Should We Condone Religious Punishment?

 

Dear Don:

Good to see your comments. My response to your views are given bold underlined under each of your comment:

Don Jones <[email protected]> wrote:

Salaam Hasanuddin,

 

I've been browsing your website.  Quite interesting w a good Q&A area!  

One question (and response) struck me in light of what we've been discussing concerning literal words vs. the meaning of the message.  I put your response in bold for clarity.

 

I even heard big sins can only be forgiven by sincere repentance, but then why did Allah forgave a prostitute when she  either sincerely repented nor got the Islamic punishment for zina (fornication) but just quenched a thirsty dog's thirst?   (Response) Allah got pleased with the merciful action of the prostitute and forgave her sin. However, this does not mean that she was not responsible of her crime in this physical world.

 

There are many such stories in the Bible -- which seem extreme.  But, to me, I extract the positive message from this -- that we should love & respect all of Allah's creation, including non-human animals, and that sincerity & compassion (and mercy) are more important than physical things.

 

Answer: There is a murderer in the society who kills peoples but shows mercy to cats and dogs. What should the society do in this case? Let the murderer of humans go free because he has shown compassion and mercy to animals?

 

Yes, we cannot (and should not) try to determine Allah's response.  This is arrogant and in the realm of the spiritual world & His infinite wisdom.  But, also, we must be very careful in taking upon ourselves the earthly (physical) -- especially, capital (deadly) -- punishment.  Yes, the prostitute is responsible for her actions in this physical (social) world.  Perhaps, stoning was necessary to maintain social order in other countries and/or in earlier times.  But, I could not condone such extreme punishment in our western world of today.   Comments?

 

Answer: It is not a question of condoning or not. Do we believe in God? If we believe in him, then what is our relationship with him? Is it a friendship on equal level with rights to differ from each other on different issues at different times, Or is it a relationship between the Lord and his servant-creation? If it is the later (second) relationship, then we as good believing servant-creation of our Lord have no choice of condoning or not condoning but to obey his command whether we like it or not. If it is a relation of friendship on equal footing and Time-Constrained, then I do not subscribe to it. Islam teaches the second type of relationship,

 

 (By the way):  What is your preferred English translation of the Qur'an?   I use "The Noble Qur'an" by Hilali & Khan.

 

Mostly I use English translation of Abdullah Yusuf Ali. However, I have other translations including the one you have mentioned as well.

 

Looking forward to your responses,

Don

 

I hope I have explained my point very clearly.

 

Hasanuddin