Thursday, January 10, 2008

What next? Honor Killings?

At this point it would be foolish to think that 'honor killings" will not happen in the Maldives.

Violence against women is a worldwide crisis. The so-called “honor killing” of women and girls in some Muslim nations is one horrifying manifestation of this global phenomenon. Honor killing, the practice of murdering a female family member who is believed to have sullied the family honor, enjoys widespread acceptance in some areas of the Islamic world. In Pakistan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and other Muslim countries this is part of their culture and tradition. This heinous practice is even carried out by some Muslims living in western countries like the UK and the United States.

The blame is often laid at the door of "tribal customs" and people try to avoid the taint of Islam in honour killings. While saying that Islam has nothing to do with "honor Killings" many Muslims nations are not doing enough. Recently the Parliament in Jordan has overwhelmingly rejected a proposed law imposing harsher punishments for men who kill female relatives in what are known as "honour killings". Honor killings accounted for one-third of the murders of women in Jordan in 1999.

Since Islam is used as the justification for such barbarities, it becomes incumbent upon Muslim spokesmen to confront this directly, and to work for positive change, rather than simply to consign it all to culture, as if that absolves Islam from all responsibility.

As Maldivians embrace the culture of Pakistan, Egypt etc, we should be on our guard that these abhorrent practises in these culture do not enter into our society.

Bangladeshi women scarred by acid attack

16 comments:

  1. Anonymous6:40 AM

    good posting..I will not be surprised when the honor killing happens in Maldives.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous9:33 AM

    Mohammed said, "After me I have not left any affliction more harmful to men than women."

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous9:35 AM

    There will be no one of you who will not enter it (Hell).This was an inevitable decree of your Lord. Afterwards he MAY SAVE SOME of the pious, God-fearing Muslims out of the burning fire. -- Sura 19:71-72

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous12:52 PM

    There is no GOD cox I dont c GOD. But I beleive in GOD.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous7:34 AM

    I don't know what translation anonymous is using. The verse is like this,

    [019:071] "There isn’t any of you who can avoid passing by the hellfire. Your Lord has made this incumbent upon Himself!"

    [019:072] "Then, We will let the transgressors fall tumbling down into it, but We will rescue those who have been heedful and pious!"


    I don't know why he quoted this verse. Is he misunderstanding this verse? I guess this verse is talking about the people passing the bridge above the hell fire. Only the pious will pass safely to the Jannah. The evil doers will fall into the fire!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous7:41 AM

    "After me I have not left any affliction more harmful to men than women."

    This may be a translation of a hadith. The actual translation is like this.

    The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) spoke the truth when he said, “I am not leaving behind any fitnah (trial, temptation) more harmful to men than women.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 4706).

    He (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) also said: “This world is sweet and dazzling, and Allaah has you put in charge of it to see how you will do and what you will do, so beware of this world and beware of women, for the first fitnah (temptation, trial) that befell the Children of Israel was concerning women.” (Reported by Muslim, 4925).

    These ahaadith are talking about the temptation which will be caused to men to do evil [i.e. fornication, adultery, rape etc...] by women. They are not refering to physical harm or anything like that!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous3:16 AM

    Honour killings may happen in Maldives, I believe that, BUT I still find it hard to believe that, it has anything to do with real Islam.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous6:30 AM

    Athena,

    Ruling on honour killing in Islam is explained in the 3rd comment. There is a link!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous6:32 AM

    I am sorry, not the 3rd, the 5th!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous2:04 AM

    According to Khaled Al-Qudra, former Attorney General in the Palestinian National Authority, 70% of all murders in Gaza and the West Bank are honor killings [of Palestinian women by their families].

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous5:52 AM

    Anonymous,

    Give your source from and unbiased website!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous9:54 PM

    anonymous,
    read this
    http://www.islam-watch.org/SyedKamranMirza/honor_killing.htm

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anonymous7:56 AM

    A biased link!

    ReplyDelete
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