The apparent “honour killing†of Aqsa Parvez may represent Canada’s first high-profile clash with the customs of conservative Islam. The full details of the killing are not yet available and other aggravating factors (e.g. Mohammed Parvez’s mental health) have not been discussed publicly. What is clear from news reports is that Aqsa’s refusal to wear a hijab was the catalyst to her murder and that her friends sensed that her home conflicts could quickly spin out of control.
The religious aspect of this family conflict has predictably attracted all manner of xenophobes, rednecks, neo-cons and Islamophobes. Without a doubt, the radical strain of Islam played a role in Parvez’s killing, but removing this aggravating factor leaves the following domestic scenario:
- Parents want daughter to live and dress according to their generational and cultural standards
- Daughter wants to live and dress according to modern, local standards
- Parents refuse to budge, daughter refuses to budge
- Daughter moves out to pursue her own life path
- Parents go apocalyptic
As noted by an astute poster at Jack’s NewsWatch, the previous scenario could easily describe the experience of 2nd generation Greek and Italian women. Chinese women have long complained about family pressure uphold “traditional values†while non-Muslim African women constantly struggle to free themselves from the patriarchic culture of their ancestral land. Young ladies with locally-born parents still must deal with generational conflicts, causing a significant number to move out long before finishing high school (if they finish high school).
The Islamic world may offer a significantly uglier version of this conflict but that is hardly the same as saying that the conflict is unique to Muslims. Aqsa’s murder must be treated as a criminal act, first and foremost. WHY her father killed her is secondary to the fact that he did it – not out of self defense or mercy, but rage and indignation.
If found guilty, Mohammed Parvez should be treated as a common criminal and nothing more. Over-emphasizing the religious aspect of this case will make Parvez a martyr for the Islamic cause rather than a pariah. Moreover, encouraging local bigots will only marginalize the non-violent Muslim majority, who will reflexively provide cover to all members of their faith (including the radicals). Conversely, if Mr. Parvez is given a fair trial, convicted and sentenced without the case being hijacked into a referendum on Islam, Canada will have sent a clear message to all religious radicals: there is ONE law in this land and everyone is subject to it regardless of their ancestral or chosen customs. Canada has one chance to solidify the distinction between religious and legal authority before activists on both sides of the multiculturalism debate turn this tragic domestic abuse case into a political circus.
There was a similar case in Italy of a Pakistani Muslim girl killed by her family because she was living with an Italian man.
My personal opinion here: I think we have to face the fact that while most Muslims live quietly and harmoniously with people of other faiths in this country, there is a reactionary strain in the Muslim community which gets expressed in events like this young woman’s death. However, just as I believe some White Supremacists didn’t really give a hoot about Jane Creba but used her deaths to vent their hatred of Blacks, some people are using this case to express their hatred of Muslims.
But there is no religious aspect to this case. “Honor” killings are believed to have their origins in misinterpretations of pre-Islamic Arab tribal codes. They pre-date Islam by centuries and, in fact, are un-Islamic.
It is the case, however, that the overwhelming majority of the U.N.-estimated 5,000 “honor” killings per annum globally occur in Arab/Muslim countries and in Arab/Muslim immigrant communities elsewhere. This is just an empirical reality. So there is a correlation, but not causality. This has much more to do with culture than with faith.
I am not a cultural or moral relativist about these crimes. I believe in universal human rights, and I see this snuffing out of life for supposed honor an egregious violation of basic human rights.
Ellen R. Sheeley, Author
“Reclaiming Honor in Jordan”
I have to say that all over the Muslim world and central asian continent, honor killings are far too common, as with the case of the Saudi woman who was gang-raped, then convicted of ‘crimes against Islam’, was herself attacked and was almost murdered by her own brother. In other cases, women were boiled in hot oil by their families. No one can dismiss that kind of brutality as simple acts of domestic violence. Call it anything you want if it makes you feel better, but torture and killing, ie: stoning, are beyond the pale in any culture except Islam and Sharia.
You cannot argue away the facts of the ‘religion of peace’. I have read enough of the quran to know that violence is a mainstay of the religion, culture and belief system Muslims have. The mayhem and violence that erupts at every perceived insult to their faith just reinforces that, time and time again. I mean really, calling for the death of an 50 yr. old school teacher because a teddy bear was named Mohammed by small childred…..Gimmie a break!
You can claim the religion has been hijacked by radicals all you want, but if the individuals who practice that religion disagree with the way they have been manipulated, they have every chance to oppose it. But they don’t, do they? Is it the result of an illiterate population, easily led?…. or is it because of an over-all culture that ( Islam notwithstanding ) is predisposed to violence? I don’t have the answer to that. The evidence is quite clear, however, that their culture, and or, their religious faith is not compatible with our own in regards to how we value human life and human rights in general. Make excuses all you want, but endless destruction and death is what we see every day.
I am not anti-muslim, and welcome the peaceful and tolerant immigrants from all over the world, but I reject any that seek to import the culture of violence to Canada, be they Muslim or gangs from Jamaica or the far-east. Criminal elements must be deported immediately and without prejudice. Enough phoney refugee claims and other subterfuge to stay in this Country. Peace, Order and Good Governance.
hey..why are you guys calling this honor killing????? a husband killing his wife.. father killing his song… that happens here too but if its a white person you call it DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. right.. than this is domestic violence as well and the evidence is not clear.. because her other brother is simply saying that it more than the hijjab… You guys say shit about Pakistani people… Canada and not just Canada other countries have people that are worse than this… i have heard that a father raped his daughter… how disgusting is rite.. but this has happened in Canada. No Country in this world is free of violence… or any culture..
P.S—- TO THE COMMENT FROM arctic_front. YOU HAVE READ THE QURAN ENOUGH TO KNOW THAN LET ME ASK YOU ONE THING.. DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT THE MEANING OF WHAT YOU HAVE READ IS… I DONT THINK SO….
When Prophet Muhammad(p.b.h) wanted to spread islam… people started throwing stones at him to the point where he was bleeding very badly… when 1 of allah’s messenger came and asked him.. they have dis respected you.. do you want me to throw a mountain over them. and Our prophet said NO… this is islam alrite…. ISLAM IS A PEACEFUL AND EASY RELIGION.
YOU GUYS DO NOT KNOW A THING ABOUT ISLAM OR WHAT DOES ISLAM REALLY MEANS… BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE MESSED UP THE MEANING OF ISLAM.
AND 1 MORE THING… I DONT WANT TO BE RUDE TO YOU OR ANY1 BUT EVERYONE GOT THEIR RIGHTS TO PROTECT THEIR RELIGION AND TELL OTHERS THE RIGHT MEANING OF THEIR RELIGION
TO ERS…
DID YOU SEE THE VIDEO OF A JEWISH GIRL WHO WAS BEATEN TO DEATH BECAUSE SHE MARRIED A MUSLIMS GUY??? SO YOU CANT SAY THIS ABOUT MUSLIMS OR ISLAM… I DO NOT KNOW WHY PEOPLE HAVE A BAD IMAGE OF ISLAM.. WHEN OTHER PEOPLE GOT MANY REASONS TO GET BAD IMAGE OF WHITE PEOPLE…
The unfortunate fact of the matter here is that regardless of the phoney claim that this case will not be viewed from a prejudiced-towards-Islam perspective, it down-right will be. Why do I claim so? Because while there may be 10 comments made based on this article that this case should NOT be viewed from a religious stand, there WILL be at least one fighting against that fact. Unfortunately still, regardless of the ratio of 10:1 here, that one voice will be enough to provoke more prejudice and hatred towards Islam and the Muslim community, not only in Canada, but all around the world.
There is enough negativity towards Islam in the world right now to cause people to make up their minds about an entire religion before getting their facts straight, but people should strain being quick at deciding what the facts are before the real ones come about. We do NOT know the actual cause of Aqsa’s death, so how can ANYONE except her murderer claim that religion was the cause?
Murder is murder is murder. Whether it be stoning, boiling, or drowning your sons in a car to death to prove your feelings for your boyfriend. When a mother kills her sons to death to prove her love for her boyfriend, I would agree that she did it because anyone capable of committing murder is mentally distressed and NOT because she is Christian and Christianity preaches violence, wouldn’t you? So why is it that when a Muslim father killed his daughter, the primary concern in everyone’s mind is that he is MUSLIM, above all things else?
Anyone who claims to have had read any religion book, whether it be the Hindu Geeta, the Christian Bible or the Muslim Quran or any other religious text and then claims that they have enough knowledge about the religion to hold and make public the belief that that particular religion preaches violence are THEMSELVES preaching violence towards that particular religion. Unfortunately, some illiterate people either do not hold the intellectual capability to figure that out for themselves or cannot contain their hatred towards the faith to the point that they do not understand that it is inappropriate to preach hatred towards a particular group of people. That on its own in injustice and a crime in my eyes.
ITS ALL ABOUT HONOUR AND RESPECT
This has ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with Islam.
http://www.mujahideenryder.net/2007/12/12/the-death-of-aqsa-parvez/
Wow!! some interesting comments. I am a muslim scholar,born and brought up in Canada but studied abroad. This is really very a sad case. heres my take on it. Killing of any individual is not right. I feel so sorry for Aqsa and her family. Islam does not encourage killings (self-defense yes ) but this guy got it wrong on two counts. 1st: thinking that Islam advocates forcing someone to do something. Islamically you are responsible for a child until they reach the age of puberty after that they have to make their own decisions.thus the father had no right to force her to wear the Hijab or anything else. 2nd: killing his daughter obviously is not sanctioned anywhere islamically. enuf said. that meeting they had yesterday …im not sure what the president of the islamic thingy was thinking when he said that “it was a teenage issue” are u fricking kidding me??? im a devout muslim but the truth is the truth the girl was wrongfully murdered by her father because she didnt do as she was told. thats what he shud have said. instead of trying to CHA(cover his a**).im so saddened by this incident. I hope this will open the eyes of parents..especialy muslim ones of how to live in Canada. this country has been very good to you. Give back to it.
Wether Aqsa was murdered for not wanting to wear the hijab against her family’s wishes or wether there were other relevant facts forcing her father’s hands in the matter,the fact remains she is now dead and incapable to refute anything her father and brother say in court to save their worthless skins.
As for the Islamic apologists that refuse to face the facts that somehow their “Religion of Peace” has failed to educate a great number of their most vocal adherents on the peacefull nature of said religion: what are you doing about it…What about marching in great numbers in Rihad when a hungry young boy gets his arms run over by a truck for stealing food, where are you when young girls are stoned publicly for talking to the wrong boy.What exactly are you doing to dispell the widespread impression that muslims are backward and barbaric?
Blaming the catholic religion for what it has done in the past (wrongfull as it was) does not justify the actions perpetrated by muslims in the name of Islam or does it? Are we thereby condemned to see these actions remain common for another 600 years as it appears to me that Islam is in the same evolutional stage that chistianity was 600 years ago (Inquisition,forced conversions, witch burnings etc.)
I realize much of those actions are the fruit of tribal customs and not necessarily endorsed by Islam (as most of you seem to say:I haven’t and wont read the Koran).
What are you doing to stop these barbaric customs, where are the Muslim organisations that go into those backward places and educate these people about the true meaning of Islam, respect the non-believers and treat them equally…including the jews…
All I’ve seen is the reactionary groups that go up in arms at the slightest sign of perceived threaths to Islam.
I guess all the smart ones are already immigrated to western countries and living better lives…
Rest in peace dear child,
OOOO PLZ THIS HAS NUTTIN TO DO WITH THE HIJJAB.. I DONT THINK U GUYS HEAR OR READ THE NEWS PROPERLY HER OTHER BROTHER IS SAYING THAT IT WAS NOT ABOUT HIJJAB…. AND UR PEOPLE ARE NOT SO GREAT EITHER.. SO U SHOUDLN’T BE TALKING ABOUT OTHER RELIGIONS.. FIRST LOOK AT WHAT YOU PEOPLE DO AND WHAT YOUR KIDS DO.. YOUR KIDS GET PREGNANT AT THE AGE OF 15 OR 14. SUM OF UR PEOPLE R GUD LIEK SUM OF MUSLIMS PPL R BUT SOME R NOT… SO Y BLAME IT ON ISLAM OR MUSLIMS… LUK AT URSELF FIRST ASWELL.. U GUYS HAVE STORIES OF PEOPLE RAPING THEIR OWN DAUTHERS AND KILLIN THIER FAMILIES TOO…
He is just f..g child murderer.
Interested in what motives the lawyers could come up with. Temporary insanity..
Any others..
He will have to have some kind of defense if he pleads not guilty..right?
Hold on, everyone. Too much conjecture!
Let’s wait for the facts of the case before jumping to conclusions.
Was it really an “honour killing”? We don’t know for sure, do we? It could simply be a case of domestic violence with unintended consequences. Not that this would change the perspectives of people like Shanta or Arctic_Front.
“Due to legal concerns” our mass media has chosen to turn their backs on this lively, free-thinking young lady and to pretend that this is simply a “domestic violence” issue.
Religious expert Mohammad Iqbal Alnadvi seems to be satisfied that he “developed a mentality” in his daughter – but shouldn’t we allow our 16-year-old daughters to think and develop their own “mentalities”?
Aqsa’s father was a bully who chose violence to impose his beliefs (whether or not Islamic) and tribalistic values onto this young woman: what happened to her was a disgrace and in a insult to Canadian values … “Remember Aqsa Parvez”
The “honour Killing” ( assasination) of Aqsa Parvez is all about ISLAM. She was killed by his father because she chose to live life not following ISLAMIC dogma, THis happens all around the world, in England a few months a go the whole familiy of a MUSLIM teen was indicted for killing her for the same reason, in Italy also happened, and happens for the thousands in ISLAMIC countries. Women are trated as slaves, forced to serve men, stoned to death for minor infractions, lashed for being raped, forbiden to talk to oter men, not allowed to drive.
Muslin women in Canada are the lucky ones, but still feel the presure of the ISLAMIC totalitarian system and some time leads to murder as in the case of Aqsa Parvez.
I have Muslim friends in Canada and I know their personal strugles, they feel treatened by their families, feel presure by the general muslim comunity, their mosques etc… Just because they want to dress different or like modern music or have non-muslim friends.
I hope the tragic death of Aqsa Parvez , influence must of us to help destroy the ISLAMIC system of persecution in Canada. I Plead to help every muslim girl or woman to escape that system if the so choose.
Aqsa Parvez , God be with you
If they torture and kill for minor crimes, then what are they bitching about Gitmo for? Sounds like standing with your arms out for 8 hours in not torture compared to what is described here!
Does the Koran recognize the Old Testament? It may says an eye for an eye, but they also have a huge ass log in their eye!!
Why do they judge us when they have so much to tend to in their own house?