𝐃𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐈𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐦 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐊𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬?
Mohamad Mostafa Nassar
Twitter:@NassarMohamadMR
A lot Critics that Islam is the reason why there are Honour killings present in the Islamic world. However, that is not true in any way. Islam does NOT permit Honour killings.
very important to watch this
Are there Honor Killings & forced Marriages in ISLAM? | The Deen Show #408
Honour killings is defined in the Oxfords learner’s dictionary as:
“The murder of a relative, usually a girl or woman, because she has done something that is thought to bring shame on the family”
[1] https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/honour-killing#honourkilling_inflg_2
Meaning it is defined as a murder done by one of the family members of a relative.
This is in no way permitted by Islam.
Islam does not allow any punishments to be carried out unless it is done by the government. Which is the opposite of ‘Honour killings’ are supposed to be.
This Hadith also makes this very clear on this topic
Abu Huraira reported: Sa’d ibn Ubadah said, “O Messenger of Allah, if I find another man with my wife, should I leave him alone until I bring four witnesses?”
The Prophet said yes. Sa’d said, “Never! By the one who sent you with the truth, if that happened to me, I would quickly grab the sword!” The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: Listen to what your leader is saying.
[2] Sahih Muslim 1498
Here the idea is that bringing is simply impossible
Moreover, in this example, the Prophet has forbidden a man who witnesses his wife committing adultery from implementing legal punishment by his own initiative. This is because legal punishments may only be applied by appointed judges and because the punishment for adultery requires the testimony of four reliable witnesses.
Moreover, Islamic scholarship is absolutely clear that punishments are only to be carried out by the government. Just like every government on the face of this earth carries out every punishment
Ibn Muflih writes:
“It is forbidden to establish a legal punishment unless it is done by the leader or his deputy.
[3] Al-Furu’ Volume 6 pg. 53
Imam Al Qurtubi writes:
There is no dispute among the scholars that qisaas (retaliatory punishments) such as execution cannot be carried out except by those in authority who are obliged to carry out the qisaas and carry out hadd punishments etc, because Allah has addressed the command regarding qisaas to all the Muslims, and it is not possible for all the Muslims to get together to carry out the qisaas, which is why they appointed a leader who may represent them in carrying out the qisaas and hadd punishments.
[4] Tafsir Al Qurtubi Volume 2 pg 245-246
Ibn Rushd writes:
Regarding the one who should carry out this punishment – i.e., the hadd punishment for drinking alcohol – they agreed that the ruler should carry it out, and that applies to all the hadd punishments.
[5] Bidaayat al-Mujtahid Volume 2 pg. 233
Moreover majority of the Islamic scholars have also agreed that Honour killings are not part of Islam and is forbidden.
Mufti Ebrahim Desai writes:
Islam does not give permission to any individual to kill a family or clan member based on his belief that the victim brought dishonor upon the family, clan, or community. Only the Islamic Court can carry out the punishments (hudood) set out by the Shariah.
…Such “honour killings” are in fact violations of both civil and Islamic law, but perpetrators frequently use religious reasons to defend their actions, thereby giving the crime a veneer of justification.
[6] http://www.askimam.org/public/question_detail/18642
General Ifta Department of Jordan says:
The so-called “Honor Killings” is in itself an abominable crime that is spreading in communities nowadays. The killer thinks that he washes off his shame, but he doesn’t realize that he is committing a graver sin, that is shedding a Muslim’s blood unlawfully.
By doing so, he brings retribution (Qisas) on himself, as viewed by many a scholar because the court hasn’t passed a verdict ascertaining that the killer was guilty as charged. The killer hijacked the role of the court when he took the matter into his own hands.
Basically, citizens have duties and responsibilities that they should abide by in order for social stability and security to prevail.
[7] https://www.aliftaa.jo/Question2En.aspx?QuestionId=3258#.XQVYdS2ZOu5
Islam Q/A one of the biggest fatwa websites on internet says:
Based on this, that which is called “honour killing” is a transgression and wrongdoing, because it is killing one who does not deserve to be killed, namely the virgin if she commits zina (fornication), but the shar’i punishment in her case is flogging and banishment for one year, not execution, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
“(The punishment for zina) of a virgin with a virgin person is one hundred lashes and exile for one year.
Matter of fact all most all Islamic clerics in Pakistan agree that Honour killings are not part of Islam
Guardian reports:
An influential group of Pakistani clerics have issued a fatwa against “honour” killings, with a spokesman calling them “unethical and unjustifiable” following a series of attacks on women that have caused national outrage.
The Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) said on Monday that killings such as last week’s murder of teenager Zeenat Bibi in Lahore after she married the man of her choice were a “great sin”.
The edict was backed by up to 40 clerics in the council, a group of Sunni organisations that wields considerable influence in Pakistan’s powerful Punjab province.
Allah has decreed that women should be free to marry whomever they choose so long as both parties are agreed, the SIC’s Punjab general secretary Mufti Saeed Rizvi said.
“So, the killing in a normal or in a brutal way (burning alive etc.), as was done to the innocent Zeenat recently in Lahore, is absolutely a great sin. All clerics have severely condemned it and declared it an unlawful, unconstitutional, undemocratic, unethical and unjustifiable act that must be stopped by the state at any cost,” he said.
Islam, he said, respects the rights of women, while the issue of honour was based on “illiteracy” and had nothing to do with the religion.
The fatwa also called on the government to draft new legislation to punish those guilty of honour killings within a week, and to launch an awareness campaign.
[9] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jun/14/pakistani-clerics-issue-fatwa-against-honour-killings
Even Britannica affirms and accurately stated
Such “honour killings” are in fact violations of both civil and Islamic law, but perpetrators frequently use religious reasons to defend their actions, thereby giving the crime a veneer of justification.
[10] https://www.britannica.com/topic/punishment#ref=ref991101
So, all the evidence presented here with a clear reading blows the lie out of the water that Islam condones and allows Honour Killings.
For more information about how Honour Killings became a thing in the Muslim world read this article by Dr.Jonathon A.C Brown from Yaqeen Institute
Islam is not the Cause of Honor Killings. It’s Part of the Solution.
Sources:
[1] https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/honour-killing#honourkilling_inflg_2
[2] Sahih Muslim 1498
[3] Al-Furu’ Volume 6 pg 53
[4] Tafsir Al Qurtubi Volume 2 pg 245-246
[5] Bidaayat al-Mujtahid Volume 2 pg 233
[6] http://www.askimam.org/public/question_detail/18642
[7] https://www.aliftaa.jo/Question2En.aspx?QuestionId=3258#.XQVYdS2ZOu5
[8] https://islamqa.info/en/answers/101972/ruling-on-honour-killings
[9] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jun/14/pakistani-clerics-issue-fatwa-against-honour-killings
[10] https://www.britannica.com/topic/punishment#ref=ref991101
Honor Killing in Islam
Almighty Allah is the highest and most knowledgeable, and the attribution of knowledge to him is the safest.
Right from Almighty Allah and wrong from me and Satan
Prepared by Mohamad Mostafa Nassar-
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