الإهانة

الإهانة

Ihana is lexically the act of abasing, from the verb hana, to be humbled, and it is one of the forms of mockery and contempt. ¹ For the jurists it arises in two ways: as a wrong that invites a penalty, which is unbelief when it touches faith or the law, such as bowing to an idol or throwing a copy of the Qur'an into filth, and sin when it touches people unjustly, such as insult or beating; and as a penalty fixed by the law, such as the humiliation of protected non-Muslims in paying the poll tax, or a light penalty for one who insults another, in proportion to the rank of the person. ¹² It arises chiefly in the chapters on apostasy, slander and discretionary punishment. ²