Here’s a very timely piece in Asharq Alawsat by Aaidh al-Qarni, a Saudi Islamic scholar, offering a suggestion that the new Chairman of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice take the opportunity of his appointment to ‘reset’ the Commission’s relationship with society. It bears strongly on the case cited below of the 75-year-old Syrian woman convicted of khulwa and sentenced to jail and a flogging. Perhaps this woman was turning tricks, unlikely as that may be. There’s not much apparent evidence of that, just suspicion. Suspicion, al-Qarni tells us, should not be part of Islamic jurisprudence, nor should it be the guiding light of actions by the Commission. He backs up his comments with Quranic quotations. The piece is worth reading in full.

With Greetings to His Highness Chairman
of Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice Commission
Dr. Aaidh al-Qarni

We all welcome His Highness Sheikh Abdulaziz al-Humayyin, who has assumed the post of chairman of the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice Commission, as part of the renovation and reform undertaken by the custodian of the two holy mosques.

We are looking forward to seeing the good things promised by his highness the sheikh: pleasant conduct and a noble method of dealing with people as brothers and friends not as opponents and enemies.

His highness the sheikh knows that the sons of society are his sons, their daughters his daughters, and their mothers his mothers. He knows that man is born good and virtuous, that people should be trusted before being mistrusted, that treating people with kindness is better than with highhandedness, that showing discretion towards their weaknesses is more noble than pillorying them, that giving them advice is more honorable than exposing them, and that building trust is more generous than accusation of betrayal and condemnation.

His highness knows also that Almighty God, may His name be exalted, has commanded us to repel evil with that which is best, to be flexible, to speak well, to be kind to people and compassionate to the sinful. Our Messenger, God’s prayers and blessings be upon him, said: “He who shows discretion towards the weakness of a Muslim in this life, will be protected by God in this and in the afterlife.” A man came to the Prophet and told him that he had caught a sinner, the Prophet said: “It would have been better for you to be discreet about what he has done.” The Prophet used to protect those who erred; he would not name them, expose them or injure their feelings, but, instead, he would say: why should some people do this or that.
…