Author: Abid Mustafa
Publication: The Nation
Date: November 27, 2005
URL: http://nation.com.pk/daily/nov-2005/27/columns5.php
[Note from the Hindu Vivek Kendra: The author
writes: "Whilst capitalism struggles to cope with rising crime, Islam
demonstrates a comprehensive mechanism to deal with it. Muslims living in
the West should take it upon themselves to expose the flaws of capitalism
and present to the wider society, Islam as the only solution to mankind's
problems." So, the whole world should covert to Islam, and a peaceful
society is guaranteed!]
The killing of Pc Sharon Beshenivsky in Bradford
has spurred some to call for the arming of the British police force, while
others have demanded stiffer laws in curbing gun crime. Speaking BBC Radio
4's Today programme, Tom McGhie the chairman of the West Yorkshire Police
Federation called for a rethink on routinely arming officers.
The number of offences involving firearms
in England and Wales has been increasing each year since 1997, according to
the Home Office. Firearms incidents recorded by the police have nearly trebled
in eight years. This is despite the government's efforts to curb violent crime
involving guns. In 2003, the then Home Secretary David Blunket introduced
a host of measures which included a new gun amnesty, a five year prison sentence
for illegal possession of firearms and greater protection to witnesses who
testify in gun crime cases. The measures were in response to the brutal killing
of two young girls in Birmingham. The initiatives did little to combat violent
crime or address its root cause.
Over the past few months the British public
has witnessed a large number of high profile crimes involving murders, stabbings,
child abductions, rapes and robberies. Anyone turning on the television or
listening to the radio will not fail to notice that a fair proportion of these
crimes do not involve the use of firearms. There are countless incidents,
where knives are the primary means of perpetrating violent crime and still
ministers, politicians, social workers, and police officers choose to focus
on gun control as a means of reducing violent crime.
This reactionary approach towards tackling
crime is not only limited to violent offences, but extends to all forms of
crime. Instead of solving the problem the current approach leads to more crime,
extra legislation and further strain on the over populated prison system as
well as a greater burden on the judiciary, a demoralised police force, a vulnerable
public and a huge drain on resources estimated to be in the region of £60
billion.
A similar trend can be found in all other
Western societies. In these societies the public is resigned to accept that
crime is on the increase and very little can be done to reduce it. This does
not need to be the case. Rather, what lies at the heart of the issue is the
incorrect understanding in Western societies of crime and its causes; this
has led to Western governments implementing ineffective solutions to combat
crime.
Even the severity of the law does not deter
people from committing crime. Thus for many years, Western governments have
struggled to reduce the growing number of paedophiles, rapists, drug addicts,
joy riders, burglars, fraudsters and the like - no matter how many laws they
enact or how much time and money they spend on policing. The capitalist goal
in life has greatly affected the public's attitude towards preventing crime.
The public in capitalist societies are more concerned about preserving their
ability to pursue sensual pleasure to the extent that they would not intervene
to help other people enjoy their right to pursue pleasure, particularly if
such intervention was associated with difficulty or danger.
Unless it is something that threatens their
collective pursuit of enjoyment, the public rarely intervenes to stop crimes
committed in front of them. This mindset has moulded the public in Western
societies to become apathetic towards crime, thereby allowing criminals to
thrive amongst them. For instance if a thief ran out of a shop in a crowded
shopping centre, the majority of the shoppers would be hesitant to give chase.
If a group of people were attacking an individual on the bus, most people
would remain quiet in their seats. If a pensioner was being mugged in the
street, most people will ignore it.
The capitalist goal in life has also undermined
the ability of capitalist states to fight crime. This is because the role
of Western governments is to pass laws and implement policies which enable
individuals to realise their optimal level of sensual fulfilment. All too
often, the true benefactors are a small minority of people who are able to
influence governments.
They pass laws that protect their right to
pursue enjoyment at the expense of the vast majority of the people. In turn,
this vast majority feel that these laws unfairly impinge on their right to
pursue the capitalist goal and hence many resort to breaking the law. For
instance, the majority of the British public abhors firearms, but fails to
understand why the government has repeatedly taken no action against the media
companies that glorify gun violence as the quickest way of attaining happiness
through films, music, books and video games. Equally in America, the public's
demand to ban the selling of guns is met with government silence. In both
cases governments are more interested in allowing the media moguls and gun
companies to maximise profits at the cost of the public.
The same argument applies to the redevelopment
of deprived inner city areas, which governments and wealthy capitalists intentionally
ignore as they are deemed to be commercially unprofitable. Understandably,
people living in such areas will resort to crime. Even the punishment of criminals
is based upon the capitalist goal; instead of designing punishments to deter
potential criminals in society, punishments exist merely to restrict the convicted
criminal's pursuit of pleasure. For example the millionaire Geoffrey Archer
was able to follow his lavish lifestyle, even though he is serving a custodial
sentence. Therefore, at all levels of human behaviour the capitalist goal
in life is the main driving force behind crime in Western societies.
On the other hand, Islam produces a society
where crime is not the norm but an exception. This is because the Islamic
goal in life is about seeking the pleasure of Allah. It is through seeking
the pleasure of Allah that a Muslim attains happiness.
Therefore Muslims are extremely careful when
undertaking actions, large or small because they know that in the hereafter
they will be held accountable for them. The outcome of which will be either
paradise or hellfire determined by the Muslim's compliance to Allah's commands
and prohibitions in this life. This belief instills in Muslims a strong sense
of Taqwa (fear of Allah), responsibility towards others and obedience to Islamic
laws and authority. At an individual level this becomes a very powerful deterrent
against crime, as one is constantly aware of the consequences of one's actions.
Allah reminds us in the Quran: "And We are nearer to him than his jugular
vein". [TMQ Al-Qaf: 16]
The manifestation of this self policing would
mean that unlike capitalist countries, the future Islamic state will not need
to spend huge resources in fighting crime, use large numbers of surveillance
techniques to catch criminals or employ a large police force dedicated to
crime prevention.
Similarly, the Islamic society's yearning
to seek the pleasure of Allah will produce a collective mentality amongst
the public where the preservation of society and Islamic laws will be regarded
as more important than one's own interest. This is because for Muslims, the
transgression of the commands and prohibitions of Allah) by offenders is a
sin that must be stopped. Islam has obliged Muslims to enjoin Mar'uf (good)
and forbid Munkar (evil). The Prophet (Sallalahu Alaihi Wasallam) said in
a hadith narrated by Abu Sa'id al Khudri: "Whosoever sees a Munkar (an
evil or wrong) let him change it by his hand, if he could not let it be by
his tongue. If he could not let it be by his heart, and this is the weakest
of Iman". [Muslim]
In the case of non-Muslims citizens it will
be the justice of Islam that will be the motivating factor for them to prevent
crime. This will galvanise public opinion to become an effective deterrent
against crime.
However, there will always be a minority that
would violate the laws imposed by Islam. For them Islam has laid down a comprehensive
punishment system which is administered by the state. The punishments in Islam
are not intended to restrict the offender, but are meant to dissuade others
from carrying out crime. For instance concerning the thief, Allah says: "As
to the thief, male or female, cut off his or her hand. It is the reward of
their own deeds, an exemplary punishment from Allah. Allah is Mighty, Wise."
[TMQ Al-Maida: 38]
In Islam the individual through his Taqwa,
the public through their concern about the preservation of society and the
state all act in unison to ensure that the Islamic laws are implemented and
that crime is minimised. The Islamic history bears testimony to this fact.
For example, when Imam Malik was appointed the judge of Madinah, he had to
wait almost a year before he presided over his first case. Also the records
of the courts that existed in the main cities in the Islamic State show that
the types of cases dealt by courts were primarily social issues like divorce,
inheritance and business related disputes. The number of cases involving murders,
muggings, rapes and the like were nowhere near the figures that occur in Western
societies today.
Whilst capitalism struggles to cope with rising
crime, Islam demonstrates a comprehensive mechanism to deal with it. Muslims
living in the West should take it upon themselves to expose the flaws of capitalism
and present to the wider society, Islam as the only solution to mankind's
problems.
The writer is a political analyst who specialises
in Muslim affairs.
