Lebanon’s top Shiite cleric has come out with a fatwa strongly denouncing the tradition of “honor killings”:
Lebanon’s most senior Shiite Muslim cleric issued Thursday a fatwa, or religious edict, banning honor killings, calling the custom of murdering a female relative for sexual misconduct “a repulsive act.”
The fatwa by Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah was a rare condemnation by a prominent cleric of the practice. Fadlallah’s office said he issued the statement in alarm over reports on an increase in honor killings.
“I view an honor crime as a repulsive act condemned and prohibited by religion,” Fadlallah, the most revered religious authority for Lebanon’s 1.2 million Shiites, said in a statement faxed to The Associated Press.
“In so-called honor crimes, some men kill their daughters, sisters, wives or female relatives on the pretext that they committed acts that harm chastity and honor,” said Fadlallah, warning that the practice was on the rise in region.
“These crimes are committed without any religious evidence, and mostly on the basis of suspicions,” added Fadlallah.
Good for him.
Although – and I don’t mean to be churlish here in the face of what can only be seen as good news – does the fact that we find such a remarkably sane declaration newsworthy reveal some uncomfortable larger truth?
does the fact that we find such a remarkably sane declaration newsworthy reveal some uncomfortable larger truth?
Ab-so-frickin’-lute-ly. That, and the fact that Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah is a singular voice instead of an uproar that should be coming from the mullahs and the Umma, in general.
Ah, but this really upsets me…
The man thinks that it’s wrong to perpetrate honor killings……because sometimes there’s no evidence…
IOW, it might be ok for them (including, especially, our buddies the Saudis) to kill their wives or daughters IF the evidence is there….and death is a “fit” punishment for something as simple as denying a husband his physical rights–at any time, for any reason.
This stuff is never reported or commented on by the gov’t and/or religious leaders of any of the countries…because they know that we ‘soft Westerners’ would object to them doing any thing so awful to their female “possessions.”
And the West continues to turn a blind eye.
Passionately,
doorkeeper
Just keep in mind that the Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah is better known as the “Spiritual Leader of the Lebanese Hizbullah (Party of God)”:
” I provide authoritative opinions, advice, and decisions for Hizbullah members and Islamists everywhere, as we prepare for a full Islamic revolution. Such a revolution will lead to an Islamic economy and social structure. (And) … I have assumed the unofficial role of spiritual leader for the party, serving as a highly influential beacon of Islamic truth for all the oppressed peoples of the world.”
In his own words (so to speak): http://almashriq.hiof.no/lebanon/300/320/324/324.2/hizballah/Fadlallah-Muhammad.html
Cheers