Teleological and Methodological Analysis of Punishment in Islamic Criminal Policy
Keywords:
Philosophy of punishment, penal teleology, deterrence, Islamic penal policy, criminal justiceAbstract
The Islamic penal system, as an integral component of a comprehensive religious legal system, adopts a multidimensional approach to the phenomena of crime and deviance. Unlike modern legal schools of thought, which often focus primarily on maintaining public order or rehabilitating offenders within the context of material life, Islamic criminal policy, grounded in distinctive anthropological foundations—such as the dual-dimensional nature and immortality of the human being—pursues broader objectives. Employing a descriptive-analytical method and drawing on library-based sources, this study examines both the “why” of punishment (its philosophy and objectives) and the “how” of punishment (the principles governing its implementation). The findings indicate that, with respect to the “why,” punishment in Islam represents a balanced combination of worldly objectives, including general and specific deterrence and the establishment of justice and security, and otherworldly objectives, including purification from sin, awakening of the innate human disposition (fitrah), and spiritual development. With regard to the “how,” principles such as proportionality between crime and punishment, individualization of punishment, and the principle of precaution in matters involving blood and human life establish a precise framework for implementation that prevents punishment from degenerating into blind retaliation. Ultimately, this article demonstrates that the apparent severity of certain hudud and qisas punishments is, at a deeper level, associated with a life-preserving function aimed at safeguarding collective dignity and the moral well-being of society.
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