Note to mods I didn’t want to open this in Religion because I think this is more of a relationship and health issue, than repenting after having consensual sex. But I leave that upto your discretion.
I read an article today on Islamic law posted in WA forum. It got me thinking about adultery. I know all religions shun this practice. It is quite an insensitive thing to do to your partner. However adultery is consensual sex between adults. The punishment in all religions is quite harsh; I think they all call for death or something. Now if it is consensual (otherwise it would be rape) then that means two adults agreed to having sex, why then such harsh punishment
For people/guppies that will take this as another stab at Islam, for the record the state of Connecticut had the harshest laws when US was invented. US laws were based on puritans that were persecuted elsewhere so they were free to practice their laws when they arrived on Mayflower (Just a bit of history).
With modernization and advancement of humans the practice of killing an adulterer by a court of law now results in usually divorce etc. in the west but in Saudi Arabia and Iran where sharia is strictly enforced, it results in stoning to death. So the question is; is sharia good, should two consenting adults be stoned to death just because they opted to have sex.
I am not well versed on the Islamic laws on adultery...but think that there are supposed to be a certian # of witnesses to the act of adultery before anyone is condemned.... but really....who really follows Islamic law to the Tee...if we did....our lives would be very different....
I dont know how I feel about the severity of the punishment, I mean in my own case, if Kasim cheated on me... I would hate him and I would leave him...but would I want him stoned...I dont think so... I think that is a little over the top...
I think alot of times Islamic law has been taken into our own hands...and we have taken on the role of just not only giving punishment but passing judgement and judgement on our actions should only be in Allahs hands...
Verizon, here are two ayath's for you regarding your query.
017.032 وَلا تَقْرَبُوا الزِّنَا إِنَّهُ كَانَ فَاحِشَةً وَسَاءَ سَبِيلا
017.032 Nor come nigh to adultery: for it is a shameful (deed) and an evil, opening the road (to other evils).
Al-Qur'an, 017.032 (Al-Isra [Isra, The Night Journey, Children of Israel])
024.002 الزَّانِيَةُ وَالزَّانِي فَاجْلِدُوا كُلَّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا مِائَةَ جَلْدَةٍ وَلا تَأْخُذْكُمْ بِهِمَا رَأْفَةٌ فِي دِينِ اللَّهِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ وَلْيَشْهَدْ عَذَابَهُمَا طَائِفَةٌ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
024.002 The woman and the man guilty of adultery or fornication,- flog each of them with a hundred stripes: Let not compassion move you in their case, in a matter prescribed by Allah, if ye believe in Allah and the Last Day: and let a party of the Believers witness their punishment.
Al-Qur'an, 024.002 (An-Noor [The Light])
Kaleem that is all well and good, and thank you for the verses, but the question is whether sharia that imposes lashing or stoning is good, and in a modern muslim state should a punishment such as this be given. In this era what if the two consenting adults agree and lets say are of two different religions, to having sex and I dont know get caught. Should sharia be imposed in a modern muslim state followed to the teeth. Your point of view.
24:3 states that the two marry each other so why beat them if they gonna be married. BTW
if the table was turned...I would hope for the same...that though Kasim would not be willing to accept adultery in our marriage, he would not want me stoned. I dont think the crime fits the punishment given how society is today.
But then the question should Islamic law conform to society today, or rather should society be conformed to Islamic law?? The answer to that I dont have..
Verizon, there is a very important point here, adultry is different than fornication.
fornicatoin is between 2 people who are **not **married to each other. which (i believe) in islam is punishable by whipping.
adultry is 2 married people who commit the act with someone other than their spouse. this one is punishable by stoning to death. the reason for this harshness is that since they are married, they have no reason to sublimate these urges outside of a marriage contract.
But what if they do they are consenting adults. What if the two in question have biological problems with their spouses and agree to having sex.
I hear you on fornication but that too is quite primitive considering the present times to be enforced in a modern society.
Oh and what if one is married and the other is not?
BTW I think becasue of these reason hijab/purdah and separation of women kicks in. Keep them separate and there are no problems.
Even though adultery is an act commited between 2 people who consent to the crime, it is a crime against society, rather than a victimless crime as you imply.
Adultery undermines the sanctity of marriage, it cheapens the value of marriage, and that makes execution a suitable outcome, should the crime be proven.
For a society to protect the value of marriage, it must be willing to eliminate those who undermine it.
No I think since nations consists of people it should be people that should decide what needs to be done with them, hence the constitution/ the concept of it. After all they are the ones that pay taxes.
Of course, you are 100% correct. And if the majority of the people are religiously convinced that adulterers should be executed and enshrine that in the law, then the minority who disagree should bear with the situation or leave if they feel it’s intolerable and that they wish to commit adultery without fear of being caught.
Verizon, my reason for quoting the ayath was simple. To your original query, what if the two people have consesnual sex? Allah clearly states that it opens the door to other evils. What those other evils are? I am not sure. I am certain that we can look at a lot of examples and draw our own conclusions. What if you(in general) were to find your wife committing adultery? What will the reaction be? There have been many circumstances where the end result is a murder. This will be a form of another evil.
As far as imposing Sharaiah is concerned…It can be imposed only if you impose it fully and comprehensively, you cannot pick and choose, like Pakistan does, e.g. We all know the example of women getting raped and they want four witnesses…What other shariah law has Pakistan applied…none, but they want this one enforced. Nope, cannot do it this way(IMHO).
P.S. I meant you as in general…I am sure Mama will do no such thing
^ yeah but that law is stupid. There are stupid laws...like banning headscarfs in France...separate civil code for muslims in India...and of course shariah's take on legislating morality. Stupid I tell ya..stupid
