Whipping Women To Near Death In Bangladesh: Civilised Behaviour?
Just as a point of accuracy the word ‘haram’ is not found in any of the verses in the Quran that mention either sukkara or khamr. This is a point of accuracy.
By Syed Akbar Ali
"Whipping is a norm in many Islamic States. Last month in Bangladesh a widow was whipped 202 times and a man 101 times following a fatwa by a religious leader for their alleged involvement in "anti-social activity" in a village in south eastern Bangladesh, prompting local protests and action by the police. Piara Begum, a widow of 40, and Mamun Miah, 25, were whipped before hundreds of people at Khaiyar in Comilla district. The woman fell unconscious and was rushed to hospital and was admitted for intensive treatment."
Over here in our country in Kuantan, Syariah judge Datuk Abdul Rahman Yunus fined Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarnor, from Sungai Siput, Perak a model RM5,000 and imposed six whippings after she pleaded guilty to consuming an alcoholic drink in public last year.
In the Quran there is no mention of whipping anyone for consuming alchohol or intoxicants. The truth is, in the Quran, there is no temporal punishment of any sort prescribed for consuming alchohol or intoxicants. But society must regulate itself in order to live safely. We cannot have drunken people driving or running all over the place.
