It is narrated from Ikrimah ( RA) that when a group of people left Islam and became " apostates ", Ali (RA) set them on fire. When this news reached Ibn 'Abbas, he said , "If I had been present there, I would have killed them according to the words of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace." The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Kill the person who changes his religion. I , Ibn ' Abbas , would never have set them on fire. Because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Do not punish anyone with the torment of Allaah. When this reached Ali (R) he said , Ibn 'Abbas is right. [Sunan at-Tirmidhi , Hadith number: 1458] This hadith has been narrated by Abu Isa-Hasan Sahih. According to this hadith, experienced scholars have expressed their views on the ruling on apostasy. But they disagree on the punishment to be meted out to a woman who forsakes Islam. A group of experts said he would be sentenced to death. This view was expressed by Imam Awzai , Ahmad and Ishaq. Another group said he would be taken prisoner , not killed. Sufis like Saori and the people of Kufa like this. The standard of Hadith is Sahih.