Stoning in Islamic Law: Difference between revisions

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. We find 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 'moderate' Indonesia (at 220 million, its 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>