In Sweden we have had many cases of girls and now even boys being killed by family members because of alleged love affairs (physical or emotional). Primarily Islam is being attacked for this primitive, barbarian behaviour.
So what's it all about?
To think that this is a male invented phenomena would be to laugh in the eyes of all victims off honor killings. The fact of the matter is, men and women are both in on it, maintaining and executing.
In Jordan, honor killings are given a milder sentence. Thanks for such a legal view can be given to France, where the idea stems from. Crime de passion (crime of passion) as it was once labelled. In France it was used in a context where often a man had killed his wife out of jealousy. Because of the "upsetting" circumstance, he was not to be held as harshly accountable for killing her.
In Jordan this year 15 people (mostly girls and women) have been murdered by family members. Often a brother, father or uncle. Only recently a 21 year old girl and her would be fiancé according to Jordan Times.
Her own mother had heard from their neighbor that the young couple were having a sexual relationship. She then told her husband, the girls father, who later called the boy's family over pretending to want to finalize an engagement. He asked to speak privately with the boy and his daughter and fired 14 shots at both daughter and boy killing them.
He "defended the family honor." Medical reports later showed the girl was a virgin.
It is irrelevant whether she was a virgin or not. Whether she had sex with the boy or not. How do you kill your own daughter? There can be nothing but a sick society and culture that would encourage such behaviour.
Playing devil's advocate, had he not killed his own daughter, he would be put under great pressure by his surroundings, both men and women. And as the Pakistani saying goes, he would have "lost his shalwar" (meaning lost his pants, become shamed).
This sense of honor exists in many cultures, and although nothing in Islam has ever and will ever support such behaviour, Muslim men and women continue to make a case against themselves for being the most primitive bunch of lunatics on the planet. A legacy every Muslim (particularly in the west) is forced to bare whether they agree with it or not.
14 comments:
:) thanks for explaining it in detail.. i had very little knowledge about this issue and used to relate it only with traditional ignorant pakistanis.
anyways hope you doin well
keep safe
-khanana-
Allah ziyadti kernay walon ko dost nahee rakhta. (Surah Al-Baqarah:190)
would like more entries on this topic, perhaps detailing how this functions and possible origins of the male honor thing. Linking this at Hu, if you don't mind
Great post, topics like these need to be highlighted. It is pre historic practices like this one that are not at all based on religion that make it hard for people to explain what the truth is. I'm from Pakistan and the practice of honor killing is very common there, laws are changing but still a lot more needs to be done.
Leila M, welcome :) You are welcome to link whatever you like. I will try to adress the issue more often and see if I can get some information on its origins. The view on milder punishment is however a French legacy. I do not know if that hasplayed a role in contributing to a laxer attitude to honor killings.
D Rebel, Yeah I am aware of the situation in Pakistan. Throwing acid in the face is a classic...It is barbaric.
Most of those who commit these "honour killings" do so in the name of islam but in realityy most of them don't even know the ABCs of the religion. May Allah guide all of us to His right path.
"The punishment for adultery or fornication in Islam is administering 100 lashes. Stoning to death is announced only in case of proclaimed offenders or those who are beyond reform, upon whose extinction the society heaves a sigh of relief. " You can read the full article here.
But what is happening here? People are killed just because of rumours. Killing a human being is not a joke, human life is sacred. You don't punish people unless you have concrete eveidence & also after you have listened to the accused. May Allah guide us Muslims to study & understand our religion first before doing stupid actions on its behalf.
SS: I don't think these 'honor killings' are religiously motivated, it's more to do with pride and ego.
'How do you kill your own daughter?' When the clouds of pride, ego, and anger cloud those of your conscience, it brings out the animal in humans.
AWOS, I am sure that Islam does not condone it. No religion would. However I felt it important to highlight that Islam here is being accused for mankind's bad behaviour. Tragic.
I'd never made the connection between honour killings and crimes of passion, but your point is valid, and I'm surprised no one mentioned it before. This is definitely something that needs to be discussed more, in that people should recognise the ways in which religion serves as an excuse and a justification for what is a largely a societal issue. The counterargument is that if religion was perfect, there would be no room for anyone to religiously condone these crimes, but that's always room in any religion or moral code for people to come up with their own (hateful) interpretations.
Well it's quite simple, religion is perfected, mankind is not.
If you have clean water and pour it on a human being, it will be different degrees of "impure" depending on the state of that human being.
The water is not to be blamed for that.
Yes the aspect of crime de passion is very relevant in a jordanian context. And legally the crimes of such a sort are given a milder sentence like the French idea. I believe even in France it is still in act today. (Not honor killings).
The French idea of a "crime of passion" refers to jealousy not this sick middle eastern concept of family honor which doesn't really exist in France.
If the people who commit such murders justify the crime by referring to Islamic and religious teachings, who are you to say that it's not because of Islam?
I know that Islam in itself is not the cause, but it's the misinterpretation of religion that causes such hideous crimes, and to me, this is as bad as a law justified by Islam itself.
In response to Yazan.
There really is no teching in Islam that can be distorted to justify honor killings. As the post makes clear, it is a cultural practice. Islam is not Pakitsan, or any other country that may practice honor killings.
Murder is murder, and it is forbidden in Islam.
Webdawah, if murder is forbiden in Islam why muslims are going for jihad? Are they not going to murder others? If murder is prohibited in Islam, why did Muhammad engage in war? I will discuss it in my website. Dont forget to visit it.
very good blog
Post a Comment