"These crimes are major sins in Islam, punishable by the court of law and almighty Allah,” Imam Syed Soharwardy, the founder of the Islamic Supreme Council of Canada, said.
Signed by 34 imams from across the country, the fatwa says that Islam does not sanction "honor killings” or violence against women."The purpose of this fatwa is to explain the verses of the Qur’an, and to tell not only clergy but also ordinary people, ‘This is what Islam is,’” imam Soharwardy said.
The fatwa comes a week after the conviction of an Afghan immigrant parent and their son in the grisly killing of his three daughters and his first wife.
"There is no justification for honor killings, domestic violence and misogyny in Islam,” says the fatwa.
"What happened in the Shafia home ... The crime was not committed because Islam says so. The crime was committed because that is the way they understood what they think is right.”
Soharwardy said he felt compelled to issue the fatwa to remind Muslims that honor killings are "un-Islamic” and to explain to Canadians that Islam does not encourage violence against women.
"Those who think honor killing is OK are dead wrong," Soharwardy said.
"There is no place for violence in Islam.
"A very small minority" of Muslims think this way and they "need to be corrected," he added.
In Islam, there is no place for unjustifiable killing as the case in honor killing.
Even in case of capital punishment, only the government can apply the law through the judicial procedures.
Though portrayed in the Western media as exhorted by Islam, honor killing is a cultural act and has nothing to do with the faith.
