The Death Penalty is Dangerous, not Islamic, Nor Conscientious

The world of interpretation is where our true colours are revealed, where our leanings separate us. The Recitation (Qur’an) is largely clear, but it admits some verses are unclear in ch 3:7 (Imran); it largely guides, but it admits it further misleads the wrongdoers in ch.17:82 (Israel). The book repeatedly says it is a book of hints for those who use their minds, not mindless folks – ch39:18, 40:54, 6:98, 3:7, 38:29 etc are few verses on that. Ch.31:3 (Luqman)and other verses tell us ‘it is a guidance and mercy for those who do good’; but what is it to the mindless and wrongdoers? They may misinterpret it in fear, greed, or arrogance to encourage ignorance, lies, and cruelty. So just because someone recites some verses of the Recitation (Quhr-aahn) does not mean they are not ignoring better verses of the same subject or misinterpreting the very verses they are reciting.

Beyond the death penalty, the Recitation often offers two roads or multiple options, especially on punishment. How do you choose one of the roads, take the best option(s), or create other options within the range of options? This is precisely why I advise you to read it humbly, rather than blindly depending on the interpretation of image oriented people with big gowns. Ch.91:9(Sun) is one of the most crucial verses of the recitation that can be applied beyond the death penalty, but it may require the humility of ch.103(time).

First, we must admit the death penalty far predates modern Islam of Muhammad (pbuh), or even Christianity and Judaism – the death penalty is a simplistic reactionary measure that was understandable, but is outdated and prone to abuse, especially by questionable secular governments of our age. The actual word used in the Recitation is closer to ‘retaliation’, so any reasonable retaliation to killing can be appropriate. Ch.2:178 is the verse many of your scholars ignore and one you must learn. In many ways, this is the verse that states one can forgive killing, ask compensation, or demand the death penalty…’ To me, this is like minimum to maximum levels of retaliatory options, including unmentioned ones or hints, from the countless hints/signs of the Lord. Every choice has a purpose and the very purpose of punishment is primarily to deter repetition by the culprit and/or others.

Many pro-death penalty folks want you to believe the anti-death penalty folks underpunish killers and that is why killing exists. They want you to believe killers fear death but not prison. The reality remains that killing exists in places where the death penalty exists. The pro-death penalty folks are under the illusion that killing exists only due to cruelty and that ‘equal cruelty’ is the solution; the reality remains that killing exists due to ignorance and cruelty, so how can we educate the ignorant and tackle the cruel with reasonable or measurable forms of just ‘cruelty’? Every human killer was once a baby, free of gross ignorance and cruelty, so how did society miseducate, under-educate, mistreat a victim or culprit to act or overreact through killing? There are many types of killings and reasons or excuses of killings, so the people and Lord of mizghalazaratin (atom's weight) must also learn to differentiate our reaction and punishment to killings. Giving the option to a largely honest person like Muhammad (pbuh)is very different from giving it to our dishonest politicians, including unknown future leaders. This is why we have first degree murder, second degree murder, manslaughter, negligent killing, etc.

The illusions behind premeditated killings are often different from their counterparts. Beside heterosexual teachings of teenagers, modern high schools must have anger management and illusion diffusing classes, designed to prevent crime. A culture of cameras in public places will help more than the death penalty. At university and in the public media, the terms can change to managing fear, greed, and arrogance. The questionable preacher who learned the Recitation through ‘hell’ must not be continuously allowed to ‘enslave’ children who wander to beg, with high probability to be a mental or physical criminal. Governments must design some forms of theology classes where religious leaders are encouraged to enroll for reteaching. Online challenging of questionable preachers may actually work than closing down mosques and churches with leaders without theology diploma, as seen in Rwanda.

Only an angry dummy will insist the robber who kills, the husband who beats to death, the jealous wife who kills a cheating husband, the abused or greedy child who killed parents to escape or become rich, the fighter who kills through a hard fist, the drug dealer who kills because he cannot take someone to court on drug cheating, the driver who kills an innocent or guilty pedestrian, etc are all the same and deserve the death penalty. Besides differentiating the types and reasons of killings, ask yourself how the death penalty can affect people and society in seemingly good and adverse ways? Under punishment is dangerous, but so is over punishment – this is very true far beyond the death penalty and marijuana.

Thieves and robbers have evil primary motives that hardly include killing, but the hard laws and possibilities of witnesses against them are sometimes contributing factors to why they kill. I am not naive enough to give pass to robbers, but if we can educate people and stop the financial indifference of capitalism to reduce robbers and ultimately killing, I believe it is a better approach. The death penalty cannot stop a robber from assuming s/he will successfully rob or will allow others to catch him/her without a fight. No sane person will say: ‘I will only get at least 25 years in prison’, so let me rob without a knife or gun…

Only the fearful ‘preacher’ is wrongly assuming the mindset of killers, dishonestly claiming we want to jail killers for one or two years, or the Lord of mizghalazaratin (atom's weight) reveals only one verse about killing… Just like you are pushing for the death penalty, you can push for a mandatory minimum of 25 or 100 years for convicted murderers, not manslaughter and others. Domestic killings also come due to many reasons… A Western person who found a lover where polygamy or polygyny is not allowed and divorces may be too hard and too long, s/he may be under the illusion that killing the partner is 'smart' and selling a story will get him/her zero time . Neither over 25 years in prison or the death penalty is too small or too big to scare and rectify that illusion. The first illusion is s/he won't be caught, then the probable second illusion is the excuse will be bought... Education and/or more relaxed laws can help in such scenarios.

A fight between partners that inadvertently resulted in death is much more complex – killing the other parent will leave the children as orphans, and what kind of indifference will society be guilty of to the cause of the fight and effects of the death penalty? Remember, those who quote just the one seemingly hard verse often fail to clarify the verse says: 'intentionally kill (murder) an innocent life. So unless you can prove 'intentionally killing', arguing on that verse is dishonest at the very least. From a secular perspective, that verse is talking about 'premeditated murder'; while the more lenient verse is talking about other types of killings and options.

Where the surviving partner of a fight is found guilty of negligence overreaction, s/he can work in prison to help support the children. A drug dealer who believes s/he can hide from authorities for years will not find it difficult to believe s/he can kill a dishonest partner s/he cannot take to court. In such scenarios, we relearn laws can contribute to killing – Portugal, Canada, and Holland have a lot less drug related killings than the US due to laws of the country than so-called criminals who may overreact. The simple point I am trying to convey is that people kill due to fear, greed, and arrogance – these three, however, may reappear as different types of ignorance, lies, or cruelty.

Now if the pro-death penalty folks insist all killings are due to cruelty, we can charge them with one-eye or different types of ignorance. When they point to countries with death penalty and education as examples, we can gauge how education may contribute to better change than the death penalty, and ask them to look at the countries with death penalty with high killings and questionable government killings. Yesterday, a prominent Senegalese preacher was on 2S TV, urging for the death penalty with questionable one sided verses of the recitation. His partner failed to rectify him and how many so-called Islamic Scholars heard him, but may never make efforts to rectify him or delve on ch.2:178? Will the same media house or other media houses invite me or forward my take to other Islamic scholars for a more honest conclusion? The Gambia has the death penalty and possibly lower violent crime rate, but there are many factors to why we differ from Senegal and other countries. There are still killings in the Gambia and other places where the death penalty exists.

Saudi Arabia and the U.S are good examples of where the death penalty exists. It is the other teachings of Islam that lower the number of killings by individuals in Saudi Arabia compared to u.s than the death penalty. Killing by the state of Saudi-Arabia or xyz is a different matter. This can be substantiated by looking at many 'Muslim' countries without the death penalty and other crimes within Saudi. Sadly, the state becomes the number one killer wherever the death penalty exists. You are somehow linked to both the good and bad choices of the state. I do not want God to charge me or you with 'you negligently give the state the right to kill', after knowing how corrupt they can be, how they lie, how obsessed with punishment they can be, etc. Beside killing alleged killers in less than murder, the state can kill innocent people in fear, greed, and arrogance wherever the death penalty exists. So CRC and constitutional writers of other countries have the option of narrowly interpreting a verse or considering all verses as signs/hints to be explored by great minds; to see all killings as one and the same, or differentiate, consider reasons, and humbly judge and patiently wait for the Lord of mizghalazaratin (atom's weight); to focus on the worst killings by individuals or to understand the dangers of giving room to state killings, etc.

When the Saudi government kill the 'Jamal khashoggis' inside Saudi-Arabia, they just have to torture them to confession of wanting to kill or 'terrorism', not intentional killing based on which evidence... The angry preacher man is too focused on the rapist killer who could have been tamed with legalizing, regulating, and smartly discouraging prostitution… s/he however is giving a dangerous right to questionable religious and secular states. The guilty Saudi Arabians can claim foiled terrorism to kill innocent people. The guilty Gambians can claim a foiled coup or 'treason' to silent political opponents or the 'Sanna Saballys'. The guilty Americans obsessed with punishment can claim ‘circumstantial evidence’ where DNA cannot or did not free the innocent . Do your research on how many people the US applied the death penalty on and the number of death row inmates freed by DNA, then use your mind. We must imprecate and sue the media houses that give space or time to questionable politicians and preachers of the death penalty without challenge or reasonable offer to counter voices.

Besides religious fanatics, politicians are sadly tapping to public anger to argue for the death penalty. President Obama while campaigning said, ‘he will support the death penalty on things like rape’, to get women’s votes? Within weeks or months, God tested him: A male child raped a female child and went to tell an adult in a bragging manner – the adult shot and killed him in overreaction. The admission or bragging aspect can hint you how immature the initial culprit was. Will you, your religion, or state kill such a child ? Is it wrong for the victim or closer victim to reflexively kill but ok for the state to premeditatedly kill? Recently, Donald Trump calls for the death penalty on drug dealers, for votes or other reasons. Will you, your religion, or state kill a marijuana or xyz dealer, ignoring the scientific and religious evidence in comparison to alcohol, cigarettes, and others? When the media allows questionable religious folks to sell the death penalty idea until the gullible and fearful public buys it, then will questionable politicians make it campaign promises towards having the Dutertes and 'Trumps' without the strong institutions to contain them. At that time, who will blame Satan, religion, one politician, a government, but ignore the fourth branch of the government (the media)?

Humankind was/is on a test with or without religion, culture, or state. Islam happens to be my favourite religion that is sadly misinterpreted by many. The Recitation is relatively soft on punishment, it focuses on sins between creatures on punishment to give us room to bravely legalise products and services with regulations, but hint us on personal choices and refer us to ch.103 to advise+, and exercise patience.

The closer we all study this great chapter, 103, from the questionable but largely great Recitation, we will likely have great life on earth and life after death. Do not just seek protection from Satan when studying the Recitation or life, but seek the highest possible help of the Lord. Never interpret the Recitation or life in fear, greed, or arrogance – nor let the cowards interpret it for you. Justice is as deserved in power and choice for reward and/or punishment; and justice is pregnant with a baby called tolerance. The ignorant, liars, and cruel folks think punishment is the most crucial aspect of justice, but the wise know empowerment beyond questionable financial empowerment to one gender; the wise and truthful know proportionate choice, tolerance, and measurable reward are crucial aspects of justice that can be under implemented, not just punishment. May the Lord bless us much more. May God bless Showlove Trinity: let's learn, let's work, let's have fun.

By Jarga Kebba Gigo
An Activist and Transformer
Author of Juts Quhr-aahn
Optional Note:
The Book of Signs/hints must not be taken explicitly, literally, or be interpreted with one eye that leans on 'want' more than should and can. So where it gives options, the followers may likely be divided. When the book of signs or Recitation says killers (murderers) should be killed in one verse, then says in another verse that killers can be forgiven, reasonably fined, or killed – the primary task becomes which verse seems clearer towards intelligence, truth, and kindness; but the angry and cruel may not even know 'how” is a secondary task even after identifying the higher verse. Humankind can be educated to avoid killing even animals, and I am a believer who happens to be a vegetarian (and now a vegan). When the Recitation says in one verse 'let the adulterous male be married to the adulterous female; similarly with the fornicators, then it says in another verse 'to stone the super explicit adulterers...' Again, we must be divided on what and how to interpret the verses. When it says: 'cut a hand in one verse, but cut both hands in another verse' for thieves, it opens up the separation of ch17:82 through what, how, and why. When it says God forgives virtually all sins, some people think it includes sins between creatures, and may be reckless in the name of predestination. Signs/hints become signs/hints to the intelligent, truthful, and kind, so we say 'cut hands' likely means to 'cut means' or deter physically through imprisonment, fine, firing, etc . A one arm person can surely steal more than someone in prison? Then ch.103 kicks in. Some say imprisonment is too lenient before debating minimum and maximum sentences. They ignore that the rich can have replacement with an artificial arm through ' plastic surgery', but by having long sentences, we deter the rich in much smarter and more just ways. They said their kind God allows forgiving and xyz on killing, but not on stealing? We said our Kind God is inspiring us through conscience within the signs/hints of His countless signs/hints, as per ch.91 and 31. Who among you will cut the hands of your child, parent, or relative who steals or misappropriates ten dollars within the household? Is household stealing excluded, except for maids, or are the strict calls for literal interpretation on killings only until the ratio of corruption and stealing reaches where? Who among you never stole as a child, teenager, or adult in the household or otherwise? No! I am not trying to justify stealing but trying to humble you as Jesus (pbuh) reportedly did with the alleged adulterer. They argue their leaning 'wants' or fear as 'should' and claim questionable sayings and practices of the prophet as grounds. We remind them “can” then “should” between times and that the same recitation points us to conscience and says we will be tested from stage to stage...So feel free of taking the route of debating what Muhammad did or the route of conscience through ch.91 and other solid signs. We recognize the possibility of literal interpretation of the recitation due to limitations of judging and jailing folks you cannot feed well in that era. Also ch.75 clearly reminded Muhammad (pbuh) and all of us: 'we will tell you what it means', which means to avoid literal interpretation... They said, how can you fine someone who steals, you can only ' fine 'someone who kills? We said, we beg to differ, that how about each party states and applies what they consider truth and all parties patiently wait as per ch.103. Since patience does not mean stop warning disbelievers, we do not think patience means leaving wrongdoers to mislead others with fractional facts, so we must periodically 'exhort each other to truth', not just patience of silence on things between creatures...

We looked at the recitation and saw not one single recommendation of punishment for idol worshiping, eating pork, drinking alcohol, homosexuality, etc so we conclude neither religious or secular governments should dictate our personal lives, but we remain cautious. They said they can legalize the alcohol that is explicitly mentioned in the recitation, but criminalize marijuana using the same verse as excuse? We recommend you legalize, regulate, and smartly discourage personal choices you consider harmful. Otherwise, you risk creating an uprising or an underground world that may be much worse than the products or services you claim to oppose.

Sometimes the writers of the constitution are the biggest criminals in fear and arrogance, or what is the death penalty for 'treason' where cowardly state killings gamble towards dangerous divisions and civil wars? Other times, the lawmakers and enforcers are the higher criminals... Then, the law breakers occupy a wider range of categories, including legitimate freedom fighters, than those who opposed legal slavery... They indoctrinate you with 'no one is above the law', we re-educate you that the law should not be above anyone, but between creatures. We thank you the Intelligent, Truthful, and Kind Lord of the universe, please keep us intelligent, truthful, and kind – help us to be good and grateful even in our personal lives towards eternal happiness, free of pain. Life is a distinctive test from collective tests – I do not want to kill or be under a state that kills innocent or mistaken folks, after so much knowledge and options. Common sense and ch 56 divides people into three categories I called: Those who spread truth, those who accept truth, and those who reject truth in fear, greed, or arrogance to spread or accept what? Sign languages or teachings can lead to paradise or hell, as per ch 17:81-82. How many journalists are daring enough to read this on air in English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, German, and other African languages in your respective countries? Please tell your angels, 'prophets', and scholars: the Lord knew some humans will shed blood or encourage it, but He equally knew He can guide some of us to avoid the shedding of the blood of the innocent, thieves, killers, or even animals, unnecessarily.

Note: The above article was first published around 2019 with different titles, including

'the-options-and-facts-against-the-death-penalty-from-islamic-and-conscientious-perspective'. The Standard newspaper of the Gambia also published it under a different title, because it was primarily written to discourage the CRC from including the death penalty in the new constitution of the Gambia they were working on at the time. I have slightly edited the grammar and a few lines to help my new readers.