Four witnesses question?
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Peace. 415 And those of your women who commit lewdness, you shall bring four witnesses over them from among you; if they bear witness, then you shall restrict them in the homes until death terminates their lives, or God makes for them a way out.
I find it hard to understand this verse. Reasons why is because I would say that its preaty hard to get four witnesses that have witnessed the same incident.
What I can think of the meaning of the verse is maybe one witness to the actual incident and three other to testify as to good character of the actual witness.
Or, maybe because the punishments are preaty strict God doesnt want us to punish an inocent person so he makes the rule of four witnesses.
Thoughts
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Peace. 415 And those of your women who commit lewdness, you shall bring four witnesses over them from among you; if they bear witness, then you shall restrict them in the homes until death terminates their lives, or God makes for them a way out.
I find it hard to understand this verse. Reasons why is because I would say that its preaty hard to get four witnesses that have witnessed the same incident.
What I can think of the meaning of the verse is maybe one witness to the actual incident and three other to testify as to good character of the actual witness.
Or, maybe because the punishments are preaty strict God doesnt want us to punish an inocent person so he makes the rule of four witnesses.
Thoughts
Shalom,
I have heard people interpret 4 witness to be 4 witnesses of 4 distinct cases, not the same case. Just letting you know.
Coming to my thoughts on the matter. Think about the consequence of the punishment first. Huge public embarrassment and defaming. Now, think about the the wrong person being accused.
Having so many witnesses to lewdness does dictate something clearly, it wasn't your private thing. You committed such actions in public.
It is interesting to note that witness would have the burden of proof on them. If you can't prove it, the accused person is free to go. Its better to set rules which help protect the innocent than rules that are relatively more inclined towards making innocents suffer.
PEACE
-------------------- Student of Allah -
I do not think 4.15 speaks of any punishment. It is not speaking about zina but about fahisha as something recurrent.
Some time ago, a contributor to the forum; i think his nic was Supernaut, said that he believed 4.15 referred to prostitutes, as it talks about women in plural and says
ya'atina al fahisha,
four witnesses of that may be necessary to ascertain that it is recurring practice, like soliciting, which would be what was being witnessed to, not an act of zina.
On the other hand "imsikuhunna fil buyut" means exactily that, take them into the homes or the houses, -it doesn't say in jail-, which is the kind of expression which woud be applied when talking about women who are on the street. buyut as opposed to the street, take them off the streets, indifinitely till they are able to get their living through honest means.
Prostitutes overwhwelmingly through history are so out of need. They do not need to be put into prison, but to be taken off the street and given decent means of subsistence for them and their offspring, since many times it is their offspring that pushes them into prostitution for lack of any other ressources. Therefore in this case it is not speaking about any punishment but about taking care of those more destitute in society, the ayas preceeding and those following are of that kind. Quite different from the issues dealt with in 24. when it deals with zina.
It is weird that prostitution being a scourge, particularly for women that comes up in every society that the Qur'an shouldn't have given it any mention. 4.15 is the mention I think.
As to 4.16 it refers as far as I can judge to the prostitute and her client.
Salaam
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Interesting huruf!
The common understanding of this verse/topic always bothered me.... maybe because it doesn't make sense, or maybe because there is something wrong with me.
I admit that I haven't studied that ingredient words carefully. Anyhow I could never understand how confining the woman in houses or homes till death, or Allahs second exit, would SOLVE a problem... and I could never understand how you could force a woman to this.... it just didn't make any sense to me.
But now I read an interpretation that it might be talking about prostitutes, who mostly are on the streets due to a financial need... and the way to solve it is simply to make place for them in someone's home, where they would be provided for... either till they die, if they are never able to start earning from a decent profession, or until Allah creates some other way for them to provide for themselves, or getting them married with someone who can support them, or whatever other way there might be.
I think this way of seeing it is the most beautiful interpretation I have seen. I never thought of it this way. It seems much more "godly". I guess more research and guidance from Allah is required.Peace!
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Peace. 415 And those of your women who commit lewdness, you shall bring four witnesses over them from among you; if they bear witness, then you shall restrict them in the homes until death terminates their lives, or God makes for them a way out.
I find it hard to understand this verse. Reasons why is because I would say that its preaty hard to get four witnesses that have witnessed the same incident.
What I can think of the meaning of the verse is maybe one witness to the actual incident and three other to testify as to good character of the actual witness.
Or, maybe because the punishments are preaty strict God doesnt want us to punish an inocent person so he makes the rule of four witnesses.
Thoughts
Its talking about adultery. The same as the verses about lashing. Those verses were mainly delaing with slander and this verses you quoted with the adulterer.