Punishment has been discussed by thinkers over the centuries. Although the justification of punishment requires some theoretical basis, its continuation does not rest on finding such basis. A fundamental principle that has survived despite many changes irrespective of the nature or religion of society is that some punishment is inflicted upon a person who transgresses or breaches some values of that society.

…Almost every Muslim state today has an article in its constitution stating that Islam is either the source or a source of legislation. It has been suggested that “the sheer number of Muslims living today makes the idea of putting Islamic Law into a footnote in contemporary writings inappropriate”. This short book sets out to investigate the principles underlying Punishment in Islam.