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Kingdom’s Leading Executioner Says: ‘I Lead a Normal Life’
Mahmoud Ahmad, Arab News Staff.
                             
  (http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/9859/executioneri4dk.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)
 

Muhammad Saad Al-Beshi says he is calm at work because he is doing God’s work.   
 
JEDDAH, 5 June 2003 â€" Saudi Arabia’s leading executioner Muhammad Saad Al-Beshi will behead up to seven people in a day.

“It doesn’t matter to me: Two, four, 10 â€" As long as I’m doing God’s will, it doesn’t matter how many people I execute,” he told Okaz newspaper in an interview.

He started at a prison in Taif, where his job was to handcuff and blindfold the prisoners before their execution. “Because of this background, I developed a desire to be an executioner,” he says.

He applied for the job and was accepted.

His first job came in 1998 in Jeddah. “The criminal was tied and blindfolded. With one stroke of the sword I severed his head. It rolled meters away.” Of course he was nervous, then, he says, as many people were watching, but now stage fright is a thing of the past.

He says he is calm at work because he is doing God’s work. “But there are many people who faint when they witness an execution. I don’t know why they come and watch if they don’t have the stomach for it.

“Me? I sleep very well,” he adds.

Does he think people are afraid of him? “In this country we have a society that understands God’s law,” he says. “No one is afraid of me. I have a lot of relatives, and many friends at the mosque, and I live a normal life like everyone else. There are no drawbacks for my social life.”

Before an execution, nonetheless, he will go to the victim’s family to obtain forgiveness for the criminal. “I always have that hope, until the very last minute, and I pray to God to give the criminal a new lease of life. I always keep that hope alive.”

Al-Beshi will not reveal how much he gets paid per execution as this is a confidential agreement with the government. But he insists that the reward is not important. “I am very proud to do God’s work,” he reiterates.

However, he does reveal that a sword will cost something in the region of SR20,000. “It’s a gift from the government. I look after it and sharpen it once in a while, and I make sure to clean it of bloodstains.

“It’s very sharp. People are amazed how fast it can separate the head from the body.”

By the time the victims reach the execution square they have surrendered themselves to death, he says, though they may hope to be forgiven at the last minute. “Their hearts and minds are taken up with reciting the Shahada.” The only conversation with the prisoner is when he tells him to say the Shahada.

“When they get to the execution square, their strength drains away. Then I read the execution order, and at a signal I cut the prisoner’s head off.”

He has executed numerous women without hesitation, he explains. “Despite the fact that I hate violence against women, when it comes to God’s will, I have to carry it out.”

There is no great difference between executing men and women, except that the women wear hijab, and nobody is allowed near them except Al-Beshi himself when the time for execution comes.

When executing women he will use either gun or sword. “It depends what they ask me to use. Sometimes they ask me to use a sword and sometimes a gun. But most of the time I use the sword,” he adds.

As an experienced executioner, 42-year-old Al-Beshi is entrusted with the task of training the young. “I successfully trained my son Musaed, 22, as an executioner and he was approved and chosen,” he says proudly. Training focuses on the way to hold the sword and where to hit, and is mostly through observing the executioner at work.

An executioner’s life, of course, is not all killing. Sometimes it can be amputation of hands and legs. “I use a special sharp knife, not a sword,” he explains. “When I cut off a hand I cut it from the joint. If it is a leg the authorities specify where it is to be taken off, so I follow that.”

Al-Beshi describes himself as a family man. Married before he became an executioner, his wife did not object to his chosen profession. “She only asked me to think carefully before committing myself,” he recalls. “But I don’t think she’s afraid of me,” he smiles. “I deal with my family with kindness and love. They aren’t afraid when I come back from an execution. Sometimes they help me clean my sword.”

A father of seven, he is a proud grandfather already. “I have a married daughter who has a son. He is called Haza, and he’s my pride and joy. And then there are my sons. The oldest one is Saad, and of course there is Musaed, who’ll be the next executioner,” he adds.

Glyn,I have just read the post and do not know what to say i am speechless.
Maybe tomorrow when i have thought about it, but doing Gods work i don`t think so. :(

 :'(

Yes Glyn, I can believe it, but I expect no-one to stand alongside and agree with me.

Having done military service, I thought long and hard before I took the Queen's shilling, knowing that I may have to kill. I have received accolades for my military performance.

As an Engineer, I have designed, built and delivered equipment to NATO countries, who's only function is to kill people. The equipment has been proven to be highly effective.

This now weighs heavy on my heart but I cannot undo it, so yes, I can believe it, there is very little left in this world which will shock me.

My own conscience is MY judge and executioner.

If anyone objects or is offended by my comments, I will withdraw this post.

Derekthefox

No objections here Derek - a very honest, thoughtful post.
Let he who is without sin throw the first stone?

I worked for the M.O.D a few years ago , and yes peeps do know but only consider it as a job and not what is behind it. We may or may not agree but it will go on forever, war will always be there more the pity. :( :(.

Hey Derek don't take it too hard mate!
The article is about "Capital punishment" in the name of God.
It's amazing we still trade with these people, but then I suppose it's the oil?
And it doesn't matter what you have built, man will find a way to kill with it.
That's not your fault?

Just so I've got this straight Glyn:

Arab bloke in oil rich country executes people = bad. People in the West pay someone else (soldiers) to kill Arabs for the oil in their country = good. 

???

I'm talking about "Capital Punishment" we have a history of it ourselves.
But at least we made the humane decision to stop.

...and now export our violence instead. Not least by propping up dodgy regimes like the House of Saud....

TM..I agree with you entirely.
But again, the gist of this thread is "Capital Punishment."

Thanks Terrace, Rose and Glyn,

I am not being hard on myself Glyn, simply honest, in military terms I was expected to be able to kill on legitimate orders. As a professional engineer, I had to take intellectual responsibility for my work, which meant I knew exactly what my creations would be used for, because that was part of the specification. If you are in any doubt, tell me what alternative uses missiles and battle tanks can be put to.

I could not do this work any more, because I don't have the heart, or perhaps it is because I do have a heart, I cannot even consciously kill a slug now ...

Capital punishment in the name of God, or death by combat in the name of some politically created ideal (eg human rights) it all amounts to unnecessary death.

I hope some people are not finding this topic too upsetting?

Should this thread be moved to the Watershed?

Derekthefox

Quote from: Glyn on October 10, 2005, 18:09:36
TM..I agree with you entirely.
But again, the gist of this thread is "Capital Punishment."

Hear what you say Glyn and I'm pleased we agree. I just find one sort of violence indistinguishable from any other. (Which is just a less good way of saying what Derek has just said.)

Blimey, George Bush's Arab brother.  God talks through him and a big supporter of capital punishment even when its of the mentally ill and children. The oonly difference between George and the bloke in the interview is that George is the one doing the paying and he is the one being paid (albeit not by Bush).

PS It is people like George Bush, the man above, Bin Laden and a significant number of Orthodox Jews, right wing Israeli politicians and the Diosceses of Oxford, Lincoln etc which means I cannot support the Christian, Jewish or Islamic religions, as they all profess to be talking and listening to the same God and acting out his will.

Sorry if I have offended anyone.

PS - voted leave well alone.  1) I do not believe in censorship and 2)  expose the extremists who are doing 'His' work.

Is this an allotment bulletin board ???.Or is it lets see who we can Shock today ...
Confused ..Jim...

QuoteIs this an allotment bulletin board .Or is it lets see who we can Shock today ...
Confused ..Jim...

Actually Jim..The Shed is Non allotment related general chit chat.
Sorry you where shocked?      
                    (http://img419.imageshack.us/img419/2263/ostrichlooking26fb.gif) (http://imageshack.us)

The shed is where we can discuss anything and everthing i was given to understand.

GLYN  :).

Since he's a Saudi and he's wearing a Wahabi head-dress he's going to be a Salafi, which is the most hard-line school of Islamic Law there is. Don't judge all Muslims by his approach!

Quote from: Robert_Brenchley on October 10, 2005, 23:45:34
Since he's a Saudi and he's wearing a Wahabi head-dress he's going to be a Salafi, which is the most hard-line school of Islamic Law there is. Don't judge all Muslims by his approach!

Spot on.

QuoteDon't judge all Muslims by his approach!

I don't think it was a generalizing of all Muslims.

I read this in a Toronto paper.
Incidentally, Canada has recently turned down the Muslim request for their own court of law.

One thing Islam does not believe in is freedom of religion. If Islam takes over America, or any other country, there wouldn't be a choice of religion. The Quran states: "If anyone desires a religion other than Islam, never will it be accepted of him; and in the hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost." (Surah 3:85) Many of the teachings of Islam are incompatible with progress and contradict common sense. Neither are they compatible with human rights or civil rights. Here are a few examples of the teachings of Islam:

        1. Men are superior to Women. (Sura 2:228)
        2. Women have half the rights of men:
            a-In court witness (Sura 2:282)
            b-In inheritance (Sura 4:11)
        3. A man may beat his wife. (Surah 4:34)
        4. A man may marry up to four wives at a time (polygamy). (Sura 4:3)
        5. Muslims must fight until their opponents submit to Islam. (Sura            9:5)
        6. A Muslim must not take a Jew or  Christian for a friend. (Surah            5:54)
        7. A Muslim apostate must be killed. (Surah 9:12)
        8. Stealing is punished by amputation of hands. (Surah 5:41)
        9. Adultery is punished by public flogging. (Surah 24:2)
       10. No separation between church and state. (Surah 2:193)
       11. No opposition parties allowed. (Surah 4:59)

I'm glad Canada said no?

I reckon you could pick up the Bible, Glyn, and find all sorts of justifications for all sorts of horrible things. In fact, many people around the world do...In its application Islam has a far better record of tolerance than most other desert religions.

My response to this article is that Saudi violence in society is overt, the violence in our society is covert - usually played out in countries far away. It's the same thing just expressed differently.

Wahabi-ism (a form of extreme Islam) has always been fostered by the West to keep the populace of oil rich states in line. Ultimately, we are Mr Al-Beshi's paymaster - just like we used to sponsor Saddam Hussein and Osama Bin Laden. I guess that's the thing about using violence - eventually it bites you back?

On the subject of whether this thread is appropriate: IMO debate is always healthy. It would be a refreshing change if Glyn's threads occasionally didn't start from such an extreme right wing position...but, hey, it gives us something to talk about...

Have to say, this whole issue is why I don't belong to any organised, named religion. I have my beliefs that apply to me, and how I live my life.  Surely all have their good points and bad points, though think the Budhists seem pretty level headed. If people are going to kill, they'll always find a justification be it religion or plain greediness. Lottie

QuoteI guess that's the thing about using violence - eventually it bites you back?

"Quite right"

The world  is becoming uncontrollable "All fall short of the glory of god" which makes us all wrong, hence our inability to govern ourselves in peace.
Does that make sense?

I lived in a middle eastern country for five years, which governed by Shariya law which is what this man is carrying out.  Whilst I don't begin to understand or believe it is right, it was the safest place I have ever been.  It is all written in the Koran and it is what he and millions of other muslims believe to be right as it is the word of Allah.  I think we are all entitled to what we believe.

Exactly, and sharia is grossly misrepresented in the Western media. If you ignore the Salafis, then the maximum punishment for theft, say, is to have your hand cut off. Awful, but probably not as bad as our history of hanging petty thieves on circumstantial evidence. It only happens if it's a significant theft, so it wouldn't apply to a petty thief anyway if sharia is properly applied (which it often isn't, but that's another story). The thief has to be a Muslim, of sound mind, with no mitigating circumstances. There have to be two eyewitnesses, of unimpeachable reputation, to the actual act of theft - no circumstantial evidence accepted - and if there's any doubt about the evidence, the witnesses get 80 lashes for false witness,which is a terrible crime in Islam. If you're hungry and you steal food, you've got an excuse, so there's no penalty. If you're a scholar and you steal a book, there's no penalty, since scholars are slightly mad anyway. And so on. If it's properly applied, there's no crime worth mentioning, nobody gets banged up for crimes they haven't committed, and almost nobody gets their hands chopped off.

Thanks Robert, I knew you could explain it better than me!

Quotethe maximum punishment for theft, say, is to have your hand cut off. Awful, but probably not as bad as our history of hanging petty thieves on circumstantial evidence.

I think the point here Robert, as I've stated before, is that we don't do that to our citizens anymore. They obviously still do? :(

...but isn't the point that we're propping up this nasty regime so our oil supply is secure? If we hadn't sold them all those arms in the first place Saudi society would probably have kicked out the extremists ages ago. What you're saying Glyn is like burning down your house and then complaining about the accommadation!

QuoteIf we hadn't sold them all those arms in the first place Saudi society would probably have kicked out the extremists ages ago.

If you believe that, then that's exactly what they want you to believe.
We are, and always will be infidels to them. This you know goes way back before the discovery of oil. If the oil was stopped today, they wouldn't, because we're hated, even though they live amongst us. And before you jump on me for painting all Muslim's with the same brush, I am talking extremists.

I think you've got it back to front again Glyn

I think we're hated by most Saudis for political rather than religious reasons, like keeping a corrupt Wahabi elite in power there and the plight of the Palestinians. If it wasn't for these disgraceful facts there would be no grist for the mill of the religious nutters...

I think this subject has become a bit of a moot point TM.
I don't believe in any people (including the crusaders,or anyone) who cowardly murder or maim in the name of God.
The issue here is "capital punishment" and it bothers me that there are people who are living in the western world, yes, here and the UK, who are administering these barbaric punishments to their people right under our noses now!
Would you really want these sort of people living in your town...because if you don't, too late they're already here.

As you say Glyn it's probably time to call this one quits. But I think we can agree on a couple of things: religious zealots - not good, capital punishment - bad.

I concur, this has been a very interesting debate, with reasoned input.

Thank you

Derekthefox

Cheers TM. It was beginning to get a bit claustrophobic.
But I have to say this. In my opinion you were always 99.9% on target anyhow.
Nice one mate..

Glyn ;)

Thanks Derek.

I don't think anyone is administering 'capital punishment' under our noses, by which I assume you mean in the UK. Murders, yes, if you're referring to 'honour killings' which are by no means exclusive to Muslims. But capital punishment implies a legal framework, and that's definitely not present here!

How on earth do you actually resond to one of these sodding things.  If the system had allows me I would have said "leave it where it is" but being a moronic computer it won't actually let me vote (nothing personal Dan).

I get a little cheezed off when threads get removedbecause of political corrrectness. If people are so small minded that they cannot accommodate other views then they should naff off elsewhere - not get others to be removed.  There is room for all viewpoint - even if we don't agree with them.  I don;t always agree with some of the tings that are written here - but I reserve the right to challenge them.

-- Alan

Sorry Bionic. Voting was available for only 7 day's. So the reason you can't get in is because it is now locked.

Glyn

Went off on one there didn't I ?!  -  By way of an excuse ... I am a software engineer and come across a lot of software that doesn't make life easy - actually gets in the way - what I was really whinging about was the fact that it just did nothing; didn't tell me that it was locked, expired, fed up, tired or anything - just nothing.  It doen't take a lot of effort on the part of the designer and coder to output a message letting folk know why it isn't doing what was expected - it what you would expect from another person - why not from a machine?

b.t.w. - I would still have voted to keep the thread visible.