October 29th, The International Day of Solidarity with the Victims of Honor Crimes

Today is the International Day of Solidarity with Victims of Honor Crimes.I think it is about time we create a global awareness for this matter. Honor killings are the ugliest forms of domestic violence in the world.

I just don’t understand how men can reach a state of mind leading them to killing their wives, sisters and daughters simply for dating, as instance. If men think they can date and have sex and women are prohibited from that, they are absolutely wrong, as in all religions, premarital sex is prohibited and not allowed for many reasons. And for Muslims who think they can just take away lives for their so-called Honor that will be even more shameful afterwards, remember, God can be forgiving and give second chances, why can’t you. Also remember that men and women should be equally punished, as in the Quran it is mentioned that in case of sinful sex, male and female are treated the same and here is the proof:

الزَّانِيَةُ وَالزَّانِي فَاجْلِدُوا كُلَّ وَاحِدٍ مِّنْهُمَا مِائَةَ جَلْدَةٍ وَلا تَأْخُذْكُم بِهِمَا رَأْفَةٌ فِي دِينِ اللَّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ وَلْيَشْهَدْ عَذَابَهُمَا طَائِفَةٌ مِّنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

الزَّانِي لا يَنكِحُ إِلاَّ زَانِيَةً أَوْ مُشْرِكَةً وَالزَّانِيَةُ لا يَنكِحُهَا إِلاَّ زَانٍ أَوْ مُشْرِكٌ وَحُرِّمَ ذَلِكَ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

وَالَّذِينَ يَرْمُونَ الْمُحْصَنَاتِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَأْتُوا بِأَرْبَعَةِ شُهَدَاء فَاجْلِدُوهُمْ ثَمَانِينَ جَلْدَةً وَلا تَقْبَلُوا لَهُمْ شَهَادَةً أَبَدًا وَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ

إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ تَابُوا مِن بَعْدِ ذَلِكَ وَأَصْلَحُوا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

The adulteress and the adulterer - punish each one of them with a hundred lashes; and may you not have pity on them in the religion to Allah, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day; and a group of believers must witness their punishment.

The adulterer shall not marry except an adulteress or a polytheist woman, and none shall marry an adulteress except an adulterer or a polytheist; and this is forbidden for the believers.

And those who accuse chaste women and do not bring four witnesses to testify - punish them with eighty lashes and do not ever accept their testimony; and it is they who are the wicked.

Except those who repent after this and reform themselves; so indeed Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful.

I shared two stories that were exposed to the world before in an earlier post:

Amina Said (L), 18, and her sister Sarah, 17, were shot dead by their father Yaser at their home in Irving, Texas, in January 2008. Said was upset by his daughters' "Western ways" and was assisted in the killing by his wife, the girls' mother. The victims of honor killings are largely teenage daughters or young…. more

Fortunately now, many major worldwide organizations are taking action on the ground, and virtually through reaching out to millions of people. If you are against domestic violence of any kind take a few moments to support ending this brutality.