The Muslim honor killing in Texas

After today's Dallas Morning News update, I feel comfortable calling the double murder of Amina and Sarah Said, allegedly by their father (who is still on the run from police), an honor killing (if, of course, their father was the murderer). Excerpt:

Islam Said has previously disputed widespread rumors and media reports that his Muslim father's religion may have been the reason for the killings. Some have speculated that the deaths may have been "honor killings," a practice in which a man kills a female relative who he believes has somehow shamed the family.

Irving police have said that they are exploring all possible motives for the slayings. Police have acknowledged that the family had some previous domestic problems.

Gail Gartrell, the sisters' great-aunt, said Saturday that Mr. Said had physically abused the two girls for years. Around Christmas, the girls' mother – Ms. Gartrell's niece – had fled because of Mr. Said's threats to kill the girls after he learned they had boyfriends, she said.

"She ran with them because she knew he would carry out the threat," Ms. Gartrell said. "This was an honor killing."

The girls had a Christian service (weirdly, a Baptist service conducted by a Catholic priest, according to the story), and then a Muslim service at a mosque:

The short Muslim service was at a gold-domed mosque in Richardson in a cavernous gym, with prayers piped across loudspeakers. The closed caskets were at the far side of the gym, end to end.

Dozens of Muslim men lined up in front of the girls' caskets. About 20 feet behind them were women in hajibs. An imam then led a Muslim prayer.

Dr. Yusuf Kavacki, head of the Richardson mosque, alternating between English and Arabic, told mourners that all living things are destined to die. Another imam talked about families being the most important thing in Islam and the need for parents to work to keep their families strong.

OK, maybe they didn't mention honor killing because they didn't want to make a judgment on the father, who hasn't been charged. But for pity's sake, the reason why Muslim fathers who commit honor killings murder their daughters is because they believe they are keeping their families strong, by punishing daughters who violate the social code! As I've said here, a member of Kavakci's mosque told me and two other DMN editors over lunch that what we in the West consider to be unacceptable violence is considered by Muslims like him to be defending the family.

When police finally capture Yaser Abdel Said, the girls' father, it will be very, very interesting to learn who, if anybody, was helping shelter Said ... and why.