They are simply implementing Islamic law in the Islamic State. 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).
“Islamic State militants stone man to death in Iraq -witness,” Reuters, August 22, 2014 (thanks to Twostellas):
BAGHDAD, Aug 22 (Reuters) – Islamic State militants in Iraq stoned a man to death in the northern city of Mosul after one of their courts sentenced him to die for the crime of adultery, a witness said on Friday.
The stoning, which happened on Thursday, was the first known instance of the punishment by al Qaeda offshoot Islamic State militants in Iraq, although it had been reported previously in Syria.
Members of the hardline Sunni group, which seized Mosul in June and also controls swathes of territory in neighbouring Syria, have shot, beheaded and crucified prisoners and blown up and bulldozed Shi’ite mosques.
The United States began air strikes on Islamic State positions in Iraq this month, and in retaliation the group published a video of one of its black-clad fighters beheading U.S. journalist James Foley.
A taxi driver who said he saw Thursday’s stoning in Mosul said he stopped to find out what was happening when he noticed a crowd gathering and about 20 Islamic State vehicles parked nearby.
Some militants were gathering sharp pieces of rock while another held a video camera, he said.
Eventually, the militants brought a handcuffed young man from one of the vehicles, made him sit down on the ground, and began pelting him with rocks, the witness said. Some in the crowd turned away as the man cried, “I did nothing,” he said.
“I had a glance at this person, I saw some of the stones hitting his head, and then I turned away,” the witness said, asking not to be named out of fear of retaliation.
After about 15 minutes, the militants told the crowd the stoning was finished, and an ambulance took away the body. A source at the morgue in Mosul confirmed the death of the man and said his identification showed he was 30 years old.
The stoning was also reported on local media. Neither the witness’s nor the media’s accounts could be independently corroborated.
In July, activists reported Islamic State militants stoned two women to death for adultery in Syria’s Raqqa province, which borders Turkey and is a major stronghold for the group.
U.S.-trained Iraqi government forces, which largely fled when Islamic State militants arrived from Syria, have not been able to push their way back into Mosul, where the group has imposed its extreme ideology, even destroying statues of famous Iraqi poets it deems as un-Islamic.
The witness said the stoning was widely discussed on the streets of Mosul, which was seen as one Iraq’s most tolerant cities before falling under the grip of the group, which is made up of Iraqis and other Arabs as well as foreign fighters.
Many sects and ethnic groups lived in harmony in the region. Now all sides are just trying to survive the reign off the Islamic State.
“Most of the people were not surprised, because this is typical of their behaviour,” he said, referring to the militants.
Angemon says
But according to leading members of the muslim community in Australia the problem lies in “racist caricatures of Muslims as backwards, prone to violence and inherently problematic“.
Jay Boo says
Without a violent side show and intimidation in Islam what is left but an unexplainable emptiness to an unknowable vindictive Allah prop sock-puppet.
No wonder they stone people to death.
Jay Boo says
Adultery is merely the excuse.
Islam is just an excuse since the time of Muhammad.
Everybody knows that the Islamic headscarf is not about modesty and purity.
It is nothing but a cheap pathetic cowardly excuse to commit rape.
In the name of Islam.
Islam means rape.
Islam means slavery
Islam is pure …
Pure filth.
Alan Lewis says
It is important to not that it was a man not a woman who was stoned to death for adultery. Men as well as women get harsh punishments for various transgressions.
Imagine Better Things says
ISLAM BEATS, BATTERS, STONES, KILLS AND ENSLAVES WOMEN:
Islamic culture, shari-ah law and the Islamic trilogy of holy books:- claims women are inferior to men, denies them the right to leave home without male supervision, denies them the right to say no to their husband’s sexual demands, treats them like property, allows them to be murdered as in for example, honour killing or any other reason, forces them to cover themselves against their will, doesn’t allow them to wear whatever they want to wear, allows them to be beaten, allows them to be flogged and stoned to death, allows them to be sexually abused and molested, murders them for having non-marital sex, murders them for committing adultery, forces them into marriage against their will, allows young girls to be raped under the fraud of marriage, allows women’s enslavement as either sex slave or slaves, allows them to be raped, allows sex without the woman’s consent, insists on a butcher removing their clitoris, denies them the right to sexual freedom, denies them the right to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. This is not the teaching of a God of moral perfection, but the chauvinistic rule of evil men.
Beagle says
I will never forget sitting at the computer perusing the ahadith collections on my computer and running into the Stoning the Wicked She-Monkey Hadith. I almost wanted to look over my shoulder to see if someone was pranking me.
Note the bizarre logical disconnects. Ordinarily anything from jahilyya (the pre-Islamic period of ‘ignorance’) is considered not only irrelevant but, well, ignorant. In addition, Muhammad is suddenly getting moral guidance from monkeys. Is Allah a monkey? It’s not clear. In other contexts being turned into a monkey or ape is a punishment for Jews.
It’s. Just. So. Crazy.
Angemon says
Beagle posted:
“It’s. Just. So. Crazy.”
I know, right? Monkeys did something during the so-called “pre-islamic period of ignorance” therefore muslims accept is as a valid islamic practice.
Jay Boo says
Which came first (chicken or egg)
Muslims have a long history of blaming others for their own evil.
They even blame Allah for an excuse to commit stoning.
Most likely the monkeys copied Muhammad and Muhammad turned that around in order to shift the responsibility.
Ralph says
Their “holy book” is nothing more than a book of Satan.
robaby says
So then, the bible and torah would be from Satan because it also stipulates stoning to death for adultery?
lebel says
yes, well, god changed his mind about stoning or something…..
Twostellas says
How insane is it to denounce adultery to the point of death penalty, yet at the same time say its ok to have and/or sell sex slaves, to rape women in war in front of their husbands, to have intercourse with 9 year-old children when you’re in your 50’s, to have multiple, and interchangeable (when you’re tired of them), wives? Insanity and totally false piety.
Abu Nūri says
But…but…I thought only women get stoned?
Jay Boo says
Muslims worship a stone in Mecca
It is said to be the charred remains of a false prophet named Muhammad who got zapped by a bolt of lightning justice.
SpiritOf1683 says
They clearly don’t believe in the maxim “Let he who hath no sin cast the first stone”.
paddy says
I thought they only stoned women. My bad.