Honor killing in Texas? A few clues.

It seems odd that there would be a double honor killing. Then again, it would be very odd for a double homicide of family members not to be related, and they have to be related somehow. Even if one were to accept the premise that honor killings were okay, it would seem difficult to justify them being together.

While this repugnant practice may be a “relic” of a patriarchal society, it’s clear that Islam does nothing to militate against this practice and much to reinforce it.

There is nothing in the Koran, the book of basic Islamic teachings, [sic] that permits or sanctions honor killings. However, the view of women as property with no rights of their own is deeply rooted in Islamic culture, Tahira Shahid Khan, a professor specializing in women's issues at the Aga Khan University in Pakistan, wrote in Chained to Custom, a review of honor killings published in 1999.

It’s also rather analogous to the penalty for apostasy. A religion that condones killing someone for straying form religious tenets is not going to be disapproving of killing someone for straying from cultural mores.

Honor killings are present in Middle Eastern Muslim societies, but it seems that the religion is not to blame -- that it's a relic of harshly patriarchal culture. Muslim countries outside the Middle East don't really have these things, it appears. You also see it lingering in non-Muslim Mediterranean societies.

Islam may not advocate this evil, but it appears to be a well established part of Islamic culture in much of the Islamic world. Regardless of the validity of the theological justification, once its adopted as part of religion it becomes very difficult to get rid of. Appeals from non-Muslims (necessarily only those outside the Muslim world) are seen as attacks on religion, making believers in these practices even more radical. Islam, unfortunately, has more than its share of such unpleasant religio-cultural (is that a word?) practices. I find it difficult to absolve the religion in which this sort of thing thrives. There should be something strong inside the religion, something both theologically sound and culturaly manifested, which greatly limits the occurence and spread evils such as honor killings.

The first time I heard this story, I thought "Honor Killing". Its fair to point out that the local media seams to be going out of their way to avoid the term.

If the father is caught, and it is a so called honor killing, can he be charged with a hate crime? If one can be charged with a hate crime for doing evil to another because of [religion, orientation, gender, whatever], what not for the LACK of [religion].

And wouldn't it be nice to see reports about islamic leaders decrying the practice of honor killing, and publicly denouncing such violence?

Irshad Manji, who was raised in Canada, had to spend the night on the roof of her house on one occasion because she was afraid her abusive father might kill her.

Of course, there is the notorious case (featured on "Oprah") of honor killing in a Palestinian immigrant family to the U.S. The father stabbed his 15 year old daughter to death, with the help of his wife, who held her down, because she defied his orders by getting a job at "Wendy's." The parents were both arrested for murder and the other children in the family blamed the victim. Un-freaking-believable.

"That being the case, it would be worth knowing who Mr. Said's friends were, where he prayed (if he prayed at all), and whether or not he's being sheltered by sympathizers."

Well goodness knows we have some history of religious fundamentalists in our own country sheltering the violent members of their faith from the long arm of the law.

Do we have another Eric Rudolph running in our midst, this time being sheltered by a different fundamentalist religion?

He's a lunatic. We all, regrettably, have lunatics.

I'm a Christian, but I don't want to be tagged with that weirdo whats-his-name who goes to the funerals of homosexuals with signs that say God Hates Gays. Among others.

Let's not tag all Islam with this psychopath without more evidence.

Dana, how often do honor killings occur in the U.S.? Because your assumption is based on flawed reasoning. Using your approach, because your name is Dana and your analysis is so emotional and irrational, I must assume you are a woman. Even if I am correct, it doesn't make for great reasoning and even worse journalism.

Daniel,

The question is probabilities. I assume and hope that Muslim girls are rarely killed by their parents in the US or anywhere else. But when it does happen, what is usually the motive? If it turns out that these girls were indeed killed by their father, I think probabilities point to honor killing. Case closed? Of course not. But to say we cannot mention honor killing as a possible motive elevates PC over reality.

But we are now in full Islamopanic mode, so this is to be expected.

Actually, if anything, it's the opposite. Possible religious motivations in these cases are given a wide berth by the authorities and most news outlets. It took nearly two years for the FBI to label the LAX shooting as terrorism, despite the abundant jihad literature in the shooter's apartment. Authorities denied that Taheri's attempt to run over students at UNC was religiously-motivated, despite his admission that it was and the lack of a history of "mental illness," the standard fallback argument. Ditto Dearborn med student Hussein Zorkot's heavily-armed stroll in the park after posting "The Start of My Jihad" at his website.

This will be chalked up to "mental illness," regardless of the evidence of religious motivation. There's even a good chance it will be true.

But is it a bad thing to avoid labeling this kind of violence in the U.S. as religiously motivated or as terrorism -- even if the label fits?

Here's the problem with that: it takes away necessary pressure to reform, for the community to recognize and confront real problems in its midst. Denial creates its own pathologies.

Didn't a Hindi guy immolate his family because his new son-in-law was a lower caste and he was ashamed? I mean maybe it is more of strict patriarchy thing.

ugh ... Beliefnet must not let you italicize more than one paragraph.

Anyhoo, that paragraph in my previous note beginning "It isn't probable..." was Daniel's words, not mine (I would never use a ridiculous phrase like "fundamentalist Muslim countries"). The rest of the note is my rebuttal.

It's pretty obvious to a trained eye that the murders of the Said sisters were dishonor killings.

Ellen R. Sheeley, Author
"Reclaiming Honor in Jordan"

ok....................PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

IN ISLAM IT IS FORBIDDEN FOR A MUSLIM WOMAN OR GIRL TO MARRY A NON MUSLIM MAN.

IN ISLAM IT IS OK FOR A MUSLIM MAN TO MARRY A NON MUSLIM WOMAN.....AS LONG AS HE TRYS TO CONVERT HER TO ISLAM....AND RAISE HIS KIDS AS MUSLIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sooooooooo........the question is........what are you supposed to do when a muslim woman falls for a non muslim? the answere has always beeennnnnn people.....honor killings or other forced crap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sooooo I don't want to hear anymore that this is not an Islamic problem. Not one muslim in this world can argue what I just said!