The Punishment for Sodomy
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
What is the ruling on the sodomite, O Shaykh?
Answer:
I had forgotten about the sodomite, yes. As for the sodomite, Shaykh Ibrahim mentioned it, and the scholars issued a ruling: the sodomite, as you heard, and may Allah protect us, the one who approaches a man—this act of sodomy—Allah has condemned it and explained the matter of sodomy in the story of the people of Lut. Allah destroyed them all, sank their land, and turned their high places upside down—may we seek refuge in Allah—then He rained stones of baked clay upon them. We ask Allah for safety.
Al-Walid ibn Abd al-Malik, the Commander of the Faithful, said: "If Allah had not mentioned the story of sodomy in the Qur'an, I would not have thought that a man would mount a man!" It is a heinous, abominable act, more abominable than unlawful sexual intercourse—may we seek refuge in Allah—and more ugly. Therefore, it was reported that its ruling is execution, as held by the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), who unanimously agreed on executing the sodomite in all cases, whether he is a virgin or a married man. Some jurists said: "It is like the case of the adulterer; the married adulterer is stoned, and the virgin is flogged one hundred lashes and exiled for a year." However, this is a weak opinion.
The correct view is that the sodomite is executed. This is one of the opinions, and it is the correct one. He is executed by the sword, or by stoning with stones like the married adulterer. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) unanimously agreed on his execution, but some said: "He is stoned as the married adulterer is stoned." Some said: "Rather, he is thrown from a height." And some said: "He is burned with fire."
The correct view in this matter is that he is executed by the sword, as came in the hadith from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1456Hasan (Darussalam) We ask Allah for safety. This hadith has no problem with its chain of narration; it is good, even though there is some variation in it. However, it is supported and corroborated by the consensus of the Companions. The Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) unanimously agreed on his execution, and that the sodomite is executed in all cases, whether he is a virgin or a married man. They only differed on the manner of execution: is he executed by burning with fire, or by stoning, or by the sword?
The correct view is that he is executed by the sword; because fire is not used for punishment except by Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He), and stoning was only prescribed for the married adulterer; so the sodomite is not analogized to him. The sodomite has a different status. However, the active party and the passive party are executed by the sword if they are accountable, due to the filthiness of their sin and its great abomination; and because it is obligatory to deter people from it and warn against it. Execution was appropriate in this context to warn against this heinous, ugly abomination.
We ask Allah for safety and well-being for everyone.
What is the ruling on the sodomite, O Shaykh?
Answer:
I had forgotten about the sodomite, yes. As for the sodomite, Shaykh Ibrahim mentioned it, and the scholars issued a ruling: the sodomite, as you heard, and may Allah protect us, the one who approaches a man—this act of sodomy—Allah has condemned it and explained the matter of sodomy in the story of the people of Lut. Allah destroyed them all, sank their land, and turned their high places upside down—may we seek refuge in Allah—then He rained stones of baked clay upon them. We ask Allah for safety.
Al-Walid ibn Abd al-Malik, the Commander of the Faithful, said: "If Allah had not mentioned the story of sodomy in the Qur'an, I would not have thought that a man would mount a man!" It is a heinous, abominable act, more abominable than unlawful sexual intercourse—may we seek refuge in Allah—and more ugly. Therefore, it was reported that its ruling is execution, as held by the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), who unanimously agreed on executing the sodomite in all cases, whether he is a virgin or a married man. Some jurists said: "It is like the case of the adulterer; the married adulterer is stoned, and the virgin is flogged one hundred lashes and exiled for a year." However, this is a weak opinion.
The correct view is that the sodomite is executed. This is one of the opinions, and it is the correct one. He is executed by the sword, or by stoning with stones like the married adulterer. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) unanimously agreed on his execution, but some said: "He is stoned as the married adulterer is stoned." Some said: "Rather, he is thrown from a height." And some said: "He is burned with fire."
The correct view in this matter is that he is executed by the sword, as came in the hadith from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:
Whomever you find doing the actions of the people of Lut then kill the one doing it, and the one it is done to.
من وجدتموه يعمل عمل قوم لوط؛ فاقتلوا الفاعل والمفعول بهThe correct view is that he is executed by the sword; because fire is not used for punishment except by Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He), and stoning was only prescribed for the married adulterer; so the sodomite is not analogized to him. The sodomite has a different status. However, the active party and the passive party are executed by the sword if they are accountable, due to the filthiness of their sin and its great abomination; and because it is obligatory to deter people from it and warn against it. Execution was appropriate in this context to warn against this heinous, ugly abomination.
We ask Allah for safety and well-being for everyone.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.