人们或许会在公开场合看到一些骇人的惩罚，例如砍断窃贼的手，或处决杀人犯。这些确实是可怕的场面，会在空旷的场所进行，并在社会的心灵与思想中留下持久的影响；因为社会将亲眼目睹罪犯所承受的剧烈痛苦。

One can expect to see some horrendous punishments in a public display, like cutting the hand of the thief, or the execution of murderers. These indeed are terrible sights, and will take place in open areas, leaving a lasting effect on the hearts and minds of the society; for society will witness the intense suffering of the criminal.

今后，任何有此犯罪念头的人都会三思而后行。即便是后世未曾亲历此事的人，也会因此而三思。事实上，这类刑罚并不经常施行，因为其本质上具有强大的威慑作用。此外，要切断窃贼的手是极其困难的，因为仅凭间接证据是不足以定罪的。因此，司法机关确保不会出现错判，而错判在我们这个时代似乎越来越普遍。

So in future anyone even thinking of committing such a crime will think twice. Even those who did not witness the event in future generations will think twice. For in fact such punishments are not meted out frequently at all, as by their nature they have such a powerful deterrent effect. Furthermore, it is extremely difficult to cut the hand of the thief, for circumstantial evidence is not sufficient. Thus, the judiciary ensures that there would be no wrongful convictions, which seem more and more to be a sign of our times.

严厉的惩罚并不是遏制犯罪的唯一手段。伊斯兰从各个方面处理问题。经济制度保障民众的需求，从而减少偷窃的欲望。教育制度通过提醒社会其对造物主所负的责任，从而压制偷窃的念头。因此，各项制度相互配合、和谐运作。沙特阿拉伯和苏丹等政权之所以失败，原因在于它们只是将伊斯兰的部分内容与人定法并行实施，因此依伊斯兰施以惩罚，却没有依伊斯兰来保障民众的需求。

Severe punishments are not the only means to deter crime. Islam tackles the problems from all angles. The economic system secures the needs of people and cuts the want for stealing. The education system, through reminding society of accountability to the Creator, cuts the desire for stealing. So all the systems work in harmony. The reason why regimes like Saudi Arabia and Sudan fail is because they only implement parts of Islam side by side with man-made law, such that they punish by Islam but do not secure the needs by Islam.

想象这样一个社会：人们有安全感。夜里走在街上，不必担心遭到袭击而不时回头张望；也不必为了防备入室盗窃，额外购买门锁、窗锁和信箱锁。这并非幻想，事实上，在伊斯兰国家的统治之下，这种情况曾持续了几个世纪。

Imagine a society where there is a sense of security. There would be no need to turn over your shoulder when walking the streets at night for fear of being assaulted, and no need to buy extra door locks, window locks and letterbox locks for fear of being burgled. This is no fantasy - indeed it was the case for centuries under the Islamic State.

此外，伊斯兰教在其司法制度中维护社会中被轻视的价值，例如名誉。在伊斯兰教中，指控他人通奸是应受惩罚的罪行，而如今的报纸却将此视为一种收入来源。

Furthermore, Islam in its judiciary upholds values that are downtrodden in society, for example honour. In Islam accusing someone of adultery is a punishable offence, whereas for newspapers today it is a source of revenue.

再以信仰的问题为例。在伊斯兰教中，如果有人侮辱安拉的任何一位先知（SWT），便会被处以死刑。这看似严苛。但信仰至少与财产同样值得保护，因为在审判日，救我们的是我们的信仰，而不是我们的财产。

Or take as another example the issue of belief. In Islam if anyone insults any prophet of Allah (swt) they are subject to be killed. This may appear harsh. But surely belief is at least as worthy of protection as property, for on the day of Judgement it is our belief that will save us, not our property.