It has not even been a year since 27-year-old Farkhunda was accused of burning the holy Qur’an and then was brutally killed by a street mob in Kabul. Now another girl, Rukhshana, has been stoned under the name of Islam in Ghor, a province in central Afghanistan that is apparently under Taliban control.
Rukhshana was only 19, but her family was forcing her to marry an 80-year-old man. She refused to accept the marriage and escaped with a 23-year-old man whom she knew. When her family discovered what she had done, they informed the Taliban and she and her boyfriend were captured. She was accused of adultery and running away with a man. About two weeks ago, she was dragged into the desert by a mob of brutal men who then stoned her to death. The boyfriend was lashed. The horrifying scene was captured on a video now widely available on the Internet.
The Taliban call themselves advocates of Islam and claim that they are fighting in the name of Islam. But in reality they are the enemy of Islam and they spread Islam through fear. There are no verses in any part of the Qur’an that say it is okay to surround an unarmed person, especially a woman, tear her clothes, and throw stones and large rocks at her head and body until she is dead.
The Qur’an states: “If a person is blamed for adultery, as long as four witnesses affirmed it, you are authorized to hit the person with small stones, but not to hurt the person.” Islam also says that every girl has the right to pick her life partner.
The savage Taliban claims that the Qur’an allows them to stone Rukhshana. Of course they do not care that her family required her to marry an old man without her agreement even though Islam has completely forbidden this.
Rukhshana and Farkhunda were two poor women whose destinies are all too similar. Both were falsely accused, then were tortured and murdered under the name of Islam. Both were attacked by a mob of ignorant men. Both women shouted for help, but no one cared about their shouts or their tears and bloodied bodies. Both of their lives were sacrificed needlessly.
By Sitara
Dear Sitara — The horrible similarities between what happened to these two young women is heartbreaking. I applaud your speaking up for both of them and for showing us that the ignorant people who attacked and killed them are not the true followers of Islam. Shining a light onto these kinds of atrocities is painful but vitally important. Thank you for your brave words. Nancy
Thank you for speaking out, Sitara, for giving voice to those whose voices have been silenced. As difficult a story it is to share, I feel the power behind your words. Roselle
Sitara, You are so brave to be the voice of these two women who have been silenced. Let us hope that all women, all people, someday can determine their own destiny.
Dear friends, thank you for taking time and reading the article. Your words and encourage make me more strong.
Love,
Sitara
Dear Sitara:
Thank you for writing this essay. Which help us understand who are Taliban, what is Islam and where stand Afghan women.
I think about one thing and that is stoning women, throwing stones you mention it is not allowed to throw big stones. I ask my self does it make a different when a stone is small or big? Does women deserve to be treated like this? I look at this picture, my heart burns. This girl looks so modern, so innocent, so beautiful. I, as an Afghan woman think that stoning is wrong and must be stopped no matter if it is in Islam, no matter if it is in the rules of Taliban and no matter if any one in Afghanistan accept it. I strongly believe that it is our right to make fault, it is alright to make sins as all human beings do. We can not ignore doing sins, we can not ignore all humanity. Shame on Taliban. Shame on those who threw stones on Rukhshana.
Dear Sitara,
The story you have written is truly disheartening. The fact that these women were stoned to death just because they disobeyed shows a lot regarding the way society acts. Men are considered superior to women and it is thought that they can abuse women like this without anyone batting an eye. Just because women are thought of as less than a man, does not mean they are. Women are fully capable of doing anything and this article brought tears to my eyes. The way they treat women is unfair and with your words, and many others, can bring awareness to this. In time, I believe that we can alter what is happening if we fight for what we feel is right.
Dear Sitara,
Thank you for having the courage to speak up for those unfortunate souls. Things that meant to be timportant to this world such as women and a religion held by billions of people, should not be used as shields and exuses for certain people’s own selfish purposes. Both of the young women mentioned on the article had done something that could have been easily accepted by the society, but people choose not to due to the twisted image of Islamism that others had put in them. I felt unjustified for the death of these young ladies, and surely hopes that their life stories will awake more people.