Is there evidence that this public display serves as a deterrent to capital crimes? Or is this just a time honored tradition?
I would like to answer this question with neither....but, one must remember, I am not an expert. However, when questioning the workings of the state of Saudi Arabia one must never forget that the Saudi Arabian state is guided 100% by Islam. That means, every decision, policy, and act of state has its footing in the Qur'an. This is different than what we are used to in the west. Although the countries in the west are Christian cultures, government runs based on the representative will of the people whether or not they adhere to any given faith. Here, it is not the will of the people that is formost, rather it is the word of God (Allah) and his prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). This applies to EVERYTHING. It is difficult to describe but say one is a grade schooler learning math in KSA. The justification for teaching math to grade schoolers must lie in the Qur'an or else math is not taught to grade schoolers. King Abdullah isn't His Majesty King Abdullah, he is King Abdullah Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. The two holy mosques being those in Medina, KSA and Mecca, KSA.
So the question really is, Does the Qur'an support public display of capital punishment?
(Here I had to do a little research)
Two verses out of the Qur'an seem to support this:
"...If anyone kills a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he killed all people. And if anyone saves a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all people" (Qur'an 5:32).
"...Take not life, which God has made sacred, except by way of justice and law. Thus does He command you, so that you may learn wisdom" (Qur'an 6:151).
It seems to me (not being a theologist) that the first verse seems to speak to the average everyday person or citizen: Do not murder and do not spread mischief in the land, however, there may be some exceptions to murder if the murder was of a person who has murdered or spread mischief in the land. And the second verse to the state: You may take a life through justice and law. So, it seems to me that the Qur'anic law do not murder or spread mischief in the land is punishable by the Qur'anic justice: your life may be taken from you.
"...If anyone kills a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he killed all people. And if anyone saves a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all people" (Qur'an 5:32).
"...Take not life, which God has made sacred, except by way of justice and law. Thus does He command you, so that you may learn wisdom" (Qur'an 6:151).
It seems to me (not being a theologist) that the first verse seems to speak to the average everyday person or citizen: Do not murder and do not spread mischief in the land, however, there may be some exceptions to murder if the murder was of a person who has murdered or spread mischief in the land. And the second verse to the state: You may take a life through justice and law. So, it seems to me that the Qur'anic law do not murder or spread mischief in the land is punishable by the Qur'anic justice: your life may be taken from you.
It doesn't say that the life must be taken, but it is clear that should the authorities choose to take the life, it is OK as far as Islam is concerned. This may be where "blood money" comes in. If the wronged party agrees, an offender can pay blood money and be spared capital punishment or other harsh sentence. That is, in order to get out of a physical sentence one can pay a fine instead. It seems as though the amount is set by the wronged party, although, I don't know.
As in the US, these harsh punishments are unfairly enacted overwhelmingly on the poor and non-Saudis.
Two articles you may be interestd in:
Saudi State is Based on Islam
http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article335132.ece
Death Row Maid Seeks King's Intervention to Save Her
http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article332172.ece
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