by Dr Muhammad Sani Umar *Rijiyar Lemo*, Kano
1. Some people think taking the law into their hands is a way of showing their love and concern for their religion. This is why we hear news of people insulting the Prophet (s.a.w.) and hoodlums executing them.
2. We must know that this type of vicious act is a transgression against Islamic injunctions. And will never be a commandment of Allah, and will never be a way of showing love for the Prophet(s.a.w.), nor is it a way of glorifying the Quran.
*Because it is against the teaching of Islam.*
3. Most of the times people answer the calls of people who claim an individual has done something wrong without verifying the claims against the person. Thereafter they take the law into their hands, without verifying the reality of what happened.
4. Even if an evil act has been committed against islam, no one has the right to pass a verdict or execute the accused, until he is brought before the court after which he can be found guilty or not.
5. *Jungle justice* is one thing that Islamic scholars have warned against, and have agreed as *non permissible* in Islam. Some of these scholars include:
6. Al-Imam An-Nawawi: “No one has the right to execute free (non slave) persons except the ruler, or a representative of the ruler, because none has ever executed someone during the time of the Prophet (s.a.w.) except with his permission. Same trend followed the reign of all his successors. Because execution is something that requires deep knowledge, and could be done wrongly _so it is not permissible except with the permission of the leader (khalifah)_ ”
[Al-Maj’mu’, juz’i 20, pg 34]
7. Al-Imam Al-Qurtubi: “There is no difference in opinion among the scholars that no can execute another except the leaders (khulafa). They are the ones burdened with this type of responsibility. ”
[Tasfir of Qurtubi, ch 2v187].
He equally said: The scholars have agreed upon the *non permissiblity* for anyone to execute another, except the khalifa. People on their own do not have that right. This is the responsibility of the khalifa or his representative.
[Tasfir Qurtubi ch 2 V 179]
8. Ibn Rushd: “Scholars have agreed upon; only the leader has the right to execute.”
[Bidayatul Mujtahid, juz’ no.4 pg 228]
9. If everyone is to perform execution today, our life will be a mess. We will be like animals where only the fittest survives. Whenever someone intends evil against another, he (the accuser) may claim that certain person has committed certain crime and people will pounce on him (the accused) and may eventually kill him.
10. This is why people must understand, and make others understand that, this act committed by some minority is not a teaching of Islam, and that no Islamic scholar has ever supported the vicious act in the name of love for the Prophet, or concern for Islam. Infact Islam is completely against that, wherever it is carried out.
May Allah grant us understanding.