Examining controversial aspects of Islam, Muhammad, Allah, Muslims
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A COMMAND FROM ALLAH WHICH MOST MUSLIMS DISOBEY.  In each of roughly 49 countries Muslims comprise more than half the population.  Yet only about 5 officially call for the amputation of thieves' hands, as dictated by the Quran. Why?

8/13/2015

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Of the 49 countries determined (in 2011) to be Muslim-majority countries, only Saudi Arabia, Iran, Yemen, Sudan and parts of Nigeria officially punish thieves by amputating their hands.  Of the 57 countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, only five officially obey Allah's command to amputate the hands of thieves.  Notably, some of the most populous Muslim-majority countries, like Indonesia, Pakistan, & Bangladesh, forego amputation as punishment.  
So, why do most Muslims refrain from demanding that their governments amputate the hand of thieves?
Muhammad himself encountered Muslims quite hesitant to implement Allah's command by chopping off thieves' hands, as this hadith illustrates:  Narrated 'Aisha: The Quraish people became very worried about the Makhzumiya lady who had committed theft. They said, "Nobody can speak (in favor of the lady) to Allah's Apostle and nobody dares do that except Usama who is the favorite of Allah's Apostle. " When Usama spoke to Allah's Apostle about that matter, Allah's Apostle said, "Do you intercede (with me) to violate one of the legal punishment of Allah?" Then he got up and addressed the people, saying, "O people! The nations before you went astray because if a noble person committed theft, they used to leave him, but if a weak person among them committed theft, they used to inflict the legal punishment on him. By Allah, if Fatima, the daughter of Muhammad committed theft, Muhammad will cut off her hand!" (Sahih Bukhari 8:81:779).  We learn here that though Allah had commanded that thieves' hands be cut off, at least some of Muhammad's contemporaries were quite reluctant to obey.


Another example: "It is narrated in Sharih Sunnat that Safwan-b-Umayyah came to Medina and slept in the mosque using his sheet as pillow. A thief came and stole his sheet. Safwan overtook him and came with him to the Messenger of Allah. Mohammad gave the order for the thief's hand to be cut off. Safwan said, "I did not wish it (that punishment); I give it (the sheet) to him as charity," upon which the Messenger of Allah asked, "Why didn't you (tell him) before you came with him?"   Mishkat-ul-Masabih, Book II, Section 11, 1210-Theft, Hadith No. 127. Ibn Majah narrated like it from Abdulla-b-Sufwan and Darimi from Ibn 'Abbas.
 So, an early Muslim victim would rather give the thief what was stolen, rather than have the thief get his hand cut off.

Keeping these examples in mind, we can pose our Debate Question:  Could the reason why the vast majority of Islamic countries do not follow Allah's command to amputate the hands of thieves be because most Muslims are more "compassionate and merciful" than their god is?
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In Islam, enslaving someone for life merits no punishment, but stealing a shield or camel receives the punishment of hand amputation.  Debate Question:  What do you think is worse, enslaving someone or stealing?

8/12/2015

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"Narrated Zam'a, "The prophet said, "None of you should flog his wife as he flogs a slave and then have sexual intercourse with her in the last part of the day.""" (Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 7, #132)
In Islam, flogging the slave you own is okay -- no punishment is prescribed, & Muhammad himself owned slaves!

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"As for the thief, both male and female, cut off their hands. It is the reward of their own deeds, an exemplary punishment from Allah." (Quran 5:38).




In Islam, stealing is so horrible that the god of Islam commands that the hand of the thief must be cut off!
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Lives Changed Through Amputation

8/11/2015

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Issa Alzouma of Mali had his right hand chopped off by Muslims who believed he was a thief.  As his previous job entailed digging with a shovel, he does not know how he shall support his wife and 3 children.  Our Debate Question:  What do you suggest?

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A Debate Question:  Does amputating the hand of a thief make it harder in some situations for the thief to successfully accomplish RESTITUTION?

8/11/2015

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Muhammad's Child Bride, Aisha, and others inform us about the how much a stolen item must be worth before amputating the thief's hand can be undertaken:

8/9/2015

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Narrated 'Aisha: The Prophet said, "The hand should be cut off for stealing something that is worth a quarter of a Dinar or more."
Sahih Bukhari 8:81:780, See also: Sahih Bukhari 8:81:781-782, Sahih Muslim 17:4175-4180, and Al-Muwatta 41 7.24b
Narrated 'Aisha: The hand of a thief was not cut off during the lifetime of the Prophet except for stealing something equal to a shield in value.
Sahih Bukhari 8:81:783, See also: Sahih Bukhari 8:81:784-786, and Sahih Muslim 17:4181-4182
Narrated Ibn 'Umar: Allah's Apostle cut off the hand of a thief for stealing a shield that was worth three Dirhams.
Sahih Bukhari 8:81:787, See also: Sahih Bukhari 8:81:788-790, Sahih Muslim 17:4183-4184 and Al-Muwatta 41 7.21b
Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah 's Apostle said, "Allah curses the thief who steals an egg (or a helmet) for which his hand is to be cut off, or steals a rope, for which his hand is to be cut off."

DEBATE QUESTION:  "Do you believe that the "punishment fits the crime" when a thief gets his hand chopped off for stealing an egg, rope, helmet, or shield?"
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Criminal Law & Enforcement: Islam - Theft ; AMPUTATION IN ISLAM