The death sentence can only be given to a person who has killed someone or to someone who is guilty of spreading disorder in a society. No other person can be punished by death. The Qur’an says:

مَنۡ قَتَلَ نَفۡسًۢا بِغَیۡرِ نَفۡسٍ اَوۡ فَسَادٍ فِی الۡاَرۡضِ فَکَاَنَّمَا قَتَلَ النَّاسَ جَمِیۡعًاؕ(32:5)

He who killed a human being without the latter being guilty of killing another or of spreading disorder in the land should be looked upon as if he had killed all of mankind. (5:32)

This is the verdict of the Qur’an. Hence, except for these two offences, neither a person nor an Islamic government has any right to administer the death sentence to a person.

(Javed Ahmed Ghamidi)

(Translated by Dr Shehzad Saleem)