Lloyd#3: Shariah Law's Amputations are Barbaric!

Lloyd's Link to the many resources used in this series: https://www.youtube.com/post/UgkxzjLOQlFjElsEXyuW-XrsAnXW9g70palt Most Muslims you talk to here in the West are absolutely convinced that the amputation of a thief's right hand is not Islamic whatsoever, and that this practice is only found in a few areas, with no support in either the Qur'an, or in Islamic law. What they are not aware of is that the punishment of Amputation is found in the Qur'an itself, in Surah 5:38, so it is an injunction which is stipulated for every Muslim, as well as for every Muslim community, and for every Muslim state. The only reason Muslims cannot amputate here in the West is because we follow laws which are based on Biblical precepts, taken from the Gospel of Jesus Christ (the New Testament) which stipulate clearly against such barbaric practices. Yet, to understand the regulations behind Islamic amputations, and how or when to do it, you have to go to the Islamic School of Law, to the Shariah, which is the law dictated for every Muslim, everywhere, and for all time. For instance, let's just take the 'Hedaya' manual, the text used by the Hanafi sect of Islamic (the largest and most popular of the 4 Islamic schools of Law, encapsulating over 30% of all Muslims worldwide). This manual has over 44 pages dedicated to unpacking and breaking down everything that is needed to know about amputations, proving that this punishment is not incidental, nor is it specific for only a small set of people, nor for one time, nor for one place. In the Hedaya manual, Vol.II, Bk 8, Chapters II and IV (translated into English in 1791 AD), it stipulates that anyone who has stolen an article which is worth as little as $3.66 (in today's prices), or more, should, after their confession and the testimony of 2 witnesses, have their right hand amputated at the wrist. This is an 'Azimah' (or strict) ruling, used by most radical or orthodox groups today, such as the Taliban or ISIS. There are those who don't take such a strict view, such as Muslims in the West, and so they would dilute it to a 'Ruxa' (or lenient) ruling, out of convenience sake, because they don't live under Islamic Law, living in the West (fortunately). The Hedaya manual views perpetrators as 'guilty until proven innocent', which goes diametrically against our view of law in the West, where everyone is "Innocent until proven guilty". The Hedaya manual also stipulates what kind of stolen items would demand amputations. Thus, if someone steals wheat or sugar, their right hand should be amputated, because they are products which have been produced by someone. But if they were to steal any fruits or dates then their hand should not be amputated, because these grow freely on trees, providing they picked them while they were still on the trees. If they had been collected in a basket and stored somewhere, like in a barn, and then were stolen, then their hand should be amputated, because someone worked to get them there. Interestingly, according to the Hedaya manual it is perfectly legal to steal musical instruments, or liquor, or any Christian artifacts, even Gold crosses, because they are all considered 'haram', and thus illegal anyway, suggesting that any Christians living in a Muslim area would have no recourse if their items used for worship were stolen. The Hedaya manual stipulates that if the person who had his/her hand amputated were to re-steal, than they should next amputate their left foot, and if he continued then his left hand, and then his right foot, and finally he should be put to death. One wonders how anyone could continue to steal once both of their hands had been amputated. Nonetheless, all of these laws simply underline just how barbaric amputations are, and just how irrelevant they are for the 21st century, or for any century, or for anywhere, or for anyone! While Muslims here in the West will remonstrate that these laws don't apply to them, they will need to tell us where exactly they then plan to go to know how they are to live? Do they really think the Qur'an doesn't apply to them, and do they think these rules of law will be simply ignored once they come to power in our countries? Thank God that they have come here, many times to get away from these very laws. All we ask is that they leave their archaic and barbaric Shariah laws behind, and enjoy the freedoms the West offers them, based on laws which are Judeo-Christian, and so much more attractive. © Pfander Centre for Apologetics - US, 2022 (65,390) Music: "Sweet Sunset" by Musiclfiles, from filmmusic-io