corruption on earth, and therefore they incur the punishment that Allah, exalted is He, has prescribed in the verse of al-Māʾidah, whether the offense is against life, property, or honor, or whether it terrorizes travelers and blocks the roads. No distinction is to be made between its occurrence in towns and villages or in deserts and wilderness, which is the predominant view of the scholars—may Allah have mercy on them.
Ibn al-ʿArabī, recounting an incident from his time as a judge, said: “A group of men were brought before me who had attacked a caravan as highwaymen. They overpowered a woman, seizing her from her husband and the other Muslims who were with him, and carried her off. A determined pursuit ensued; they were captured and brought to court. I asked the muftis with whom Allah had tried me for their opinion, and they said, ‘They are not highwaymen, because ḥirāba applies only to property, not to women’s honor.’ I declared, ‘We belong to Allah and to Him we return! Do you not realize that ḥirāba against chastity is more heinous than ḥirāba against wealth? People would all rather have their possessions taken from them than have a man robbed of his wife or daughter. Had there been a punishment more severe than what Allah has prescribed, it would have been for those who violate women’s honor.’”
(b) Concerning the Almighty’s words, “The recompense of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and strive upon earth to spread corruption is that they be killed, or crucified, or that their hands and feet be cut off on opposite sides, or that they be banished from the land” (Qur’an 5:33), the Council holds that the particle “or” denotes discretionary choice, as is apparent from the noble verse and as affirmed by many of the leading scholars, may Allah have mercy on them.
(c) By majority opinion, the Council further holds that the judges—acting as the Imam’s deputies—are to determine the nature of the crime and issue the ruling. If it is established before them that the act constitutes waging war against Allah and His Messenger and spreading corruption on earth, they may, in the light of their ijtihād and taking into account the criminal’s situation and the circumstances of the offense, choose between execution, crucifixion, amputation of the right hand and left foot, or banishment from the land.