FatwaFederal TerritoriesCrime & Sharia Law
BAYAN LINNAS SIRI KE-329: PERLAKSANAAN HUKUMAN MATI DARIPADA PERSPEKTIF SYARAK
How is the death penalty viewed from the Islamic legal perspective, and is it inhumane?
Short answer
In Islamic law the death penalty relates to qisas, which is retaliatory execution of an intentional murderer, and it serves to protect life through general deterrence and by ending cycles of tribal vendetta.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Federal Territories Mufti Office
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Bayan Linnas
- Topic
- Crime & Sharia Law
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
In Islamic law the death penalty relates to qisas, which is retaliatory execution of an intentional murderer, and it serves to protect life through general deterrence and by ending cycles of tribal vendetta. Qisas is obligatory only for intentional killing, while accidental or quasi-intentional killing incurs only diyat. Its implementation is subject to strict procedures of prosecution, conviction and judgment. The claim that the penalty is uncivilised and inhumane is stated to be inaccurate.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Dalam hal ini, ia hanya wajib apabila pembunuhan itu dilakukan secara sengaja (عمدًا).
Read the full fatwa on the Federal Territories website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Federal Territories Mufti Office. “BAYAN LINNAS SIRI KE-329: PERLAKSANAAN HUKUMAN MATI DARIPADA PERSPEKTIF SYARAK”, 14 October 2025. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/bayan-linnas/6394-bayan-linnas-siri-ke-329-perlaksanaan-hukuman-mati-daripada-perspektif-syarak. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/death-penalty-islamic-law-qisas/