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Unknown to the English speaking world, another grisly apostate/honor killing recently took place in the Muslim world, namely, Jordan. On August 28, 2008, days before her 21st birthday, Rana Riad Muhammad Siwahra, wife and mother of two girls (aged 3 and 5) was murdered by her father. After stabbing her with a knife five-six times in the stomach and chest, he smashed her skull in with a large rock. Afterwards, he washed his hands and went to the market where he was later arrested.
The Jordanian press said the motive was “unclear,” that they were having personal “disagreements,” and that he killed her in a “fit of rage.” Islam, ridda (apostasy) laws, and honor were never mentioned as possible motives.
Her husband, Sultan Muhammad Siwahra, however—himself on the run and in hiding—was recently interviewed on the Arabic satellite program, Su’al Jar’i (“Daring Question”), where he insisted that his wife was murdered specifically because of Islam and the culture it breeds.
For the record, Su’al Jar’i airs on Qanat al-Haya (“Channel of Life” or “Life TV”), which also airs Father Zakaria Botros’ shows, and is similarly dedicated to exposing the problematic aspects of Islam, as well as focus on relevant events of the day—such as this murder. Hosted by apostate Muslim converts to Christianity—who also live in hiding—known only by their first names, Rashid and Ahmed, the show’s no-holds barred style has made it, along with Father Zakaria’s shows, one of the most watched programs on Arabic satellite.
(Though the video is entirely in Arabic and there are no English subtitles, images of the slain, her husband, and daughters can be seen on it. Also, thanks to Rabad Castle and Robert for bringing this to my attention.)
According to Sultan, he grew up in an average Muslim household; yet, when he was a teenager, he was lured to the call of jihad, eventually going to Iraq in order to fight the American infidels and gain entrance into a voluptuous paradise (he asserted that, as a teenager, one of his greatest motivations to go on the jihad was the promise of 72 “unearthly” women in paradise).
To make a long story short, he eventually embraced Christianity (in part due to watching Father Zakaria’s show) and abandoned the jihad. When her family found out that he had apostatized, they renounced him, razed his house, reclaimed their daughter, and, according to sharia, which does not permit Muslim women to marry infidels, concluded that Rana’s marriage to Sultan was null and void. In the meantime, he went in hiding in Syria.
During Sultan’s Syrian sojourn, Rana’s uncle Jihad (yes, a real, and increasingly popular, Muslim name) called him urging him to return to his “right mind,” come back to the fold of Islam (even if just externally), and that everything would then be alright: he’d get his wife and daughters back, and no one would be out to kill him. Jihad also revealed (the audio-taped conversation was aired) that there was a bounty on his head and that his picture and name were posted on various Islamist websites: as Jihad said, damak halal—“Your life is forfeit.”
Sultan revealed that, when he was hiding in Syria, both his family and Rana’s called him assuring him to just come back and that something would be worked out. He eventually returned only to receive a very cold reception, including from his own family (one of his aunts asked a mufti if it was permissible for her to merely greet him, was told no, and accordingly would not receive him). He also found out that some of Rana’s relatives were providing information about him to the local sheikhs in order to have him killed. Once again, he fled to an undisclosed local place.
In the meantime, Rana and her daughters were under “house arrest” at her father’s home, who absolutely forbade her seeing her husband, insisting that doing so is tantamount to adultery, as his apostasy had by default annulled their marriage.
Rana eventually fled to where Sultan was residing, telling him that she just wants to be with him, and that’s its best for them to flee Jordan, from both their families, and go live anywhere else. When Sultan asked her about his conversion, she told him that she too was prepared to go to a church and convert to Christianity—but that they had better act quick before her father caught up with them.
That same day, while Sultan was away, her father, having ascertained where they were, arrived at their place, greeting his daughter with a knife-stab to the heart and, for the grand finale, pounding her head open with a rock
.
Su’al Jar’i aired another taped conversation between Sultan and his murdered wife’s family which further revealed that, far from blaming the father, they held Sultan to blame. Jihad told him, “In short, this is entirely your fault,” while Rana’s mother was heard in the background screaming abuses such as “You son of bitch!” and “You lowlife, Christian dog!”
To date, Sultan is in hiding and his apostate life is still forfeit. His daughters are now being raised by his father, who says they are all that remain to him of his son. And, although both his family and Rana’s continuously tried talking him into returning to Islam, they have now been ostracized by the Muslim communities they live in, for the great shame of having a relative convert to Christianity.
Host Ahmed went on to reveal some interesting facts about ridda law, and what penalties await the apostate. According to him—and, as an apostate himself, he should know—while all four schools of Sunni jurisprudence demand that apostates be put to death, the Hanafi school is against killing female apostates. Instead, females should be trapped and essentially tortured until they see the “error of their ways.”
The vast majority of those Muslims calling into the show were primarily interested in demonstrating that the slaying was un-Islamic. For, they argued, while killing Sultan is in fact Islamic, killing his wife was not, since there is no clear evidence that she had truly converted to Christianity. As one caller kept insisting, “Even Sultan himself admits she had not yet gone to church to convert and thus she should not have been killed!” In other words, their contention revolved around the fact that Rana may not have apostatized after all, and so may have been innocent—not that killing an apostate is wrong in the first place.
Ironically, according to Sultan, her death has only reinforced his faith, as in one heartfelt scene he implored his fellow apostate hosts: “What sort of religion makes a father murder his own daughter?!” Nor does he hold Rana’s father to blame, insisting instead that “He was always a good man, but it’s his religion that instructs him so.”
Perhaps most troubling of all is the fact that, if this brutal tale never even made it to the Western press, how many similar stories of apostasy/honor killings, not to mention general oppression, in the Islamic world never even make it to the local media and in the indigenous language?
Posted by Raymond at September 21, 2008 4:35 PM
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He was always a good man, but it’s his religion that instructs him so.
but he wasn't that day, was he. this could happen to every muslim girl. sick religion.
Posted by: theygottago![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jihadwatch.org/nav-commenters.gif)
at September 21, 2008 4:47 PM
I hope Sultan's father keeps Sultan's daughters safe. Otherwise, Rania's father will be coming to kill them, too. There's nothing to stop him from this. It's allowed in Islam to kill one's children and grandchildren for any or no reason.
By now, he's like a vicious dog who has a taste for human blood. He'll be looking for more.
Posted by: Abscedere at September 21, 2008 4:56 PM
Islamic oppression and stories like this unfortunately don't make it into our media.
Combine it with the reluctance of some people that tend to judge others based on their Christian belief, takiya of Muslims who are in the know and the ignorance of 'moderate' Muslims, it is an uphill battle to inform the world about the true Islam.
My sister who lives in Indonesia once mentioned to her best friend of almost 40 years (a modern, "moderate" - or should I say ignorant - Muslim), about honor killings. This friend is also a business partner in a company they own. Of course this friend was shocked. Friend and her husband knew a Syrian couple who is also 'modern', educated, travels, etc. The Syrians of course told them that it was not true, just look at them, an educated, well traveled family.
My sister is an avid reader of Jihad Watch. The subject about honor killings has not been discussed again with her best friend. In a country where one is a minority in a country which government behaves more and more according to sharia, you just don't discuss this in depth with friends or even the Muslims in your family.
My sister's best friend has sister in laws who have converted to Christianity.
Posted by: jasmine
at September 21, 2008 5:01 PM
Rana found the only peace in Islam-Death.
Posted by: flowerknife_us at September 21, 2008 5:06 PM
Once again, we see the danger of unbelief in Islam, which denigrates the unbeliever in as inhumane and disrespectful way as racism denigrates alleged inferiors. Both are just as dangerous, though in different ways.
I like that gutsy Botros cat.
at September 21, 2008 5:09 PM
Islam....feel the love?...
Posted by: pulsar182 at September 21, 2008 5:19 PM
"....he insisted that his wife was murdered specifically because of Islam and the culture it breeds"....from headline.
We know!
Posted by: champ at September 21, 2008 5:21 PM
Rather than giving aid to the governments of these countries, American tax dollars should be focused on efforts like making LifeTV more successful and even more watched. Like making Rana's story as widely known as possible in the Islamic world. Like making Botros' message as widely known as possible in the Islamic world.
at September 21, 2008 5:25 PM
Islam is evil to it's core. Mohammad is evil. Allah is evil. The Qur'an is evil. Why anyone would want to be associated with this demonic-duo and their unholy book is beyond me.
Islam be gone!
Posted by: champ at September 21, 2008 5:26 PM
although both his family and Rana’s continuously tried talking him into returning to Islam, they have now been ostracized by the Muslim communities they live in, for the great shame of having a relative convert to Christianity.The only poetic justice in this whole morbid story. It's tragic that Sultan's daughters are with his father, rather than with him.
As for not blaming Rana's father, it's this Christian principle of 'hating the sin but loving the sinner' that defies all sense. Sins don't exist in absense of sinners any more than Islam exists in the absense of Mohammedans. I guess that someone traumatized by the loss of a wife who gave him 2 kids that he can no longer contact might be groping for peace, but it still does not justify this twisted logic.
Posted by: Infidel Pride at September 21, 2008 5:31 PM
As for not blaming Rana's father, it's this Christian principle of 'hating the sin but loving the sinner' that defies all sense.
IP,
Not at all. The ability to forgive others gives you strength. I'm not sure I would have been able to forgive but my guess is this man's ability to forgive his father-in-law is what allows him to carry on. Otherwise his life would be consumed in hate. He loved Rana but she was taken from him. God will deal with her father. It's a safe bet the Jordanians won't. This might not be an "honor" killing, but it comes close.
Are his daughters safe with his father? He's raising them but what is their lot in life? If their father's apostasy rendered his marriage null and void, what does that mean for the girls? Are they damaged goods, so to speak, where other Muslims are concerned?
The families have now been ostracized by the Muslim communities they live in, for the great shame(!) of having a relative convert to Christianity.
Another reason to fear for the safety of the daughters. What does being the child of an apostate mean?
And what's this about returning "to the fold of Islam (even if just externally)"?
Just go to the mosque and go through the motions and everyone will forgive you? He's lucky he wasn't killed when he went back the one time, as Saddam's sons-in-law were upon their return to Iraq. They too were encouraged to return and all would be forgiven. Saddam had other ideas.
Posted by: PMK at September 21, 2008 5:55 PM
"Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction."
-Blaise Pascal
at September 21, 2008 6:10 PM
From the article:
while all four schools of Sunni jurisprudence demand that apostates be put to death, the Hanafi school is against killing female apostates. Instead, females should be trapped and essentially tortured until they see the “error of their ways.”
Yes, ones mind drowns in dismay at the possibility that somewhere, a 'trapped' muslima is trapped and being tortured as a measure of Hanafi piety.
Such examples begin to explain the incomprehensible 'peace' islam yields through a father's swift blade through the heart of his daughter.
SPIT
Posted by: justamomof4 at September 21, 2008 6:40 PM
"And what's this about returning "to the fold of Islam (even if just externally)"?"
PMK,
Yeah, that was probably along the same lines as Aqsa Parvez's father inviting her to come home, and mend things. She just didn't realize her hijab was going to be such an important tool in the process of settling her differences with her father.
Posted by: Abscedere at September 21, 2008 6:49 PM
I have put together an email for people that would like to contact their representatives on the matter of Bill HR 6975 IH. Hopefully the links work.
In response to the recent legalizing of Sharia in the U.K. Bill HR 6975 IH was introduced in the House of Representatives. You can read about the Bill here http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:H.R.6975: Here is some verbiage from the Bill, which I am sure no American would disagree with. "Section 340(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1451(a)) is amended by inserting after the first sentence the following: `Advocating the installation of a Sharia law system in the United States shall constitute a ground for revocation of a person's naturalization under this subsection.'.
Provided is a link to help you contact your Representative. They must know We The People, are watching their every move on this, and that their actions will be tallied. They must be held to account.
I'll make it easy first find your Find your ZIP + 4® Code By Address Results here: http://www.usps.com/zip4
Go to https://forms.house.gov/wyr/welcome.shtml to get to your Representatives web page. There should be contact information there. Let the flood gates open.
at September 21, 2008 7:03 PM
Jordan: father repeatedly stabs daughter, crushes her head with rock
Remember the day you brought your tiny baby home from the hospital, her first, second birthday.
Can you imagine anything in this world that would make you do such a thing to your child?.
God forbid. Only a reprobate would do such a thing.
at September 21, 2008 7:08 PM
https://forms.house.gov/wyr/welcome.shtml
Doesn’t come through. If you forward this just repost it from the page, the link should work, it did from the original email I constructed and sent out. If you guys could help me with this it would be greatly appreciated.
at September 21, 2008 7:10 PM
kamala:
Exactly. This is the only bright and hopeful aspect of this horrific story, that Western technology and ideas are able to take root and have some humanizing impact in this very hostile and difficult soil. If Islam and Muslims are to be reformed, it will get started from efforts such as these.
Hmmm. I have often objected to the notion, so often voiced by Muslims, that America is 'making war on Islam.' On second thought, I see no reason why we should not be.
Posted by: Goob at September 21, 2008 7:24 PM
Can you imagine anything in this world that would make you do such a thing to your child?.
God forbid. Only a reprobate would do such a thing.
Posted by: interestinconundrum
Can you imagine anything in this world that would make you do such a thing to ANYONE, let alone your own child?
Islam makes it easy because it teaches that there are people in this world who not only don't deserve to live, but whom you can kill with complete confidence.
"some of Rana’s relatives were providing information about him to the local sheikhs in order to have him killed."
These are RELIGIOUS leaders whose help is being sought in an attempt to kill this man.
Posted by: PMK at September 21, 2008 7:27 PM
Just a thought: Let's invite several tens (or hundreds) of thousands more of these people to come live among us.
(Memo to President Bush)
Posted by: HotSpur at September 21, 2008 7:35 PM
This is no man. This is a demon of a false prophet.
at September 21, 2008 7:58 PM
I think perhaps the bravest people in the whole world are those men and women who leave Islam.
Something that is apparent in the arrests of Christians in Persia (so often, the arrestees are middle-aged married couples) and in Pakistan, and in testimonies I have read in other places, is that Christianity seems to appeal to couples. Very often, the man converts first; then the wife, observing a pleasing change in her husband's demeanour toward herself, follows; and then the two of them, sticking to each other like glue, also heroically cling to their newfound faith.
Such is the story of the woman who has done the Azeri translation of the New Testament - reared a Muslim, she converted after witnessing the transformation of her man, after he became a Christian, from a violent abuser to a loving husband who treated her with respect and kindness. Now she and her husband are busily liberating others.
Had Rana's father not caught up with Rana, I have no doubt that Sultan and Rana would be in hiding - together - like Mr and Mrs Hegazy of Egypt.
From the point of view of ancient Christian tradition, Rana, who had declared her intention of joining her husband's new faith, could be regarded as having undergone the 'baptism of desire', and might be honoured as a martyr, similar to people like St Alban who had not been baptised, when he was martyred.
Rana was prepared to leave everything behind to flee with her Christian husband. I suspect that if she didn't bring the children with her when she ran to Sultan, it was probably because they were being watched, and kept from her.
We need some film-makers, some opera and oratorio composers, to start honouring people like Sultan and Rana.
These are the modern Lives of the Saints.
May her husband be comforted.
May he be able, one day, to rescue his daughters.
May the murderers repent.
May Rana's soul dwell in peace, in everlasting light, in the House of the Lord YHWH the Liberator, forever.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SzzxNlG1KI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJJ_cA3PhUU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=US9U4aXCfm8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuQXGA_BwY4&feature=related
Alongside that Saudi Arabian girl, 'Rania', who was recently murdered by her father for becoming a Christian, this young woman may be named in honour among the Saints, Martyrs and Confessors of Arabia.
Posted by: dumbledoresarmy at September 21, 2008 8:42 PM
The url below worked for me to find and contact congress critters. This is, I believe concrete action we can all take TODAY. Let's get it going.
Tell your friends, tell everyone! You know you all annoy a lot of people anyway! Maybe if they realize that there is something they can do, it will stop some of the denial. We can always hope. Hope, but ACT!
https://forms.house.gov/wyr/welcome.shtml
Posted by: christianatheist at September 21, 2008 9:16 PM
Since the U.S.- Jordan development partnership began in 1952, USAID has devoted more than $5.3 billion towards Jordan's future.
http://www.usaid.gov/locations/middle_east/countries/jordan/
As long as it id not their money, Bush/Condi care less where US Tax-dollars go.
Posted by: Alert at September 21, 2008 9:56 PM
Seems to me large-scale efforts encouraging Muslim conversion to Christianity could be the true way to fight Islamic supremacism worldwide.
And I'm not a Christian.
After all, if Father Botros is Al-Qaeda's most wanted, he must be doing something right.
Posted by: kamala at September 21, 2008 10:21 PM
"In the meantime, Rana and her daughters were under “house arrest” at her father’s home, who absolutely forbade her seeing her husband, insisting that doing so is tantamount to adultery, as his apostasy had by default annulled their marriage"...
Welcome to Islam...Jerry Springer style. If this isn't the most bizzare, convoluted mess masking itself as a "religion"...than pigs really do fly.
Islam...a POLITICAL ideology more treacherous than the SS could have ever imagined. Goebbles would be gleeful...as would Adolph be... to adopt their "style".
Posted by: Antidote at September 21, 2008 10:29 PM
Want to bet on the punishment?
6 months in jail, but will get out much earlier.
at September 21, 2008 11:01 PM
The "Channel of Life" in the sea of the Islamic death cult and Saint Father Botros seem to be leveling blows upon the foundation of sand that uphold the pillars of Islam. Hopefully they create a hurricane of redemption for the lost souls caught in the chains of Mohamet.
Posted by: Briars at September 21, 2008 11:28 PM
The "House of Rothschild" at it's best!
Posted by: oppressiondetester at September 21, 2008 11:58 PM
yea think of all our tax monies being wasted in islamic hells like egypt and jordan. and these are supposed to be real moderate countries. unlike the islam hell hole of porkistan. not to mention untold money from all over the world goes to places like bungladesh. I wish we would wise up and stop all aid to thes eislamic hellholes. let allah take care of them, and thats what all the rich arab countries say also, let allah provide.
Posted by: desidude at September 22, 2008 2:10 AM
The murder of women in the UK among the muslim community is now so common. These women usually do no more than defy family for whatever and end up either dead or burned alive. Instead of the blatant head lopping as is done in the islamic world, executions take place in the West in these forms, known as stealth sharia, and in the UK such crimes are simply treated as just another murder.
Posted by: bee at September 22, 2008 4:45 AM
now you know why muslims need to breed larger families as when you kill your own, you need replacements.
Posted by: ZenaWarriorPrincess at September 22, 2008 6:41 AM
Think of how long these atrocities have gone on, all the years, decades and centuries before the internet and web sites like JW arrived to spread the truth.
Posted by: ImNoDhimmi at September 22, 2008 7:05 AM
The Religion of peace sucks, watch these videos of the islamic barbarians at work. This is a evil that has to be destroyed and pretty fast.
http://www.bigducky.com/videos/beheading_videos/index1.htm
Posted by: greaticon at September 22, 2008 8:03 AM
Anyone who calls Islam a religion of peace is just plain stupid (and also a fool)! There are no other words for it.
Posted by: Spot on at September 22, 2008 10:18 AM
Spot On,
Now, now. They're just misinformed. They're blissfully ignorant.
Believe it or not, there are still a lot of them out there. They're consumed with moral relativism and figure anything that opposes the West can't be all bad.
at September 22, 2008 10:53 AM
To the Westerners, this is an outrageous murder but in the Middle East stories like these do not make it to the news as they occur everyday according to a Lebanese friend of mine.
Where these murders take place, the police comes, picks the bodies and it is business like usual - life goes on
at September 22, 2008 11:06 AM
PMK- Blissfully ignorant. I like that.
Posted by: Spot on at September 22, 2008 11:42 AM
These are the people that we should let immigrate from the ME. Maybe we can trade Jordan for this guy, one muslim (that CAIR guy comes ot mind), for one Christian. Then the muslim can live under sharia, and the Christian can live under religious freedom.
Posted by: walterc at September 22, 2008 12:28 PM
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