As a Malaysian with many Muslim friends, I find this matter of apostasy difficult to fathom. There is a saying that one can bring the horse to the water but one cannot force it to drink. Likewise forcing a person to remain in a religion by force of law or threat of punishment is perplexing to me.

Refusing to allow the people of a certain religion to change their faith is of no use. Maybe it makes the person who is trying to prevent the other from leaving the faith feel 'holier than thou'.

As there is the belief that there is a Judgement Day, let then the apostate be judged by God.

Moreover, one's walk with God is a personal one. Can a person who feels that he is very holy and deserves to go to heaven bring his wife or children along with him to heaven? Definitely not. They will have to proof their worthiness on Judgement Day. The husband cannot speak for his wife or children. Each one must speak for himself.

My view is that if the person no longer believes, let him go.