'Ali came to some people of Az-Zutt, who worshipped idols, and burned them. Ibn 'Abbas said: "But the Messenger of Allah [SAW] said: 'Whoever changes his religion, kill him.'"
The Book of Fighting [The Prohibition of Bloodshed] - Sunan an-Nasa'i
This narration from Sunan an-Nasa'i 4065 and related sources presents a complex legal scenario requiring careful scholarly analysis.
Contextual Analysis
The incident involving 'Ali (رضي الله عنه) burning the idol-worshippers from Az-Zutt tribe must be understood within its specific historical context. This was not a general ruling but a particular military situation where these individuals were combatants engaged in warfare against Muslims.
Ibn 'Abbas (رضي الله عنه) then cites the general principle regarding apostates, showing the Companions' meticulous approach to applying Prophetic teachings appropriately to each circumstance.
Legal Distinctions
Classical scholars distinguish between combatants in warfare and individual apostates in peaceful territories. The burning was a specific military punishment for hostile combatants, not the prescribed method for dealing with apostates in general.
The authentic position across all schools of jurisprudence is that burning as punishment is prohibited, based on the Prophet's prohibition against punishing with Allah's specific punishment (fire).
Harmonizing the Narrations
Scholars reconcile these narrations by understanding that 'Ali's action was either: 1) specific to wartime combatants, 2) an ijtihad (legal reasoning) that was later corrected, or 3) misunderstood in transmission. The general rule remains that execution for apostasy, when applicable, should not involve burning.
The principle cited by Ibn 'Abbas represents the established ruling for individual apostates in Islamic territory, while 'Ali's action addressed a specific military context requiring different considerations.