The Essence of Islam – Volume III — Page 24
Essence of Islam-III 24 every occasion disrupts the order of the world. Also, it is against the best interests of the culprit, for he becomes more and more hardened in his evil ways and the ten- dency to do mischief gets even more entrenched. Let a thief go unpunished and see what he does the next time! That is why God Almighty said in His Book, which is full of wisdom: وَلَكُمْ فِي الْقِصَاصِ حَيُوةً يَأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ 13 مَنْ قَتَلَ نَفْسًا بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ أَوْ فَسَادٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَتَلَ النَّاسَ جَمِيعًا 14 This means that: 'O men of understanding! Your life lies in killing the killer; and award punishment proportionate to the crime. ' 'Whosoever kills a person unjustly and without cause is virtually guilty of killing the whole of mankind. ' إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالْإِحْسَانِ وَابْتَاءُ ذِي الْقُرْبى 15 That is: 'God enjoins that you must exercise justice, be- nevolence, and Itā'i dhil Qurbā [graciousness towards all as between kindred] on their proper occasions. ' Let it be known that the teaching of the Gospels is infe- rior to and falls short of the perfection that sustains and regulates the order of the universe; rather, it is a grave er- ror to regard this teaching as perfect and complete. Such a teaching can never be perfect. It belongs to the period in which the Children of Israel had been left with the minimal sentiment of compassion, whereas ruthlessness, cruelty, brutality, hard-heartedness and maliciousness 13 Al-Baqarah, 2:180 [Publisher] 14 Al-Ma'idah, 5:33 [Publisher] 15 Al-Nahl, 16:91 [Publisher]