Nothing honourable about ‘honour killings’
Administrator on March 20th, 2012
On 19 March BBC One’s Panorama programme “Britain’s Crimes of Honour” featured Asian women being forced into marriages, silenced and even murdered, in the name of so-called “honour killing”.
Leeds Makkah Masjid has already held consultations on Forced Marriages and Domestic Abuse and has compiled booklets, with partners, in setting out Islamic perspective on these issues. Makkah Masjid and Deen Foundation take this opportunity to re-state that honour killings are in no way, shape or form condoned by Islam.
The issue of “honour killings” is not an issue of protecting the family’s status, izzat, or of ensuring that women act in a certain manner; rather, it is an issue of domination, power and image. The men who murder their young daughters or sisters in cold blood are indulging in an un-Islamic and inhumane practice. “This inhuman practice, a modern version of the pre-Islamic practice of burying female babies alive, has no place in Islam and therefore must be immediately stopped.”, says Imam of Makkah Masjid, Qari Muhammad Asim.
There is nothing honourable about ‘honour killings’. Murder is one of the horrific crimes in the sight of God. The Qur’an states:
“…if any one killed a person – unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land – it would be as if he has killed the whole people….”(Qur’an 5:32)
As far the issue of bringing “shame” on the community, in Islam it is clear that one individual, no matter how shameful acts he or she commits, cannot transfer that “shame” to another. Therefore for a daughter or sister who does engage in un-Islamic practices, she and she alone bears the consequences as determined by God. No one has the right to take her life, in the name of so-called “honour”.
Imam of Makkah Masjid, Imam Qari Muhammad Asim says, “It is ironic that some Muslims have developed a sense of honour that is far removed from the fundamental teachings of Islam. The most honourable in the sight of Allah is the most righteous irrespective of sex, tribe or colour. The Qur’an states: “O mankind,….. indeed the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted.” (Al-Hujurat: 13).
We remind the British Muslim community of its obligation to stand out firmly for justice in all matters. The Glorious Qur’an states:
“O you who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to God, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: For God can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest you swerve, and if you distort (justice) or decline to do justice, verily God is well-acquainted with all that you do.” (4:135)
In order to discuss the issue of Forced Marriages and Honour Killing, Leeds Makkah Masjid in conjunction with The Khari Sharif Welfare Society is holding a public consultation on 20th March 2012 at 6pm.
The consultation is held at Cubic Business Centre, 533 Stanningley Road, Leeds LS13 4EN.
All are welcome.
April 15th, 2012 at 4:22 pm
With all due respect for the above publication, I think it’s fair to say these along with the talks held by highly educated individuals; do not reach out to the majority of those carrying out the acts of so called honour killing.
I have long seen the British Media/TV open the doors to crimes we in our so called ‘Muslim’ society prefer to keep hidden yet do nothing to eliminate these! Today it’s honour killings and tomorrow it will be something else, the existence of which will not shock those of us from this community!
The sane men of our community need do to more to reach out where it is needed rather than staying in safe zones and holding talks where 1) the perpetrators of honour killing are less likely to be or 2) they are there with closed ears.
Unfortunately, more men need educating in our Muslim community for I think it’s fair to say women are always more aware of what is right and what is wrong simply because they have the willingness to learn and of course subjected to such vile acts.
I think the most worrying element of our community is how (what I thought was) ‘traditional old school thinking’ has seeped through to the youth of today.