Critical analysis of Hudood Laws published
By Bushra Rafique

ISLAMABAD: A book written in Urdu on Hudood Law by Muhammad Mushtaq Ahmad, lecturer, Faculty of Shariah and Law, International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) is published and now available in the market.
The 123 pages booklet entitled 'A Critical Analysis of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) Report on Hudood Laws' precisely covers various aspects of Islamic criminal law and Hudood Laws as implemented in Pakistan. The author has made a number of suggestions for the improvement of 'The Protection of Women's Rights Bill' currently under hot debate in the National Assembly.
The author has suggested that instead of having four ordinances for one law it is better to include all the relevant provisions in one ordinance and that the law about defamation should be separated from the law of Qazaf.
Elaborating his point, the author says that many of the punishments in the proposed bill are already included in the Pakistan Penal Code. The author has criticized the definition of Hudood and suggested that it can simply be defined as punishment fixed by the Shariah, the enforcement of which is the right of Allah on the government of Muslims.
All the definitions of crimes under Hudood category should be taken from Islamic laws that will reduce many of the confusions the legislators are confronted with. He has further suggested that rap and gang rap should be taken as crime other than Hudood for which punishment can be determined by the state.
The book critically analyzes the report of the CII recently issued on the prevailing Hudood Laws. With a long list of references from ancient books of Islamic jurisprudence and history the author has comprehensively made a number of suggestions for the improvement of the 'Protection of Women's Rights Bill'.
The book is divided into four chapters that include Some Basic Principles, the Concept and System of Hudood, Some Important Issues Regarding Punishment of Zina and Qazaf and Suggestions for Amendments in Hudood Laws.