Not sure how I missed this. A few weeks ago Supna Zaidi published an article pushing back against apologists who ignore the role that radical Islamic theology plays in honor killings:
What kind of an ideology causes a man to show no remorse for murdering his own daughter, but rants and raves at being served ham sandwiches while in prison? The media picked up the story quickly and asked, “Is Islam to blame?” On CNN, Zuhdi Jasser, of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy, tried to paint Rashad as a backward cultural aberration, stating: It [the honor killing of Sandela] has nothing to do with Islam. This is a tribal, medieval mentality that is seen in tribes in Pakistan and India, and often is not even seen in Islamic communities. It’s basically part of the ignorance of the tribal community. On Fox News, Irshad Manji, on the other hand, stated that these killings are often done in the name of Allah and compared them to honor killings in the last century in Italy, which were carried out by Catholics. She notes that these killings are often done with the name of “Allah dripping from their lips.”
It’s true that Pakistani Muslims leave something to be desired when it comes to not marrying off 9 year old girls to 45 year old men and then killing them at 17. And the Afghanis most definitely jail rape victims for decades at a time. Asian immigrants are also the ones who are behind the wave of honor killings in Britain – and in the US:
In the Atlanta suburb of Jonesboro last month, a Pakistani immigrant allegedly strangled his 25-year-old daughter with a bungee cord because she was determined to end her arranged marriage and had gotten involved with a new man. According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Sandeela Kanwal’s father, Chaudhry Rashid, “told police he is Muslim and that extramarital affairs and divorce are against his religion [and] that’s why he killed her.” … In Upstate New York a few weeks earlier, Waheed Allah Mohammad, an immigrant from Afghanistan, was charged with attempted murder after repeatedly stabbing his 19-year-old sister. The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reported that Mohammad was “infuriated because his younger sister was … [a] bad Muslim girl.”
The Pakistanis and Afghanis who are doing the killing certainly seem to think that their actions have something to do with Islam. And I’m not sure how “Pakistani culture” accounts for the Iraqi father who stamped on, suffocated and then stabbed his 17 year old daughter. Or the Israeli-Arab brother who shot his sister and then the whole family celebrated. Or the Palestinian father who murdered his 24 year old daughter by tying her up and burying her alive. Or the Jordanian brother who drowned his sister after other family members viciously beat her. Etc etc.
Then again – maybe those are all just really, really unfortunate coincidences.
References:
* Does Islam Justify Honor Killings? [PJ Media]
* Married at 9, slain by parents at 17 [News.com.au]
* The Afghan women jailed for being victims of rape [The Independent]
* Study alleges ‘honour killings’ conspiracy [Telegraph]
* ‘Honor’ killing comes to the US [Boston Globe]
* ‘My daughter deserved to die for falling in love’ [Guardian]
* Attempted honor killing: Brother shoots sister – then family celebrates [Hot Air]
* Gazan woman slain by father over family honor; father and brothers arrested [Ma'an]
* Buried Alive [Mick Hartley]
* Jordanian Man Charged in Honor Killing of Sister [Fox News]
Previously:
* Hey Gals, Check This Out – You’re Too Dirty To Walk On Saudi Arabia’s Sidewalks
* Hey Gals, Check This Out – Hamas Wants You To Blow Yourself Up Next To Israeli Tanks
* Hey Gals, Check This Out – Israeli Arab Girl Victim of Honor Killing
