New
New
Year 11
Edexcel B

Muslim attitudes towards punishment

I can explain Muslim and non-religious beliefs about punishment.

New
New
Year 11
Edexcel B

Muslim attitudes towards punishment

I can explain Muslim and non-religious beliefs about punishment.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Punishment includes prison, fines, community service, corporal punishment and the death penalty.
  2. Non-religious views focus on reducing harm, protecting society and reforming offenders.
  3. Muslims believe punishment should follow Allah’s guidance and balance justice with mercy.
  4. Shari’ah law includes hudud, qisas and taʿzir as three types of punishment.
  5. Today, taʿzir is most common, while hudud are rarely used due to strict conditions and focus on reform.

Keywords

  • Forgiveness - to stop feeling angry or resentful towards a person for a wrongdoing

  • Justice - what is right and fair

  • Punishment - the imposition of a penalty for wrongdoing

Common misconception

All Muslims support harsh punishments.

While these punishments are mentioned in the Qur’an as part of hudud, most Muslims believe they can only be applied under very strict conditions by proper Islamic authorities. Mercy, forgiveness and reform are key values in Islamic justice.


To help you plan your year 11 religious education lesson on: Muslim attitudes towards punishment, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Use real-life case studies from Muslim-majority countries to show how different punishments are applied today.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

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5 Questions

Q1.
Muslims believe crime causes by harming others and breaking Allah’s laws.

Correct Answer: injustice, Injustice

Q2.
What are Muslims encouraged to do to reduce theft?

give loans
Correct answer: give to charity
pray

Q3.
What is Tawbah in Islam?

a harsh punishment
the death penalty
Correct answer: sincere repentance

Q4.
Islam teaches that is a sign of strength and is encouraged by Allah.

Correct Answer: forgiveness, Forgiveness

Q5.
Under Islamic law, punishment must be fair and aim to guide criminals toward .

Correct Answer: reform, Reform

Assessment exit quiz

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5 Questions

Q1.
Punishment can take many forms, including prison, fines, and punishment.

Correct Answer: corporal, Corporal

Q2.
Which of the following is least aligned with non-religious views on punishment?

deterrence
reform
Correct answer: retribution

Q3.
Muslims aim to balance justice with when punishing wrongdoers.

Correct Answer: mercy, Mercy

Q4.
What type of punishment involves “eye for an eye” justice?

Correct answer: Qisas
Taʿzir
Hudud

Q5.
What is one reason hudud punishments are rarely used?

They are not in the Qur’an.
Correct answer: They require clear evidence and a fair trial.
They’re too simple