News and Updates

#JUSTICEFORNOURA

Salaam everyone,

I want to take a moment to talk to you about a very serious situation that is taking place right now. Some of you may already know about it, as it has been circulating on social media, but for those who don't, here is the story:

(via The Washington Post)

Noura Hussein had no desire to get married. She was about 16, an aspiring teacher who hadn't even finished high school. But the Sudanese teenager's family forced her to marry the man of their choosing, a cousin, against her will. Her family made a contract with the groom's family, and the marriage was settled.

Noura refused to accept it, running away to live with a relative in a neighboring city for nearly three years, according to and other involved in her case. In April of last year, her family persuaded her to return to their home in the outskirts of Khartoum, Sudan's capital. The wedding was off, her father promised.

It was a trap. Hussein's family forced her to participate in a wedding ceremony and move in with her arranged husband. And when she refused to consummate the marriage, her husband sought the help of his brother and cousins. The men held her down as her husband raped her, according to activists in Sudan and her lawyer, who spoke to the .

The following day he tried to rape her again, her lawyer told the AP. Noura grabbed a knife and stabbed him to death. Her legal team called it a desperate act of defense. A court in Sudan called it murder.

Late last month, Noura was found guilty of premeditated murder. On Thursday, she was sentenced to death by hanging. Her legal team has 15 days to appeal the sentence before she is executed, according to witnesses in the courtroom, who spoke to The Washington Post and documented the hearing on .

As of now, Noura has less than 14 days to ask for an appeal.

I've been very active on trying to get the word of this horrifying situation out on social media, now I want you all to do the same, especially if you haven't already done so.

So what can you do? For one thing, if you are against sexual assault, forced marriages, or violence against women of any kind, then please please sign the petition in support of Noura. Link will be posted in the comment section below. All it takes is one click and no more than 0.2 seconds of your time, and you can help save an innocent life. 

I sure as hell do not want to live in a society where the victims of sexual assault are punished instead of the perpetrator and the family members that allowed this to happen. It is beyond sickening, even more so when the punishment is being carried out by a so-called "Islamic" country. I hope you are all just as frustrated and sickened by this atrocity as I am. If that is the case, I implore you to sign the petition and take a stand. You can even donate as little as $3.

TAG YOUR FRIENDS IN THE COMMENT SECTION. FORWARD THEM THE LINK TO THE PETITION. TRY TO GET THE WORD OUT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. Please do not let this issue drop. An innocent life is at stake here! 

And a reminder that Allah also says in the Quran, "Oh you who believe! be maintainers of justice, bearers of witness for Allah's sake, even if it may be against your own selves or (your) parents or near relatives; if he be rich or poor, Allah is nearer to them both in compassion; therefore do not follow (your) low desires, lest you deviate; and if you swerve or turn aside, then surely Allah is aware of what you do." (4:135)

So there is NO EXCUSE for being silent on this issue and allowing the penalty to take place..just no excuse.