14 Pro Death Penalty Quotes by Religious Leaders (Islam)

The outspoken Imam of Gambia’s State House Mosque, Alhaji Abdoulie Fatty, has used his Friday 31 August 2012 sermon to publicly endorse the enforcement of the controversial death penalty in the country.

Commenting for the first time on the execution by a firing squad of nine death row prisoners including a woman on the directives of President Yahya Jammeh, Imam Fatty told his congregation that the enforcement of the death penalty was in line with the dictates of the Islamic religion.

“Islam decrees death for those found culpable of murder, which is clearly spelt out in the Qur'an and other scriptures before it,” the Saudi Arabia educated cleric said. 

“The wisdom of this law in Islam is affirmed by its ability to promote peace and stability in society by deterring those with a proclivity for such gruesome acts. It will also stop people from attempting revenge on those who murder their relatives which would have spawned anarchy and strife in the land. Islam recognises everybody's right to life and therefore put measures in place to make sure such a right is not breached by anybody with impunity.”

The cleric added: “In fact, this is not meant to be a source of suffering for the condemned but a relief. This is because a worse fate might await them were they allowed to live with the possibility of vengeance by relatives. But by putting them to death, there is a high possibility Allah will make the hearts of those they have killed to forgive them and allow them entry into Jannah (paradise) if they repent.”

Imam Fatty however, said that murderers can be forgiven according to Islamic law (Shariah) by the families of their victims in exchange for compensation.

Quoting a verse in the Muslim scripture to back his claim, the cleric said: “Allah says in the Qur'an that those who kill innocent people should be killed as He instructed to the people before us. But recourse can be made to the family of the murder victim by the people responsible for the execution to know whether they have forgiven the murderer for the killing of their relative or not. If the family is disposed to forgiving the perpetrator in exchange for compensation, then he can be let free on fulfillment of that condition.

“It is important for Muslims to bear in mind that this is meant to protect their lives and property. What use is it to have a property when someone can come and kill you with knowledge that he can get away with it?

“In such a situation, no one will be safe and we will all live in perpetual fear of our lives and property. Allah knows best what is best for us and we shall not find Him errant in the way He has set laws for us. How can you venture out to pray when you are in fear of your life and your properties are not secure?” Imam Fatty asked.

The Gambia Supreme Islamic Council has strongly defended the death penalty being recently implemented in the country in which nine death row inmates where executed according to the laws of the land.

The Gambia Supreme Islamic Council having followed with keen interest the event leading to the implementation of death penalty involving number of people in The Gambia. We are convinced that the implementation of the laws differ from nation to nation, religion to religion, based on circumstances of any given nation or religion. Shari'ah as the best of all laws has divined rules which protect lives and properties of people, including animals.

As the Gambia is a Muslim country but ruled with man-made laws deemed it laws fitting to the livelihood of the people of this land, and these laws were endorsed by the people of this country in a referendum, then kept in a script known to us as the 'constitution to The Gambia,' this present action is a mandate given to the leader of this country to execute in such situations.

Therefore; the council is in support of the move based on the laws of the country which the members of council are not an exempt. Concerning the act being good or not good, Allah Himself who created mankind and love them more than their maternal mothers, has decreed that the only way to prevent live of human beings from been abused by their fellow human beings is to end the life of premeditated murderer.

Taking a human life deliberately is considered in Islam to be equivalent to taking the life of all mankind in this world. In this regard the council deems it fit that all the people of The Gambia to stand by the custodian of the constitution in all possibly ways in securing the peace, tranquility and stability of this nation.

We shall live above the sentiments and come to terms with reality. As such, we would like to appeal-once again-to the general public that they should be law abiding and maintain peace, security and tranquility in our beloved country The Gambia with her peace loving people. May Allah protect and guide the people of The Gambia.

Thursday 7 February 2013 - ISLAMABAD – Government plans to abolish the death penalty on ground that corruption in the judicial system does not guarantee fair trials are causing a heightened debate in Pakistan and inviting the ire of families of victims in the south Asian Muslim country.

“No individual or group can repeal the commands of Allah for Muslims,” Mufti Mohammad Naeem, Chancellor of the International Binoria University Karachi, told OnIslam.net.

“Islam always exhorts for peace and forgiving, but only for those who love peace. For those, who play havoc with the lives of citizens, as murderers, rapists and adulterers, there is no mercy for them.”

“Pakistani parliament cannot make any law which is repugnant to Islam in line with the constitution of Pakistan,” Mufti Mohamed said.

He warned that the abolition of death penalty will further fan the pace of crimes in Pakistani society.

“Once you are guaranteed that you will be hanged no matter how serious your crime is there would be a chaos in the society,” he said. “Even those who desist from involving in serious crimes just because of harsh punishments, will be encouraged to join hands with hardcore criminals.”

Islam is a religion that calls for compassion and mercy but it is also of the view that putting mercy incorrectly is a cruelty. According to lslam, there is the so-called general compassion, which people fail to comprehend as they are only concerned about individualistic compassion.

It is important to differentiate between compassion that refers to emotion and sentiment centred on one who has committed a crime where all the people are in common, and the general compassion, which is tantamount to a reaction to the verdict of Sharak and not a reaction to the rule of mere emotion. [The abolishment of the death penalty on the scale of Islam ― Othman Talib Nov 02, 2012]

We undeniably need to react to mercy and tolerance as accepted in Islam but it must not lead to the obstruction of the general mercy which imposes a just punishment. [The abolishment of the death penalty on the scale of Islam ― Othman Talib Nov 02, 2012]

Punishment is an injury in itself but ordained to remove evils. The evil removed in itself is an interest. The evil is even to be removed first before the interest is invited. [The abolishment of the death penalty on the scale of Islam ― Othman Talib Nov 02, 2012]

The implementation of qisas is the very mercy because it is a justice. Justice brings mercy to people. It is unfair to be merciful to a cruel person and those who allow themselves to use their material, physical and mental forces to assault the blood and properties of others. [The abolishment of the death penalty on the scale of Islam ― Othman Talib Nov 02, 2012]

To be lenient with them is the very cruelty even when it looks merciful and compassionate. Islamic law has taken preventive measures to minimise the occurrence of these crimes. [The abolishment of the death penalty on the scale of Islam ― Othman Talib Nov 02, 2012]