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ISLAMABAD: At least 40 Islamic scholars belonging to the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) issued a fatwa (ruling) on Sunday declaring the murder of women or girls in the name of honour as 'un-Islamic' and an 'unpardonable sin'.
The ruling issued on the appeal of SUC chairman Sahibzada Hamid Raza declared that burning women who marry of their will is against Islamic teachings as Islam allows a 'mature' women to marry of her own free will.
Condemning the the recent honour killings in Lahore, Abbottabad and Murree, the document states that such incidents have shaken the whole society and they reveal that we are moving towards social and societal degradation.
The fatwa also urged the government to implement proper legislation in order to curb such crimes, and declare heinous acts such as burning or killing of woman as an unpardonable crime as it is an Islamic government's responsibility to protect women rights.
Editorial: Killing women
The fatwa comes days after a woman in Lahore, Zeenat Bibi, was set on fire by her mother for marrying a man of her own choice. Zeenat’s mother later confessed to the crime.
Earlier this month, A 19-year-old school teacher from Murree was tortured and set on fire after refusing a marriage proposal while last month, a 16-year-old girl was strangled and set on fire allegedly for helping her friend escape the village to marry of her free will.
Last year, the Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) had also declared murder of women or girls in the name of ‘honour’ as un-Islamic.
Comments (24) Closed
Mature women can marry person of their choice but of same faith and religion....
Finally, some sense prevailing.
Dear ulema for the love of God and humanity keep preaching day and night that all women and men have the undeniable basic human right to marry those who appeal to them. Period. If parents disagree with their daughters' or sons' choices let them, at worse, distance themselves from the couples.
This damn thing 'honor killing' has nothing to do with Islam . It is a social behavior. It must be confronted socially . Mere passing a law will not help.
Well done! Please put this at your front page urdu paper. The English speaking middle class already agrees with this.
Sad. We need a FATWA to be told that our daughters and sisters are not to be murdered. We lack basic humanity, so disappointing.
As a human being I have the free will to do as I please, as long as it does not infringe upon the rights of others. I do not need your "fatwas" or blessings to carry on with my life. Thank you.
Really nice and positive, that's what Islam is!
Good job by SIC and Sahabzada Hamid Raza.
sensible
This is a very positive attitude taken by Muslim clerics. This is required to stop un-Islamic traditions followed by Muslims in Pakistan marrying off their daughters against their wish and honor-killing. Honor killing should be not pardonable by anybody, state must make this a law. IS acts also must be declared against Islam forcefully just telling that it is not Islam is not enough. By Muslim clerics forcefully opposing IS will make difficult for IS to make people falling in their trap using name of Islam.
good
Honour killing has nothing to do with the religion. It is traditional in the sub-continent and isn't linked with the marriage alone.
Great ! Positive change! These are the issues which ulema should discuss and give fatwas.
Fatwas will not do the job. We need strict laws and enforcement. Swift trials and exemplary punishment. Violence against women is inexcusable.
Where are the big religious political parties JI, JUP,JUPF etc they need to come forward and condemn like SIC.
A very good move although a bit late. Now got to work on to how this message get through very single house.
Who care in Morden world what is Islamic and what is non Islamc . There is no need of rocket science to know about honesty, discipline, hard work, peace, harmoney, feel for the suffering of other .Every body knows about these thing but how many adopt these value in real life that is main question.
Good and sensible move. Such reforms should come from within Islam for acceptance. It is unpardonable to kill a dear daughter just because she has not 'obeyed' the usual 'norms' of the religion. Let her live her life with her new partner
What about rape
What is the definition of "mature" woman?
Good work
What took so long? There is no honor in killings, all extra judicial killings are murders.
Do those who undertake such Henious crime as burning or killing their girls for marriage on their own free will,know that even the Prophet Mohammad's (PBUH) marriage to Hazrat Khadijah was on her free will! Before that they were partners in commercial trade and then she conveyed her willingness to marry him which he accepted.Hence,where are those aspects which lead to murder of girls these days and their families thinking that their honour has been destroyed?Our religious and political aleaders should take an active role to rid our society of this nauseating menace in the space age that we are living in!