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Islam and 'Honor Killings' |
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Written by Muslim
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For that reason, we ordained for the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul for other than murder or spreading corruption in the land, it is as if he has killed the whole of humanity… (Qur’an 5:35)
One of the gravest stereotypes and charges levied against Islam, in terms of its alleged antipathy towards women, is the claim that it encourages a phenomenon known as honor killings. This un-Islamic practice consists of the murder of female family members who are seen as dishonoring their families through real or perceived acts of indiscretion, such as premarital sexual relations or unapproved dating, or anything deemed unacceptable by male members of the family.
The practice of honor killings has absolutely no sanction in the Qur’an, the Prophetic practice, or in the evolved systems of Islamic law. It is a cultural practice that predates Islam. It is something that has been practiced by all in Asia and Middle East, Muslim or non-Muslim. The overwhelming majority of Muslim societies are free from the practice of honor killing. According to statistics released by the United Nations in 2000 there are approximately 5,000 deaths annually from “honor” killings, this is includes Muslim and non-Muslims alike. Such killings have no place in Islam. |
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Responding to the Killing of Aasiya Hassan: An Open Letter to the Leaders of American Muslim Communities |
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By Imam Mohamed Hagmagid Ali
Executive Director, ADAMS Center
Vice-President, The Islamic Society of North America
The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) is saddened and shocked by the news of the loss of one of our respected sisters, Aasiya Hassan whose life was taken violently. To God we belong and to Him we return (Qur'an 2:156). We pray that she find peace in God's infinite Mercy, and our prayers and sympathies are with sister Aasiya's family. Our prayers are also with the Muslim community of Buffalo who have been devastated by the loss of their beloved sister and the shocking nature of this incident.
This is a wake up call to all of us, that violence against women is real and can not be ignored. It must be addressed collectively by every member of our community. Several times each day in America, a woman is abused or assaulted. Domestic violence is a behavior that knows no boundaries of religion, race, ethnicity, or social status. Domestic violence occurs in every community. The Muslim community is not exempt from this issue. We, the Muslim community, need to take a strong stand against domestic violence. Unfortunately, some of us ignore such problems in our community, wanting to think that it does not occur among Muslims or we downgrade its seriousness. I call upon my fellow imams and community leaders to never second-guess a woman who comes to us indicating that she feels her life to be in danger. We should provide support and help to protect the victims of domestic violence by providing for them a safe place and inform them of their rights as well as refer them to social service providers in our areas. Marriage is a relationship that should be based on love, mutual respect and kindness. No one who experiences a marriage that is built on these principles would pretend that their life is in danger. We must respond to all complaints or reports of abuse as genuine and we must take appropriate and immediate action to ensure the victim's safety, as well as the safety of any children that may be involved. |
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New Year Resolutions - A Muslim Perspective |
 Take Benefit of Five Before Five, Your Youth Before Your Old Age, Your Health Before Your Sickness, Your Wealth Before Your Poverty, Your Free Time Before Your Preoccupation, & Your Life Before Your Death.” [Prophet Muhammad (saws)] New Year’s Resolutions Every year, as Muslims, we try our hardest to be patient, eat well, pray regularly and make positive life changes during Ramadan. However, as the year progresses it often seems that we forget those promises to ourselves. Whether it is a Muslim new year or western, it is a good time for Muslims to renew the resolutions they made during Ramadan. A list of resolutions should be written down so one can refer to them throughout the year. They should include spiritual, as well as physical and mental practices, for Allah encompasses all of our lives and not just the hours in which we pray. The following is a list of resolutions I often give consulting clients who ask me what they should do to better their spiritual, physical and mental lives: 1-Exercise:“When My servants ask thee concerning Me, I am indeed close [to them]: I respond to the prayer of every suppliant when he calleth on Me: Let them also, with a will, Listen to My call, and believe in Me: That they may walk in the right way,” (Qur’an 2:186) As I perform more iridology readings and consultations, I am struck with the vitality I see in one certain group of people. This group includes smokers, people who eat junk food, people who have a family history of disease and people who have stressful lives. So what do they all have in common? Exercise! Their enthusiasm for joining a health club, swimming and sports teams, or their dedication to walking once a day, or taking a Tai Chi or Yoga class on a regular basis, has more than made up for their lack of dedication in other health areas. I do not recommend eating badly or smoking, for doing so will eventually catch up to you, but if you could change just ONE thing in your life it should be to exercise. Keep in mind that exercise can even be as simple as praying five times a day. Many people have compared the benefits of the Muslim prayer with those of yoga. |
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