اسلام میں نظامِ جیل خانہ جات کاآغاز و ارتقاء: خلافت راشدہ کا اختصاصی مطالعہ

The Origin and Evolution of the Prison System in Islam: A Special Study of the Rightly Guided Caliphate

Abstract

This research paper presents a historical and analytical study of the evolution of prisons system of the rightly guided caliphate (Khilāfat e Rāshidah) time. At that initial and ideal time of History of Islam, the concept of prisons was not merely limited to the punishment rather it was deeply connected to the establishment of individual reform, social security and collective justice. The paper analyzes that from the untraditional methods of prisons in Prophetic era to the period of caliph Umar (R.A), how the prisons system was gradually organized. This article throws light on the judicial policies, prisoners’ rights, the respect of human prestige and ethical aspects of punishment. Particularly, it has been made clear that during that time of caliphate, the purpose of imprisonment was not for any revenge, rather it was for individual reform, assurance of discipline and restoration of social balance. Moreover, administrative structure of prisons, principals of supervision and the good treatment towards prisoners during that period, have also been discussed here. So, this research has concluded that the system of imprisonment of Rightly Guided Caliphate was consistent with modern reformist ideas and based on human values.