Stoning in Islamic Law: Difference between revisions

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Due to the Islamic laws on [[rape]] requiring four male eye witnesses before guilt can be ascertained, many rape victims end up being charged with '[[adultery]].' As was the case for 13-year-old ''Aisha Ibrahim Dhuhulow'' in Somalia<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7708169.stm Stoning victim 'begged for mercy'] - BBC News, November 4, 2008</ref> who in October of 2008 was buried up to her neck and stoned to death in front of more than 1,000 people in a football stadium. She was the victim of gang-rape. Another Somalian female who gave birth to a stillborn child, was also stoned to death in front of a crowd of 200 in November (one of at least four Somalians to be stoned for adultery in 2009).<ref>[http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/11/18/somali-woman-stoned-death-adultery.html Somali woman stoned to death for adultery] - The Jakarta Post, November 18, 2009 </ref> Her boyfriend received 100 lashes. Incidents of stoning have also been reported in Iraq and Pakistan, and forms a part of Afghan, Iranian, Nigerian, Indonesian, Sudanese, Saudi Arabian, and United Arab Emirate law.<ref>[http://www.stop-stoning.org/faq_stoning Stoning - Frequently Asked Questions about Stoning] - stop-stoning.org</ref> While the modern views of many contemporary Muslims scholars and believers are diametrically opposed to any implementation of such punishments, it is very much an accepted part of Islam for traditional scholars and millions of lay Muslims around the world. In an August 2009 Pew survey<ref>Pew Report: [http://pewglobal.org/reports/pdf/265.pdf Pakistani Public Opinion - Growing Concerns about Extremism, Continuing Discontent with U.S.Religion, Law, and Society] Page 3</ref> that 83% of Pakistanis believe that adulterers should be stoned. In another survey carried out in Indonesia (the world's most populated Muslim country) it found that "almost half the respondents back stoning as a punishment for adulterers."<ref>[http://mypetjawa.mu.nu/archives/163989.php 50% Support Stoning for Adultery in 'Moderate' Muslim Country] - The Jawa Report, March 18, 2006</ref>

The above verse, along with verses regarding adult suckling, were written on a piece of paper and were lost when a goat ate them.<ref>References: Musnad Ahmad bin Hanbal. vol. 6. page 269; Sunan Ibn Majah, page 626; Ibn Qutbah, Tawil Mukhtalafi 'l-Hadith (Cairo: Maktaba al-Kulliyat al-Azhariyya. 1966) page 310; As-Suyuti, ad-Durru 'l-Manthur, vol. 2. page 13</ref> Even Umar had concerns that in the future some Muslims may try to deny that rajm is Islamic.<ref>"...'Umar said, "I am afraid that after a long time has passed, people may say, "We do not find the Verses of the Rajam (stoning to death) in the Holy Book," and consequently they may go astray by leaving an obligation that Allah has revealed..." - {{Bukhari|8|82|816}}</ref> As it stands, the Qur'an itself does not explicitly mention the act, but the majority of Muslims do not follow [[Qur'an Only Islam - Why it is Not Possible|Qur'an alone]] Islam. In any event, scholars have still managed to find justification for it from within its pages:

There are many [[sahih]] (authentic) hadith which speak of Prophet [[Muhammad]] ordering people to be stoned to death. Therefore it is considered a part of Muhammad's [[sunnah]] and cannot be ignored by Muslims according to the traditional views of the scholars.

===Stoning in Judaism vis-à-vis Islam===

The Hadith testifies that the Jews of Muhammad's time had ceased to employ such violent forms of punishment, and that it was he who insisted on the reinstatement of stoning.  

{{quote | 1=[http://tafsir.com/default.asp?sid=4&tid=10619 (Quran 4:16) The Adulteress is Confined in her House; A Command Later Abrogated]<BR>Tafsir Ibn Kathir|2=[وَاللَّذَانَ يَأْتِيَـنِهَا مِنكُمْ فَـَاذُوهُمَا]<BR>