Jurisprudence  the Essentials of the Islamic Law

Jurisprudence the Essentials of the Islamic Law

Taʻzīr after the Lapse of Ḥadd A Critical Analysis of the Restrictive Approach of the Islamic Penal Code and an Explanation of its Jurisprudential Foundations and Scope

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Assistant Professor, Department of Law, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran
10.22059/jjfil.2026.404457.669914
Abstract
The Islamic criminal justice system, regarding Ḥadd crimes, is predicated on the progressive principle of “minimum recourse to punishment.” Within this framework, the institution of repentance plays a fundamental role as the most critical operational tool for implementing this principle, facilitating the transition from punitive measures to reform. However, the silence of prominent classical jurists regarding the determination of penalties following the abatement of Ḥadd, coupled with the novel yet restrictive and cautious approach of the legislator in certain provisions of the 2013 Islamic Penal Code, has resulted in a practical impasse between “absolute pardon” and the “rigorous execution of Ḥadd.” The central problem of this research is to examine the feasibility of expanding the legislator’s modern approach in determining alternative Taʻzīr penalties once repentance is realized and the Ḥadd penalty is abated. Employing a descriptive-analytical and critical approach, this study is based on the hypothesis that substituting a lighter penalty does not imply an expansion of Sharia-mandated punishments; rather, it serves as a platform to advance the principle of minimum recourse to Ḥadd penalties, thereby consolidating the efficacy of repentance and preventing a penal vacuum. The findings indicate that by revisiting jurisprudential foundations and analyzing the inherent characteristics of repentance, it is possible to establish the imposition of proportionate Taʻzīr not merely as an exception, but as an essential rule in necessary cases. Ultimately, by presenting a model of Sharia-based criminal justice, this research emphasizes the necessity of amending the Islamic Penal Code to create structural equilibrium and prevent fragmentation in judicial precedents.
Keywords

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