Iran Court Sentences a Man to be Blinded

Jihadwatch
It's in the Qur'an: "We ordained therein for them: 'Life for life, eye for eye, nose or nose, ear for ear, tooth for tooth, and wounds equal for equal.' But if any one remits the retaliation by way of charity, it is an act of atonement for himself. And if any fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah hath revealed, they are (no better than) wrong-doers." -- Qur'an 5:45

Now you will tell me, "Wait a minute, Spencer, that's in the Hebrew Scriptures, too." So often I hear that the Bible and the Qur'an are equivalent in their messages -- something that only someone who hasn't read either one could say. But in any case, it's true: "an eye for an eye" appears in Exodus 21:22-25, Leviticus 24:19-21, and Deuteronomy 19:21. However, this phrase has always been understood in Judaism as limiting excessive vengeance, not encouraging it, and has never been taken in Jewish tradition as being a warrant for maiming anyone. It is likewise limited in Christianity by Jesus' statement: "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, do not resist an evildoer. If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also" (Matthew 5:38-39).

But in Islam, the literal force of the Qur'anic passage is paramount. One may remit the retaliation "by way of charity," but is not commanded to do so. And so we get cases like this, which are entirely in accord with Sharia. Isn't it great that Judge Vicki Miles-LaGrange has made sure that Oklahoma will be safe for Sharia?

"Man sentenced to be blinded with acid by Iranian court," from NewsCore, December 11:

IRAN'S supreme court has upheld a sentence of blinding with acid for a man who blinded his lover's husband, under the Islamic "eye-for-an-eye" justice code, a government daily said.
The convict, named only as Mojtaba, 25, threw acid in the face of Alireza, 25, a taxi driver in Iran's clerical hub city of Qom, after an "illicit affair" with the victim's wife, Mojdeh, also 25, said the newspaper Iran.

The supreme court has upheld a lower court ruling that Mojtaba be blinded with drops of acid, in line with Islamic justice, which allows for "qisas," or eye-for-an-eye retribution, in cases of violent crime, it said.

Qom prosecutor Mostafa Barzegar Ganji said the victim had used his right to qisas.

"We have asked for forensic specialists to oversee the blinding of the convict," he said, quoted in Iran.

Several acid attacks have been reported in Iran.

In February 2009, Majid Movahedi was sentenced to be blinded in both eyes for having hurled acid in the face of a university classmate, Ameneh Bahrami, who refused a marriage proposal.