Governance of Law and Lawlessness

There is a provision for violence in Quran, However In general most people have neither studied the context nor have taken heed of the warnings in Quran about using violent means. Violence in any society is norm for law enforcement and cannot be entirely given away with, one should not shy away from self defense and leave the weak to suffer, but use effective means to subdue trouble makers.

So how does one balance peace and violence and that's where diktats of Quran comes in, kindly observe below.

“And do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness.”[5:8]

2:190, says, “Fight in the way of God against those who fight against you, but begin not hostilities. Lo! God loveth not aggressors.”

If peace was the only option, what could the military have done while gunmen takes innocent lives, one needs a balance.

There is not a single verse in the Quran that calls for an unmitigated, unqualified, or unreserved obligation to fight the unbelievers.

Quran balances permission to fight the enemy with a strong mandate for making peace: "If your enemy inclines toward peace, then you too SHOULD SEEK PEACE and put your TRUST in God" (Quran 8:61).

And finally to Emphasise the value of life. Qur’an 6:151 says, “and do not kill a soul that God has made sacrosanct, save lawfully.” (i.e. murder is forbidden but the death penalty imposed by the state for a crime is permitted). 5:53 says, “… whoso kills a soul, unless it be for murder or for wreaking corruption in the land, it shall be as if he had killed all mankind; and he who saves a life, it shall be as if he had given life to all mankind.”

The other aspect is governance in matters of implementing Islam, taking law into one’s own hand is not permissible but there has to be an established body or a state. The issue is not about the understanding, but it is about governing the implementation. In many countries states take care of that governance, so as to prevent chaos and mischief, hence defining what is crime and what is not, and the impact of doing such an activity. Yes Muslims in general are voicing their dissent but without a state equipped governance mechanisms, public opinion, processions, condemnation would find no end result.