In a lecture that took place in Jamaica, our noble brother, Abū Ḥakīm, gives some concise advice regarding Islām’s solution to crime in Jamaica; however, this beautiful advice is one that applies to all countries, towns, and cities across the world. Indeed our Noble Messenger Muḥammad (ṣallallāhu ʿalayhī wa-sallam) was sent as a Mercy to mankind by Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿāla) in order to deliver them from the darkness of polytheism, debauchery, and immorality to the light of Tawḥīd, Sunnah, upright morals and beautiful character. Through his message, he brought the solution to many of society’s ills: the implementation of a comprehensive Sharʿīah that governs mankind. This lecture does not provide a detailed solution to crime in any place; however, it does go on to highlight some of that which is present in the Book of Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿāla) and the Sunnah of the Messenger (ṣallallāhu ʿalayhī wa-sallam), and what the Islamic Sharʿīah is based upon as it relates to this most pertinent topic.
Islām is the religion of every single Prophet and Messenger which Allāh has sent to the different nations, and it revolves around al-istislām, and that is submission to Allāh in His Oneness, and to comply in obedience to Him and to submit our will to what He wills. It is to remove ourselves from shirk (associating partners with Allāh). This definition of Islām was the creed of every Messenger, and when we analyze the creed of the Messengers we see that Allāh is the God of Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Jacob, Ismaʿīl, and all of the other Messengers, and each one of them worshipped and turned to this God in obedience. All of the Prophets and Messengers down to the final Messenger, Muḥammad (ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) who is the Seal of the prophets, were sent to mankind as guides. The Messengers came to rectify a number of affairs, the first being rectification in relation to polytheism, to warn against the worship of idols and celestial bodies, and call to the worship of one true God which we have been created to worship. They came calling for a system that rectifies the ills of society. Some of them received acceptance, like Mūsa and Yūsuf (ʿalayhim al-salām), and others, and some of them were rejected by their people and had but few followers, like Nūḥ (ʿalayhi al-salām).
They were sent to rectify corrupt beliefs as well as social affairs, and the best example of this is the example of the Prophet Muḥammad (ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam), who came with a penal system revealed by Allāh and is known as the Sharʿīah. It is this comprehensive system that attracted many people to Islām and caused many nations to enter the religion. This penal system in Islām is the greatest means of repelling people from misdeeds, and acts as the strongest deterrent against theft, murder, rape etc., due to its recompense and punishment, and this is what makes it different from the various other penal systems present within the western world, lands which are full of corruption, dissension, and anarchy, which Islām is against.
Within the legislation of Islām, upon the example of the Messenger Muḥammad (ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) and present within a number of texts from the Qurʾān and the Sunnah is that which indicates upholding peace and security in the land. However, Allāh will only give this peace and security if the people are upon the worship of Allāh alone and do not commit shirk. Rectification begins with rectifying the heart first and foremost and its relationship with Allāh, and it is only through this that the legislation of Islām will be able to take place, just like during the time of the Messenger (ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) where crimes and debauchery were prevalent and the strong overcame the weak. The Messenger (ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wa–sallam) came with a system that gave rise to the best people to walk this earth, adorned with strong morals, nobility, and good character.
According to crime statistics in the US, a criminal offense is carried out every three seconds; one violent crime is committed every twenty-seven seconds; one murder every twenty-four minutes; one rape every seven minutes; one robbery every sixty-eight seconds and one motor-vehicle theft every twenty-nine seconds. These are just a few amongst many crimes committed daily, not to mention the increase in teen pregnancies and social ills related to family structure, such as divorce and broken families.
The system of Islām is one that, without a doubt, is complete and caters to all of these crimes and social ills, and it is a rectification that can only be attained by following the Book of Allāh and the Sunnah of the Messenger (ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wa–sallam).