of speech. And Allah knows your deeds”—such as those who, despite openly acknowledging Islam, say something that contradicts its theoretical and practical principles, or deliberately do something against them; as Allah has said about such people: ﴿يَحْلِفُونَ بِاللَّهِ مَا قَالُوا وَلَقَدْ قَالُوا كَلِمَةَ الْكُفْرِ وَكَفَرُوا بَعْدَ إِسْلَامِهِمْ وَهَمُّوا بِمَا لَمْ يَنَالُوا﴾[8]; “They swear by Allah that they did not say it, whereas they said the word of disbelief and disbelieved after their Islam, and they intended that which they did not attain.”