Muslims commit 91 percent of honor killings worldwide. A manual of Islamic law certified as a reliable guide to Sunni orthodoxy by Al-Azhar University, the most respected authority in Sunni Islam, says that “retaliation is obligatory against anyone who kills a human being purely intentionally and without right.” However, “not subject to retaliation” is “a father or mother (or their fathers or mothers) for killing their offspring, or offspring’s offspring.” (‘Umdat al-Salik o1.1-2). In other words, someone who kills his child incurs no legal penalty under Islamic law.
The Palestinian Authority gives pardons or suspended sentences for honor murders. Iraqi women have asked for tougher sentences for Islamic honor murderers, who get off lightly now. Syria in 2009 scrapped a law limiting the length of sentences for honor killings, but “the new law says a man can still benefit from extenuating circumstances in crimes of passion or honour ‘provided he serves a prison term of no less than two years in the case of killing.'” And in 2003 the Jordanian Parliament voted down on Islamic grounds a provision designed to stiffen penalties for honor killings. Al-Jazeera reported that “Islamists and conservatives said the laws violated religious traditions and would destroy families and values.”
In light of all this, until authorities get the courage to tell the truth about honor killing, there will be many more such murders.
“Honour killing claims four lives,” from the News International, August 6 (thanks to Blazing Cat Fur):
BAHAWALNAGAR: A father along with his two sons axed his wife and daughters among four people to death in the name of honour and injured three others in Bahawalnagar, police said.
According to DSP Bahawalnagar Muhammad Farooq, the father along with two sons axed his wife and daughters to death on the suspicion of their relations with neighbours.
Meanwhile, the accused also injured their four opponents while entering their house. One of them succumbed to injuries in DHQ Hospital Bahawalnagar….