Barnabas Fund welcomes media spotlight on apostasy

The international director of Barnabas Fund, Dr Patrick Sookhdeo, has welcomed the British media's focus in recent months on the issue of conversion from Islam and the persecution that many former Muslims face after choosing to leave the faith.

He urged Christians to tune in to the BBC Radio 4 programme to be broadcast on Tuesday night, "Could I stop being a Muslim?", in which former Muslim radical Shiraz Maher asks whether the death penalty for apostasy is justified by the Koran and the example set by the Prophet Muhammad.

The programme tells the stories of Muslims who have suffered huge pressure and rejection from their families after leaving the Muslim faith, which Sookhdeo says is "all such a normal experience for those who convert from Islam".

"As a convert from Islam myself, part of my life's work has been to seek to see this most cruel of laws removed from Islam, and to see that Christians like myself are given freedom to choose and believe without facing persecution and possibly death," he said.

He praised moderate Muslims like Dr Usama Hassan, imam of the Al-Tawhid Mosque in London, who have publicly denounced the death penalty for apostasy.

Dr Hassan previously stated, "I believe that the classical law of apostasy in Islam is wrong and based on a misunderstanding."

Dr Sookhdeo said: "It is good to hear imams like Usama Hassan stating clearly that he believes the classical law of apostasy in Islam is wrong and denouncing those who advocate the death penalty.

Barnabas Fund has long campaigned against the death penalty for apostasy. In 2003, the organisation ran a successful petition and letter-writing campaign on the apostasy law.

"Finally the world is waking up to this outrage and injustice. The secular media is to be congratulated for taking up the issue," said Dr Sookhdeo.

He asked Christians to pray that the issue would remain under the spotlight until freedom of conscience for all becomes a reality.

"Please pray with me that the issue, once raised, will not be forgotten again," he said. "Pray that we shall see a real move towards ensuring freedom of conscience for all, even those who are born Muslims."

"Could I stop being a Muslim?" will broadcast on BBC Radio 4 at 8pm and will be repeated on Sunday at 5pm.