Canadian Muslims Have a Mixed Reaction to Shafia Verdict

Some (in this onIslam report) applaud it:

The Manitoba-based Islamic Social Services Association expressed concern over the crime.

“We accept and respect the justice system and we believe that the indicted were given a fair trial,” it said in a statement.

“Our thoughts, today, are with the victims of this heinous crime; may they rest in peace. We are also concerned for the remaining children and their future.

“We hope and pray that all stakeholders will come together to provide these children a safe, secure and spiritually compatible home.”

Others, however, deplore it:

Some Muslims were worried that the use of the term “honor killing” in the verdict could associate the heinous murder with their faith.

“I’m very upset about the fact that this was played out as “honor killing” and somewhat exotic and strange, instead of the fact that this is femicide, which is the killing of girls and women because men, our patriarchy, thinks that that is OK,” said Alia Hogben, president of the Canadian Council of Muslim Women.

“I feel very very sad. I'm sad for the deaths.”

Hogben said that using the term honor killing in the case did more harm than good.

“My concern is far greater and more deep,” she said.

“The use of the term honor killing was dreadful, utterly dreadful, and it shouldn't have been used.”

The Manitoba-based Islamic Social Services Association was also concerned.

“We are hopeful that Canadian Muslims and the Islamic faith will not be stigmatized, as a whole, for this crime.”

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.

And, of course, this being a piece from onIslam, the obligatory disclaimer shows up--

Though portrayed in the Western media as exhorted by Islam, honor killing is a cultural act and has nothing to do with the faith.

--as does this innacurary (which as far as I can tell appears in every onIslam report about Canada):

Muslims make around 2.8 percent of Canada's 32.8 million population, and Islam is the number one non-Christian faith in the Roman Catholic country.

Actually, here in Canada--as in all free, democratic nations--we take pains to separate church and state, so while Canada is home to many Roman Catholics, it is not a "Roman Catholic country." So whassup up with this constantly repeated claim? My hunch is that it's a function of onIslam (a Muslim Brotherhood affiliate) seeing Roman Catholics as Islam's biggest rival in the global religious sweepstakes.