Forgiveness in the Islamic Criminal Policy: A Focus on the Quranic Teachings

A purposeful and targeted criminal policy does not think only about criminalization and exercising the punishment, but it seeks to make optimal use of criminal institutions in order to correct, treat, and socialize the criminals. Forgiveness is one of the institutions used to prevent from the consequences of criminological labels and to provide the criminals with opportunity to repent and return to the honorable social life. Repentance is not only a relationship between the individual and Allah, but is an institution with a special place in the criminal policy of Islam which has been focused in many verses of the Quran. Although forgiveness is not applicable for all kinds of crimes and criminals, generally it can be said that this criminal policy has been accepted in Islam for the minor crimes and about blue-collar criminals and the public, ordinary people, whose behavior is considered to be a mistake and disorder. This policy is not recommended for important crimes and white-collar criminals.