The death penalty

Question 1

Why do some people believe in capital punishment?

Answer 1

deterrence and retribution

Question 2

where is the death penalty legal?

Answer 2

many Muslim countries and many states in the USA

Question 3

For what crimes does the Qur’an permit capital punishment?

Answer 3

murder, adultery and apostasy (giving up or denying your religious faith)

Question 4

Why do most Muslims agree with capital punishment?

Answer 4

• punishment set down by God in the Qur’an- word of God
• Muhammad made several statements agreeing with capital punishment in the hadith
• Muhammad sentenced people to death for murder when he was ruler of Madinah - example to follow

Question 5

Why do some Muslims not agree with Capital punishment?

Answer 5

• feel is recommended in Qur’an but not compulsory
• Shari’ah says family of murder victim can accept money instead
• believe does not reduce crime
• wrong person could be convicted and executed- not justice

Question 6

Humanist arguments against capital punishment

Answer 6

• wrong person
• countries without death penalty have lower crime rate
• human life is most important thing- cannot be taken
• many murderers consider life imprisonment worse

Question 7

atheist arguments for capital punishment

Answer 7

• deterrent
• value of human life can only be demonstrated by punishing those who take life with the worst punishment- the death penalty

Question 8

SofA for capital punishment

Answer 8

• Surah 5: ‘The punishment for those who wage war against God is execution’
• various verses from Qur’an give execution as punishment for serious crimes
• Muhammad’s statements in the hadith
• Surah 6: ‘Take not life, which God has made sacred, except by way of justice and the law’