Short answer
Not by Buddhism's own law of deeds. Angulimala murdered so many people that he wore their fingers as a necklace. The Buddha made him a monk on the spot. The king who had come to stop him said he would honour and protect such a monk. Soon Angulimala became one of the perfected, a Buddhist saint who will never be born again. When people hit him with stones, the Buddha told him this was the result of deeds that could have kept him in hell for thousands of years. Yet the Dhammapada says there is no place on earth to escape your wicked deeds. In Islam, God (﷾) may forgive a killer who repents, but his victims' rights still stand.
Full explanation
A killer who wore his victims' fingers
The Middle Discourses tell of a bandit in King Pasenadi's realm named Angulimala, which means finger necklace. He was violent and merciless. He laid waste to villages, towns and countries. He was constantly murdering people and wore their fingers as a necklace.
“Now at that time in the realm of King Pasenadi of Kosala there was a bandit named Aṅgulimāla. He was violent, bloody-handed, a hardened killer, merciless to living beings. He laid waste to villages, towns, and countries. He was constantly murdering humans, and he wore their fingers as a necklace.”
“At that time the robber Angulimala had embraced religious life among the Bhikkhus. When the people saw that, they became alarmed and terrified; they fled away, went elsewhere, turned away their heads, and shut their doors. The people were annoyed, murmured, and became angry: 'How can the Sakyaputtiya Samanas ordain a robber who openly wears the emblems (of his deeds)?' Some Bhikkhus heard those people that were annoyed, murmured, and had become angry; these Bhikkhus told the thing to the Blessed One. The Blessed One thus addressed the Bhikkhus: 'Let no robber, O Bhikkhus, who wears the emblems (of his deeds), receive the pabbagga ordination. He who confers the pabbagga ordination (on such a person), is guilty of a dukkata offence.'”
Made a monk on the spot
When the Buddha met him, Angulimala threw his weapons into an abyss and asked to go forth. The Buddha said to him, "Come, monk!", and with that he became a monk.
“With these words, the bandit hurled his sword and weapons down a cliff into an abyss. He venerated the Holy One's feet, and requested the going forth right away. Then the Buddha, the compassionate great seer, the Teacher of the world with its gods, said to him, "Come, monk!" And with that he became a monk.”
The king who came to stop him
King Pasenadi, who had set out to stop the killer, came to the Buddha. The Buddha asked what he would do if he found Angulimala shaven and robed as a monk. The king said he would bow to him, supply his needs, and arrange his lawful guarding and protection. The king asked how such an evil man could ever have such virtue. Then the Buddha pointed to Angulimala, sitting nearby.
“"But, Great King, suppose you were to see that Aṅgulimāla had shaved off his hair and beard, dressed in ocher robes, and gone forth from the lay life to homelessness. And that he was refraining from killing living creatures, stealing, and lying; that he was eating in one part of the day, and was chaste, ethical, and of good character. What would you do to him?" "I would bow to him, rise in his presence, or offer him a seat. I'd invite him to accept robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. And I'd organize his lawful guarding and protection. But sir, how could such an immoral, evil man ever have such virtue and restraint?" Now at that time Venerable Aṅgulimāla was sitting not far from the Buddha. Then the Buddha pointed with his right arm and said to the king, "Great king, this is Aṅgulimāla."”
A truth he could not tell
Later, Angulimala saw a woman in a hard childbirth, with the baby stuck. The Buddha told him to say to her that since he was born he did not remember ever killing on purpose. By that truth, he was to wish her safety. Angulimala asked whether that would be a lie, since he had killed many. So the Buddha changed the words to "since I was born in the noble birth", that is, since he became a monk. The Buddha counted Angulimala's life from his new birth as a monk. The killings before it were left out of the count.
“Then as he was wandering indiscriminately for almsfood he saw a woman undergoing a distressing obstructed labor. Seeing this, it occurred to him, "Oh, beings undergo such travail! Oh, beings undergo such travail!" Then after wandering for alms in Sāvatthī, after the meal, on his return from almsround, he went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened. The Buddha said to him, "Well then, Aṅgulimāla, go to that woman and say this: 'Ever since I was born, sister, I don't recall having intentionally taken the life of a living creature. By this truth, may both you and your baby be safe.'" "But sir, wouldn't that be telling a deliberate lie? For I have intentionally killed many living creatures." "In that case, Aṅgulimāla, go to that woman and say this: 'Ever since I was born in the noble birth, sister, I don't recall having intentionally taken the life of a living creature. By this truth, may both you and your baby be safe.'"”
Raised to the highest rank
Soon Angulimala reached the goal of the path. He knew that rebirth was ended, and he became one of the perfected, the arahants, the saints of Buddhism. Later people threw stones, sticks and gravel at him, and he came to the Buddha with his head cracked and bleeding. The Buddha told him to endure it. He was experiencing in this life the result of deeds that might have kept him tormented in hell for many hundreds or thousands of years.
“Then Aṅgulimāla, living alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, soon realized the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life. He lived having achieved with his own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness. He understood: "Rebirth is ended; the spiritual journey has been completed; what had to be done has been done; there is nothing further for this place." And Venerable Aṅgulimāla became one of the perfected.”
“Now at that time someone threw a stone that hit Aṅgulimāla, someone else threw a stick, and someone else threw gravel. Then Aṅgulimāla—with cracked head, bleeding, his bowl broken, and his outer robe torn—went to the Buddha. The Buddha saw him coming off in the distance, and said to him, "Endure it, brahmin! Endure it, brahmin! You're experiencing in this very life the result of deeds that might have caused you to be tormented in hell for many years, many hundreds or thousands of years."”
No place to escape
The Dhammapada, one of the best-known Buddhist scriptures, says there is nowhere to hide from your wicked deeds. Not in the sky, not in the middle of the ocean, not in a crack in a mountain. There is no place in the world to escape them.
“Not in midair, nor mid-ocean, nor hiding in a mountain cleft; you'll find no place on the planet to escape your wicked deeds.”
The rule that came after
The monks' rule book says that when people saw Angulimala among the monks, they were terrified. They ran away, turned their heads and shut their doors. They asked how the monks could make a monk of a robber who openly bore the marks of his deeds. Then the Buddha forbade his monks to make a monk of any such robber. Doing so became an offence.
“At that time the robber Angulimala had embraced religious life among the Bhikkhus. When the people saw that, they became alarmed and terrified; they fled away, went elsewhere, turned away their heads, and shut their doors. The people were annoyed, murmured, and became angry: 'How can the Sakyaputtiya Samanas ordain a robber who openly wears the emblems (of his deeds)?' Some Bhikkhus heard those people that were annoyed, murmured, and had become angry; these Bhikkhus told the thing to the Blessed One. The Blessed One thus addressed the Bhikkhus: 'Let no robber, O Bhikkhus, who wears the emblems (of his deeds), receive the pabbagga ordination. He who confers the pabbagga ordination (on such a person), is guilty of a dukkata offence.'”
Where were the victims?
Buddhism has no God who could forgive, so its only justice is the law of deeds. Yet in this story that law gives way. By the Buddha's own words, hell for thousands of years became a few blows, and the killer was freed from rebirth. The king's justice was set aside, and the account says nothing of what the dead or their families received.
“Now at that time someone threw a stone that hit Aṅgulimāla, someone else threw a stick, and someone else threw gravel. Then Aṅgulimāla—with cracked head, bleeding, his bowl broken, and his outer robe torn—went to the Buddha. The Buddha saw him coming off in the distance, and said to him, "Endure it, brahmin! Endure it, brahmin! You're experiencing in this very life the result of deeds that might have caused you to be tormented in hell for many years, many hundreds or thousands of years."”
“Then Aṅgulimāla, living alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, soon realized the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life. He lived having achieved with his own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness. He understood: "Rebirth is ended; the spiritual journey has been completed; what had to be done has been done; there is nothing further for this place." And Venerable Aṅgulimāla became one of the perfected.”
“Not in midair, nor mid-ocean, nor hiding in a mountain cleft; you'll find no place on the planet to escape your wicked deeds.”
“"But, Great King, suppose you were to see that Aṅgulimāla had shaved off his hair and beard, dressed in ocher robes, and gone forth from the lay life to homelessness. And that he was refraining from killing living creatures, stealing, and lying; that he was eating in one part of the day, and was chaste, ethical, and of good character. What would you do to him?" "I would bow to him, rise in his presence, or offer him a seat. I'd invite him to accept robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. And I'd organize his lawful guarding and protection. But sir, how could such an immoral, evil man ever have such virtue and restraint?" Now at that time Venerable Aṅgulimāla was sitting not far from the Buddha. Then the Buddha pointed with his right arm and said to the king, "Great king, this is Aṅgulimāla."”
Forgiveness from God (﷾), rights for the victims
The Qur'an counts unjust killing among the worst sins. It recalls that God (﷾) told the Children of Israel that whoever kills one soul unjustly, it is as if he killed all mankind. It gives the dead man's family the right to justice, or to forgive. It promises forgiveness to the killer who repents, believes and does good. And the Prophet (ﷺ) said that on the Day of Resurrection, the wrongs a person did to others are paid back from his good deeds.
“On that account: We ordained for the Children of Israel that if any one slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people. Then although there came to them Our messengers with clear signs, yet, even after that, many of them continued to commit excesses in the land.”
“O ye who believe! the law of equality is prescribed to you in cases of murder: the free for the free, the slave for the slave, the woman for the woman. But if any remission is made by the brother of the slain, then grant any reasonable demand, and compensate him with handsome gratitude, this is a concession and a Mercy from your Lord. After this whoever exceeds the limits shall be in grave penalty.”
“Those who invoke not, with Allah, any other god, nor slay such life as Allah has made sacred except for just cause, nor commit fornication; - and any that does this (not only) meets punishment. (But) the Penalty on the Day of Judgment will be doubled to him, and he will dwell therein in ignominy,- Unless he repents, believes, and works righteous deeds, for Allah will change the evil of such persons into good, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful,”
Abu Hurayra reports that the Prophet (ﷺ) asked who the bankrupt is. He said the bankrupt of his community comes on the Day of Resurrection with prayer, fasting and charity. But he insulted one, slandered another, took another's wealth, shed another's blood and beat another. Each is given some of his good deeds. If his good deeds run out before the account is settled, their sins are taken and thrown on him, and then he is thrown into the Fire.
The usual answers
Sahih al-Bukhari 3470 — Kitab Ahadith al-Anbiya (Prophets), hadith 3470
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reports that the Prophet (ﷺ) told of a man among the Children of Israel who had murdered ninety-nine people. He asked a monk whether he could repent, and when the monk said no, he killed him too. A man advised him to go to a certain village, and he died on the way. The angels of mercy and of punishment quarrelled over him. God ordered the one village to come closer and the other to move away, and ordered the angels to measure. He was found a span nearer the village he was going to, and he was forgiven.
Cited for
Islam also tells of a man who killed a hundred people and was forgiven.
The response
In that hadith, a man of the Children of Israel set out to repent, died on the way, and God (﷾) forgave him. He was forgiven. He was not made a saint or raised to the highest rank. And Islam settles the victims' claims by its own rule: on the Day of Resurrection, wrongs done to others are repaid from the wrongdoer's good deeds. Buddhism has no judge to do that, and Angulimala's story offers nothing in its place.
Where it lands — Being forgiven by God (﷾), with the victims' rights kept, is not the same as being made a saint.
Qur'an 25:68-70 — Surat al-Furqan (The Criterion), verses 68-70
“Those who invoke not, with Allah, any other god, nor slay such life as Allah has made sacred except for just cause, nor commit fornication; - and any that does this (not only) meets punishment. (But) the Penalty on the Day of Judgment will be doubled to him, and he will dwell therein in ignominy,- Unless he repents, believes, and works righteous deeds, for Allah will change the evil of such persons into good, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful,”
Cited for
The Qur'an too says God changes a killer's evil deeds into good.
The response
Only for one who repents, believes and does good, and the One who forgives is God, against whom the sin was done. The Qur'an keeps the slain man's family's right to justice. Buddhism has no God to forgive, so it must rely on its law of deeds, and in this story that law is set aside.
Where it lands — In Islam forgiveness comes from God (﷾), and the victims' rights remain. In Angulimala's story the law of deeds simply gives way.
Sahih al-Bukhari 4072 — Kitab al-Maghazi (Military Expeditions), hadith 4072
Wahshi tells how he was promised his freedom if he killed Hamza, and killed him with a spear at the battle of Uhud. Later he came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) with the envoys of Taif. The Prophet (ﷺ) asked whether he was the one who had killed Hamza, and asked him whether he could keep his face out of his sight. After the Prophet's (ﷺ) death Wahshi went out against Musaylima, the false prophet, to make amends for killing Hamza, and threw his spear into him.
Cited for
Wahshi killed the Prophet's (ﷺ) uncle Hamza, and was later accepted among the Muslims.
The response
Wahshi killed Hamza in battle, at Uhud, not people in their villages. When he came to the Prophet (ﷺ) with the envoys of Taif, the Prophet (ﷺ) asked him to keep his face out of his sight. After the Prophet's (ﷺ) death, Wahshi set out to make amends for killing Hamza. No teacher raised him to a rank; forgiveness is God's (﷾).
Where it lands — Accepting a soldier who later sought to make amends is not making a mass murderer a saint.
Perspectives
Theravada Buddhist
Angulimala changed completely. His deeds still bore fruit, in the stones that struck him, and his story shows that the teaching can change even the worst of men.
His deeds still bore fruit: he was struck with stones and sticks, as the Buddha told him.
Rebuttal
By the Buddha's own words, those deeds might have kept him in hell for thousands of years. A few blows took their place, and he was freed from rebirth. That is not a result that matches the deeds. It is an escape, and the Dhammapada says no one can find one.
The story shows the power of the teaching to change even the worst of men.
Rebuttal
A change of heart is good. But the rule book says people were terrified to see him among the monks. The Buddha then forbade his monks to give such a robber the ordination he himself had given Angulimala.
Another discourse teaches that a person who has trained himself feels a bad deed only lightly, in this life. A lump of salt does not spoil the river Ganges.
Rebuttal
That discourse speaks of a small bad deed, not the murder of many. Its own picture for it is a theft that sends a poor man to jail, while a rich man goes free for it. And Angulimala's own verses say the good he did took the place of his bad deed, and that he eats his food free of debt. The debt is called settled. Yet nothing is paid to the people he killed.
What the texts say
The Pali discourse makes a mass killer a monk and then one of the perfected. The rule book then forbids ordaining such robbers.
Angulimala murdered people constantly and wore their fingers as a necklace.
He became one of the perfected. The Buddha said the stones he suffered were the result of deeds that might have kept him in hell for thousands of years.
His becoming a monk alarmed people. So the Buddha forbade making a monk of any robber who bears the marks of his deeds.
The Islamic perspective
God (﷾) may forgive a repentant killer, but the victims keep their rights, and their families may claim justice.
The Qur'an gives the slain man's family the right to justice or to forgive.
The Prophet (ﷺ) spoke of the Day of Resurrection. Then, he said, the wrongs a person did to others are paid back from his good deeds.