“It’s merely the court’s decision” – Perlis Mufti Explains Why Public Caning Isn’t Part of Islamic Teaching

A man in Terengganu was sentenced to 6 strokes of cane for repeated Khalwat, and the public caning was carried out at a Mosque in the state on Friday (December 27), where a maximum of 70 people were allowed to witness the execution.

Perlis Mufti, on the other hand, had something to say about the public caning.

“Public caning was merely the court’s decision, not an Islamic teaching”

Datuk Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin said that those who oppose public caning should not be considered to be against Islam’s teachings.

“As for khalwat, there is no established legal requirement in Islam that mandates they be publicly whipped. In fact, whipping in public is feared to contradict the principles of Islamic law, which instructs the protection of an individual’s private disgrace,” he explained.

“Opposing this punishment is simply opposing the decision of the rulers, not opposing the teachings of Islam. No one should go as far as to claim that those who disagree with the punishment are against Islam.”

Dr Asri further explained that the punishment of whipping without injuring the adulterer is indeed found in the Quran and the Sunnah, but it is carried out under stringent conditions and regulations, reported Berita Harian.

In conclusion, he said that Islam is characterised as being against gossip and does not favor the implementation of the punishment for adultery unless the individual is genuinely a blatant and persistent adulterer without hiding it.

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