[^1] It is surprising that those claiming for clemency and...

[^1] It is surprising that those claiming for clemency and benevolence and chanting for human rights object everywhere when such criminals are retaliated against, but when their felon friends commit the most terrible crimes in Palestine, Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Chechen, south of Lebanon, Iraq and other territories, none of them object, as if all of them are deaf, blind and asleep.

When one’s finger undergoes necrosis, the passionate and skilled physician does his best to cure and heal it. However, if he does not succeed, and there remains no way save cutting it to preserve other fingers and prevent its spread to other parts of body, is such physician violent? Does clemency and benevolence necessitate this necrotic member to remain and gradually make the other parts necrotic, and even result in death for the whole body? Does any logic and intellect accept this attitude?

Consequently, retaliation is a sort of treatment and is necessary and essential for prevention from spread of corruption to other members of society and preservation of security and safety. On this account, the law of retaliation not only is not considered as an example of violence, but also considers the expedience and the benefit of society, it is a branch of divine clemency and benevolence (pay attention).

We do not think any sane, even a non-Muslim, would agree to let the murderers and mischievous individuals threatening the society’s security, who do not relent, and are not bound to any religious and human principles, live freely in the society and commit any crime. Rather, all the sane in the world would accept retaliation as the last treatment for these necrotic members of society. Are Islamic punishments compatible with the religious clemency and benevolence?

One of the pretexts propounded by the captious is “Islamic punishments and penal laws”. They say: • How are Islamic punishments and penal laws compatible with clemency and benevolence? • Is giving one hundred lashes to one who has committed a sin, not considered as violence? • Is stoning a man or woman who has lost his or her chastity as a result of domination of sensual desire compatible with Islamic benevolence? • Is cutting the hands and feet of thieves in accordance with religious clemency?