Islamic scholars discuss the appropriateness of beheading under Islamic law in an article in today's Washington Times.
The killings of Americans Nicholas Berg and Paul M. Johnson Jr. and South Korean Kim Sun-il -- and that of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl in 2002 in Pakistan -- are "an extreme form of execution that is most inhumane," said Sam Hamod, former director of the Islamic Center in the District who is now a lecturer and writer near San Diego.
The executioners, who claim to act in the name of Islam, he said, "may find a hadith [or saying of Muhammad] that supports it, but the Koran doesn't allow it."
The killers didn't even do the job right, he said.
"If they are going to have an execution, the [executioner] must say a prayer and ask for forgiveness from God for what he is doing and pray for the person's soul being killed," he said. "You can't do it like the idiots on TV. The right thing to do is slit the person's throat, not cut off the entire head."
It sounds like these Islamic murderers need a little education on their religion, and how to properly perform their barbarous acts.
The article also quotes Rabbi Brad Hirschfield of the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership as saying,
"Right now in the world, many Muslims are devoting their lives to the truth of decapitation," he said. "Simply to say, 'It's not Islam' is not a helpful response, because for those who are doing it, it is."
