A (Hoax and) Honor Lost for Norma Khouri

August 29, 2004
A Hoax and Honor Lost for Norma Khouri
By Ali Abunimah

Full story at http://www.zmag.org/znet/viewArticle/7966

Excerpts:-
“A sensational book that purported to tell the "true" story of the murder of a young Jordanian woman by her father because she dared to date a Christian man has been exposed as a fraud… This has been a hard road, as Rana Husseini, (an investigative journalist at the Jordan Times) explained by telephone from Amman: "I have always been accused of tarnishing Jordan's image, of washing dirty laundry in public. But I have always been very careful to explain that honor killing is not part of the Muslim religion ...." Husseini pointed out that the practice also occurs among Christian families.“

Honor Lost

HONOR LOST

Author: Norma Khouri

To: Ms Norma Khouri
Email: honourcrimes@lycos.com

My heart ached for your unfortunate loss and for your unfortunate circumstance whilst you were in back in your home country. It is ironical that one feels threatened in her very own motherland, when it should be the basis of security and the abode of deep belonging.

However, I have to admit, as I read HONOR LOST page to page, I am deeply disturbed and saddened at the way you have portrayed Islam - very akin to the portrayal by the Western media. Your (mis)interpretation of this otherwise beautiful and solid religion could be misled by your faith (Christianity) – perhaps, I could take that into account. But then again, for one who has lived side by side for most of your early adult life to Muslims, and one who is educated (that you are able to pen HL and worked on its eventual publication), it is very sad that you have written Chapter Seven the way it was.

The entire Chapter was mostly, if not all, on your (wrong) understanding of Islam – your interpretations of the beautiful verses in the Holy Koran were grossly distorted. From where you gather all these from, I wonder.

You insisted that a verse from the Holy Koran is the source of the rampant honor killings in your country. You stated that the word ‘scourge’ has been made to meant ‘kill’ by the ‘Arab men’. And thus, this explains how honor killings are made legal and tolerated in Jordan.

Further on, you stated how the religion controls one’s actions – I quote from your book – ‘it tells Muslims when and how to have sex and when and how to refrain from it, what to possess and what to give away, when to sleep and when to wake, when to speak and when to remain silent, what and how to east and to dress and how to seek knowledge.’

It disturbs me that while you criticized the religion; you have failed to go beyond these stated ‘controls’. Don’t you ask yourself, Why?

The sentence – ‘Since Mohammed’s followers took Mecca by force … Islam has been filled with wars and bloody battles’ is much distorted. Obviously, you have not made an attempt to study the history of this religion. I will not go into details, but I will leave you with this – are you aware that in all so-called ‘wars and bloody battles’, the Believers never outnumbered the enemy?

I may share your anguish as a woman trapped in old-aged customs and as one who has lost a very good sister (in your friend) but your lack of understanding, and your insolence by spreading the distorted truth about Islam have made me, and I’m sure many other Muslims as well, very indifferent to your cause.

The way I view it, the unfortunate circumstance that befalls upon the women in your country has got nothing to do with the religion – a fact that even you admit, that as a Christian woman there, you were also subjected to the same treatment. It is very apparent that customs and traditions, which are unique to each group, tribe, race or nation, are the real culprits.

While your book has kept me on my toes, for various reasons, I have to state that most parts of it are totally untrue, especially in your references to Islam.

Here I am, a Muslim woman, in another part of the world. I face none of what you have stated. With pride (and it’s my choice), I cover my hair and most parts of myself, when I venture out to work. Yes, I do work, earn my own money, and this is even on top of receiving shelter and protection from my husband. The house that I live in is in my name and I have a driving license.

And if you have studied Islam deeper, and rightfully, you would know that the Prophet once said that Paradise is at the feet of a mother – who else, but a woman. In Islam, a woman has the highest rights and easiest ways to achieve entrance to Paradise.

If only you knew.

The TRUIzM
What do you call a book that seeks to reveal the truth, but at the same time, is full of untruths?