The advocates of stoning are universally described as “extremists,” but they can and do claim that they are simply implementing Islamic law. The caliph Umar, one of Muhammad’s closest companions, maintained that the punishment of stoning for adultery (this story doesn’t specify the method of punishment, but the outcome of the punishment is the same in any case) was originally in the Qur’an:
‘Umar said, “I am afraid that after a long time has passed, people may say, “We do not find the Verses of the Rajam (stoning to death) in the Holy Book,” and consequently they may go astray by leaving an obligation that Allah has revealed. Lo! I confirm that the penalty of Rajam be inflicted on him who commits illegal sexual intercourse, if he is already married and the crime is proved by witnesses or pregnancy or confession.” Sufyan added, “I have memorized this narration in this way.” ‘Umar added, “Surely Allah’s Apostle carried out the penalty of Rajam, and so did we after him.” (Bukhari, vol. 8, bk. 82, no. 816)
“Allah’s Apostle” is, of course, Muhammad, who did indeed carry out stonings. Here is the hadith in which he challenges the rabbis about stoning, and in which there is amidst the barbarism and brutality a final act of love and compassion:
The Jews came to Allah’s Apostle and told him that a man and a woman from amongst them had committed illegal sexual intercourse. Allah’s Apostle said to them, “What do you find in the Torah (old Testament) about the legal punishment of Ar-Rajm (stoning)?” They replied, (But) we announce their crime and lash them.” Abdullah bin Salam said, “You are telling a lie; Torah contains the order of Rajm.” They brought and opened the Torah and one of them solaced his hand on the Verse of Rajm and read the verses preceding and following it. Abdullah bin Salam said to him, “Lift your hand.” When he lifted his hand, the Verse of Rajm was written there. They said, “Muhammad has told the truth; the Torah has the Verse of Rajm. The Prophet then gave the order that both of them should be stoned to death. (‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar said, “I saw the man leaning over the woman to shelter her from the stones.” (Bukhari, vol. 4, bk. 56, no. 829)
Even the monkeys practiced stoning, according to another hadith:
During the pre-lslamic period of ignorance I saw a she-monkey surrounded by a number of monkeys. They were all stoning it, because it had committed illegal sexual intercourse. I too, stoned it along with them. (Bukhari, vol. 5, bk. 58, no. 188)
Muhammad’s example is, of course, normative for Islamic behavior, since “verily in the messenger of Allah ye have a good example for him who looketh unto Allah and the Last Day, and remembereth Allah much” (Qur’an 33:21).
“IS Jihadists stone Syria woman to death for ‘adultery,'” Middle East Online, July 18, 2014:
BEIRUT – Jihadists in the northern Syrian province of Raqa have accused a woman of adultery and stoned her to death, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Friday.
It was the first “execution” of its kind by the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria, which has proclaimed the establishment of an Islamic “caliphate” straddling Syria and Iraq.
“The Islamic State carried out its first sentence of death by stoning against a woman in Tabaqa, accusing her of adultery,” said the Britain-based Observatory, referring to a town in Raqa province, most of which is under IS control.
An activist in the province confirmed the report, and said the stoning took place in a public square in the Tabaqa market area on Thursday evening.
“This is the first time that this has happened here,” added Abu Ibrahim.
A second activist in Raqa, Hadi Salameh, said the woman was reportedly in her thirties, but that few details were known about her except that she was killed after sentencing by an IS religious court.
“The situation is unbearable. Stoning is the worst punishment history has known. A quick death is more merciful,” Salameh said via the Internet, using a pseudonym for security reasons.
“The woman’s family did not know the sentence was going to be carried out at this time,” said Salameh.
He said residents are “terrified” of IS, but fear the consequences of reacting to its harsh methods.
IS first emerged in the Syrian conflict in late spring last year.
Some Syrian rebels initially welcomed the jihadists, seeing them as potential allies in their war to topple President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
But the group’s systematic abuses and quest for domination swiftly turned the mainstream opposition against it, and rebels have been battling IS fighters since January.
IS spearheaded a recent offensive in Iraq, capturing large swathes of territory and massive amounts of weapons from fleeing Iraqi troops.
bobm says
The fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree; on about their monkey business.. sorry monkeys.
CogitoErgoSum says
I find it hard to believe anyone could take seriously the hadith about the stoning of a monkey. These are words suposedly spoken by Muhammad? So monkeys in pre-Islamic times had (and even now still have, I suppose ) laws defining certain illegal sexual acts among monkeys? And stoning the violater is the prescribed punishment by monkey law? How did Muhammad know this female monkey was being stoned for a sexual violation and not for something else …. such as blasphemy? Unless……… You don’t suppose Muhammad knew the stoning was punishment for a sexual offense due to the fact that the male partner involved in the violation was none other than Muhammad himself….. doing it with a monkey? Oh monkeys…….. submit, submit, submit.
Beagle says
The she-monkey hadith is one of my favorites with respect to their hilariously dangerous absurdity. Allah supposedly turned Jews into monkeys in another context. Then Mo gets his moral guidance from monkeys.
Hence, Mohammed was Jewish. Or something.
PJG says
Very good point!
Fr. Basil says
Has anyone but I noticed that mahometans never stone MALE adulterers these days?
mortimer says
OK…Lessee…the verse of stoning WAS in the Koran, but is not NOW in the Koran.
BUT…Omar said the verse of stoning SHOULD BE in the Koran, even though it is NOT now in the Koran. Omar sez we hafta observance the verse of stoning AS IF it were in the Koran, even though it is NOT in the Koran.
OK…so…the verse of stoning IS IN THE KORAN now, even though it is NOT in the Koran now. Huh?
So…it’s the ‘ghost verse’ of the Koran. So who is the ‘ghost writer’ of the verse that isn’t in the Koran?
steve says
Islam is very selective. this we already know….
[“What do you find in the Torah (old Testament) about the legal punishment of Ar-Rajm (stoning)?” They replied, (But) we announce their crime and lash them.” Abdullah bin Salam said, “You are telling a lie; Torah contains the order of Rajm.” They brought and opened the Torah and one of them solaced his hand on the Verse of Rajm and read the verses preceding and following it. Abdullah bin Salam said to him, “Lift your hand.” When he lifted his hand, the Verse of Rajm was written there. They said, “Muhammad has told the truth; the Torah has the Verse of Rajm.]
Suggests that what Muhammed wrote was lifted straight from the old testament and he selectively uses is for is own ends. The verses of the Rajm would not be in the Torah, but copied from there
Michael Copeland says
“These criminals that have been arrested are not accused, but their crimes have been proven. We only have to prove their identity and then kill them all. There is absolutely no need for a trial. No compassion for them will be allowed. We believe that the guilty party does not need a trial and must be killed.” -Ayatollah Khomeini (in a message to the Iranian people, June 30, 1980)
gravenimage says
Sharia Syria: Islamic State jihadists stone woman to death for adultery
……………….
Oh God—I knew it was only a matter of time before the pious savages started *stoning women to death*. *Ugh*.
Pieter says
Try and get hold of the film “The stoning of Soraya M”
Elisheva14 says
What they borrowed from the Torah was done without any understanding. They are concrete in their thinking and use literal interpretations. Jews do not cut off limbs or stone people. It is a warped mentality to stone a woman. There is no trial here or need for witnesses. The Torah required 2-witnesses and a trial with drinking bitter waters. They knew adultery would be happening privately and a jealous spouse would accuse his wife unjustly. Honor killings are very prevalent in the Muslim world today. These men probably rape these women and then find an excuse to kill them. Psychopathic religion of hate.
Bub says
Don’t forget these monkeys would choose a young boy over a woman any day of the week…