Due to society being deeply patriarchal and soaked in misplaced male dominance, even the sacred walls of a household are no longer safe for women and girls. The very men who are meant to protect—fathers, brothers, uncles—have now become the monsters within. Islamically, these men are mahram, supposed to be guardians, safe havens. But today, that divine trust is being spit on.
Islam grants a woman the freedom to express herself and take care of her appearance in front of her mahram, it is meant to be within the boundaries of respect and trust. These men are entrusted with her honor. They are not there to take advantage of her vulnerability.
The idea of mahram has become hollow. In far too many homes, behind closed doors, those very protectors are turning into predators. And the most gut-wrenching part? It’s not rare. It’s rampant.
In Muslim communities across the globe, we are witnessing a silence so deafening it screams complicity. According to Australian bureau statistic reveals, abuse by someone known to the victim is the most common form, and in our own homes, those “known” ones are often family. A nine-year-old raped by her father. A teen girl molested by her uncle. And yet, we still stay quiet—why? To “protect family honor”?
What honor?
What honor is left when a father rapes his own daughter and we cover it up with silence? What honor is left when a girl cries for help and the family says, “Shh, what will people say?” That is not honor. That is cowardice wearing the mask of tradition.
In 2023, Time Magazine reported the sentencing of a so-called cleric in Afghanistan who raped a 10-year-old girl. A man who stood for prayer while crushing a child’s innocence. A man who used religion as his shield. How many more like him walk free, protected by our apathy?
And it’s not just in “far-off” places. In Queensland, Australia, a father was sentenced to 12 years in prison after admitting to sexually abusing his daughter nearly every second day over 11 years, starting when she was just four. In court, his now 18-year-old daughter faced him bravely and said:
“You have hurt me but you will never destroy me. I have a bright future and nothing you can do can stop me… I am enjoying my life to the fullest. It’s not because of you but rather it’s because of everything you have taken from me.”
She described how her father had shattered her understanding of family and irreversibly damaged every relationship in her life. These are not just stories—they are real cries of pain, the shattered echoes of girls who were supposed to be loved, but were instead used and discarded.
Do we truly think Allah will not ask us about the cries we ignored? About the victims we shamed into silence? The Qur’an commands justice. Our Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Help your brother, whether he is the oppressor or the oppressed.” But we’ve twisted it. We help the oppressor stay hidden—and shame the oppressed into the shadows.
We have created a culture where predators wear beards and pray in mosques—and yet go home to destroy the lives of those they were entrusted to love. To these predators, girls are not daughters. Not sisters. Not nieces. They are toys. Bodies. Disposable. Used for sick pleasure, then tossed like filth.
And we dare to call ourselves an “honorable” ummah?
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “The best of you are those who are best to your women.” What does that make those who abuse them? What does that make those who cover up for them? Worse than hypocrites.
It is time to stop pretending this is rare. It is not rare. It is ignored.
And no, this is not an attack on Islam. This is a defense of it. Islam is not to blame—we are. We have failed our daughters, our faith, and our humanity. Islam gave women dignity. We stripped it away.
So ask yourself: when a predator lives in your home, and you do nothing, are you still a parent? A believer? A human?
We can no longer allow this silence to murder souls. It’s time to speak. Loudly. Furiously. Fearlessly.
Because if we don’t, we are not just bystanders.
We are accomplices.
Our society will never improve if we continue to treat these crimes as personal matters or sweep them under the rug in the name of family pride. What we need is not just awareness — we need justice. And not the watered-down justice of corrupted legal systems or endless court delays — but the justice that Allah Himself prescribed.
In Islam, the ḥadd punishment for rape is not brutal — it is merciful to the victim and a divine safeguard for society. It is designed to preserve the dignity, sanctity, and safety of every human being. It sends a clear message: that violating another person’s body is a crime against humanity, and more importantly, a crime against God.
So why, in our so-called “Muslim” societies, is this law almost never enforced?
We let culture override religion. We let shame silence justice. We let the predator live freely while the survivor carries invisible chains for life.
Let us be honest: until ḥadd is implemented, predators will continue to walk our streets unafraid. Girls will continue to cry into their pillows at night, unheard and abandoned. And we, the so-called protectors, will continue to fail them.
How can we claim to love Islam, when we pick and choose its commands?
The Qur’an didn’t only teach us to pray. It taught us how to build a society grounded in justice. Our Prophet (peace be upon him) didn’t just lead prayers — he led with action, with courage, with enforcement of divine law. So when we ignore ḥadd, we are not just failing our legal systems — we are failing Allah.
Do we want our children growing up in a world where they are threatened not just by strangers, but by the very people they call family? Do we want to stand on the Day of Judgment and answer for our silence? For our cowardice?
People like you and me don’t want to see this happen. We want to protect our daughters, uphold our deen, and clean the rot festering in our homes. And we can — but not with silence.
The benefits of applying Shariah law — particularly the hudud punishments — are undeniable. They create a society where justice is swift and clear, where oppressors think twice, and where the vulnerable walk freely without fear. It eliminates loopholes that allow the powerful to manipulate the system. It restores balance — not just in law, but in conscience. And most importantly, it brings the pleasure of Allah upon a community that values His commandments over worldly approval. With ḥadd comes deterrence.
With hudud comes deterrence. With deterrence comes protection. With protection comes dignity.
Until we return to Allah’s laws, there will be no real peace in our homes, in our streets, or in our hearts.
