Understanding Islam — Page 194
WHAT IS SHARIAH? 192 contrast, if a law appears to be barbaric but the harsh punishments meted out are so few and far between with the ultimate result that the public at large are saved from daily harassments of criminals, then this law is much more beneficial. These things have to considered before the Islamic point of view is well-understood. On top of that, Islam upholds a high standard for testimony against crime as Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad rh says: …the system of evidence as proposed by Islam, is so strict and so deeply bonded with the sense of morality that a witness is required to hold certain moral values. In any immoral society…where witnesses can be bought or influenced…where the moral standard unfortunately to our detriment is very low, Islamic laws cannot be implemented. It is wrong to implement any law in the name of Islam before preparing that atmosphere. It would be like trying to plant a tree of cherry in the heart of the desert. The atmosphere in the desert is not promotive to the growth of cherries…So, Islam not only speaks of laws. It’s a religion. So, it speaks of the preparation for the implementation of laws as well. This is why according to