Apostasy (i.e., a Muslim who leaves Islam) is a crime punishable by death

Under Islam, Muslims belong to the Ummah, the nation of Islam. Islamic nationality is religious, not political, not to a country. That is why Muslims have no loyalty to the country where they live if that country is not Islamic. Therefore, when a Muslim leaves the Islamic faith, he/she is perceived by the other Muslims as betraying the whole nation of Islam. Islam is indeed submission!

(see examples of apostasy as a crime here)

Muslims who leave Islam (by losing faith or converting to other religion) commit the crime of apostasy, punishable by death.

According to the statement of Allah's Apostle, 'Whoever changed his Islamic religion, then kill him.'" (Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 84, Number 57)

Muhammad again:

It was narrated from Ubadah bin Samit that the Messenger of Allah said: “Carry out the legal punishments on relatives and strangers, and do not let the fear of blame stop you from carrying out the command of Allah.” So we know (1) that the penalty for apostasy is death, and (2) that Muslims are supposed to carry out the penalty on relatives. (Sunan Ibn Majah 2540)

Muhammad once more:

"Allah's Apostle said, "The blood of a Muslim who confesses that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that I am His Apostle, cannot be shed except in three cases: In Qisas for murder, a married person who commits illegal sexual intercourse and the one who reverts from Islam (apostate) and leaves the Muslims."Sahih al-Bukhari, 9:83:17 

Bukhari (Volume 9, Book 84, Number 58) describes the relaxed attitude of Mohammed and his followers after killing an apostate (they kept on their "religious duty" as if nothing had happened):

Narrated Abu Burda: ... There was a fettered man beside Abu Muisa. Mu'adh asked, "Who is this (man)?" Abu Muisa said, "He was a Jew and became a Muslim and then reverted back to Judaism." Then Abu Muisa requested Mu'adh to sit down but Mu'adh said, "I will not sit down till he has been killed. This is the judgment of Allah and His Apostle (for such cases) and repeated it thrice. Then Abu Musa ordered that the man be killed, and he was killed. Abu Musa added, "Then we discussed the night prayers and one of us said, 'I pray and sleep, and I hope that Allah will reward me for my sleep as well as for my prayers.'"

The Manual of Islamic Law Umdat al-Salik from the "moderate" Egyptian Al-Azhar University (the same where US President Obama spoke in April 2009 in an attempt to reach out to the Muslim world) says that:

08.1 When a person who has reached puberty and is sane voluntarily apostatizes (changes religion) from Islam, he deserves to be killed.

08.4 There is no indemnity for killing an apostate (O. or any expiation, since it is killing someone who deserves to die).

Now, compare this to Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights:

Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.

Apostasy is excellent for tyrants: whoever opposes them politically, are accused to be apostates and then incarcerated or killed – that is why apostasy is a crime in all 57 Islamic countries.

"The four main schools of jurisprudence (Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi`i, and Hanbali) as well as the other four schools of jurisprudence (the four Shiite schools of Az-Zaidiyyah, Al-Ithna-`ashriyyah, Al-Ja`fariyyah, and Az-Zaheriyyah) agree that apostates must be executed" -- Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, head of the European Council for Fatwa and Research (ECFR) and president of the International Union for Muslim Scholars (IUMS).

In Saudi Arabia, Iran, Sudan, Afghanistan, parts of Pakistan … penalty for apostasy is death.

In “moderate” Egypt, Malaysia, Indonesia, Turkey, if one wants to change the religion (in his ID) to Islam it is allowed; to change away from Islam he/she is taken to court.

If an ex-Muslim lives in a Non-Islamic country, he may be away from an Islamic government, but he is fair game for other Muslims, sometimes even persecuted by his own family.

The Baha’i (in Iran) and the Ahmadiyya (in Indonesia) have been persecuted because they are considered apostates. The former believes Mohammed is not the last prophet; the latter rejects violence.

See examples of former Muslims being punished by this crime in another post Kill any Muslim who leaves Islam.

There are two types of apostasy (murtad)

Murtad fitri (natural apostate) - Anyone who is born to Muslim parents and leaves Islam is stigmatized as in the sense that he was born genetically Muslim and has rejected his gift of birth.

Murtad milli - anyone who converts to Islam and later leaves it (a person who has turned his back to the Ummah).

Update on Mar 2011 - I found in Islam Online the answer to the following question: Why is the apostate to be executed in Islam? The answer, based on the same Koran and Hadith verses mentioned abova, includes explanations such as (emphasis mine):

If a Muslim apostatizes and meets the conditions of apostasy, i.e., he is of sound mind, an adult and does that of his own free will then his blood may be shed with impunity. He is to be executed by the Muslim ruler or by his deputy, such as the qaadi or judge, and he is not to be washed (after death, in preparation for burial), the funeral prayer is not to be offered for him and he is not to be buried with the Muslims.

Perhaps you think that if a person follows the truth and enters into it and embraces the one true religion which Allaah has enjoined, then we allow him to leave it quite easily whenever he wants and to utter the words of kufr (disbelief) that put him outside of Islam, so he can reject Allaah, His Messenger, His Books and His religion, and there is no punishment as deterrent, how will that affect him and others who enter the religion?

Do you not see that this would make the one true religion, that everyone should follow, like a shop or store which a person can enter when he wants and leave when he wants, and it may encourage others to forsake the truth.

Moreover, this is not someone who has never known the truth and practiced it and worshipped in accordance with it; rather this is a person who has known the truth, and practiced the religion and done the rituals of worship, so the punishment is no greater than he deserves. Moreover, such strong rulings as this are only applied to such a person whose life is no longer considered to be useful, because he knew the truth and followed the religion, then he left it and forsook it. What soul can be more evil than the soul of such a person?

In conclusion, the answer is that Allaah is the One Who revealed this religion and enjoined it. He [Allaah] is the One Who ruled that the one who enters it and then leaves it is to be executed. This ruling does not come from the Muslim' s ideas or suggestions. As this is the case, then we must follow the ruling of Allaah so long as we are content to accept Him as our Lord and God.

Where is that Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights? Well, it has never had any legal value according to the "true religion" and its Sharia.

Jews as Depicted in the Qur'an

Islam is anti-Semite top the core! See what Islam Online says (print screen of the page is at the end of this post in case the link is broken. You can find it also here and here):

Dear Sheikh! As-Salam `Alaykum. What, according to the Qur'an, are the main characteristics and qualities of Jews?

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All thanks and praise are due to Allah and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Dear questioner, we are really pleased to have your question and we pray to Allah to make our humble efforts, exerted solely for His Sake, come up to your expectation.

As regards the question you posed, the following is the fatwa issued by Sheikh `Atiyyah Saqr, former Head of Al-Azhar Fatwa Committee, in which he states the following:

"The Qur'an has specified a considerable deal of its verses to talking about Jews, their personal qualities and characteristics. The Qur'anic description of Jews is quite impartial; praising them in some occasions where they deserve praise and condemning them in other occasions where they practice blameworthy acts. Yet, the latter occasions outnumbered the former, due to their bad qualities and the heinous acts they used to commit.

The Qur'an praises them on the verse that reads: " And verily We gave the Children of Israel the Scripture and the Command and the Prophethood, and provided them with good things and favored them above (all) peoples." (Al-Jathiyah:16) i.e. the peoples of their time.

Among the bad qualities they were characterized with are the following:

1. They used to fabricate things and falsely ascribe them to Allah. Allah Almighty says: " That is because they say: We have no duty to the Gentiles. They speak a lie concerning Allah knowingly." (Al-`Imran 3:75) Also: "The Jews say: Allah's hand is fettered. Their hands are fettered and they are accursed for saying so. Nay, but both His hands are spread out wide in bounty. He bestoweth as He will." (Al-Ma`idah 5:64)

In another verse Almighty Allah says: "Verily Allah heard the saying of those who said, (when asked for contributions to the war): "Allah, forsooth, is poor, and we are rich! We shall record their saying with their slaying of the Prophets wrongfully and We shall say: Taste ye the punishment of burning!" (Al-`Imran 3:181)

2. They love to listen to lies. Concerning this Allah says: "and of the Jews: listeners for the sake of falsehood, listeners on behalf of other folk" (Al-Ma'idah: 5:41) 

3. Disobeying Almighty Allah and never observing His commands. Allah says: "And because of their breaking their covenant, We have cursed them and made hard their hearts." (Al-Ma'idah: 5:13) 

4. Disputing and quarreling. This is clear in the verse that reads: "Their Prophet said unto them: Lo! Allah hath raised up Saul to be a king for you. They said: How can he have kingdom over us when we are more deserving of the kingdom than he is, since he hath not been given wealth enough?" (Al-Baqarah 2:247)

5. Hiding the truth and standing for misleading. This can be understood from the verse that reads: “…distort the Scripture with their tongues, that ye may think that what they say is from the Scripture, when it is not from the Scripture.” (Al-`Imran 3:78)

6. Staging rebellion against the Prophets and rejecting their guidance. This is clear in the verse: “And when ye said: O Moses! We will not believe in thee till we see Allah plainly.” (Al-Baqarah 2:55)

7. Hypocrisy. In a verse, we read: “And when they fall in with those who believe, they say:fs We believe; but when they go apart to their devils they declare: Lo! we are with you; verily we did but mock.” (Al-Baqarah: 14) In another verse, we read: “Enjoin ye righteousness upon mankind while ye yourselves forget (to practice it)? And ye are readers of the Scripture! Have ye then no sense?” (Al-Baqarah 2:44)

8. Giving preference to their own interests over the rulings of religion and the dictates of truth. Allah says: “…when there cometh unto you a messenger (from Allah) with that which ye yourselves desire not, ye grow arrogant, and some ye disbelieve and some ye slay?” (Al-Baqarah 2:87)

9. Wishing evil for people and trying to mislead them. This is clear in the verse that reads: “Many of the People of the Scripture long to make you disbelievers after your belief, through envy on their own account, after the truth hath become manifest unto them.” (Al-Baqarah 2:109)

10. They feel pain to see others in happiness and are gleeful when others are afflicted with a calamity. This is clear in the verse that reads: “If a lucky chance befall you, it is evil unto them, and if disaster strike you they rejoice thereat.” (Al-`Imran 3:120)

11. They are known of their arrogance and haughtiness. They claimed to be the sons and of Allah and His beloved ones. Allah tells us about this in the verse that reads: “The Jews and Christians say: We are sons of Allah and His loved ones.” (Al-Ma’idah 5:18)

12. Utilitarianism and opportunism are among their innate traits. This is clear in the verse that reads: “And of their taking usury when they were forbidden it, and of their devouring people's wealth by false pretences.” (An-Nisa’ 4:161)

13. Their impoliteness and indecent way of speech is beyond description. Referring to this, the Qur’anic verse reads: “Some of those who are Jews change words from their context and say: "We hear and disobey; hear thou as one who heareth not" and "Listen to us!" distorting with their tongues and slandering religion. If they had said: "We hear and we obey; hear thou, and look at us" it had been better for them, and more upright. But Allah hath cursed them for their disbelief, so they believe not, save a few.” (An-Nisa’ 4:46)

14. It is easy for them to slay people and kill innocents. Nothing in the world is dear to their hearts than shedding blood and murdering human beings. They never give up this trait even with the Messengers and the Prophets. Allah says: “…and slew the prophets wrongfully.” (Al-Baqarah 2:61)

15. They are merciless and heartless. In this meaning, the Qur’anic verse explains: “Then, even after that, your hearts were hardened and became as rocks, or worse than rocks, for hardness.” (Al-Baqarah 2:74)

16. They never keep their promises or fulfill their words. Almighty Allah says: “Is it ever so that when ye make a covenant a party of you set it aside? The truth is, most of them believe not.” (Al-Baqarah 2:100)

17. They rush hurriedly to sins and compete in transgression. Allah says: “They restrained not one another from the wickedness they did. Verily evil was that they used to do!” (Al-Ma’idah 5:79)

18. Cowardice and their love for this worldly life are their undisputable traits. To this, the Qur’an refers when saying: “Ye are more awful as a fear in their bosoms than Allah. That is because they are a folk who understand not. They will not fight against you in a body save in fortified villages or from behind walls. Their adversity among themselves is very great. Ye think of them as a whole whereas their hearts are divers.” (Al-Hashr:13-14) Allah Almighty also says: “And thou wilt find them greediest of mankind for life and (greedier) than the idolaters.” (Al-Baqarah 2:96)

19. Miserliness runs deep in their hearts. Describing this, the Qur’an states: “Or have they even a share in the Sovereignty? Then in that case, they would not give mankind even the speck on a date stone.” (An-Nisa’ 4:53)

20. Distorting Divine Revelation and Allah’s Sacred Books. Allah says in this regard: “Therefore woe be unto those who write the Scripture with their hands anthem say, "This is from Allah," that they may purchase a small gain therewith. Woe unto them for that their hands have written, and woe unto them for that they earn thereby.” (Al-Baqara 2:79)

After this clear explanation, we would like to note that these are but some of the most famous traits of the Jews as described in the Qur’an. They have revolted against the Divine ordinances, distorted what has been revealed to them and invented new teachings which, they claimed, were much more better than what has been recorded in the Torah. It was for these traits that they found no warm reception in all countries where they tried to reside. Rather, they would either be driven out or live in isolation. It was Almighty Allah who placed on them His Wrath and made them den of humiliation due to their transgression. Almighty Allah told us that He’d send to them people who’d pour on them rain of severe punishment that would last till the Day of Resurrection. All this gives us glad tidings of the coming victory of Muslims over them once Muslims stick to strong faith and belief in Allah and adopt the modern means of technology.

http://www.islamonline.com/cgi-bin/news_service/fatwah_story.asp?service_id-449

Persecution of Jews

Islam is anti-Semite to the core. During his life, Mohammed had several altercations with the Jewish tribes around him (which ended up being vanished form the map) as well as with a few Jewish individuals (who ended up assassinated). Since the justification for his harsh actions ended up part of the Koran, they have been written in stone and are part of Islam.

(See examples of anti-Semitism here)

There is a Fatwa that summarizes quite nicely the main characteristics and qualities of Jews as depicted in the Koran. Meanwhile, Pope Benedict XVI emphasises that the Jews have no collective guilt for the death of Jesus (who was Jew by the way), silly excuse used for persecutions in the past.

Currently, Western anti-Semitism is aligning with Islamic anti-Semitis. As Roger Simon posted recently, "the cause of the need to hold Israel to a higher standard than any other nation, could also not be more obvious. It is titanic (and justifiable) guilt over the Holocaust. What Europe did to the Jews, marching innocent human beings into gas chambers, is arguably the most monstrous crime in recorded history. Europeans desperately want something to be wrong with the Jews to exonerate themselves, to some degree anyway, for that unconscionably reprehensible act."

Gays rights under Islam

Even though not explicitly stated, gays and lesbians have their rights guarantee by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 6 (Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law) and Article 7 (All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law) are sufficiently clear.


But under Islam Gays and lesbians have no rights (except the right to be killed). See for yourself:

• Holland: Gay Iman is a threat to Islam. He must die (RNW).
• France: French charity helps Muslim gays rejected by families (Spiegel).
• Holland Mar 2011: Gay flights attendants at Dutch airline KLM want to be excused from flying to Iran (Advocate).
• USA Sept/2009: A Muslim explains how homosexuals must be treated under Islamic Law (YouTube). 
• Iran Oct/2009: On October 6, 2009, Rahim Mohammadi was executed in Tabriz, a city in northwest Iran, after being convicted of sexual abuse and rape during sexual relations between males (a homosexual act called Lavat). (IRQR)
• Iran: Hanging of homosexuals by moderate Muslims: In their final moments, gay Iranians Ayaz Marhoni and Mahmous Asgari are fitted with nooses at a death penalty spectacle (see figure).

• Pakistan: homosexuality has been a crime under Shariah Law in his native Pakistan since 1860. According to that country's penal code, enforced by Judge Usmani, Article 377 states: Whoever voluntarily has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description for a term which shall not be less than two years nor more than ten years, and shall also be liable to fine. Penetration is sufficient to constitute the carnal intercourse necessary to the offence described in this section. 

International Women’s Day celebration, Islamic style

2011
In Egypt, Cairo's central Tahrir Square (famous for the rallies against Mubarak) was occupied by women — some in headscarves and flowing robes, others in jeans — marching to celebrate International Women's Day, demanding equal rights and an end to sexual harassment. But crowds of men soon outnumbered the women and chased them out. Some men said women’s role was to stay home and raise presidents, not to run for president. Others accused the women of being “foreigners”, and had their flyers and posters torn up. Many of the protesters’ male critics invoked religion saying Islam itself decrees that men and women are different, and that men should be responsible for, and rule over, women. At one point, a crowd of male counter-protesters circled a women in a niqab (the full, black veil that covers everything but a woman’s eyes and is worn by Islamic fundamentalists in Egypt) chanting, “This is an Egyptian woman!”… (AP; The Daily Beast)

Iran has just become member of the UN's Commission on the Status of Women, an organization whose mission "is dedicated exclusively to gender equality and advancement of women." In the very first demonstration for International Women's Day, protesters were beaten by security forces. Women's rights activists have called for demonstrations to advocate and defend the rights of both men and women in Iran, as well as more general democratic principles. (Amnesty International) 

In the Sudan, riot police in Khartoum arrested more than 40 women minutes after they started a protest against rape and rights abuses. Sudanese women's groups organized the protest against discriminatory laws on Tuesday -- marked as International Women's Day across the world. Before the rally, organizers said they were enraged by reports of the arrest and rape of Safiya Eshaq, a supporter of anti-government activist group Girifna, in Khartoum last month. (Sudan Tribune)