medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
I suggest that medieval Islam, like modern Islam, was profoundly
influenced by the local culture, & that precious little can be stated in
terms of punishments.
There is a letter written from Constantinople in 1450 by Georgios
Scholarios Gennadios in which he says that a Jewish teacher of Georgios
Gemistor Plethon was burned by the Turks for polytheism & witchcraft.
This letter is written to justify torture & murder, & to damage Plethon
& any associates. There is no corroborative detail for anything in the
letter. We have no information, beyond this letter, of the Ottoman
Turks using burning for witchcraft.
DW
George FERZOCO wrote:
> medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
>
> Dear medieval-religion colleagues,
>
> A tiny bit of information that I found at
> http://www.fatwa-online.com/fataawa/creed/magic/0010807_2.htm
> indicates that, at least in this particular form of Islam, burning is
> not acceptable.
>
> In Saudi Arabia last year, a man was beheaded for sorcery (and other
> misdeeds): http://africa.reuters.com/wire/news/usnL02434180.html
>
> At
> http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article=94140&d=25&m=3&y=2007
> we find the following question-and-answer that is dealt with (last
> year) by the President of Saudi Arabia's Commission for the Promotion
> of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice:
>
> ***
> Q: What is the commission doing to catch sorcerers in Saudi cities.
> And what is their fate after they are caught? Could you tell us how
> many of them were caught this year and their locations? And what about
> the magic spells that are thrown into the Red Sea? How are these
> spells broken?
>
> A: The commission plays a large role in capturing people who practice
> sorcery or delusions since these are vices which affect the faith of
> Muslims and cause harm to both nationals and expatriates. The
> commission has assigned centers in every city and town to be on the
> lookout for these men. As for their fate, they are arrested and then
> transferred to concerned authorities. The commission also has a role
> in breaking magic spells, which are found in the sea. We cooperate
> with divers in this aspect. After the spells are found, they are then
> broken using recitations of the Holy Qur’an. We do not use magic to
> break magic spells, as this is against the teachings of Islam as
> mentioned by the Supreme Ulema. But we use the Qur’an as did the
> Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
>
> ***
>
> So much then, with these snippets, for some aspects of the question in
> one form of present-day Islam. What we all need on this list is
> someone who can point us to what MEDIEVAL Moslems held in this regard
> -- anybody know anybody who can help us?
>
> George
>
> --
> George FERZOCO
> [log in to unmask]
>
>
> On 15 Feb 2008, at 15:57, V. Kerry Inman wrote:
>
>>
>> > Date: Fri, 15 Feb 2008 06:45:19 -0800
>> > From: [log in to unmask]
>> > Subject: Re: [M-R] Witchcraft
>> > To: [log in to unmask]
>> >
>> > What is the Moslem form of execution for witchcraft?
>> > Does anyone know? Stoning or beheading or...?
>> >
>> > From V. K. Inman
>>
>> This question makes two assumptions 1) that what in the west is
>> called witchcraft is prohibited among the Muslims and 2) it is a
>> capital offense. --neither appears to be true.
>>
>> The existence of Jinn is a religious tenent, and Satan is a Jinn.
>> Unless the practice of magic involves worshiping a god beside Allah,
>> it probably did not rise to heresy and even this is not always a
>> capital offense for the vast majority of Muslims.
>>
>> I am looking for an instance of someone being condemned for
>> witchcraft, or a law against witchcraft but cannot yet find either.
>> If I find one I will report back.
>
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