Honour killings are not Islamic!

Just because honour killings are mostly committed in Muslim regions this does not make it Islamic.

• Islam as a religion values human life. Human life is sacred in the eyes of God. For example, in Surah 17 verse 33 “Nor takes life which God has made sacred." Reading this from the Quran it clearly shows a murder is a murder and no one has the right to kill another individual.
•  Both Judaism and Islam are committed to the protection of human life. It makes no difference whether the victim is a Jew, a Muslim or anyone else

• An honour killing has no place in Islam.

This practice has absolutely no sanction in the Quran, the prophetic practice or in the evolved systems of Islamic law.  Let’s consider this verse from the Quran in Surah 5 verse 32: whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption (done) in the land - it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one - it is as if he had saved mankind entirely.

• A person does not have the right to kill another without any justifiable reasons and nor does he have the right to take the law into his own hands.

It should be noted that nowhere in the Quran is a person allowed to take the law into their own hands and act as judge, jury and executioner.

• One article which I came across in terms of honour killings was that a father killed his daughter for not wearing a hijab. Is this justifiable in Islam? Doesn`t one have the right to live according to ones choices and desires. Does a Muslim have to be forced in order to practice their religion? These questions began to fill my mind, but then i came across a verse which clearly states "let there be no compulsion in religion." (Surah 2 verse 256). Doesn`t this say something to Muslims, why are they being ignorant of the verses of the Holy Quran? They should stop and think what the Quran says about human life and reflect upon the words of God. Stop being hypocrites!

I personally believe Islam as a religion is not to blame for this so called devout and religious practice. But rather I believe some Muslims are ignorant of the verses of the Holy Quran and the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad.

Beware Muslims have brought this practice to the western world!

• Going through a number of websites, I have read various stories which made me realise that living in a liberal and democratic western society, a Muslim woman still cannot escape murder or abuse in terms of the issue of Honour.
•  http://www.iris.org.il/blog/archives/2250-UK-Muslim-Honor-Killing-Wife-Daughters-Burned-Alive.html
  
  http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/love-that-can-be-lethal-muslim-couples-in-fear-of-honour-killing-455174.html
  
  http://www.jihadwatch.org/2010/09/uk-muslim-parents-arrested-for-honor-killing-of-daughter-who-balked-at-arranged-marriage-to-cousin.html
• I guess the western image which is depicted of Muslim women is right to a certain extent. They are some Muslim families who subjugate and oppress certain Muslim women. They expect them to stay at home and not socialise with other members of society. I don`t think this is what religion teaches. I am pretty sure that the Muslim religion teaches that one should integrate within the society they are living in. In order to benefit others and the community.
• Going through a number of websites i came across a discussion on yahoo answers which i found useful and which addresses the issue of why would a Muslim need to integrate into a free society. http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20101007083727AAwo8JM
•  Why do such Muslim families live in the age of darkness. Its time to read your Holy books and understand your religion.

Whilst researching honour killings in the U.K on YouTube I came across a video which showed Banaz Mahmod talking in hospital after her father attacked her. Clearly from this YouTube video one can see how much fear and stress she is going through. How can a father do such injustice to his daughter?

From this I was shocked and filled with disgust in realising that honour killings also takes place in the United Kingdom.

Hard hearted couldn`t stand his own daughters happiness.

Muslims have an obsession with honour killings - Allah Hu Akbar!

Do you know that honour killings are mostly committed in Muslim regions?

• http://www.photius.com/countries/saudi_arabia/national_security/saudi_arabia_national_security_crime_and_punishment.html 
  

  Well to me it wasn’t a surprise because we are always hearing or seeing certain Muslims blowing themselves up and taking other innocent people with them. In addition, we also hear how some Muslim regions like Saudi Arabia are known as a strict country which emphasizes legal punishments such as death for committing crimes such as adultery, murder, drug smuggling and also one can be executed under certain conditions of raping and committing armed robber
• So you can’t blame the Muslim regions for having a high number of honour killings because their laws are strict and anything seen as immoral would be quickly taken into account. The fact that there legal punishments are so strict and severe shows that people justify honour killings in Muslim regions because they regard the actions or behaviour of the girl or guy as immoral which for them death can easily be justified.
• I believe these people who kill innocent lives have no respect for other people’s life so for them killing a woman or a man because of dishonour doesn’t make a difference.
• Viewing a couple of websites i have come to the conclusion that  most honour killings are carried out in Muslim regions. "Thousands of such killings have occurred in Muslim countries such as Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan, and Palestinian territories, according to the World Health Organization." http://www.truthandgrace.com/muslimhonorkilling.htm
• The websites which indicate that honour killings are popular in the Muslim world are: http://www.islamawareness.net/HonourKilling/honour_killings.pdf
• http://www.mwlusa.org/topics/violence&harrassment/hk.html
• http://www.ccgm.org.au/articles/Articles/ARTICLE-0109.htm

Not all Muslim countries practice this dreadful activity.

• Another useful website which I came across mentioned that “Honour killings happen only to some designated Muslim nations such as Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, Yemen, Lebanon, Egypt, Sudan, the Gaza strip and the West Bank (Palestine), Jordan, Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nigeria, Somalia, Turkey, Iran and some other south and central Asian countries”http://www.faithfreedom.org/Articles/SKM50702.htm

Looking at this picture doesn’t it make you cringe? Don`t you feel sorry for the woman because I certainly do. Is this Islamic?

Looking through these websites and reading the materials which are provided by the authors the questions which concern me are: 

 Are honour killings just a problem which is faced only by Muslims?

 Or is it a problem which is faced by many, irrespective of being a Muslim.