Family and Community
UPDATE! Bridges TV Founder Muzzammil Hassan’s Wife (Aasiya) Beheaded: Retreading “Domestic Violence has no Place in Islam”
DIGG Link
Before I go on, let’s pray for the sister’s akhira, her 2 children (4 and 6) stripped of their mother [source]. May Allah grant patience to her family and all those who have become the indirect victims of this crime. Ameen.
Update: Muzzammil’s ex-wife’s cousin, Zerqa Abid tells us more about Muzzammil’s past, who was married twice before, and had changed his name to Mo Steve Hassan. Far from being a Muslim “honor-killing”, this brutal beheading seems more of a man with a violent past, who eventually couldn’t control the demons inside him.
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We heard the news yesterday that the Bridges TV Founder, Muzzammil Hassan, has been arrested on charges of beheading his wife, Aasiya Z. Hassan. A story elsewhere from a less reliable source (this website has axe to grind so I am not sourcing it) mentions that Hassan “admitted that he murdered his wife earlier in the afternoon”. So, until more facts are released, the crime is only alleged, and Hassan is innocent until proven guilty. We do know that he “came to the police station at 6:20 p.m. [Thursday] and told us [the police] that she [his wife] was dead”, at which point he was arrested. Thus, it does not take a rocket-science to make a reasonable connection at this point.
Of course, the fact that what one Muslim did doesn’t make it symbolic of the religion, the fact that he didn’t do the alleged crime in the name of religion, the fact that he is not an Islamic scholar (just a person who found a business niche in Muslim Affairs)- all these facts don’t matter but alas, Islam is going to be still held up responsible! Much like in the case of Aqsa Parvez.
So, our intention was to ignore the story initially, because it really had nothing to do with Islam per say. Rather, this was a case of an alleged domestic violence of the most horrific form. According to the CDC, 32 million Americans are victims of serious domestic violence. In 2000, 1,247 women and 440 men were killed by an intimate partner [source: American Bar Association Commission on Domestic Violence]. More information on domestic violence can be found here.
However, the fact that Muzzammil was a founder of a Muslim network, the the goal of which was “connecting people through understanding”, and improving the image of Islam [see this story from Nov 2006 around the time of the founding of the network], then as the editor of “Moderate Voice-MV” blog states:
“his network had been on the cutting edge of battling stereotypes, but now he and by association the name of his network are on the cutting edge of a crime story…”.
The post on the MV blog also links to many Islamophobic vultures (the right-wing neocons and associates) who are having a field-day around the blogosphere at the expense of this dead mother of 2 children, violently killed by her husband (allegedly). These people have no shame: to give pause for some time, to consider the victim, to give her family some respite, rather they are wasting no time in abusing this horrible event for their own ulterior purposes. But we couldn’t expect any less from them.
The response to these bigots is actually quite simple. If indeed, such decapitations were “normal”, “run-of-the-mill” things that Muslim men do to their wives, then when is the last time you heard of it? At least, I don’t remember another Muslim man involved in killing his wife this way. But I think most of us do remember the throat-slitting by the American football hero, don’t we? Was Christianity responsible for that? Or his race? Neither. Only he was responsible for it. And if M. Hassan was indeed culpable for the brutal murder of his wife, then only M. Hassan is responsible for it, and we hope that he gets the punishment and justice he deserves for it.
I do understand that the Islamophobic vultures are not willing to look at the clear evidences against their angle of the story, because their only goal is to malign our great religion. So, all we can do is to present the facts to the people who are neither here nor there, such that they are not confused by the lies. In this light, we are retreading the post on domestic violence by Sr. Asma Hanif:
——————————————————–
Peace is the absence of violence. In order to make peace with others, one must first have peace within themselves.
Domestic violence is an affliction disruptive to the peaceful co-existence of husband and wife. Such disruptive states infringe not only on the immediate family, but also the Islamic family community at large.
Domestic violence does exist within the Muslim community. One may consider this existence an imperfection within a perfect way of life, or a paradox in which imperfect humans behave imperfectly. However it is viewed, it’s presence cannot be denied.
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Irfan Abu Yusuf
February 14, 2009 at 3:13 PM
Salam Amad, This is a shocking news. May Allah grant her Jannah! I have spoken to Muzammil quite a few times in the past in our effort to bring Bridges TV to Comcast. Wallahu Musta’an! But the burden is on us to do the damage control before the neocons start beating their drums. And Subhan Allah muslim matters has taken a first step towards that.
shaque
March 12, 2011 at 11:53 PM
Clean up your act before blaming Neocon for the filth, lying, and cheating in your Muslim community
be brave don’t be afraid of humans. Open up the curtain of ignorance and stop invoking Quran into domestic violence. Be truthful and be sorry that you associated with this animal Muzzammil. He has taken a life thats the most highest sin can never be forgiven by God.
amad
February 14, 2009 at 5:22 PM
the neocons have already started beating the drums… its ex-post control now.
I still cannot phantom how any human being, let alone a Muslim, go through the process of killing any woman in such a brutal manner, let alone his wife (even if estranged).
UmmeAmmaarah
February 14, 2009 at 6:05 PM
Ya Allah, have mercy on us, on us all, on the family of this lady, on her children, Ya Allah make us better muslims, such good muslims, that when people say all kind of crap, nobody can fault Islam, Ya Allah, it is already difficult for ladies going out in hijab, but please don’t make us the object of people’s pity. Allahumma yassir, wa laa tu’assir. It is our fault, maybe we’re not doing something right, that we keep weaving, and weaving, and they just have to pull one thread to unravel it all……. Allah , Yaa Allah, Rabbanaa zalamna anfusanaa, wa illam taghfirlanaa wa tarhamnaa, lanakoonanna minal-khaasireen. WHAT do we do…?
sis
February 14, 2009 at 6:37 PM
Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’oon.
This is shocking news. May Allah bestow His Justice and Mercy to everyone and guide us all away from such brutal actions and emotions, ameen.
Here it shows a video from local police on the situation and it mentions the couple had 4 children.
http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/Man_charged_with_wifes_gruesome_death_20090213
LIsa in Orchard Park
February 14, 2009 at 9:35 PM
Thank you for this insightful article. I knew Aasiya and my children are friends with her son. I am thankful for this article since it gives me a proper arsenal of responses in case I am faced with any bigoted remarks in response to this horrible tragedy. I regret that there are those locally who are already expressing outrageous views on-line – both anti-Muslim and somehow even dragging President Obama into the mix! I hope and pray that people instead channel their hostility and anger towards domestic violence, since it occurs in the U.S. across all cultures and socioeconomic lines. Please do not think that all Christian Americans are so ignorant or intolerant.
Al-Madrasi
February 14, 2009 at 11:00 PM
Innaa Lillahi wa innaa ilaihi rajiwoon… may Allah protect us from all the evils…
adam
February 15, 2009 at 5:19 AM
May Allah count this woman amongst the shuhada,
what happens to the TV network?
roberta
February 15, 2009 at 7:00 AM
there’s this huge fear in our community that if issues like domestic abuse are addressed head-on amongst Muslims, it’ll be bad dawah, and it’s a shame that when things like this happen there are those bigots who try to paint that picture that islam has something to do with this. but domestic violence and violence against women is a human problem.
Allahu alam what the specifics of the circumstances in this case are; that’ll come out with time. but whenever the economy goes bad, globally speaking women often bear the brunt. they are the first to be laid off and face increased violence and abuse from men who are stressed over financial difficulties. money drives people extra crazy subhanallah, and things like divorce that can mean a loss of assets in an already difficult financial time can be enough to push some men over the edge. i hope this is the last such story that we hear about in our community, but it wouldnt surprise me if it wasn’t. and i worry about all the stories that we won’t hear. may Allah swt protect us all, ameen.
Yusuf Smith
February 15, 2009 at 9:57 AM
As-Salaamu ‘alaikum,
Do they actually know it was the husband? Murders of this nature in domestic disputes are not the norm – don’t men who kill their wives tend to strangle or stab them? It could just as easily be some psycho.
Ameera
February 15, 2009 at 10:46 AM
Despicable… and it’s the same case with “honor killings”.
Abdullah Brown
February 15, 2009 at 1:15 PM
Assalamu alaykum, All.
One point I feel bears emphasis is that horrific incidents such as this should serve in part as a reminder to all of us of the extremes to which many if not most people can be driven. One should never overestimate his own capacity for self-control or underestimate the madness to which emotion can drive him. Fact is, numerous studies show that most people will do horrible things under the “right” conditions.
One practical piece of advice that many have found useful is the value of inaction. It can be enormously difficult the first dozen or two times, but there is frequently incalculable value in simply remaining still rather than acting, keeping the lips together rather than allowing one’s most recent thought to reach speech. And many have observed that, no matter how difficult it can be the first twenty or thirty times, it does become easier with practice. Obviously, the practice is to be inculcated when detecting anger in one’s self or another. And, obviously, there are limits. Still, the principle bears emphasizing.
Abdullah Brown
Ameera
February 15, 2009 at 2:08 PM
Subhan-Allah, we have all learned a valuable lesson from Br Abdullah Brown. JazakAllah khayran! Sabr (patience) is difficult to practice but it is not impossible. It can be developed with time, just the way anger can be managed with the right techniques and focused effort.
We tend to act on impulse, driven along by the inciting words of the Shaytan and we regret our actions later. The actions of the man in this incident prove how wrong that plan of action is.
Abu Uthman
February 15, 2009 at 3:21 PM
Amad you are a muqallid of the West first, and then probably then Yasir.
I sense that from the title that you’ve chosen for your post.
If you were independent minded,
you probably would / could have used a different title:
How about:
“Islamic Law Severe Against Wife-Murderers.”
Isn’t that what it’s truly in light off…
But your kufur programing at the subconcious level of your mind
seems to be on the defensive where you said what you said,
in light of what it was in light of,
AND you said it
INSPITE of what
ALLAH and
the PROPHET of Allah, blessings on him,
said.
Arshada
February 15, 2009 at 4:13 PM
Do you know why Digg wont let us submit this blog post. It says it violates their policies
AnonyMuslim
February 15, 2009 at 4:13 PM
Salaam – thanks for publishing this piece. I think it’s important for Muslim groups to quickly take a stand and defend Islam from the inevitable attacks that have already begun…I wish CAIR and Bridges would quickly come out and make statements.
That said, I do think domestic violence is a serious problem in the “Muslim” community at large. Many new American Muslims are from immigrant families where domestic violence may result from some deeply patriarchal/quasi-cultural norms. Consequently, though thay may not stem from Islam, Muslims are being impacted and we must act to provide resources through our local communities.
usman
February 15, 2009 at 5:08 PM
did this happen today??
ComplexitySimplified
February 15, 2009 at 6:11 PM
This is truly tragic – but not entirely surprising. May Allah have mercy on the dead mother.
When someone fails to live up to Islamic principles and values and etiquettes in public – it would be surprising if they did so in private.
I don’t know about the level of Islamic knowledge or practice of Mr. Muzammil Hussain (the suspect husband) – but it would appear from a quick look at the kind of programmes and approach of Bridge TV, of which he was CEO. that BridgeTV was more an American-ethnic media/entertainment channel run by a Muslim/Muslims rather than one based on Islamic principles and values and etiquettes [the public sphere]. As such I question to what degree those that ran the channel operated accordingto Islamic principles and values in other spheres. It is inappropriate to describe BridgeTV as a Muslim TV just as it would be inappropriate to describe e.g. ABC as Christian TV.
Islamic principles and values requires that a husband be the ‘protector’ of his wives and also treat them in the best way and does not condone any form of violence against women.
The fact that Bridge TV did not live up to Islamic principles and values may be suggestive the CEO (like many muslims unfortunatley) were also failing to live up to Islamic principles and values in his domestic affairs – the consequence of which is that matters are not dealt in Islamic manner but rather through influence of other cultures and attitudes – which as this incident demonstrates could be most barbaric and brutal when taken to the extreme.
I hope this sees the end of the BridgeTV – its continuation would continue to provide yet another fuel-rod to those who like to use such barbaric incidents committed by an individual Muslim (who is not practising Islamic principles and values to begin with) to tarnish the pure faith of Islam. In its place let us hope Muslim can set up TV stations and other media channels run according to correct Islamic principles and values whereby we do not have to water-down Islam to demonstrate its just and honourable nature and how it is truly here to free us from subjugation to one another/creation; rather its purpose if to help us find peace and tranquility in this life and the next through wilfully surrendering and submitting to our Creator alone – Allah – the Creator and Owner of the Universe and all that is within it.
Tariq Nelson
February 15, 2009 at 6:36 PM
With all due respect, I think you are mixing two issues. What does Bridges TV or its programming have to do with the (alleged) actions of Mr Hassan. Whether or not Bridges TV is ‘watering down’ Islam is another issue for another time. This is an issue of a dead sister and 2 children left without a mother.
ComplexitySimplified
February 15, 2009 at 8:09 PM
Br. Tariq, you ask:
As the author of this post states at the start:
The sad reality is that the only reason this story- and not the tragic death of the other 1,600 Americans (4.3 on average every day) that are killed due to domestic violence – will feature so prominently in US media and Islamophobic blogosphere for howeverlong is due to Mr. Hassan’s prominent role in setting up and running BridgeTV as a so called Muslim network. Otherwise this story would sadly have been one more sad statistic – ignored even by MM.
Whilst we should, no doubt. remember and pray for the deceased and those that are innocently affected – not least the 4 children – the alleged actions of Mr. Hassan will be very damaging to perception of Muslims and Islam and only serve to reinforce the negative stereotypes amongst those that do not know about the beauty of Islam or wilfully choose to malign it.
In seeking to counter these allegations and perceptions on all of of us, amongst other things it is fruitful to clarify to what degree Mr. Hassan was himself living up to the values and principles of Islam so that people can differentiate between the action of individual and the actions sanctioned by Islam.
And Allah Knows best
Tariq Nelson
February 15, 2009 at 9:34 PM
Let me state that I had a friend (a Pakistani-American) that was decapitated by his wife and it did NOT receive national media attention – in spite of the Muslim angle. My point is that I agree with you that because he put himself forward as a prominent figure that he made himself a target.
However, my original point is that I didn’t think now was the time to concentrate on Bridges’ programming or that Hassan’s practice of Islam is relevant in this. Even if he were praying 5X/day, making all his nawafil, and tahujjud every night (for all we know, he may be) it would not change the situation.
Dawud Israel
February 15, 2009 at 10:17 PM
I have mixed feelings about this post, since it’s very defensive in it’s tone.
But I’m even more disheartened by this story…really hurts to hear it. I mean, I think we DO need to return to the fundamentals of our morality- not beliefs. We Muslims know our beliefs, but emphasized it to the extent we have forgotten about humility, tolerance, patience, curbing our anger and gentleness. Kitab at-Tawhid is emphasized so much…but now, it is time to emphasize, study and implement Riyadus Saliheen, and learn about forbearance and what actually makes a Muslim in deed and in how he is, not in what he says or believes.
We need salihal akhlaaq now more than ever.
Qas
February 15, 2009 at 10:28 PM
Check this coverage out: http://www.thestar.com/News/World/article/587925
The kicker comes here:
“Aasiya Hassan recently filed for divorce, authorities said. According to Buffalo News reports, she obtained an order of protection on Feb. 6, barring her husband from their home in Orchard Park.
Under sharia law followed by Muslims, a woman can ask for a divorce, but only a man can grant the request, and he can refuse, according to a book on sharia published last month, Cruel and Usual Punishment, by Egyptian-born American author Nonie Darwish.
Under Islamic law, crimes such as apostasy (leaving Islam), adultery, theft or drinking alcohol are punishable by beheading, stoning, amputation of limbs or flogging, the book says.
Nobody at Bridges TV answered phones yesterday and the station’s website declared it was “closed for maintenance.”
The Neocon drums are beating like crazy.
A Nightingale
February 15, 2009 at 11:29 PM
Why do Muslims feel the need to say that a heinous crime is not part of our religion? Why are we always on the defensive? I never hear about Christians and Jews defending their religion when one of their followers commits a sin.
Amad
February 15, 2009 at 11:31 PM
Lisa: Thanks for helping defeat ignorance and stereotyping. We should also remember that senseless acts are committed everyday, and to ascribe it to religion when there is no basis for it, is entirely senseless as well.
Abdullah Brown: Good advice. As we know from the hadith, Shaytan is very strong in the state of a person’s anger, and that is why the Prophet (S) advised against anger so much.
Roberta/AnonyMuslim: Muslims are not saved from the problem of domestic violence, and that is why efforts that are being undertaken at different levels, are so important. It is also important for the masajids and Imams to take more interest in this issue.
Yusuf: Wallahualam, but it seems that Muzzammil turned himself in… but we cannot discount anything right now.
Ameera: “Honor killings” is such an oxymoron. Wallahi, there could never be honor in this kind of killing where family members take things in their own hands. Never did we see such a thing among the companions of the Prophet (S).
Abu Uthman: I am sorry but I really have no idea what you are trying to say. Please try explaining again what you are taking an issue with in the post, minus the insults.
Arshada: Digg has banned our URL from being submitted due to influence by online Israeli foot-soldiers, because we had posts highlighting links that were worth digging by other members. Long story.
I agree with Tariq. It is distasteful to bring up the person’s practice in this context. It really wouldn’t matter if he was a progressive or a practicing traditionalist. Because as far as many average Americans were concerned, those who knew about Bridges, Muzammil was trying to bridge the divide between Muslims and non-Muslims. So, he represented a “moderate”, esp because the programming was not so “orthodox”. And if “moderates” can act this way, then imagine how the “extremists” practice… Just giving you a flavor of what might go through an average Joe’s mind.
Dawud, how is defensive in tone. Please expound. It is really quite matter of fact to be honest.
Qas, thanks for pointing out how rubbish and hate-literature (such as the stuff that Nonnie produces) finds its ways into mainstream media. I hope readers of the paper will be writing letters to the editor, expressing outrage over the seemingly innocent little, but inflammatory, blurb.
wasalaam
talib
February 15, 2009 at 11:59 PM
a3ooth billah what a heinous crime…
i’ve been reading up on jinn/shayateen and black magic…and this could well be a man taken over by a shaytaan…the shayateen are on different levels and depending on whom took muzamil over could have been strong enough to effect his physical acts and make him behead his wife…
or a spell that divides between the husband and wife could also have been in effect, where muzamil tried to get back with his wife and the shaytaan whos in charge of keeping them away from each other could have made muzamil behead his wife… both are possibe
and btw im not making things up..these acts by the shayateen are possible and did happen many a times.
Abu Uthman
February 16, 2009 at 12:08 AM
Amad take my comment to someone you trust and
someone who’s studied Ibn Taymiah’s writings –
but then you probably don’t think it’s worth your time.
However, if you get it you’ll realise they’re not insults,
probably a sort of a smelling salt for the mind.
Take care,
Abu Uthman
Toronto,
Canada
Amad
February 16, 2009 at 12:34 AM
Talib, it certainly could be, wallahualam.
Abu Uthmaan: I continue to get an error in code… must be the kufr programming. Pls try again :)
mulsimah
February 16, 2009 at 12:52 AM
good thing i left my husband quickly..and secretly..it s so common, u just never know.
may Allah swt grant her Jannah and protect the children and grant her justice. Go to imam and the first question he will ask unfortunately is ‘what did u do to make him angry” they dont understand its a pathology , a thinking problem.. not even an anger problem. neone its something thats not clear cut.. you really have to study about it alot to understand.. so one cant expect imams or masjid to understand.
what there needs to be is a real professional councelor in the masjid like their are doctors.. imams shouldnt be counceling.
Amad
February 16, 2009 at 1:50 AM
This was on MR’s blog:
miscellany101
February 16, 2009 at 9:03 AM
Haven’t Muslims gotten tired of apologizing for the sins of other Muslims yet? If they haven’t it’s time they do! Bigots don’t need any excuse to find fault with the objects of their dislike; any excuse will do. Ignore them and live. There are far too many shining examples of the positive impact Muslims have made in American society to get caught up in and waste time on ducking the racist diatribe of keyboard analysts who flood the net with their filth.
Dawud Israel
February 16, 2009 at 1:18 PM
Amad: This post sounds defensive in that you are saying it has nothing to do with religion- which we all kinda know already. Let’s face it, ANYTHING we do could be considered having “nothing to do with religion” but just our fault.
So what I am saying is change the angle from defensive to pro-active. Remember the anti-Pornography post you made like 2 years ago that made MM so famous and awesome? Let’s see this topic and others, discussed with that style.
Miako
February 16, 2009 at 3:51 PM
So sad, my prayers go out to those involved.
and yes, amad, I have seen instances in the press about “honor killings” where a girl’s fathers and brothers kill her violently(quoted one on here a while ago). Despicable.
Also, some of the laws in Saudi Arabia and other places can be unnecessarily harsh. If the burden of proof is on the woman to show that she was raped and was not fornicating — and that proof requires multiple witnesses (far more than someone might be assumed to have around), well, it can be understood why Islam itself might be seen in a harsher light, even if it’s the civil laws that are the problem.
Hala
February 17, 2009 at 9:14 PM
innaa lillaahi wa innaa ilayhi raaji’oon.
May Allah forgive her sins and may He have mercy on her, ameen.
asd
February 18, 2009 at 3:42 AM
you are all idiots and have no respect nor any adab
HE HAS BEEN CHARGED with murder and YOU ALL ARE ACTING LIKE HE DID IT,
if he is innocent of this crime then you all are in serious trouble for backbiting a Muslim to the highest degree and defaming him in public
foolish muslim matters people
taking from second hand sources saying he admitted this or that this is a very serious matter
as the article states.. so remove it! this is a crime a huge crime you have done
“So, until more facts are released, the crime is only alleged, and Hassan is innocent until proven guilty.”
Rastamick
February 18, 2009 at 10:05 AM
Please know there are thinking and feeling non-muslims who see this for what it is and nothing more.
Peace
http://justice4claire.blogspot.com/2009/02/muzzammil-hassan-shoots-us-all-in-foot.html
Umm Reem
February 18, 2009 at 1:00 PM
From the Imam of ADAM’s center in Virginia:
http://www.isna.net/articles/News/RESPONDING-TO-THE-KILLING-OF-AASIYA-HASSAN-AN-OPEN-LETTER-TO-THE-LEADERS-OF-AMERICAN-MUSLI.aspx
LearningArabic
February 18, 2009 at 3:05 PM
Assalamu alaikum,
@ Br. Amad,
I respect you for the sake of Allah, but I think you should be more careful before posting a message by someone named “# Ex Employee of Bridges TV” from another blog. For all we know, anybody could make such a post. I could write up such a post myself and make up the whole thing for the sake of gaining attention. That post could very well be true, but I just wanted to point out that comments posted on blogs are not necessarily the most reliable source.
Amad
February 18, 2009 at 3:10 PM
Good point, “learning arabic”… The fact that he didn’t name himself/herself didn’t point to any motives. But I still agree with your point.
intelect1430
February 18, 2009 at 3:21 PM
From Bridges TV interim GM asking for help. lets see what MM can do?
Dear Friends,
My name is Hunaid Baliwala and I have been at Bridges since May of 2005. I am writing to you as the newly appointed interim General Manager of Bridges TV. Previously, I held a number of operations and business development roles.
We apologize that we have not been able to connect with you earlier, as we were trying to deal with this shocking event and did not have access to our facilities.
At Bridges TV, all the staff members are deeply shocked and saddened by the murder of Aasiya Hassan [Zubair] and subsequent arrest of Muzzammil Hassan. Our deepest condolences and prayers go out to the victim’s family. This appears to be the most tragic of domestic violence incidents and, although we have heard statistics that imply that more than three cases of domestic violence occur every day in the US, no one here could ever imagine that this may happen to our beloved colleague.
While the staff is obviously in a state of shock given how closely we all worked with both Aasiya and Muzzammil, we are all unwavering in our determination that, for the sake of Aasiyaʼs vision of this channel, we remain strong and continue the good work that she had initiated. We have a strong staff and I am confident in the success of the Company moving forward.
I would like to request that the right to privacy for the families and staff be respected as we continue to go about our daily business routine.
The two biggest issues that we currently face at Bridges TV are the negative publicity generated by this domestic violence incident and the ongoing funding constraint. Both are extremely time sensitive and are being addressed directly by myself and our Board of Directors (composed primarily of our investors). Without your support we would not have been able to come this far. Therefore, we value your continued support and will need it to get through this challenging time. If you have any ideas and suggestions please do not hesitate to contact me. Given all the myriad of activities at Bridges TV, I may not be able to respond to each correspondence but please let me assure you that all will be read and absorbed by our team. We are all resolute in fulfilling Aasiyaʼs mission for Bridges TV.
If you know anyone who would find this information useful or helpful please pass this along.
Hunaid Baliwala
Phone: 716-961-3140
EM: hbaliwala@bridgestv.com
Nazim M.
February 18, 2009 at 3:58 PM
Assalamu Alaikum,
I led the deceased sister’s Janazah prayer yesterday at our Masjid. In yesterday’s paper in the print edition, they were trying to pin the blame on Islam. I called up the editor and then I had a discussion with the reporter who has been reporting on this tragic incident.
I was telling him how upset the local Muslims were that morning because they were trying to blame Islam even though after a quick rudimentary search on yahoo with the words ‘man beheads wife’, I came up with some interesting links in which there is no mention of religion of the attacker.
The link to the article in which they published my comments:
http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/story/582625.html
Some links on beheading:
http://www.snopes.com/horrors/gruesome/headless.asp
http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-29023667_ITM
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/ceb/2003/03/13/news/man.who.nearly.beheaded.wife.was.a.loving.husband..html
http://www.enquirer.com/editions/1999/02/15/loc_man_who_beheaded.html
http://www.hindu.com/2008/07/05/stories/2008070558990300.htm
Keep up the great work you all are doing.
Wassalam
Amad
February 18, 2009 at 5:02 PM
JazakAlahkhair Imam Nazim. That was a very important step you took, and by engaging the newspaper, you gave Muslims a voice that we otherwise may not have gotten. The links sure provide some perspective. But it is getting so old and boring now… everytime a Muslim does something, as you said, Islam goes on trial. The hypocrisy is unbelievable.
AbdulNasir Jangda
February 18, 2009 at 11:46 PM
JazakAllahu khayran Shaykh Nazim.
I’ve known Sh. Nazim since he was here in Dallas a few years ago, and its good to see him continuing his work in Buffalo.
mulsimah
February 19, 2009 at 2:45 PM
UPDATE AND MORE INFO: http://zerqaabid.blogspot.com/2009/02/did-we-ever-bother-to-know-muzzammil.html
Amatullah
February 20, 2009 at 7:31 PM
^I was just going to post that link Mulsimah. SubhanAllah sheds a lot of light on this matter. May Allah ta’ala have mercy on Aasiya.
abu abdAllah Tariq Ahmed
February 20, 2009 at 11:22 PM
bismillah. can we please rename this article “the murder of Aasiya Z. Hassan”? or if the article has to be about him, “the accused murderer of Aasiya Z. Hassan — her husband the CEO of Bridges TV.” at least remove the name of her husband from the title. that man needs to know that his act does not make him a celebrity. rather the tragedy in which he played whatever role erases forever whatever good he may have done, directly or indirectly.
have you all read the article that mulsimah referred us to? subhanAllah. that man! talk about the worst-case scenario of people who would have failed under the plan-khutbah of shaykh Yaser.
seriously, let’s remove his name from the article title, at least.
Amad
February 21, 2009 at 12:04 AM
The article to Zerqa Abid’s blog is linked at the top, as an update. I have added Aasiya’s name to the title, but the title has to reflect the central “key-words”, so Muzzammil’s name has to stay. jak.
abu abdAllah Tariq Ahmed
February 21, 2009 at 12:53 AM
Amad, you are a prince among bloggers, alhamdolillah. jazak Allah khayr for trying to edit the title. really, i had no idea how unwieldy the title would become because of my advice. it’s labyrinthine… as twisted as this whole situation, i suppose.
speaking of convoluted: one more edit, please. this one not discretionary — she’s not the accused killer’s husband. “Muzzammil was married to my first cousin…”
Amad
February 23, 2009 at 5:45 PM
More on Muzzammil… subhanAllah, Aasiya really bottled it up to protect a man who was clearly a psycho and not even a practicing Muslim…
http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/586519.html
Samiyah
February 24, 2009 at 12:26 AM
salaam! Im Mulsimah but Im changing my name here to Samiyah (cause i alwaysed liked the name) That is not my orignal name but Mulsimah was too close to Muslimah and I ws actually trying to write Muslimah the first time but I accidentatly wrot Mulsimah and so it became Mulsimah
yayy Im glad you added it as an update. There are actually alot more updates..but I think the person above posted the link.
abu abdAllah Tariq Ahmed
February 24, 2009 at 1:22 AM
jazak Allah khayr, Amad. that was a very informative piece. it helped me understand how this serial-abuser was able to get married three times — the second and third wives were not from the same regions where he had abused his prior wife and then wives. but his third wife lived in Rochester, and he had treated his second wife cruelly there. how could people not warn her?
and after she suffered so much abuse, how could she think it was better for her to be abused than to risk the television station? and how could the people who said, “if she’d only signed this” “or if she’d only made a sound” as one of them put — how could they be content to just leave the ball in her court? when the ball was a hand grenade?
it’s just beyond me to fathom. i really believe that a strong Muslim community would have intervened, and that intervention would have been justified by Islam, not hindered by it.
now more than ever, i want to read the segment of umm Reem’s series on solutions. yes, her piece is about solutions to sexual molestation, and focuses on young girls. but we have to recognize that the worst pathology here is not the isolated evil of that abusive husband, but a collective societal failure to intervene — not just a Muslim community’s failure — police in two states failed her, too — so did all her colleagues at the station and her graduate institution.
we all know and some of us have even witnessed interventions to stop drug and alcohol abusers — often those men and women are physically and emotionally abusive to their spouses. i see no practical difference between them and this man whose addictions were wealth (riba-based, too) and power.
if anything, the drug/alcohol abusers can at least point to a physical addiction that changes their mental states during use. abusers like the CEO of Bridges have no excuse at all, and should therefore be stopped sooner, not later. and not when it is much too late.
umm sakinah
February 24, 2009 at 11:45 AM
It is very difficult to help some women in abusive marriages. I never realized this until I tried to help a friend of mine. They will not leave, sometimes there is a very strong attraction to the abuser and they can’t see beyond it even when their life is at risk. Yes we need to counsel the men but we also have counsel the women because truly some women seek out abusive men. I don’t think this was the case here, also it seems she was married in Pakistan so really many not have been aware of the history of abuse.
Anisa
February 24, 2009 at 12:54 PM
“More on Muzzammil… subhanAllah, Aasiya really bottled it up to protect a man who was clearly a psycho and not even a practicing Muslim…”
SubhanAllah
Abu Uthman
February 25, 2009 at 11:54 PM
To the esteemed Sheikhs of this website, learned bloggers, the Imams writing in, the Islamic centre erm, directors and leaders, the pious Muslim ahs (who never seem to ask this..), etc: No offense, but.. like..
What is the Islamic punishment of cold blooded wife / husband killer(s) – I mean like what if the killer is not Muslim and yet, lives under Shariah / Islamic law.
Like what if the killer is a person of a different religion; let alone a Muslim; obviously, all, while living under Shariah law?
The way some of the anti-Islamic anti male mongerists having been chewing on this occurrance is like the male Muslim killer abuser of innocent women is like rewarded under Islamic law? IS THAT TRUE?!
Oh yeah, also, why are you ALL (!) so deadly silent on this angle of this matter? I think you are silent?
ARE YOU SCARED?
Of whom, primarily?
Won’t inform / teach?
Why?
Want to hide?
Who did / does that?
Shy?
And against ‘eastern’ erm I mean Islamic, I mean Muslim erm Mujahideen,
erm I mean JiHAdeees, erm, ah, TERROrists?
Don’t care?
Doesn’t seem so?
Can’t see? Don’t realise…?
Thought did not occur?
NOT anymore…
Abu Uthman
Toronto,
Canada
believe it
May 22, 2009 at 2:32 AM
the man was hypnotized over years and had black majic done upon him. for numerous reasons. the day he became popular for building bridges thats when he was changed.. clicked by someone else … this should not be a shock what happened … there are many ways to make muslims look like barbarians or al qaeda beheading videos
Justin57
December 4, 2010 at 10:10 PM
I appreciate the Muslims who practice a gentle Islam but comments by others suggest some readers prefer to hate and blame “neocons?’ The attack on “neocons” is odd indeed!
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