US imams issue fatwa against the honor killings

MONTREAL - Agence France-Presse

Over 30 American imams signed a fatwa Saturday condemning honor killings, after a Canada court convicted Afghan immigrants for murdering four female relatives accused of damaging the family’s reputation. “There is no justification for honor killings, domestic violence and misogyny in Islam,” according to the religious order issued by the Islamic Supreme Council of Canada (ISCC) and signed by 34 imams from Canada and the United States.

Such violence, including spousal abuse and child abuse in all forms, is “forbidden,” it said. “The relationship between the husband and wife is based upon mutual love and kindness.” Imam Syed Soharwardy, the ISCC’s founder, said the group put out the fatwa “because of the Shafia trial, because it has been a large focus (for) the Islamic community and people said a lot of things,” adding that imams wanted to clear up “some misunderstandings about Islam” by non Muslims.

Last week a court in Kingston, Ontario found businessman Mohammad Shafia, 58, his 42-year-old wife Tooba Yahya and their 21-year-old son Hamed guilty of first degree murder. In what the judge called “heinous” crimes and the indictment described as “honor killings,” the defendants were found guilty of the deaths of daughters.