Justice for 19-Year-Old Saudi Arabian Rape Victim

Your Excellency,

Although I am writing this to your Excellency from across the world, I, along with other Muslim-Americans, am dedicated towards fighting for justice and discovering the core truth of Islam beneath the layers of misrepresentation, misinterpretation, and abuse of our beautiful religion. I am writing to you in request that you withdraw the added sentence upon the 19-year-old Saudi Arabian girl from Qatif who was savagely gang-raped around a year and a half ago.

Upon hearing this story, I was simultaneously shocked and appalled with the way that this case was dealt with. How could a government that claims to be consistent with the teachings of Islam pass on such a horrendous sentence? In the Quran, Allah (swt) tells us: "If you do judge, judge between them justly. God loves the just." (5:42).The girl was not adequately protected from the monsters who raped her and then she was further punished; she had to endure the pain and harm of rape, as well as pain at the whims of the Saudi Arabian judicial system. The true criminals in this story are the rapists who attacked her and anyone who refuses to implement complete justice and mercy in this situation.

With all due respect to the Saudi Arabian government, my disgust is directed at the way this case has been treated and the spectacle it has become. The implications of this case add to the negative stereotypes revolving around Muslims and defame the purity of Islam. As a Muslim, I feel that it is my duty to speak against any injustices that occur around the world and any action that defames the true nature of Islam. Allah (swt) has also commanded us to fight against all injustices: "O ye who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to God, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor" (4:135).

As an official who ensures that law is practiced in fairness and complete justice, as the teachings of Islam enjoin, I urge your Excellency to withdraw this sentence. The excessive punishment dealt to this helpless girl in comparison to the inconsequential sentence for the rapists is completely unacceptable. These sickening verdicts encourage rapists to continue their crimes, as they know that their victims' cries will fall on deaf ears.

This helpless girl has already suffered the horrendous torments of rape: both physical and psychological torture. I, along with other Muslim-Americans, entreat you to handle this case with absolute justice and mercy, as was the nature of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (S). The religion of Islam is a religion of ultimate compassion and this judicial sentence is an outright attack on its teachings.