Hurma is an Islamic legal term that refers to the divinely-granted inviolability, or protection, of a person from harm. The pre-Islamic Arabs had a deep respect for sacred times and places, but what they did not recognize was the sanctity of each person created by God.
The Qur’an and the Sunnah are clear: every person matters. Their body matters. Their life matters. The Prophet ﷺ taught that the hurma of a person is akin to the sanctity of sacred months and places; even a deceased person has hurma, reflected in the respectful and caring treatment of the bodies of our departed brothers and sisters. Throughout Islamic history, beginning with the Rightly Guided Caliphs, the Muslim Umma has consistently worked to live up to this message, by placing limits on the exercise of power, by supervising those holding the public trust, and by holding those who misuse their authority and influence accountable.
Sadly, yes, spiritual abuse can occur in families. Some members of the family might draw upon Islamic teachings or concepts to justify their abusive behavior. For example, while parents have the authority to discipline their children and direct their activities, this can only be done for the benefit of the children and the family. Discipline should never exceed reasonable limits or cause harm. If parents rationalize abusive behavior towards minor or adult children by claiming that Islam says they have the right to absolute obedience, this is wrong, and can cause spiritual harm to their children. Similarly, while spouses have rights and responsibilities towards each other, neither is permitted to use abusive means to secure their rights.
Learn more about spiritual abuse in families and how to prevent it from a trusted organization such as Peaceful Families Project. If you are experiencing abuse in your family, seek help from a certified counsellor or social service organization.
Protecting the right of the people, religion and law of property is prioritized over concealing the sin of a public figure/person in authority. There is an obligation to expose the sin and potential character fault that will interfere with their leadership/responsible role. You can read more about this from Mairaj U. Syed’s research paper on On Concealing the Sins of Religious Leaders
What is hurma?
Hurma (حرمة) is an Islamic legal term signifying the divinely-granted right of protection of the human person from abuse, assault, and exploitation.
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Henna Khawja is a Registered Social Worker with a special focus on the spectrum of gender based violence in Muslim communities. With over twelve years in the field, Henna currently works in sexual violence prevention and education with the University of Toronto, and is a Psychotherapist in private practice. Henna has worked with children, youth and adults in community, legal, child protection, corporate and university settings. Henna has also acted as the first Clinical Director for the Islamic Family and Social Services Association (IFSSA) in Edmonton, Alberta. Over the years, she has focused her work on supporting Survivors of trauma and violence along their healing journeys (including but not limited to gender based, spiritual, domestic, intimate partner, sexual, family, intergenerational, community violence). Henna has extensive experience working with Muslim & racialized communities in both Canada and the USA, as well as Pakistan and Zanzibar.
