Page 162 - Bigotry: The Dark Danger

Bigotry:
The Dark Danger

knife slipped from their hands and left a cut in the skin. There-
fore, when we bear in mind the meaning of the word, we can see
that we are not looking at a pronouncement regarding complete sev-
ering, but a cut resembling a scratch or flesh wound being made for
deterrent purposes, or to mark the person as a thief and thereby pre-
vent him from doing it again.

Looking at the Qur'an in terms of the pronouncement about

stealing, we can see that, as with all forms of crime, the emphasis is
always on forgiveness here. The verse after 5:38, in which the pro-
nouncement about stealing is set out, is about forgiving people who
commit that action. The most important condition for this, of course,
is that the person should repent afterward and amend his ways. The
verse reads:

But if anyone repents after his wrongdoing and puts things right,
God will turn towards him. God is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merci-
ful. (Qur'an, 5:39)
Another important point needing to be emphasized here is the
reason for the theft. Societies in which the pronouncement of the
Qur'an in question about stealing will be implemented are without

doubt societies loyal to the Sharia of the Qur'an. It is impossible for
a society that abides by the Sharia of the Qur'an to have rich
people on one side and very poor people on the other
because societies based on the Qur'an are societies
with the most perfect welfare systems. In

other words, people of means protect
those who have none and bear a
responsibility to give to the needy.
Verses on the subject read:

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