06-13-2004, 09:30 PM
Question Respected scholars, As-Salamu `Alaykum wa Rahmatu Allah wa
Barakatuh. What does Islam say about honor killings
? Does Islam really have a concept of honor killings
, most of the victims here are females; so does Islam really order to kill females in the name of honor?
Mufti
Islam Online Fatwa Editing Desk
<b>Answer </b>
Wa`alykum As-Salaamu Warahmatullahi Wabarakaatuh.
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be
upon His Messenger.
Dear sister in Islam, we do really appreciate your question, which
shows how far you are interested in getting yourself well-acquainted
with the sound teachings of Islam. May Allah bless your efforts in
pursuit of knowledge and may He keep us all firm in the straight
path!
Sister, it's a well-known fact that Islam maintains the protection of
life and does not sanction any violation against it. In the Glorious
Qur'an, Allah, Most High, says, "Whoso slayeth a believer of set
purpose, his reward is Hell for ever. Allah is wroth against him and
He hath cursed him and prepared for him an awful doom." (An-Nisa':
93)
`Abdullah ibn Mas`ud, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that
the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, "The
blood of a Muslim may not be legally spilt other than in one of three
[instances]: the married person who commits adultery; a life for a
life; and one who forsakes his religion and abandons the community."
(Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Focusing more on your question, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer
and an Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario,
Canada, states:
"There is no such concept in Islam that is called "honor killing".
Islam holds every soul in high esteem and does not allow any
transgression upon it. It does not allow people to take the law in
their own hands and administer justice, because doing so will be
leading to chaos and lawlessness. Therefore, based on this, Islam
does not permit such killings.
First of all, in order to sanction killing, it must be through a
binding verdict issued by an authoritative law court. Individuals
themselves have no authority either to judge cases or pass judgments.
Therefore, a Muslim should not sanction such killing because doing so
will be leading to the rule of the law of the jungle. A civilized
society cannot be run by such laws."
Shedding more light on it, Sheikh `Atiyyah Saqr, former head of Al-
Azhar Fatwa Committee, states:
"Like all other religions, Islam strictly prohibits murder and
killing without legal justification. Allah, Most High, says, "Whoso
slayeth a believer of set purpose, his reward is Hell for ever. Allah
is wroth against him and He hath cursed him and prepared for him an
awful doom." (An-Nisa': 93)
The so-called "honor killing"
is based on ignorance and disregard of morals and laws, which cannot be abolished except by disciplinary
punishments.
It goes without saying that people are not entitled to take the law
in their own hands, for it's the responsibility of the Muslim State
and its concerned bodies to maintain peace, security, etc., and to
prevent chaos and disorder from creeping into the Muslim society."
Moreover, the eminent Muslim scholar, Sheikh Muhammad Al-Hanooti,
member of the North American Fiqh Council, adds:
"In Islam, there is no place for unjustifiable killing. Even in case
of capital punishment, only the government can apply the law through
the judicial procedures. No one has the authority to execute the law
other than the officers who are in charge.
Honor killing could be a wrong cultural tradition. It is unjust and
inhumane action. The murderer of that type deserves punishment."
Allah Almighty knows best.