Women in Islam - From Islam's Sources: Difference between revisions

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===Honor killings by family members===
===Honor killings by family members===


Domestic violence is an issue that transcends cultures and is not limited solely to the Islamic world. This is the argument generally made by Muslim sympathizers to deflect focus on the Islamic practice of honor killing. While honor killing indeed occurs in other cultures, Islam is the only culture and religion where honor killing is sanctioned by religious tenets. Shari'a law allows a father or mother to murder family members without penalty:  
Domestic violence is an issue that transcends cultures and is not limited solely to the Islamic world. This is the argument generally made by Muslim sympathizers to deflect focus from honor killing in the Muslim world. While honor killing indeed occurs in other cultures, and is not prescribed in Islam, it is the only culture and religion where killing of children by parents is enabled by religious tenets. Shari'a law allows a father or mother to murder their children without retaliation (Qisas):  


{{Quote|'Umdat al-Salik (Reliance of the Traveller), section o1.1-2|Retaliation is obligatory .... against anyone who kills a human being purely intentionally and without right ... The following are not subject to retaliation ... (4) a father or mother (or their fathers or mothers) for killing their offspring.}}  
{{Quote|'Umdat al-Salik (Reliance of the Traveller), section o1.1-2|Retaliation is obligatory .... against anyone who kills a human being purely intentionally and without right ... The following are not subject to retaliation ... (4) a father or mother (or their fathers or mothers) for killing their offspring.}}  


In other words, according to the Shafi'i school of Islamic jurisprudence, a father or mother may murder their offspring for any reason, without fear of penalty or punishment. Most often, this sort of religiously sanctioned murder is done to preserve family "honor" and usually the female gender takes the brunt of this sort of barbaric discipline.
In other words, according to the Shafi'i school of Islamic jurisprudence, a father or mother may murder their offspring for any reason, without fear of vengance. Most often, this sort of murder is done to preserve family "honor" and usually the female gender takes the brunt of this sort of barbaric discipline. Such extreme negative attitudes and actions in response to female freedom are no doubt influenced by Islamic punishments for zina (unlawful sexual intercourse) and the highly controlling nature of Islam towards women generally.


The United Nations Population Fund estimated in September 2000 that as many as 5,000 women and girls fall victim to such killings each year. Here are but a few that have captured media attention recently.
The United Nations Population Fund estimated in September 2000 that as many as 5,000 women and girls fall victim to such killings each year. Here are but a few that have captured media attention recently.
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