With deepest feeling, Peaceful Families Project respectfully acknowledges the domestic homicide of Sania Khan on July 18, 2022 and humbly ask for her soul to be admitted to the highest
level of Jannah.
Domestic Violence, as we see so clearly in the narrative of Sania, is not only perpetrated by a spouse or partner. It is facilitated by families who don’t provide support for victims when they are attempting to find a safe way to exit a marriage that is a war zone, religious institutions that cast doubt upon accounts of domestic violence by their members, and the Muslim community at large that point fingers and criticize survivors for trying to escape, misrepresenting the basic tenets of Islam to fit cultural practices that place the value of marriage above the basic beliefs and rights of all Muslims. In addition identifying “mental illness” of a specific perpetrator as the culprit does not take into account the strong and pervasive belief in many of our communities and families that a gender or family role (man, husband, father, etc.) grant the expectation that this individual can use whatever means they find necessary, no matter how brutal or oppressive, to maintain power and control over another believer, as if they were in fact equal to Allah.
As Muslims, our sacred texts, and the life of our Prophet (ﷺ) are unequivocal in describing positive, healthy, models of marital partnership based on love, respect, and mutual consultation. Marriage in Islam is a gift given to create peaceful spaces filled with love and respect so that Muslims can grow strong and clear-minded. Marriage in Islam was not created to be a prison of oppression, violence and mistreatment. These values have no place between Muslims and much less in Muslim homes. Divorce is not an ideal outcome of any marriage but divorce was given as a gift so that we as imperfect human beings can peacefully move forward in our lives when our relationships are not able to fulfill the goals of peace and harmony within a household, which is what marriage was created for us as Muslims.
It is our obligation as Muslims to confront all beliefs in our families and communities that do not represent the Islamic faith and to ensure that these incidents of most horrific violence finally are put to a stop, Insha’Allah.
إِنَّا ِلِلَّٰهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ
Surely we belong to Allah and to him we shall return
Support the GoFundMe for the Sania's Family:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/byuyvu-fundraiser-for-sania-khan
News Source:
https://chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2022/7/19/23270257/georgia-man-fatally-shot-wife-streeterville-condo-killed-himself-as-cops-arrived-police-reports
level of Jannah.
Domestic Violence, as we see so clearly in the narrative of Sania, is not only perpetrated by a spouse or partner. It is facilitated by families who don’t provide support for victims when they are attempting to find a safe way to exit a marriage that is a war zone, religious institutions that cast doubt upon accounts of domestic violence by their members, and the Muslim community at large that point fingers and criticize survivors for trying to escape, misrepresenting the basic tenets of Islam to fit cultural practices that place the value of marriage above the basic beliefs and rights of all Muslims. In addition identifying “mental illness” of a specific perpetrator as the culprit does not take into account the strong and pervasive belief in many of our communities and families that a gender or family role (man, husband, father, etc.) grant the expectation that this individual can use whatever means they find necessary, no matter how brutal or oppressive, to maintain power and control over another believer, as if they were in fact equal to Allah.
As Muslims, our sacred texts, and the life of our Prophet (ﷺ) are unequivocal in describing positive, healthy, models of marital partnership based on love, respect, and mutual consultation. Marriage in Islam is a gift given to create peaceful spaces filled with love and respect so that Muslims can grow strong and clear-minded. Marriage in Islam was not created to be a prison of oppression, violence and mistreatment. These values have no place between Muslims and much less in Muslim homes. Divorce is not an ideal outcome of any marriage but divorce was given as a gift so that we as imperfect human beings can peacefully move forward in our lives when our relationships are not able to fulfill the goals of peace and harmony within a household, which is what marriage was created for us as Muslims.
It is our obligation as Muslims to confront all beliefs in our families and communities that do not represent the Islamic faith and to ensure that these incidents of most horrific violence finally are put to a stop, Insha’Allah.
إِنَّا ِلِلَّٰهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ
Surely we belong to Allah and to him we shall return
Support the GoFundMe for the Sania's Family:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/byuyvu-fundraiser-for-sania-khan
News Source:
https://chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2022/7/19/23270257/georgia-man-fatally-shot-wife-streeterville-condo-killed-himself-as-cops-arrived-police-reports