What is the difference between Haad and Tazeer?

Answer 1

Hadd is a prescribed punishment in Islam for particular crimes, if guilt is established beyond doubt in a shari'ah court, then the punishment cannot be overturned, pardoned or changed. Specifically it is for the following crimes:

1- Drinking alcohol, taking drugs or other intoxicants (40 lashes for a first offence and 80 lashes for continuous offences)

2- Giving false testimony e.g. accusing a woman of adultery/fornication without 4 trustworthy eyewitnesses (80 lashes)

3- cutting the hand of the burglar that steals tanglible non-perishable wealth (e.g. gold or silver but NOT Food) of value above that of 1.0625g of gold from a hidden secure place without having any right to it and while there is no drought, famine, war etc.

4- Unlawful sexual intercourse (100 lashes for an unmarried man or woman and Death by stoning for a married man or woman)

5- Apostasy without repenting (capital punishment)

6- treason by betraying and fighting against the Muslim nation

Hadd does not apply to any other types of crime.

On the other hand, Ta'zeer is a punishment decided by the Shari'ah judge for other crimes and are always less than the Hadd e.g. maximum of 39 lashes (i.e. less than the punishment of drinking alcohol). This could be a fine, it could be confiscation, it could be lashes etc.

There are other types of crimes and punishments in Islam such as Jinayaat which involves the rights of other people and Qisas (e.g. eye for an eye).