Leaving Islam: Apostates Speak Out (ISBN 1-59102-068-9) is a book, authored and edited by secularist Ibn Warraq

Ibn Warraq

Ibn Warraq is the pen name of a polemical author of Pakistani origin who is critical of Islam, and who founded the Institute for the Secularisation of Islamic Society . He is a senior research fellow at the Center for Inquiry focusing on Qur'anic criticism...

 that researches and documents cases of apostasy in Islam

Apostasy in Islam

Apostasy in Islam is commonly defined in Islam as the rejection in word or deed of one's former religion by a person who was previously a follower of Islam...

.

Synopsis

The first part of the book presents an overview of the theological-juridical underpinnings of apostasy

Apostasy

Apostasy , 'a defection or revolt', from ἀπό, apo, 'away, apart', στάσις, stasis, 'stand, 'standing') is the formal disaffiliation from or abandonment or renunciation of a religion by a person. One who commits apostasy is known as an apostate. These terms have a pejorative implication in everyday...

 in Islam

Islam

Islam . The most common are and .   : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...

 based upon the Qur’an, the hadith

Hadith

The term Hadīth is used to denote a saying or an act or tacit approval or criticism ascribed either validly or invalidly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad....

s and written opinions from classical schools of Islamic jurisprudence as well as contemporary written pronouncements of Islamic jurists.

The next section presents the history of the application of Islamic jurisdiction on apostates documenting notable cases from the early centuries of Islam, such as those of freethinkers Ibn al-Rawandi

Ibn al-Rawandi

Abu al-Hasan Ahmad ibn Yahya ibn Ishaq al-Rawandi , commonly known as Ibn al-Rawandi , was an early skeptic of Islam and a critic of religion in general. In his early days he was a Mutazilite scholar, but after rejecting the Mutazilite doctrine he adhered to Shia Islam for a brief period of time...

 and Ar-Razi (865-925), or skeptical poets such as Omar Khayyam

Omar Khayyám

Omar Khayyám was aPersian polymath: philosopher, mathematician, astronomer and poet. He also wrote treatises on mechanics, geography, mineralogy, music, climatology and theology....

 (1048-1131) and Hafiz (1320-89), or Sufi (mystic) practitioners including Mansur Al-Hallaj

Mansur Al-Hallaj

Mansur al-Hallaj was a Persian mystic, revolutionary writer and pious teacher of Sufism most famous for his poetry, accusation of heresy and for his execution at the orders of the Abbasid Caliph Al-Muqtadir after a long, drawn-out investigation.-Early life:Al-Hallaj was born around 858 in Fars...

, executed in 922 and As-Suhrawardi executed in 1191, and the atheist Sulayman al-Ma'arri

Al-Ma'arri

Abul ʿAla Al-Maʿarri was a blind Arab philosopher, poet and writer....

 (973-1057).

This followed by numerous case studies covering modern day apostasies and conversions out of Islam trends throughout the world.

The later part contains testimonials of born Muslim apostates including the ex-Muslim Ali Sina

Faith Freedom International

Faith Freedom International is a website that is critical of Islam. FFI identifies itself as "a grassroots worldwide movement of ex-Muslims and all those who are concerned about the rise of the Islamic threat"...

 and other western converts.

Author's rationale

In a 2003 interview with The Religion Report on Australia's ABC Radio National, Warraq said he wrote Leaving Islam to support his claim that there were a large number of ex-Muslims and to encourage other Muslims to openly leave Islam. He also said his target audience with the book was not just Muslims but everyone.