Q:

Salam Sheikh,

This topic has been on my mind for many months now and I am hoping you can put my mind and heart at ease. Every now and then there is a new horror story about young, innocent children being abused, neglected or raped and it makes me sick to my stomach. I sometimes cannot sleep well and I pray to Allah to make these horrible people suffer in this life and the afterlife. I have begun to have so many questions, which I know may sound blasphemous and may Allah forgive me for thinking like that, but I can’t stop asking myself, why would Allah allow such unimaginable harm to happen to  innocent, defenseless children? How can this be? I know Allah is wise and surely there must be something in it that we as humans may not fathom, but I cannot completely wrap my ahead around it. 

Allah is just and fair and yet, some mothers are blessed with children only to end up abusing them? How is this fair? (Asta’gfarullah..please excuse me sheikh as I genuinely want to understand)

Finally, what is the right punishment for those who molest kids? Surely it must be the death penalty. And surely they are not forgiven in the afterlife are they? I recall the hadith about the woman who tortured a poor cat and the prophet PBUH said she will be from the people of hell. If that is the fate of an animal abuser, what is then the fate of a child abuser?

I make duaa very often to Allah to send his wrath upon them and I feel uneasy about knowing such beasts live among us and such atrocities are happening to innocent children everyday. Please forgive my long inquiry but I would appreciate any piece of information and perhaps advice you may give me. Thank you very much.

A: 

Wa `alaykum As-Salamu waRahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

Such heinous crimes fall under the category of terrorism. The punishment for such crimes is the most severe in this world and the next.

If they go unpunished in this world, that does not mean they would escape the punishment of Allah.

They would undoubtedly face the most severe punishment in the next world. The torment of the hereafter is beyond any of the suffering or pain one may endure in this world.

So, although as a human being with compassion, we cannot but hear such news without a deep sense of horror, and we feel helpless if we have no way of stopping it.

Having said this, I would insist that Muslims must exert themselves to stop such abominations in their tracks by using all the resources at our disposal. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “If anyone of you sees an evil perpetrated, you should stop it by using your hands. If you cannot, you ought to speak against it. If you are unable to do that, then at least you must detest it in your hearts. That is the least degree of faith.” (Muslim)

In other words, a person who tolerates such heinous crimes cannot be a believer.

Finally, if you suspect anyone is acting abusively towards a minor or woman or anyone else, you ought to take steps to stop it, including reporting them to the legal authorities.

Almighty Allah knows best.