Salam All,
Very interesting responses we have up there. My comments will be very brief and straight to the point addressing only seemingly new points I have not addressed in the threads I referred all to. This due to the fact that I do not have much time at my disposal now as I used to have when those discussions took to crest. Two, I bank on the assumption that your intention in this discourse - despite the grudges some of you may harbour against my person - is pure and unadulterated. Three, we are not in a school and as such points that appear too elementary and do not merit attention will conveniently be overlooked.
First I start with Usman11 who asked the question:
A couple of things I want to point out here, and I believe Waziri has illustrated this chapter and verse to reference the punishment for a person guilty of adultry. Of course, it does say "they shall be put to death". Questiion is, BY WHOM? WHO shall be responsible for putting thos guilty persons to death? Did he say who? Did he command anybody to execute that judgement? Did he say, "You people of Isreal shall put the offenders to death"? NO! So how can this be interpreted to mean humans possess the explicit authority to execute adulterers? And in case anyone is thinking in his/her heart saying....."well who else will do it if not people"?,
Actually the question of who implement these laws does not arise here. Very good students of Jewish history, religion and life will know that apart from the old testament they use, they also hold in high esteem other two books: Talmud and Midrash which they understood to be carrying broader interpretations of the Torah. Anyone reading these and the works of authorities in Jewish life will tell you about how their leaders always carry home these punishments on every production of clear-cut evidences. I have made the arguments that Jesus did not execute these punishments only because the evidences were cagey and incomplete. Even apostle John was quick to let us know that the sole intention of those “showcasing” the adulteress was only to tempt the “Lord”. Even then the mere action of bringing the adulteress to Jesus proves further the fact that the practice then was the key to the realm of executing such punishments lies with the leaders alone.
Now let me take the other sentiment shared by Lionger and Usman11 concerning the case of King David who was said to have committed adultery. Here, I think I have made it clear in the other links I have provided that Muslims take from the Jews or Christians, New Testament or Old Testament only what Islamic sources did affirm or did not repudiate. In this you will see that from the outset that Qur’an in its context did not even agree that Prophets of God do commit such sins.
Okay suppose we agree that David (Peace be with him) really committed the adultery in broad daylight and that there were required witnesses that warrant for the punishment to be carried out, but on his part chose not to give himself to be punished. Just like in our contemporary world where OBJ would not submit to the charges of corruption even when there is clear-cut evidence that he committed such crimes. Then we cannot help but to subscribe to the reality that David did not obey God, he did not do as God commandeth so such judgment will be left to God alone as rightly observed subtly in the passages quoted by lionger.
But one reality remains that adultery and fornication are sins in the sight of God and against societies. If any person should commit any and is caught with sufficient evidence then the punishment is meted on him as required in Shari’a law. But if any should commit the atrocity but is not caught or the evidence against the person is not ventilating enough, then the physical part of the punishment will be shed and the spiritual part of it will be left to God to handle. If any should commit the atrocity with all the ventilating evidences, assuming that was the case of King David, but the punishment is not executed on the person then we also conclude that God one day will stand to judge him in His unavoidable litigation.
I will here still refer you to those links in which I delineated on the logic behind these postulations.
Also Usman11 tried to bring to fore a scenario where he said Prophet Muhammad slept with his daughter in-law. This is absolutely not the exact representation of what happened then. As Maqari rightly pointed out, in the Qu’ran we read that Zaid the husband of Zainab was not the biological son of the Prophet but adopted son and it was in the quest to abolish the concept of adopted children assuming the legal right of biological children that the incident was made to happen. I am sorry to say please. This is not a case that brought any controversy in Muslim family and social laws.
Also I noticed Maqari commenting thus:
My statements about the woman ware aimed specifically at Myadudu and his inconceivable comparison of her to a certain convicted war criminal, and his grounds on it. With Exclusivity only to this thread none other. And that is a task that requires No review of any past sessions.
Yes, actually I share the sentiment of Amin who think of adulterers to be war-criminals-like and because I saw you disagreeing with him I thought it fair to refer you to the past sessions perchance my arguments to that effect may carry resounding values forming superior argument of which I believe you always seek to defer to.
Still here I will be inclined to beg for Usman11 to like initiate a new thread containing those interesting points he raised to have attracted the attention of one of our fathers here, Mr. David Hill, so that we can treat them fairly. Lets live this particular thread to the discussions of death penalty only. I also must note the kind and polite tone with which he pursues discourse. I believe are bound to have a smooth ride if this attitude is maintained.
Finally, Christians and Muslims all will do well to understand that Shari’a in Nigeria or anywhere in the world if implemented successfully does not mean the ultimate triumph of Muslims over Christians or of the faiths themselves respectively. For Muslims it does mean the end of iniquity. On the other hand also it does not mean that for Muslims no access to paradise until they implement Shari’a. But there is one reality; I believe Christians will benefit from if Shari’a is implemented fully. There is the Shari’a wing of economics that deals a deathblow to usury, which if structures are properly put all - as many Christian intellectuals worldwide agree – will find more meaning to modern business for the benefit of humanity.
Even at the level of capital punishments the point is not made when people are executed when they committed adultery. No. The point is made when the whole society grow to view adultery as something very heinous an act that I s even at par with murder and other capital offences. This will definitely make members of families in a society to grow with a higher sense of obligation and respect to one another and to be more responsive to positive healthy sexual behavior.
In northern Nigeria today after having practiced Sharia in the past 150 years still you find the preponderance of young men graduating with their chastity against physical immorality intact. You find women still keeping their virginity even at the age of 18 years of age. A model of this type of society represents a virtuous one in any religion. Even at secular level an army of youths with good moral; psychological and emotional discipline to resist the opposite sex is a sure team that can deliver even at other levels of interactions where social justice is required. This is of course the reason why today in Northern Nigeria you will find that politics in spite of its dirty attribute is still cleaner than the other parts of the country. The leaders being them the product of the legal and social structures are more compassionate - in the discharge of their duties - compared to their counterparts in the other parts of the country. An easy example to hold is the example of NigerDelta area where one state gets the sum total of what six states get in the Northeastern part of the country as Federal Government allocation. But as at the time of this writing if you were to visit Niger Delta area you will find that the physical developmental projects accomplished do not equal those of any one state of the North.
This is why I think even Christians who do not believe in Islam can reap the benefit of Shari’a and even choose to implement it without Muslims around them and succeed from its choice commands of impeccable moral astuteness. Shari’a is not the God the ultimate, but in spite of its ability to giving all the right social order it also increases the chances of those who practice it in securing the all desiring ticket to nirvana. Shari’a should not be a problem to Christians.