200 lashes and 6 months.
I cannot read God’s ‘mind’ and admittedly I am deeply ignorant of Islamic law, but if that punishment is what God would have us bestow upon that woman then I cannot and will not argue against it.
But it seems so opposite to common sense. Yes, ‘seems’ is an emotive term, but it looks so unjust! Is my ignorance of Islamic law so bad that this ruling by the Saudi judiciary, ends up being alien to my perception of Islamic justice?
A couple of years ago, Professor Amina Wadud of Virginia Commonwealth University, a Muslim scholar living in the US, conducted Juma’a (a Friday prayer) and there were men in the prayer. She did it to highlight the discrimination against women in Islam.
Professor of Islamic Studies, Amina Wadud
This woman was condemned for what she did but those idiot critics missed the point and actually proved her right perfectly. How? Because there was NO condemnation of the men who took part in that prayer! If the men had left the congregation and didn’t take part in the prayer, then there would have been no problem. Not even Amina Wadud or anyone else who has commentated on the case has realised this point, and it is a point which would should have made her critics flee in shame at their narrow mindedness. (Note: I am not endorsing their acions that day)
Professor 1, unthinking people 0.
Since when have women in Islam been a peripheral issue, almost like an annoyance? Where does God decree that women have no say in Islam or their free will to follow a “must” in Islam. Islam is dominated by a male interpretation of the Qur’an yet I see no bligation for it to be this way.
So, back to this poor woman in Saudi occupied Arabia. 200 lashed – Can you imagine that??? I certainly can’t and I wouldn’t be surprised if it kills her).
Islam is being portrayed in a bad light and I really don’t think it’s my possible ‘western-liberal’ tinted glasses that are the problem here, but rather that this ruling may not actually be Islamic law, but rather the ruling of Saudi male judges.
It was said that the woman’s sentence was doubled after appealing against the leniency of the seven mens sentences (2 years in jail supposedly) and for supposedly trying to use the media to support her campaign.
But It has been said that the punishment for rapists is death. Why are these rapists not being demented to death for rape?
“The 19-year-old, who has not been named, was travelling in a car with a male friend last year, when the car was attacked by a gang of seven men who raped both of them.”[1]
What happened to the man who gave her the lift? Isn’t he too guilt of being in a car with an unrelated person? He was supposedly raped too. What is his punishment?
200 lashes and 6 months, to a gang raped woman and having to do time in a Saudi prison.
Is that Islamic justice or male Saudi Justice?
[1] http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7106234.stm
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Living with the Conspiracy 24-7 
Salam Bro,
The same government implementing 200 lashes is the same putting countless Saudi scholars inside the prison; they implement ‘hudud’ towards the poor sometimes without enough evidence produced and at the same time left the Royal Family having fornication at their free will.
This Saudi Royal Family version of hudud is never hudud at all as it is against justice and promotes discrimination against women especially and oppression towards Saudis who are not of Arab origins.
And as you know their close relationships with corrupt Western regimes.
Worse, all the above I mentioned, will be used as excuses for Iran to liberate Saudi Arabia from the so-called Wahhabis. It will not be liberation but extension of centuries plot to put Makkah and Madinah under Shiism; religion that considers countless Companions of Muhammad as apostates!
Then came Liberal Islam which took advantage of the malaise of the Muslims today, not of Islam as it is already perfect, but misunderstandings caused even by so-called scholars of Islam. Aminah Wadud, may God guide her, has valid points but needs to seek more from righteous scholars of Islam, like Sheikh Imran and others.
Please visit http://www.universal-islamic-jurisprudence.blogspot.com for further clarification.
Even if Islamic Law is implemented with justice, there is more in Islam than just Laws; where are the love and mercy aspects of Islam shown by the Prophet and his Companions?
Why have the Muslims abandoned this spiritual internal beauty of Islam?
There’s nothing wrong with Islam, but a lot of issues need to be addressed regarding the Muslims.
Ahmad.
I’m not defending the actions of the judge at all, however I understand that the young woman was engaged in an extra-marital affair at the time (with the man she was with) which is the reason she got the lashings (the liberal media has been slow to point that out).
It was totally, totally wrong/inappropriate, but perhaps gives the case some perspective.
Saudi law is oppressive towards women but ironically the freedom of women in the West to go out and drink themselves to oblivion (putting themselves at risk of date-rape and so on…) has similar effects.
– Dear Ahmad. It’s an interesting point you raise, but I have a number of concerns about it. I think Iran would never openly launch an conflict between nations, therefore it would have to be via Iranian supported insurgency. But I don’t see the Shi’ah having enought power in Arabia to be able to topple the regeime. And although Iran is said to back Hezbollah, I don’t see Hezbollah trying to take over Lebanon, where there is a sizeable Shi’ah population. (The assassiantions as some Lebanese analysists have said, are likely to be Israeli assassinations, not Shi’ite ) Iraq is differnt – even though there are numerous reports of Shiah militias being accused wide scale atrocities, they are the majority of Iraqi’s and have a legitimate claim to form the government).
Binational relations sont seem very strained. Usually whenever countries have taken action against each other, it happens in the background of overt hostility. I don’t see that right now.
This is not to say it will not happen in the future, but it seems the situation would have to be radically different from what it is now, and the USUK armies of Zion wont let their major sweet crude supplier escape their grasp without the strongest of fights.
– Excellent point, one which crossed my mind earlier yet forgot to articulat it.. If Judges are permitted to show mercy, isn’t this one such case? The phrase ‘insult to injury’ is rather appropriate here it seems.
– Absolutely. Islam is perfect, Muslims are not, a point not just non-Muslims don’t think about.
Hi Alex. It seems like you’re playing devils advocate. If so: Good! It helps drive the debate forward. I can understand how some esp. Muslims, may allow allegations of an extra marital affair {http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7112999.stm} to alter their perceptions on this case, but I believe I am right in saying taht the accusation (or suggestion), without evidence to support it has absolutely no weight in Islamic law. Unless evidence to the contrary was presented at her trial and found to be correct, then this should not have been any reason to have received such a sentence.
With regards to a confession she is reported to have made (as opposed to a denial which was proved in court) then does body have concerns that this may be a forced confession? We know of the huge pressure Saudi was under.
This regeime is not known for its benevolence.
Even then it does not explain why the sentence was increased BEFORE she confessed. aparently this is becasue of her appeal to the media.
So the woman is given an extra 110 lashes for trying to secure a more reasonable sentence on her atackers who homosexually abused the driver – 5 years for homosexual rape in Arabia? Hummmm…
110 lashes + jailtime for asking the media for help
90 lashes for getting a lift in a mans car.
Seems like we know which one the Saidi authorities like least!
For the record, the male driver is said to have been sentenced to 90 lashes.
Mike,
You’re right about Shiites not having enough power to topple the Saudi regime, but not so in 2 decades time, when Iran alone will be the only ‘Islamic’ superpower in the Middle East and will invade the neighbouring countries, including to liberate their brethren in Arabia.
This is worth researching. Cyte is an Arab American researcher:
http://www.cytations.blogspot.com
Yes fully agree LW, but it’s worth considering she may have got a fair trial. It’s the law that needs to change, to prevent judges from awarding such harsh judgments to something we do not view as a crime in the West.
Saudi style punishment sounds great for rapists but when Saudi law is applied evenly then innocents/non-criminals get hurt.