Since Salman Rushdie's fate was sealed by Khomeini in a fatwa, apostasy has acquired great prominence in Islam. This text argues that the death sentence for apostasy violates the Islamic freedom of religion principle.

Examining the significant challenges the punishment of apostasy faces in the modern period inside and outside Muslim communities - exploring in particular how apostasy and its punishment is dealt with in a multi-religious Muslim majority country, Malaysia, and the challenges and difficulties it faces there - the authors discuss arguments by prominent Muslims today for an absolute freedom of religion and for discarding the punishment of apostasy.

Part I: the context of the debate on apostasy - freedom of religion in the modern period
freedom of religion and the roots of intolerance - the historical context of the debate on apostasy
apostasy and related concepts
punishment for apostasy in Islamic law and the evidence
evidence against capital punishment for apostasy
apostasy and the position of Muslim thinkers in the modern period
apostasy as a tool of control and suppression of dissent - examples
understanding the fear of apostasy
PART II: religious freedom in Malaysia - overview and restrictions
apostasy laws in Malaysia - approaches of the two major political parties
jurisdiction and constitutionality of apostasy laws
concluding remarks on the future of apostasy laws in Malaysia
PART III: concluding remarks - need for rethinking of apostasy laws.