Is a person who calls himself a free thinker and questions the existence of God considered an apostate, and what is the status of his marriage to a wife who firmly holds to Islam?

Short answer

The fatwa does not immediately rule that a self-declared free thinker is an apostate.

Federal Territories10 June 2015Opinion (irsyad)

A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.

Authority: Federal Territories Mufti Office
Date: 10 June 2015
Status: Opinion (irsyad)
Series: Al-Kafi li al-Fatawi
Topic: Creed (Aqidah)

No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.

Summary

The fatwa does not immediately rule that a self-declared free thinker is an apostate. Such thinking may stem from shallow knowledge, so the man is advised to meet a religious expert in the area that confuses him. Judgments that place a person outside Islam and faith should be avoided. The matter should be referred to the syariah court, in the hope that counselling sessions can help resolve it.

Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.

Menghukum dan meletakkan seoserang pada tempat dan zon yang lain dari daerah ke Islaman dan keimanan hendaklah dielakkan.

Excerpt from the original fatwa · Federal Territories

Read the full fatwa on the Federal Territories website (new tab)

How to cite

Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.

Federal Territories Mufti Office. “ADAKAH FREE THINKER DIANGGAP MURTAD?”, 10 June 2015. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/al-kafi-li-al-fatawi/1651-adakah-free-thinker-dianggap-murtad. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/is-free-thinker-considered-apostate/