The death penalty Flashcards
1
Q
Why do some people believe in capital punishment?
A
deterrence and retribution
2
Q
where is the death penalty legal?
A
many Muslim countries and many states in the USA
3
Q
For what crimes does the Qur’an permit capital punishment?
A
murder, adultery and apostasy (giving up or denying your religious faith)
4
Q
Why do most Muslims agree with capital punishment?
A
- 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
5
Q
Why do some Muslims not agree with Capital punishment?
A
- 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
6
Q
Humanist arguments against capital punishment
A
- 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
7
Q
atheist arguments for capital punishment
A
- deterrent
- value of human life can only be demonstrated by punishing those who take life with the worst punishment- the death penalty
8
Q
SofA for capital punishment
A
- 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’
