However, the definition of an Islamic State differs from one Muslim scholar to another, according to Datuk Dr Abdul Monir Yaacob, the assistant director-general of the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia. To some scholars, the minimum requirements for a country to be considered an Islamic State are that it was at one time recognised as a Muslim State although it had undergone colonisation, where Muslims can freely perform their obligations and live in peace and harmony, where the Islamic features are evident and where the head of government is a Muslim. Mahmood, who sits on the Kelantan Syariah Appeals Court, said as an academician, he did not wish to join the political fray. His intent was simply to state the facts. With regard to dadah offences, he said they did come under hudud but under hukum taqzir, the punishment for which was up to the discretion of the government of the day.
Punishments range from caning , cutting off a limb to stoning to death, depending on the crime.
These offences under the hudud concept are considered to be challenging the survival of the ummah. Monir is concerned about people trying to mislead the public on hudud. But some individuals tend to refer to hudud from the point of criminal law. Hudud means limitations, that is, you are able to perform your religious duties according to the limitations. Hudud is just a small part of Islamic criminal law and Islamic jurisprudence.