What is the interpretation of the Hadith, "Indeed, Allah Almighty does not accept the repentance of a servant who disbelieved after his Islam," and does it indicate the non-acceptance of an apostate's repentance? What are the Hanbalis' proofs for their saying that an apostate is killed as a disbeliever and his repentance is not accepted, despite His Almighty saying: "And it is He who accepts repentance from His servants"? And why is an apostate treated with this apparent treatment in which there is no repentance for him?

The Hanbali school, like other schools of thought, accepts the repentance of an apostate. Their repentance is effected by uttering the two testimonies of faith (Shahadatain) and affirming what they denied, if their apostasy was due to denying a known essential tenet of the religion. According to the relied-upon view in the Madhhab, they must be given a chance to repent (istitaabah) three times. As for those whose apostasy has recurred and the Zindiq (heretic), the Hanbalis differed regarding the acceptance of their repentance. The relied-upon view in the Madhhab is that it is not accepted, while another opinion states it is accepted like that of others. The disagreement pertains to worldly rulings, but in the hereafter, their repentance is accepted if they are sincere.

The verse: ﴿إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بَعْدَ إِيمَانِهِمْ ثُمَّ ازْدَادُوا كُفْرًا لَنْ تُقْبَلَ تَوْبَتُهُمْ وَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الضَّالُّونَ﴾ [Al Imran: 90] (Indeed, those who disbelieved after their belief and then increased in disbelief - never will their repentance be accepted, and those are the astray), has been interpreted in different ways: that the non-acceptance of repentance occurs at the approach of death, or that it refers to their initial faith, or that they were not guided to sincere repentance (tawbah nasuh).