From: fajack@cc.usu.edu
Newsgroups: soc.culture.asean
Subject: Re: just curious...
Date: 9 Apr 92 21:42:56 GMT
Article-I.D.: cc.1992Apr9.154256.54346
Organization: Utah State University

> 
> It's true,  any group of Muslims who wants to implement Islamic laws in
> their nation automatically gets labeled as 'radicals', 'extremists' and
> 'fanatics' by the Western press (in general, mind you... some sources do
> a good job of unbiased and unopinionated writing... no hats off to Time
> magazine in this matter).  For instance, take what's happening in
> Algeria... I'm not a supporter of any particular party there, by the
> way. The Islamic Salvation Front actually won the majority vote during
> the last election, and yet the press (as well as the Algerian govt) has
> been aggressive in attacking what they see to be a 'threat' towards
> democracy and the modern world by the implementation of 'chilling'
> Syari'ah laws that would be a step back into the Middle Ages (no
> kidding, read Time, the first week of Jan '92).  Correct me if I'm
> wrong, but isn't democracy about listening to the voice of the people??  
> 
	Democracy is also about freedom of speech.  Anyway, there is
not the point I am trying to make here.  
	I have objection to implement Islamic law as long as it applies 
only to the belivers of Islam.  I don't think it is right to force other
non-believers in abiding those laws.   


> Anyway, I'm deviating ... about the issue of Islamic penal codes.
> Syari'ah endorses the deterence of crime, rather than the punishment in
> itself.  Amputation, as well as other forms of punishment are to deter
> would-be criminals from committing the crime, as opposed to the modern
> justice system's punishment of incarceration which does little to
> threaten hard-core criminals from repeating their crimes (if they serve
> much of their sentence in the first place).  The  penal codes in
> Syari'ah are just a strict protection for the public against criminals
> and crime.  

	When you are talking about prevention, I was thinking you might
be advocating social reforms and so on.  Instead, you are refering using
"threat" as a prevention.  I don't believe amputation or death penalty
for that matter is a good deterrence of crime.  Look at Malaysia as an
example, are we a drug free country ?  Are the numbers of people on the death
roll currently nil ? 



> 
> In case you're worried of those who have been wrongly-accused of crimes
> and those who are repentent, or committed crimes out of necessity.... be
> assured that the Islamic justice system (when implemented properly) does
> not condemn a thief to amputation without trial.  As in the American
> system where one is innocent until proven guilty, there has to be
> sufficient proof before the sentence is made.  

	you are asking a lot from the doubters.


In addition to that,
> there are many exceptions from receiving the punishment.  For example,
> if the thief stole out of necessity (such as a poverty-stricken beggar
> stealing food to survive), the punishment of amputation does not apply. 
> From what I've heard, throughout the leadership of the Prophet Muhammad
> (pbuh), only once had a thief been sentenced to amputation.  
> 
> The point of my article is not to condemn other justice systems, but to
> encourage everyone to analyze what you hear of Islam with an open mind. 
> The best sources of Islamic laws and science are not the Western media,
> but the Islamic bboards and nets, and the numerous Islamic books that
> are available on every aspect of Islam imaginable.  I might not have
> done justice to this issue in particular because my knowledge itself is
> limited, and would welcome those who are more knowledgeable to correct
> my mistakes and to add their comments.


	I would agree with you that the Western press do portray Islam
in an unfavorable light sometimes.  

Jack Teh

> 
> -azleena salleh
> Carnegie Mellon Univ, Pittsburgh.
> aurora@cmu.edu
> as5h@andrew.cmu.edu