Sheikh DhikruLlahi Shafi’i, the Grand Mufti of the Conference of Islamic Organisations (CIO), has reportedly described the Saudi court’s judgment that led to the execution of two Bangladeshi nationals over an alleged indecent act inside a mosque in Makkah as appropriate.
Shafi’i made the remarks during his ” Fatwa session on Wednesday, while explaining the Islamic legal concept of ta’zir, a form of discretionary punishment under Islamic law, and discussing the circumstances in which it may extend to capital punishment.
“The harshest among them is killing the person,” he said, referring to the range of punishments associated with ta’zir.
Religion Journalism Foundation (RJF) reported that Saudi Arabia executed the two Bangladeshi nationals on October 14, following their conviction for what the Saudi Interior Ministry described as an indecent act inside a mosque in Makkah.
However, the Saudi authorities’ public announcement did not specify the exact conduct involved or identify the mosque, while claims circulating online that the pair were executed for kissing near the Kaaba have not been established by the official statement.
In his explanation, Shafi’i reportedly considered the judgment appropriate, citing the sanctity of mosques in Makkah and the obligation to respect sacred places. He referred to Qur’an 22:25, which addresses the sanctity of the Sacred Mosque and warns against wrongdoing in its vicinity.
Ta’zir is a category of punishment in Islamic jurisprudence in which the competent authority exercises discretion in determining an appropriate penalty for an offence. It differs from hadd, which refers to categories of offences with prescribed punishments under Islamic law.
The extent of punishment permissible under ta’zir has been discussed differently by Islamic jurists. The classification does not, by itself, establish that capital punishment is justified in every case, as the applicable legal principles and circumstances of the offence remain relevant.
The full Saudi court judgment has not been made publicly available in the reports reviewed, leaving questions about the precise conduct involved and the court’s detailed reasoning unanswered.
Shafi’i also emphasised the importance of verifying information before accepting or circulating claims about the case.
He referred to the principle of at-tabayyun wa-tathabbut, which calls for verification and confirmation, and cited Qur’an 49:6, which instructs believers to investigate reports to avoid harming others through misinformation.
He also referenced Qur’an 4:83, which highlights the importance of referring information to those qualified to examine it.
The scholar’s remarks come amid public discussion about the executions, particularly the circumstances of the alleged offence and the legal basis for the sentences.
