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11 April, 2005

East, West, best dressed - part II

The second story is very tragic - a fifteen-year-old Pakistani girl apparently committing suicide after being scolded for trying to go out without her hijab.

"The incident took place in Sharjah last week. Thamina Babi Razem Shah, a Pakistani teenage girl, was found hanging from a hook in her house that was used for slaughtering animals during the Eid sacrifice. The family lives in Al Sharq in Sharjah.

"Abdul Aziz, the girl's elder brother, told Gulf News Thamina committed suicide because her mother shouted at her because she went outside without wearing her hijab, or headscarf."


Hijabs aside, there are many things that are disturbing about this story. But most disturbing is the fact that the girl did not leave a suicide note because she did not know how to write.

"Family members said Thamina did not go to school but was taught the Quran by her mother at home.

"She did not leave a note because she does not know how to write," Abdul Aziz said, "but she knows how to read the Quran."


It is absolutely inexcusable that anyone living in a country like the UAE should fail to educate their children properly, leaving them helplessly illiterate. If Thamina suffered from learning difficulties, she should have been given appropriate remedial help. Lack of money is no excuse: anyone having eight children should be prepared to face the expensive consequences.

The brother believes his sister killed herself because she was "ashamed".

"My mother also questioned her as to why she had cut her eyelashes in front of me and another brother. Afterwards, my sister would have felt really bad. In fact, she must have felt ashamed. It drove her to take her own life."

It is people who fail to educate young girls and give them the emotional support they need that should be ashamed.

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3 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

As for this post, I 100% agree with you. Our daughters & sisters should not be deprived of education, which is a basic human need. Islam orders each & every single individual, whether male or female, to seek knowledge. The late leader Shaikh Zayed was a great champion of women's education & rights. I hope & pray that other leaders in the region also start thinking like the Father of UAE.

Secondly, suicide is something not allowed in Islam & whoever commits it will have all his good deeds wiped away & will enter hell fire. Life is a precious gift from God & it should never be wasted in this way.

May Allah guide all of us to His right path.

12 April, 2005 08:53  
Blogger secretdubai said...

Yes. My personal belief is that God/Allah will look with compassion on those driven through despair to commit suicide. In years gone by in western, Christian nations, unsucessful suicides were jailed, but we now try to help victims rather than punish them further. This is one law I would like to see change in the UAE and other Islamic countries. An all-merciful god could not wish further torment upon one so unhappy.

12 April, 2005 09:24  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yes you are right.

12 April, 2005 12:31  

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