Crime and society

By

Abdul Hannan Siwani Nadvi

Crime against women and girls is on rise in Delhi, capital of India. The incidences of abductions and rapes forced us to think on what is happening in so-called educated society.

Recently, three incidents, one of them took place on 30th November, when a 22 year old woman raped and second happened on 24th November when a 23 year old call center staff sexually assaulted by five persons, and the third incident was occurred on 11th December when a 18 year old girl came under target by some goons, in all these three incidents it appears that security personals despite their heavy and intensive patrolling and coordination with all police stations of that areas, such inhuman act finds a place.

It is true that security personals succeeded to arrest the culprits but their arrest cannot be a substitute of the dignity of these girls. Trauma, mental pain, social alienation and shame a girl suffers whole life are except of it.

According to a report, 433 incidents of rape took place in Delhi this year. Sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, physical torture and misbehavior are being suffered by every woman and girl in every public place, even in offices are a matter where security agencies find themselves helplessness.

The failure of state government in providing atmosphere free from violence to the women forced P.C. Chidambaram to say that outsiders are responsible for increasing of crime against women.

Reacting on recent incident, Chairperson of the National Commission for Women Dr. Girja Viyas insisted on the implementation of sexual harassment bill and said that police patrolling should be more active.

After Dhula Kuan rape incident, police issued guidelines and asked to companies to take strong action for the safety of its female staff.

Above advises, demands and the reactions of our leaders can be seen in a good step but these things cannot help in eliminating the crime.

I would like to say to those leaders that only placing of law and increasing police patrolling is not the solution.

It is known to all of us that police, any administration, state or central government or any system cannot provide or offer 24 hours full security to every woman and girl. It is impossible.

What we experienced in the last incident in which 18 year old girl picked up forcefully in the car and raped is that 600 hundred police personals were involved in tracing the car. After 2 hours and when the police got correct information from other sources then they were in condition to trace the car and arrest the culprit, until then the dignity of the girl had been crushed.

This incident shows that only law, police patrolling and awareness or giving telephone number of police to every woman and girl cannot be a part of solution.

Second, we have to look on all aspects are leading to such heinous act. This is the tragedy of modern world that we instill the jails with criminals and ready to make new big jails, however, every one of us not ready to see that what is happening in the society and why youths are becoming criminals. What are the reasons behind it? In this regard, we can say that Islamic perspective, teachings and Islamic system to handle with such perpetrators and the punishment awarded by Islam for the rapists is the correct answer of such heinous act.

Security agencies must study the guidelines of the Qura’an which will help them in handling the situation.

I have no hesitation to say that only Islamic teachings, its guidelines and the punishment offered by Islam can keep safe women and help police to eliminate such criminals from the society.

Today, what we are experiencing is that police most time and their work is being spent in searching the culprits or bringing them before the court. In many cases it is seen that rapists got the bail and do same again.

There is a very interesting point and I think this is the main reason behind the failure of safety of women is that we always try to find out and arrest the culprits, after that we forget that what was happened and what are the actions should be taken to reduce it in future.

Actually, in the society where we are living, the atmosphere, education, system, films, serials and other cheap books all are playing a greater role in increasing the crime, whether it is against the women or anti- human being.

Condemning the crime is a different thing but seeing of all aspects leading towards the crime is a different thing.

Third, we take a look on the Qura’an and see what it says in this regard.

Before going to condemn or mention the punishment or to say any thing on it, Qura’an says, “and come not to near to unlawful sex, verily it is a immoral sin and an evil way”

In this verse, Allah uses the word come not to near to unlawful sex, Allah does not say; not do unlawful sex, everyone knows that rape or unlawful sex is an act which is being did by forcefully or by mutual willingness.

By using this term, Qura’an first bans on all actions, work and systems landed to unlawful sex, whether it is rape.

Regardless to go into the details that which action leads to unlawful sex and which not, because everyone who has little knowledge or capability of understanding knows very well that our society where going is, and what is the reason behind it? It is not a hidden matter. It is like an open book.

As for as the punishment to be given to the rapists, looking towards various punishments granted by various courts to the rapists shows the term of punishment is 6 or 7 year or life imprisonment.

In many cases, the criminals and rapists got the bail or be free after completion their punishment term, and again they do same crime and another girl falls as a victim.

In that situation, we find that Qura’an grants very harsh punishment. Qura’an expresses no pity to such criminals and says;

The fornicatoress and the fornicator, flog each of them with a hundred stripes, let no pity withhold you in their case in a punishment prescribed by Allah (Surah Al-Nur, 2)

I do not know that what is wrong if police or state government study Qura’an and to look on how Islam tells to deal with the crime is taking place in the society.

In an era when everyone takes advantages from others and when the intelligence agencies are sharing information on international level to check the crime, it is not wisdom to avoid Islamic teachings which are very reliable and fruitful for all human beings and for all nations, instead of relied on other untrustworthy sources and to be wasted energy, time, money and at last, it appears that everyone faces failure while the brokers of law become success in terrorizing the society.

16-12-2010