Islam - Issues of Good and Evil:

Our conscience helps us to make the right choice by reviewin a situation. Moral decisions are effected by past experiences, the law, religious leades or religion in general or people with personal convictions like Martin Luther King Jr. 

Absolute Morality - when a person has a principle and never alters it and an example is Quaker Christians who believe that war is wrong on all accounts. 

Relative Morality - when a person has a moral principle but is willing to adapt it in certain situations. 

The causes of crime include mental health issues, the media, peer pressure, bullying, unemployment, drug/alcohol addiction, poverty and poor parenting. 

The aims of punishment include: 

• Deterrence - puts people of doing crime
  
• Protection - protects society away from the individual
• Reformation - can help the person change for the better
• Retribution - can help a victim get revenge 
• Reparation - could compensate the victim and repair the damage
• Vindication - exists to prove the law's authority

Christianity - Christians do not support the idea of retribution. Many believe that forgiveness and punishment go together. This because Jesus was betrayed by someone close to him but he forgave them.

Islam - Although forgiveness is important, there is a need to preotect the Ummah so punishment is seen as central to justice. Shari'ah law outlines the rules to live by and the punishments. 'INDEED, GOD ORDERS JUSTICE AND GOOD CONDUCT AND GIVING [HELP] TO RELATIVES AND FORBIDS IMMORALITY AND BAD CONDUCT AND OPPRESSION. HE ADMONISHES YOU THAT PERHAPS YOU WILL BE REMINDED'. 

Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister, such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, imam or community member of a religious tradition.  They provide counselling to inmates, supporting them through their rehabilitation and seeing to their spiritual & religious needs. Fear, loneliness, guilt, concerns about family or children on the outside become the concern of the prison chaplain. In addition, chaplains often help prisoners reenter the community, working with parole officers and other volunteers. Since 2011 the British Humanist Society has been running a project with Humanist Pastoral Support Volunteers at Winchester Prison. This includes meeting inmates with ‘nil’ religion on admission, holding discussion groups and providing counselling, such as bereavement support, for inmates. Often prisoners are unable to attend funerals of loved ones & benefit from the type of community support. 

Liberal Chrisitans - believe that only God can take a life. It goes against the Sancitity of Life, and God commanded that 'thou shalt not kill' so execution goes against the 10 commandments. Jesus said, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they are do". Many favour reformation as Jesus said to "turn the other cheek" and "love our enemies". The golden rule, "Do to others what you want them to do to you" compels to treat others as we wish to be treated. 

Quakers - have campaigned against the death penalty since 1818. All human life should be respected as every person is a reflection of God – ‘made in God’s image’. Quakers believe punishments should be used to reform. 

Conservative Christians - Some Christians advocate the death penalty, as Old Testament law states ‘an eye for an eye’ and ‘Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed’. The Old Testament specifies crimes such as idolatry, magic, blasphemy and murder.

Catholics - are divided. Traditionally they have allowed (but not encouraged) capital punishment. In 1997, the Vatican issued a statement saying that execution was acceptable where the identity of the criminal was absolutely confirmed and where execution was the only means to protect society.

Islam - as a whole accepts capital punishment for the most severe crimes. While criminals will be punished by God on the Day of Judgement, Muslims believe that they should be punished on earth. Forgiveness is important & preferred, but so is the need to protect the ummah. The Qur’an forbids the taking of life: ‘Nor take life – which God has made sacred, except for just cause’. Most Muslims agree that this ‘just cause’, for which the death penalty is permitted, is the crimes of murder and attacking Islam

Methods of execution includes beheading, firing squad, hanging and stoning. Public executions are carried out as a deterrant. 

There is a small but growing number of Muslims who disagree with the death penalty and call for it to be abolished. They argue that Shari’ah law is often used by repressive governments that attack women and the poor.

Amnesty opposes the death penalty absolutely – for all crimes without exception. They believe that:

• The death penalty violates basic human rights in every case.

• Evidence shows that it doesn’t deter crime.

• It discriminates. Statistics show that the death penalty is used disproportionately against the poor, minorities and members of racial, ethnic and religious communities.

• It can be used as a political tool. In the USA, many state governors have fast-tracked the executions of inmates during re-election time to prove that they are ‘tough on crime’.

Christianity - The Bible says to 'Forgive and you will be forgiven', the actions of jesus towards the tax collector and cheating woman shows that Christians should forgive. The story of the prodigial son tells of forgiveness and the Unmerciful servant who refused to forgive a friend for borrowing a small amount of money but he had taken a lot from his master. 

Islamic - the Qur'an states that those who forgive others will be rewarded by God and that forgiveness is a path to peace. In the Qur’an it says: ‘God loves those who turn unto Him in repentance and He loves those who keep themselves pure’

Christianity - In Genesis it says that God made the earth ‘and it was good’. God has, however, given people free will. This is called the Fall, and explains how free will can be used to stray from what is good. God has shown people how they should live a good life through both rules of behaviour found in the Bible, eg 10 commandments and through Jesus's life.

Islamic - Everyone is born with a natural instinct to understand the difference between right and wrong (fitrah). All humans have free will, and they must choose between right and wrong. Some say this means choosing between the path of God and the temptations of Shaytan (the devil). The Qur’an speaks of true Muslims very often as ‘those who believe and do good deeds’.

Original sin - Catholics believe that evil comes from human beings. Adam and Eve introduced sin to the world (known as original sin) when they chose to disobey God. This act brought sin into humanity. Since then people have been born with the ability to commit acts of evil.

Life as a test - Many Christians also believe that life is a test, to tolerate suffering and keep faith. The story of Job in the Bible gives Christians an example of how suffering can come to anyone, even the most holy and good-living, and that we will be judged on how we behaved throughout our suffering. 

Evil and suffering as beyond human understanding - The story of Job also reveals to Christians that we should not question why we suffer, but simply accept that we do. Many say that ‘God works in mysterious ways’ and he has reasons for letting evil and suffering happen, but humans will never be able to understand the mind of God. 

Suffering helps humans understand Jesus - Jesus chose to endure suffering and pain in order to achieve greater good. His death and resurrection were to bring an end to death and suffering forever, with the promise of everlasting life and a new heaven and earth.

Within Islam it is believed that everything happens because it is the will and the plan of God. This is known as al-Qadr, and means that suffering and hardship are part of God’s greater plan. Even though people may be unable to appreciate the value or purpose of suffering, they must accept that suffering exists and that they will never be able to truly understand God’s purpose. Muslims believe that all life is a test. Humans are given life as a gift by God, and throughout their life their good and evil acts are noted down by two angels. Muslims will have to answer to these at Judgement Day, and these will determine whether they will enter paradise or be sent to hell. God is also known as Ar-Rahman (The Merciful), Ar-Rahim (The Compassionate) and Al-Karim (The Generous). Many Muslims believe that evil comes from Shaytan. The Qur’an explains how he refused God’s command to bow down before Adam. As a result of pride and disobedience, God banished him from heaven. He now exists to tempt people to turn from God and to do wrong.

Christianity - Suffering is seen to be a test. Suffering is a punishment for sin and for Catholics is the result of original sin. Suffering is also part of God’s plan – we might not understand it but should know God will never make us suffer beyond our ability to cope. Suffering enables us to appreciate what is good in the world and allows us to grow closer to Jesus, who also suffered. Stories from the Bible, such as that of Job in the Old Testament, teach Christians that anyone can suffer and that persevering with suffering can strengthen faith in God.

Islam - Islam teaches that everything that happens is part of the will and plan of God (al-Qadr). Life is a test and therefore so is suffering. Suffering enables Muslims to prove their faith by resisting temptation. Those who resist Shaytan and follow the straight path will be rewarded in the afterlife. Good can come from suffering, both because it leads to personal spiritual development and because it allows us the opportunity to support others.