In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

 

THE NATURE OF MANKIND AND THE SHARIAH (1)

 

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord and the Cherisher of the Universe. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon our beloved prophet Muhammad (PBUH), his household, companions and followers of the right guidance till the Day of Judgment. Allah, the Exalted, says in the Holy Qur'an: “It was We who created man and We know what dark suggestions his soul makes to him: for We are nearer to him than (his) jugular vein. Q50:16. “Should not He (Allah) Who created know (His creatures)? And He is the One that understands the finest mysteries (and) is well-acquainted (with them)”. Q67:14

 

Allah is the creator of everything in the heaven and the earth, and all that are in-between them. He has perfect knowledge of everything and He is the most qualified to prescribe law for his creatures. An engineer (or a team of engineers) will understand everything about a machine that is designed and manufactured by him/the team, no matter how big or complicated the machine may be. The same person (or group of persons) will write the User’s Manual for the machine and whoever follows the instructions in the manual will derive maximum benefits from the machine. Similarly, Allah created human beings, and He sent User’s Manual (revelation) through His prophets, the last of them was Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Whoever follows Allah’s revelation will have peace in this world and in the Hereafter.

 

“They ask thee (Muhammad) concerning the Spirit (of inspiration). Say: "The Spirit (comes) by command of my Lord: OF KNOWLEDGE, IT IS ONLY A LITTLE THAT IS GIVEN TO YOU (O MEN!).” Q17:85

“We have explained in detail in this Qur'an for the benefit of mankind every kind of similitude: but man is in most things CONTENTIOUS”. Q18:54.

“Allah wishes to lighten your (difficulties): FOR MAN WAS CREATED WEAK (man usually fall for temptations). Q4:28.” Nay but man do TRANSGRESS all bounds in that he considers himself SELF-SUFFICIENT.” Q98:6-7.

“Many are the Jinns and men We have made for Hell: They have HEARTS wherewith they UNDERSTAND NOT, they have EYES wherewith they SEE NOT and EARS wherewith they HEAR NOT. THEY ARE LIKE CATTLE, EVEN WORST IN (DISOBIDIENCE AND) MISGUIDANCE; FOR THEY ARE HEEDLESS.” Q7:179

 

Some people do not and will never believe in righteousness. They cause problems and murder fellow human being. They are friends of Satan and a threat to public peace and security. Should armed robbers that did not only rob another man of his belongings but, in his presence, raped his wife and daughters, and shot his sons be left alone?  NO! He that does not have mercy deserves no mercy. Allah destroyed communities of human beings, like the people of Noah and Lot, in the past for their atrocities. The people of Lot were destroyed because they practiced barbaric sodomy. Today, however, some so-called “civilized” people do not only practice the barbaric sodomy but also lesbianism. The most annoying thing is that instead of admitting their failures and sins, they have the audacity and effrontery to rain abuses on Muslim communities that decisively dealt with the criminals whom Allah says are worst than the cattle, animal.

 

If the United Nations (UN) can impose economic sanctions and ordered military actions against a nation that is an enemy of the “police of the world” and innocent people die of hunger, houses and infrastructures were destroyed, and many innocent people were killed in military bombing because the nation do NOT OBEY UN resolution. On the other hand, when another nation, a friend of the “police of the world” disobeyed UN resolutions many times, no action was taken against it. And if…Then, the talkers of vanity should be quiet when the Shariah is used on criminals.  The ultimate goal of all good Muslims is to please Allah, the Exalted, by following His law and not to please any human being.  The hypocrisy of the talkers of vanity is clear, they do not acknowledge the fact that Shariah is very effective, crime and social-ills are least, and there is security of life and property in the Muslim state where part of Shariah is enforced.  While the so-called “civilized nations” have failed woefully in this regard, crime and social problems are increasing everyday. In fact, their double standard in implementing the laws they made by themselves has been exposed.  Allah says, “In vain would they extinguish Allah's light with their mouths but Allah will not allow but that His light should be perfected even though the unbelievers may detest (it).” Q9:32. Therefore, true Muslims are contented with Allah’s law, the Shariah.  

 

Our beloved prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was reported to have said that the more Muslims deviate from the Qur’an and the Sunnah, the more Allah will humiliate them.

Let us reflect on the life of the past Muslims and the Muslims of today.

 

“(Allah is) the Forgiver of sins, the Acceptor of repentance, the STRICT IN PUNISHMENT, the Bestower (of favors).  There is no god but He: to Him is the Final Return." Q40:3.

“And fear tumult or oppression (or sin) which affects not in particular (only) those of you who do wrong (but may affect innocent people or everybody) and know that Allah is STRICT IN PUNISHMENT” Q8:25

 

In Islam, Allah is Merciful and Forgiving. If a criminal is fortunate not to be arrested when committing a crime, he/she can repent, seek forgiveness of Allah and stop the crime. But if he/she is unfortunate to be caught while committing the crime, there is no respite for him/her; he/she MUST face the Judgment of the Shariah. This is to serve as deterrent to others who would like to commit a similar crime.

 

The Islamic Jurisprudence (Shariah)

Allah, the Exalted, says: “Let the people of the Gospel (Christians) judge by what Allah has revealed therein. WHOSOEVER DOES NOT JUDGE BY ALLAH’S REVELATION SUCH IS (NOT BETTER THAN) UNBELIEVERS, WRONG DOERS, REBELLIOUS PEOPLE. And this (He, Allah, commands): Judge thou between them by what Allah has revealed and FOLLOW NOT THEIR VAIN DESIRES but beware of them lest they beguile thee from any of that (teaching) which Allah has sent down to thee.  And if they turn away be assured that for some of their crimes it is Allah's purpose to punish them.  AND TRULY MOST MEN ARE REBELIOUS. DO THEY SEEK AFTER A JUDGMENT OF IGNORANCE? BUT WHO FOR A PEOPLE WHOSE FAITH IS ASSURED CAN GIVE BETTER JUDGMENT THAN ALLAH?” Q5:44-50

The sources of Shariah are: (1) the Holy Qur’an, (2) Ahadith (Sayings and deeds of Prophet Muhammad), (3) Qiyas, analogy: relating new things to similar things in the Qur’an and Ahadith to establish a rule, and (4) Ijma, if no similar rule is found as stated in (3), Islamic scholars will deliberate to agree on a rule.

 

The Shariah does not only stipulate punishments but it also prescribes ways to debar people from committing sin or crime. Let us consider some examples.

 

1. Illegal Sexual Intercourse:

“And come not near to illegal sexual intercourse for it is a shameful (deed) and an evil opening the road (to other evils).” Q17:32.

 

To prevent temptation of this sin, Allah says, “Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty: that will make for greater purity for them: and Allah is well acquainted with all that they do. And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over themselves (hair, neck, bosom, body including legs) and not display their beauty except to their husbands their fathers their husbands' fathers their sons…” Q24:30-1

 

Our beloved prophet Muhammad (PUBH) said: "O young people! Whoever among you can marry, should marry, because it helps him lower his gaze and guard his modesty (i.e. his private parts from committing illegal sexual intercourse, etc.), and whoever is not able to marry, should fast, as fasting diminishes his sexual power." (Bukhari 7.4)

 

The prophet (PBUH) also said that a man should never be in seclusion with a woman except his wife, mother or sister. That the marriage that will receive the highest blessings from Allah is the one that is least expensive. That it is a sin for a wife to refuse her husband from having sexual intercourse with her.…Islam encourages early marriage, it opposes free mixing of young men and women, and Muslim women that even use veil (Hijab) are discouraged from travelling alone. 

 

Now the punishment:

“The woman and the man guilty of fornication flog each of them with a hundred stripes: let not compassion move you in their case in a matter prescribed by Allah if you believe in Allah and the Last Day: and let a party of the Believers witness their punishment. And those who launch a charge against chaste women and produce not four witnesses (to support their allegation) flog them with eighty stripes: and reject their evidence ever after: for such men are wicked transgressors. Unless they repent thereafter and mend (their conduct): for Allah is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful. And for those who launch a charge against their spouses and have (in support) no evidence but their own solitary evidence (can be received) if they bear witness four times (with an oath) by Allah that they are solemnly telling the truth; And the fifth (oath) (should be) that they solemnly invoke the curse of Allah on themselves if they tell a lie. But it would avert the punishment (of stoning to death) from the wife if she bears witness four times (with an oath) by Allah that (her husband) is telling a lie; And the fifth (oath) should be that she solemnly invokes the wrath of Allah on herself if (her accuser) is telling the truth.” Q24:2, 3-9

 

Hadith: “A man came to Allah's Apostle while he was in the mosque, and he called him, saying, "O Allah's Apostle! I have committed illegal sexual intercourse. "The Prophet turned his face to the other side, but that man repeated his statement four times, and after he bore witness against himself four times, the Prophet called him, saying, "Are you mad?" The man said, "No." The Prophet said, "Are you married?" The man said, "Yes." Then the Prophet said, "Take him away and stone him to death." Jabir bin 'Abdullah said: I was among the ones who participated in stoning him and we stoned him at the Musalla.” (Bukhari 8.806). See also Bukhari 8.803, 805, 807, 808, 809 and Muslim 4191, 4198, 4205, 4207.

 

If adultery carries death penalty, then rape that is worst because it is against the will of the woman. It is unfortunate that adultery and fornication is no more a crime in some countries and some men boast of these shameful acts. May Allah have mercy on us.

 

Peace be on you.

 

To be continued.