Ikrimah narrates: Some people were brought to Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) who had left Islam and become apostates (the narrator is unsure, perhaps the words are) had become heretics. They also had their writings with them. By the order of Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), a fire was lit and they were thrown into the fire along with their writings. When Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) was informed of this, he said: If I had been there, I would not have burned them, because the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade this, but I would have had them killed because the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said this. (The narration forbidding burning is:) "Do not punish with the punishment of Allah." (And the evidence for having them killed is this hadith:) "Whoever changes his religion, kill him."