PLEASE JOIN US IN PRAYERS...THIS MOTHER'S DAY WEEKEND
May 7, 2010
Assalam alaikum.
On this Mother’s Day, we are reminded of yet another Muslim woman Khadija Mahel who lost her life at the hands of her abusive husband Muhammad Iqbal (inna lillahe wa inna ilaehe rajeoon). Khadija was murdered on April 13 in her apartment in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn but her body was found many days later in a Queens cemetry and was only identified by her fingerprints. The Daily News reported Iqbal told police he wrapped Mahel's body in a carpet and hid her under the bed after the slaying to keep their two sons, 6 and 7, from finding out. The next day, he said, he took the boys to school like nothing happened.
We are saddened to note that this tragedy and gruesome murder went almost unacknowledged by the New York Muslim community. We urge that special prayers be said for Khadija Mahel (may her soul rest in peace), her sons and her entire family. This tragedy underscores the need for us to take collective responsibility and hold perpetrators accountable. We need to do everything we can to stop domestic violence in its tracks so that no woman need experience what must have been the dreadful isolation and threat Khadija certainly felt before she was strangled to death by the man with whom she built a family. Please join us this Mother’s Day weekend as we remember Khadija and her children, and many other women who suffer in silence, in our prayers.
Turning Point for Women and Families is the first non-profit in New York City to address domestic violence in the Muslim community throuth direct services, community education and raising awareness about the terrible impact on women,children and families, training, and empowerment of Muslim women and girls. Our services are free and confidential and provided by professional staff. To learn more about our work please visit homepage of your website.
Please encourage Muslim women and girls who may be affected by violence in their homes to call us at 718-883-9400
Jazak Allah Khair