TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- Ameneh Bahrami is certain that one day she'll meet someone, fall in love and get married. But when her wedding day comes, her husband won't see her eyes, and she won't see her husband. Bahrami is blind, the victim of an acid attack by a spurned suitor.
If she gets her way, her attacker will suffer the same fate. The 31-year-old Iranian is demanding the ancient punishment of "an eye for an eye," and, in accordance with Islamic law, she wants to blind Majid Movahedi, the man who blinded her.
"I don't want to blind him for revenge," Bahrami said in her parents' Tehran apartment. "I'm doing this to prevent it from happening to someone else."
Bahrami says she first crossed paths with Movahedi in 2002, when they attended the same university.
She was a 24-year-old electronics student. He was 19. She never noticed him until they shared a class. He sat next to her one day and brushed up against her. Bahrami says she knew it wasn't an accident.
"I moved away from him," she said, "but he brushed up against me again."
When Bahrami stood up in class and screamed for him to stop, Movahedi just looked at her in stunned silence. He wouldn't stay silent for long.
Bahrami said that over the next two years, Movahedi kept harassing her and making threats, even as he asked her to marry him. "He told me he would kill me. He said, 'You have to say yes.' "
On a November afternoon in 2004, Movahedi's threats turned to violence.
That day at 4:30 p.m., Bahrami left the medical engineering company where she worked. As she walked to the bus stop, she remembers sensing someone behind her.
She turned around and was startled to see Movahedi. A moment later came the agonizing pain. Movahedi had thrown something over her. What felt like fire on her face was acid searing through her skin.
"I was just yelling, 'I'm burning! I'm burning! For God's sake, somebody help me!' "
The acid seeped into Bahrami's eyes and streamed down her face and into her mouth. When she covered her face with her hands, streaks of acid ran down her fingers and onto her forearms.
Two weeks after the attack, Movahedi turned himself in to police and confessed in court. He was convicted in 2005 and has been behind bars all along.
Bahrami's lawyer, Ali Sarrafi, said Movahedi had never shown any remorse. "He says he did it because he loved her," Sarrafi said.
Attack victims in Iran usually accept "blood money": a fine in lieu of harsh punishment. With no insurance and mounting medical bills, Bahrami could've used the cash, but she said no.
"I told the judge I want an eye for an eye," Bahrami said. "People like him should be made to feel my suffering."
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/02/19/acid.attack.victim/index.html?...
AN eye for an eye (or in this case, TWO eyes for two eyes) seems fair.
Have they considered transplanting the eyes? what if the blood types etc match? would that not be better, returning the victim to "health"?
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
So in this situation,
* Do you think she should forgive? How many out there would actually forgive?
* She says she is doing this because she wanted others to stop act, as to use her case for an example. How useful do you think this is going to be?
Throwing acid and stuff needs to be punished as it seems to happen elsewhere in the region too - I have heard of it being thrown at school girls in Afghanistan to try to scare them away from school.
It needs to be punished and to such a level that those who may consider it know of the consequences.
A life times' blindness will show others atleast that this crime is not one to be done lightly.
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
But didn't our Prophet
say "He who shows no mercy, WILL GET NO MERCY"? Meaning that eye for an eye isn't a good idea.
That's different from punishment though, I think he should be punished but not the acid way.
“Before death takes away what you are given, give away whatever there is to give.”
Mawlana Jalal ud Din Rumi
Okay. A life time's blindness.
Do you think that's the only way possible show others that the crime is not to be taken lightly?
Yep, Iv heard of the throwing acid thing too elsewhere.
What do you think about showing the general public examples of what will happen to them, if they carry out that crime?
One can show mercy... in other cases.
That hadith does not mean that mercy has to be shown in every single instance of existence, a blind eye turned to all wrong doing.
That would just allow people to get away with it.
As for mercy in this case, it seems that the attackers face will not be scarred. Is that not a mercy? The full extent would be blindness AND scars to the face.
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
Assalamu alaikum
i agree with you, that hadith is being taken out of context this is no time for mercy. Let's try and be realistic here if that was your sister, like your blood sister and a man had thrown acid in her eyes would you be saying let's take the blood money or have mercy on him he can do time behind bars? Hell no if a man did that to me or anyone i loved eye for an eye all the way no mercy!
As for the girl saying punishment will prevent him from doing it to another woman,I think it will. He sounds like a psychopath. Ppl that stalk usually are. I had this happen to me, man didn't know me, complete stranger harassing me for yrs,said he loved me, was gonna marry me? I'm certain he's harassing another girl now. What do you call ppl like that? They don't get rehabilitated they just wait to get out of prison and attack another woman.
“O my people! Truly, this life of the world is nothing but a (quick passing) enjoyment, and verily, the hereafter that is the home that will remain forever.” [Ghafir : 39]
That's the philospohy of the hudood. Not to hurt the individual but to make sure the collective don't take the crime lightly.
In this case I would argue eye for and eye and do the acid thing. The reason is, throwing acid in someones face is not a civilised action. Its more like, the law of the street. So if the guy subscribes to 'the law of the street' let him take some 'street justice.'
I'm not angry with him, just really upset for the girl. He says he did it because he loved her. If his love is so compelling that it causes him to throw acid in the face of the one he loves then surely it is strong enough to carry him throught the same action being done to him.
Gentleness and kindness were never a part of anything except that it made it beautiful, and harshness was never a part of anything except that it made it ugly.
Through cheating, stealing, and lying, one may get required results but finally one becomes
What's wrong with revenge?
action taken in return for an injury or offense
Gentleness and kindness were never a part of anything except that it made it beautiful, and harshness was never a part of anything except that it made it ugly.
Through cheating, stealing, and lying, one may get required results but finally one becomes
These are admirable things, but their existance does not cause revenge to be a bad thing.
Gentleness and kindness were never a part of anything except that it made it beautiful, and harshness was never a part of anything except that it made it ugly.
Through cheating, stealing, and lying, one may get required results but finally one becomes
I think that's the idea (punishment in this life rather than the next) but you still haven't answered my question. Why is revenge a bad thing?
Gentleness and kindness were never a part of anything except that it made it beautiful, and harshness was never a part of anything except that it made it ugly.
Through cheating, stealing, and lying, one may get required results but finally one becomes
I would want him to be throughly ashamed of what he's done, if he got acid thrown on him and the whole world was based on an "eye for an eye" principle people would become blind and be revenge driven, which wasn't the way of the Prophet (pbuh).
I disagree that there is no room for mercy, which doesn't mean being overly lenient, I believe he should be punished, whether that's by imprisonment, field marshalled or made to face his victim. But I also believe that he should be rehabilitated if it is possible.
The reason why prison inmates may not rehabilitate is because there is no real and practical rehab programme in prison.
“Before death takes away what you are given, give away whatever there is to give.”
Mawlana Jalal ud Din Rumi
Throwing acid on someone is just inhumane, I think if it is within ones control they shouldnt ask for the same thing to be done. However I dont know what this girl is going through. I can only understand if I had been in that situation. The best aproach is obviously that of the Holy Prophet (SAW). Sometimes when we have been through so much we wont be able to think in this way.
But he went through ten times worse than what any of us have been through, physically and emotionally and mentally.
“Before death takes away what you are given, give away whatever there is to give.”
Mawlana Jalal ud Din Rumi
That is true and like I said it is the best option. It depends on every individual and the Holy Prophet (SAW) is of the highest in every aspect. It also depends how close one is to the Holy Prphet (SAW), the closest you are the more you will do according to the Sunnah.
Please be careful when you say such things (not about revenge which wasn't, but carrying out the prescribed Punishments).
Look into the punishment give to terrorists at the time of the Prophet (saw). And the eye for an eye thing is also from the Qur'an, so when arguing against it, be careful.
The punishments are harsh, very harsh, but they are not revenge. They are actually there to (also) prevent mob rule and demands for revenge where clan feud could last years with many escalations and murders.
The Punishments are harsh but the victim is given the right to show leniency.
I have to admit I would never want to be punished in such a way. At the same time inshallah I would never ever do anything that would demand such punishment either.
Just imagine the woman decided to take the high road and forgive her aggressor. In a few years time if he did the same thing to another person, would she share any guilt for not stopping him when she had the chance? Would she (proverbially) be able to look herself in the face?
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
Imagine you were blind.
I'd rather not.
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
Good.
Because your afraid of all the things you wouldnt be able to do?
If I imagine, I just think about all the things I want to do but can't. its a barrier.
So the act of putting acid on peoples faces and ruining this sense, it needs to be taken into action. Something needs to be done about it. And an eye-to-eye punishment, may scare others into not doing that.
But capital punishment. Is the level of crime lower in countries where there is capital punishment?
No idea, but it may also be down to the risk of getting caught and the capabilities of law enforcement.
If you're in a place with very harsh sentencing, but the chances of you getting caught are negligible, is the punishment really a deterrent?
Overall I think its in conformist societies such as Japan where violent crime is lowest, but when it happens there, it seems to take on a whole new face.
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
Are there any examples please?
Thats true.
I was just trying to understand whether the public will fear capital punishment and an eye-to-eye punishment in the same way or not.
Whats the philosophy of the hudood all about?
assalamu alaikum,
Well i agree with You and Dawud. Although I came across highly charged i had good reason, I can understand what she went through prior to the acid incident. There is nothing wrong with revenge, and Islam does administer what seems like harsh punishments sometimes to deter others from doing the same.
I think we view revenge as something bad/evil because in the western culture this is what we are taught, so it is inevitable that we too will think like this, we've been programmed to. I'm not trying to blame western culture for all the ills within muslims but I believe that's the reason.
“O my people! Truly, this life of the world is nothing but a (quick passing) enjoyment, and verily, the hereafter that is the home that will remain forever.” [Ghafir : 39]
I think the Qur'an has a very clear verse that, although like-for-like punishments are acceptable (although it only mentions in terms of murder specifically), it is far better to forgive the guilty party.
Revenge being seen as 'bad' is not something from 'western culture' at all. Just look at the history of western culture!
Allah's (swt) Mercy is far greater than His Wrath and, as Muslims we should be trying to 'know' Allah (swt). Al-Ghazli asks what better way is there to know someone than trying to behave like them?
Don't just do something! Stand there.
I disagree.
Any verdict should not be carried in anger and anger is a major part of revenge.
Verdicts should be given with a cool mind - any "judge" that feels anger, (heated?) emotion when giving a verdict I would not trust the verdict of.
(what about non heated emotion? would that not just be showing lenience?)
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
http://www.islamonline.net/english/Family/2006/04/article05.shtml
According to the above this man will get off lightly with acid attack, in Bangladesh/India there is a death sentence.
“O my people! Truly, this life of the world is nothing but a (quick passing) enjoyment, and verily, the hereafter that is the home that will remain forever.” [Ghafir : 39]
I think everyone should be careful.
The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) did give harsh penalties sometimes, but (especially when he conquered Mecca) when it was appropriate he was merciful and gave a lesser sentence, that doesn't always mean he let them go scto free, as some people seem to think.
Regarding that scenario, if she did forgive him she doesn't have to let him go totally, she can still make him sorry for what he did or ask for some other punishment rather than an eye for an eye.
According to Zakir Naik, and "eye for an eye" was dominant in the time of Musa (as), while Isa (as) proposed "turn the other cheek" as he was small in number, whereas Muhammad (pbuh) allowed self defence but allowed mercy (and that doesn't mean total leniency) when it was appropriate.
“Before death takes away what you are given, give away whatever there is to give.”
Mawlana Jalal ud Din Rumi
Agreed.
That was capturing a city, not adjudicating a criminal case. Different things.
Mercy is a good thing indeed, but its not our place to demand it in this case. If the woman the guy wronged wants to, she will.
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
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