Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

A child's death rocks Islam's teachings
UPI ^ | Sept 3, 2013 | James Zumwalt

Posted on 09/05/2013 6:37:06 AM PDT by Kip Russell

Only time will tell, but a 5-year-old Saudi girl may eventually prove to have wielded more influence over her people during her short, tragic life than did the country's conservative religious leaders touting twisted "virtues" of Islam satisfying their own perversions.

In Saudi Arabia last year, 5-year-old Lama al-Ghamdil was killed by her father -- Islamic religious leader and popular TV personality Imam Fayhan al-Ghamdi -- after he became incensed she had lost her virginity. Even more shocking, however, is the person to whom her virginity was lost and the initial punishment he was given.

Most societies seek to protect the one asset perpetuating their future existence: children. Where child protection laws have been passed but ignored society expects responsible citizens to report an adult's abusive treatment and that the justice system will then ensure children are protected from an abuser.

Ghamdi confessed to torturing and killing his daughter. The girl's body showed evidence of a fractured skull, brain damage, repeated rapes, burns, beatings with whips and an iron, electrical shocks, a broken back, ribs and arm. Reportedly, he also had sadistically sought to burn Lama's rectum closed.

For 10 months, Lama lingered in the hospital before succumbing in October 2012 to her massive injuries. One cannot imagine the thoughts going through this defenseless child's mind as she tried to understand the pain and suffering she was forced to endure at the hands of her own father.

Ghamdi was arrested and jailed in November.

The abuse inflicted upon Lama was justified by the father as she no longer was a virgin. That would have been sad enough but evidence suggests the father was the rapist.

Obviously, any parent should be outraged by such sadistic brutality. While too late to help Lama, one would hope Saudi's justice system would put the father away so his two other children avoided similar abuse.

But a Saudi judge ruled Ghamdi need only pay his ex-wife $50,000 in "blood money" for having abused and killed their daughter (had the child been male the fine would be double), stating the few months he had already spent in prison was sufficient punishment!

The ruling was based on Islamic or "Sharia" law prohibiting a father from being executed for killing his child (or wife) if compensation is paid.

Ghamdi also was allowed to retain custody (the parents are divorced) of his two surviving children.

The initial response by the Saudi government to this case was only to establish a 24-hour hotline to report child abuse.

While it is bad enough any human being could abuse his own child like this, it is even more frightening the person doing so was a religious leader who believed he could so act with impunity.

Any religious law dictating one who tortures or murders a child avoids commensurate punishment can only be labeled diabolical. Any one supporting Ghamdi's meager punishment for his horrific crime is incapable of salvation by any religion. Any imam accepting such an interpretation is incapable of understanding Islamic beliefs have been poisoned by mindless fanatics.

Like a vine, Sharia has slowly been creeping into Western cultures, choking existing victim protection laws.

Already taking root on a large scale in the United Kingdom, Sharia creep has entered the United States as well where victims' rights are beginning to be ignored as Muslim defendants plead "the Koran made me do it!"

Fortunately, the international outcry over Ghamdi's light punishment prompted the Saudi royal family to intervene. He was returned to prison. And, despite Sharia's prohibition, some Saudi activists are demanding his execution.

Sadly, it wasn't the brutality of Ghamdi's actions that caused the royal family's intervention -- it was the public outrage triggered by his light sentence.

But the outrage did result in the government's first anti-domestic abuse advertisement -- one depicting a woman in a hijab with only her eyes visible, one eye blackened and bloodshot.

The outcry caused by Lama's tragic death strips Sharia of its dark side in a supposedly "moderate" Saudi Arabia. It also led to an historic development with the country recognizing domestic violence against women and children for the first time by banning it. While violation of the ban imposes only one year in prison and minimal compensation, activists consider it a start in the right direction in a society where male control of women trumps basic human rights.

Any effort to change an abusive attitude toward Muslim women and children runs counter to a male mindset, first promoted by Prophet Muhammad that has permeated the region for centuries.

The Saudi ban, however, takes on special significance due to the role Riyadh's plays in Islam. The royal family is the guardian of the religion's holiest cities -- Mecca and Medina. As such, it is the protector of Islam and its beliefs codified in the Koran. That is a book that conveys a far different message about women and children than does Riyadh's recent ban.

If the Saudi ban is successfully implemented, 5-year-old Lama -- in death -- will have reversed, after 13 centuries, a brutal male mindset, improving life for generations of Muslim women to come.


TOPICS: Religion; Society
KEYWORDS: islam; sharia; waronwomen
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-33 next last

1 posted on 09/05/2013 6:37:06 AM PDT by Kip Russell
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Kip Russell

Maybe gassing these animals isn’t such a bad idea after all.


2 posted on 09/05/2013 6:39:43 AM PDT by Arm_Bears (Refuse; Resist; Rebel; Revolt!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kip Russell

You know the world is upside down when the Saudi royal family does more to battle child abuse than a Montana judge.


3 posted on 09/05/2013 6:41:33 AM PDT by Texas Eagle (If it wasn't for double-standards, Liberals would have no standards at all -- Texas Eagle)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kip Russell
My daughters, especially at ages 3-8, were the most precious things in the world to me. For that matter, they still are.

Any religion which would teach a father to slaughter such innocents, especially of his own flesh, is of Satan.

4 posted on 09/05/2013 6:41:51 AM PDT by Vigilanteman (Obama: Fake black man. Fake Messiah. Fake American. How many fakes can you fit in one Zer0?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kip Russell

Oh Dear Lord, Heavenly Father, how depraved and sick and disgusting. That poor child only five short years. This truly is an abominable ‘religion.’


5 posted on 09/05/2013 6:42:15 AM PDT by GOPPachyderm
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kip Russell

Violation of human rights by Muslims will not end until the progressive movement is destroyed globally.


6 posted on 09/05/2013 6:42:30 AM PDT by Louis Foxwell (This is a wake up call. Join the Sultan Knish ping list.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Arm_Bears

At the very least, let them gas each other.


7 posted on 09/05/2013 6:42:49 AM PDT by bramps (Obama, Democrats, and Planned Parenthood: The biggest fans of chemical weapons on the planet)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Kip Russell

I had to stop reading this. Too horrific. God help us, God help defend and protect the children of this world.


8 posted on 09/05/2013 6:45:54 AM PDT by dragonblustar
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kip Russell

The sickness at the heart of the Middle East is child abuse. The sexual abuse of children is endemic in the Islamic cultures across the Middle East and explains why these people engage in behaviors that are insane to civilized observers.


9 posted on 09/05/2013 6:56:48 AM PDT by vbmoneyspender
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kip Russell

Nothing rocks islam’s teachings...


10 posted on 09/05/2013 6:56:59 AM PDT by ltc8k6
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Vigilanteman
Unquestionably.
11 posted on 09/05/2013 6:58:23 AM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks ("Say Not the Struggle Naught Availeth.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Kip Russell
The Words I have for this Monstrosity
will have me permanently banned from this site.


12 posted on 09/05/2013 7:00:09 AM PDT by HangnJudge
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kip Russell

I have yet to learn anything about Islam that isn’t completely disgusting.


13 posted on 09/05/2013 7:06:25 AM PDT by Maceman (Just say "NO" to tyranny.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kip Russell

Anybody still think that the religion of peace is a religion of peace?

NONE of them should be allowed into this country. None.


14 posted on 09/05/2013 7:10:06 AM PDT by I want the USA back
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kip Russell

Where are the nags?...


15 posted on 09/05/2013 7:10:34 AM PDT by Resolute Conservative
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: vbmoneyspender
The sickness at the heart of the Middle East is child abuse. The sexual abuse of children is endemic in the Islamic cultures across the Middle East and explains why these people engage in behaviors that are insane to civilized observers.

You are absolutely correct. I have long thought the the Middle East seems to be suffering from a collective psychosis resulting from PTSD caused by growing up in a family where there is pervasive sadistic sexual spousal and child abuse.

16 posted on 09/05/2013 7:12:30 AM PDT by Maceman (Just say "NO" to tyranny.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Kip Russell

islamics are savages


17 posted on 09/05/2013 7:14:52 AM PDT by svcw (Stand or die)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Resolute Conservative

GREAT question!!!


18 posted on 09/05/2013 7:16:00 AM PDT by safeasthebanks ("The most rewarding part, was when he gave me my money!" - Dr. Nick)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Kip Russell

And these are the people that want to fund Obama’s Syria operation.


19 posted on 09/05/2013 7:24:17 AM PDT by Rusty0604
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: svcw

“islamics are savages”

Koranimals


20 posted on 09/05/2013 7:24:31 AM PDT by Stormdog (A rifle transforms one from subject to Citizen)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-33 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson