Doll wrote:

It is really forbidden here to do such things and I really don't understand why people talk such things or comdemn each other like that.

Nona The Brit wrote:

Sorry, Doll, you are right, fatwas are legal declarations of all types. But how about this one? Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989 pronounced a death sentence on Salman Rushdie in a fatwa. Also Sharia punishments such as Nigeria's justice minister has condemned the decision of an Islamic court that a woman be stoned to death for adultery. Amina Lawal - the divorced woman who conceived a child outside marriage - lost her appeal against the sentence on Monday, sparking international criticism. That's why I say Islam is not really non-violent.

Dear Nona the brit!

         You are right that some people are punished with death in Islam but the same is the case with other religions and systems as well. But do you know what are legal formalities, to be completed before announcing death punishment upon the convicted for adultery/fornication? Consider the following:

There must be four eye-witnesses to the fact and they must give testimony that the alleged person was seen by all the four persons, having penetrated his sexual organ to that of female;

The four people must be sane and adults;

The four people must qualify all the conditions prescribed for a honest person such as he must have committed any heinous sin like theft, falsehood, corruption, etc. He must be such that he is believed by many in the community and obey all the orders ordained by Allah, the Almighty.

Ok Nona!

What would be your feelings and emotions when an innocent individual is assaulted by some one, rape him/her and then kill him/her throwing his/her dead body by the road side?

What would be you feelings when a person infected with AIDS or Hepatitis commit fornication with a healthy person and thus lead him/her on his/her way to death.

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Read but keep the upper lips stiff

Hi SDK,

Of course we all need laws. But in western countries the governments set the laws and punishments, not the religion. If another country wishes to combine government and religion in that way, then I guess that is their right. But that doesn't give them any right to proclaim judgements and punishments on citizens of other countries, such as happened in the example I mentioned.

Dear Nona The Brit, thank you for your honest opinion.

Peace is one of principle in Islam.  In order to make this happen Islamic teaching has been commanding all of its adherents to try their best to make peace.

According war is only acceptable if muslims are in defensive position.  This is another principle in Islam.

Fatwa is a kind of  law opinion made by Leaders or Muslim's Schollars.  Fatwa is merely a subjective interpretation on how practical Islamic law should be.  I do think that there are many Muslims who didn't agree with Ayatollah Khomeini's opinion.

Islam has a legal system called Sharia, and various laws called Fiqih.  Sharia is more general, and phylosophical, while fiqihs are more practical.  Fiqih is also interpretatical.  The main principle is that Sharia or Fiqh should not contradict Islamic teaching principles.

I hope you won't blame Islam for some opinions made by some people who called themselves as Muslims.