Man whipped in mosque for spending time alone with ‘unrelated’ woman

A man was flogged inside a mosque on Friday after being found guilty of an Islamic offence for spending time alone with a woman who was neither his wife nor a close relative, according to the Bernama news agency.

The 42-year-old construction worker received six lashes following a Sharia court ruling in conservative Terengganu area of Malaysia.

This marked the first time such a punishment was carried out inside a mosque in Malaysia, Bernama reported.

An AFP journalist witnessed the man arriving at the mosque in a prison van after Friday prayers. Clad in an orange prison jumpsuit, he entered the mosque in front of a silent crowd.

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The punishment, which is for the Islamic offence known as “khalwat,” was carried out before an audience of about 90 people.

Earlier this week, the Malaysian Bar expressed concern over the decision to carry out the caning. “Such punishments strip individuals of their dignity,” the association said in a statement.

However, some in the audience saw the punishment as a deterrent. Spectator Mohd Sabri Muhammad, 37, commented, “Valentine’s Day, New Year’s—there are many opportunities for young people to engage in inappropriate behavior.”

Malaysia, a multi-ethnic nation, operates a dual legal system where Islamic courts handle specific matters for Muslim citizens.

Caning under Sharia law is typically carried out on a fully clothed individual and is criticized for being both physically and psychologically humiliating.

In 2018, two women were publicly caned for violating religious laws after being convicted of having same-sex relations, an incident witnessed by more than 100 spectators.

The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia recently denounced such punishments, stating they “have no place in a modern justice system.”