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Honor killings essay

In his article, “ Is Honor Killing a ‘ Muslim Phenomenon’? Textual Interpretations and Cultural Representations, ” Recap Dugan (2011) illustrates the misinterpretations and misrepresentations through the evaluation of certain Craning verses that ultimately create an environment conducive to the practice of honor killings.

According to the author, these perceptions make Muslims more likely to appear and to exhibit the typical characteristics of honor killings. With a Bachelor of Islamic theology at Ankara University in Turkey, Recap Dugan is a prominent Muslim scholar, author, and a respected community activist in Australia. With the clear style of writing and easy to understand vocabulary that Dugan uses in the article, it is probable that Dagon’s intended audience is Westerners who are not well educated about honor killings and or Islam. Dagon’s article is very organized with an introduction and a set of clear points that he uses to strengthen his main argument. Dugan introduces the concept of honor by first defining it from its roots and then defining honor in a way that inspires killing.

From there, the author then flows into his main argument. Dugan uses historical sources like the Curran and Haiti to support his claims. Along with the notion that honor killing is not solely a ‘ Muslim Phenomenon’, Dugan argues different interpretation of some Craning verses result in the”.

.. Denigration of the social status of women and to the misconception and misunderstanding of women and their sexuality, and which, in turn, are conducive to the creation of an environment in Muslim communities that contributes, in some sense, to the practice of honor killings(p. 24). ” In other words the interpretations of certain Craning verses give Muslims a bad reputation regarding honor killings. Dugan concludes that these perceptions result from certain interpretations from the Curran that consider a woman’s sexuality to be the main source of “ potential stress or potential threat” to family honor. Dugan uses a plethora of sources along with historical texts, the Haiti and Curran to support his argument.

Dagon’s use of scholarly evidence backs up his claims which ultimately strengthen his article. The sources Dugan uses appear to be liable and knowledgeable for the topic of Islam and honor killings. Detestation’s in the article comes through his writing and also through the titles Dugan uses.

For example, one section head is entitled ” Women as Source of Pollution” where Dugan uses a Craning verse that talks about menstruation and how a woman menstruating is seen as ‘ harmful’. The only weakness I perceive in this article is that Dugan fails to provide the reader with possible ways to ultimately fix the reputation of Islam regarding the perception that honor killing is a “ Muslim Phenomenon. ” Instead Dugan notes that Islam lacks a central supreme authority “.

.. That can give a final word on conflicting issues and interpretations, and because it requires literacy and a knowledge.

.. Any people lack the intellectual capacity to Judge the propriety or justifiability of their cruel actions against women” (p. 436. ) With that in mind, Dugan has an overall strong article with ideas and arguments that contribute to the field of Islam. Because Dugan spends the first few sections defining honor by its Latin roots, motives and reasoning behind honor killings, and an introduction into social and societal beliefs of Islam regarding men and women, Dugan is able to provide the readers with strong arguments and points without having the reader feel lost.

Dugan constantly reinforces his claim that honor killings are highly associated with the notion that women are a threat to honor and how it’s a man’s duty to supervise his female relatives in order to secure the man’s honor which directly links to the family honor as a whole. The issues of masculinity and sexuality in Islam is a controversial topic because, as we learned in class, the best interpretation of the Curran only along to Allah and only Allah truly knows his true meanings behind his words. When Dugan talks about honor he first notes that the Latin root meaning of “ honor” is “…

A gender neutral meaning that is associated with reputation or prestige and not compatible with violence (p. 425). ” Dugan goes on to say that in these societies, “ the fragile quality that honor possesses is so intense that a person can feel himself to have been deprived of it even if the dishonorable act is not generally known (p. 425). ” This fragile quality of honor ultimately can put an individual under constant pressure ND in a state where the individuals constantly needs to prove his honor. I specifically chose the word his because the honor of a man requires him to defend his honor and that of his family. This honor includes the men’s duty to protect the purity and honor of his daughters and wives because, ultimately, their honor is an extension of the father’s honor. Women are viewed as constant threats to a family honor because of the wrongful notion that women are easily susceptible to sin along with the belief that That women are sinful from birth.

Due to these beliefs, according o Dugan, men confine women to Charisma, which translates to “ the four walls of the house”. Basically by confining women to the house, women won’t have an urge to sin. Shameful acts are mostly associated with a woman’s behavior and appearance. For example, if a woman does not wear clothes, which the community defines as appropriate, that woman can be punished in any way that community sees fit. Ultimately, based on the article, masculinity is closely associated with honor while shame, the opposite of honor, is closely associated with women in these honor-killing societies.

Because of the Craning misinterpretations, there is an imbalance of equality even though Islam is intended to promote equality between the sexes. In class discussions we talk about how the Curran can be interpreted in many different ways along with the Haiti. We have read articles such as “ On Shifting Ground: Muslim Women in the Global Era” by Zinnia Near whose main point is to break the silence of the female’s voice because for much of Islamic history, men have interpreted Curran and the traditions associated with Islam.

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