The Principle of Legality in Islamic Criminal Justice System

This work focuses on the principle of legality and the various other maxims regarding the rights of the accused under Islamic criminal justice system. Its main findings are: that the principle of legality (mabda’ al-Ibahat) is the most basic principle (mabda usuli) of Islamic criminal law. This prin...

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Main Author: Muhammad Munir
Format: Article
Language:Arabic
Published: Hazara University 2018-06-01
Series:Hazara Islamicus
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hazaraislamicus.hu.edu.pk/public/uploads/2018/Issue_1/21.21.pdf
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author Muhammad Munir
author_facet Muhammad Munir
author_sort Muhammad Munir
collection DOAJ
description This work focuses on the principle of legality and the various other maxims regarding the rights of the accused under Islamic criminal justice system. Its main findings are: that the principle of legality (mabda’ al-Ibahat) is the most basic principle (mabda usuli) of Islamic criminal law. This principle has two postulates: 1) no crime without law, and 2) no punishment without law. The natural outcome of these two principles is another principle, that is, ‘no retroactive application of criminal law’. The majority of authors consider the principle of legality as absolute, however, this work carves out certain exceptions to it. In case a crime endangers the peace and security of the state or the interest of the community is involved or when giving retrospective effect would be necessitated by the interest of the community rather than the individual or when the application of the principle is beneficial to the accused, then it is allowed to give criminal law retrospective effect. In addition, this work finds out that the principle of legality is not against Islamic law as is the opinion of some scholars. This principle is intended to safeguard the fundamental rights of the accused either by not charging him or giving him lesser punishment even if that punishment be promulgated subsequent to the commission of the crime. Books of classical Islamic law do not focus on the basic principles of Islamic law. Those that exist are either mentioned in each separate chapter devoted to a specific crime or they must be found by deduction. Adhering to the principle of legality means that Islamic criminal justice system was well advanced since the dawn of Islam.
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spelling doaj.art-07449cf36476459c94e7b5449300f5dc2022-12-21T20:31:07ZaraHazara UniversityHazara Islamicus2305-32832410-80652018-06-010701105118The Principle of Legality in Islamic Criminal Justice SystemMuhammad Munir0PhD is Vice President Administration, Finance, and Planning, Director General Shari‘ah Academy, and Professor of Law, at the Department of Law, International Islamic University, IslamabadThis work focuses on the principle of legality and the various other maxims regarding the rights of the accused under Islamic criminal justice system. Its main findings are: that the principle of legality (mabda’ al-Ibahat) is the most basic principle (mabda usuli) of Islamic criminal law. This principle has two postulates: 1) no crime without law, and 2) no punishment without law. The natural outcome of these two principles is another principle, that is, ‘no retroactive application of criminal law’. The majority of authors consider the principle of legality as absolute, however, this work carves out certain exceptions to it. In case a crime endangers the peace and security of the state or the interest of the community is involved or when giving retrospective effect would be necessitated by the interest of the community rather than the individual or when the application of the principle is beneficial to the accused, then it is allowed to give criminal law retrospective effect. In addition, this work finds out that the principle of legality is not against Islamic law as is the opinion of some scholars. This principle is intended to safeguard the fundamental rights of the accused either by not charging him or giving him lesser punishment even if that punishment be promulgated subsequent to the commission of the crime. Books of classical Islamic law do not focus on the basic principles of Islamic law. Those that exist are either mentioned in each separate chapter devoted to a specific crime or they must be found by deduction. Adhering to the principle of legality means that Islamic criminal justice system was well advanced since the dawn of Islam.http://hazaraislamicus.hu.edu.pk/public/uploads/2018/Issue_1/21.21.pdfJusticeLawRightsPrinciplesCrime
spellingShingle Muhammad Munir
The Principle of Legality in Islamic Criminal Justice System
Hazara Islamicus
Justice
Law
Rights
Principles
Crime
title The Principle of Legality in Islamic Criminal Justice System
title_full The Principle of Legality in Islamic Criminal Justice System
title_fullStr The Principle of Legality in Islamic Criminal Justice System
title_full_unstemmed The Principle of Legality in Islamic Criminal Justice System
title_short The Principle of Legality in Islamic Criminal Justice System
title_sort principle of legality in islamic criminal justice system
topic Justice
Law
Rights
Principles
Crime
url http://hazaraislamicus.hu.edu.pk/public/uploads/2018/Issue_1/21.21.pdf
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