Definition

Noun: 1. Islamic criminal laws prescribing fixed punishments: In Islamic jurisprudence (Sharia), "hudood" (or "hudud") refers to a specific class of crimes for which punishments are explicitly mandated in the Quran and the Sunnah (traditions of the Prophet Muhammad). These punishments are considered "limits" set by God and are intended as both a retribution and a deterrent for serious offenses.

Usage

• The term is used in the context of Islamic law and theology to discuss the legal framework for specific major crimes.
• It is typically used in a formal, academic, or legal context.
• As a plural noun (the singular is ), it is often treated as a collective concept.

Examples

• The scholar gave a lecture on the application of hudood in classical Islamic jurisprudence.
• Debates often arise regarding the interpretation and implementation of hudood laws in the modern era.
• Theft and adultery are among the crimes categorized under hudood.

Advanced Usage

• "Hudood offenses": A common collocation specifying the crimes themselves.
  • The legal code clearly defined which acts constituted hudood offenses.
• The concept is often contrasted with crimes, which are offenses where the punishment is left to the discretion of a judge.

Variants and Related Words

• Hudud: An alternate transliteration of the same Arabic plural noun.
• Hadd (singular): Refers to one specific prescribed punishment or limit.
  • The hadd for theft was a subject of rigorous debate among the jurists.

Synonyms

• Fixed punishments (in the specific context of Islamic law)
• Prescribed penalties (in the specific context of Islamic law)

Notes

• "Hudood" is a term of art within Islamic law. Its meaning is specific to that religious-legal context and is not used in general English discourse.
• The punishments for hudood crimes are severe and their application in the contemporary world is a significant topic of discussion and controversy among Muslims and within international human rights discourse.

Noun

1. Islamic laws stating the limits ordained by Allah and including the deterrent punishments for serious crimes