A mother murdered her son and set his body on fire when he struggled to learn the Quran off by heart.
Sara Ege used a stick to beat seven-year-old Yaseen “like a dog” if he couldn’t recite passages from the Islamic text. The beatings were so brutal that the boy died from his injuries, and his mother tried to burn the body to destroy the evidence. In a video recording of her interview with police, Mrs Ege told them: “I was trying to teach him the Koran.“I was getting more and more frustrated. If he didn’t read it properly I would be very angry — I would hit him. We had a high target. I wanted him to learn 35 pages in three months.
“I promised him a new bike if he could do it. But Yaseen wasn’t very good — after a year of practice he had only learnt a chapter.”
The court heard Mrs Ege, 32, a university graduate, and her husband, Yousuf, had enrolled Yaseen in advanced classes at their local mosque.
They wanted him to become a hafiz — an Islamic term for someone who memorises the Koran.
Yaseen was coming to the end of a three-month trial period at the mosque, and Ege was keen for him to impress his Imam.
Mrs Ege told officers: “I was getting all this bad stuff in my head, like I couldn’t concentrate, I was getting angry too much, I would shout at Yaseen all the time.”
She also hit him with a hammer, a rolling pin and a slipper, as well as repeatedly punching him, the court heard.
She would allegedly lock him in the shed, tie him to a door, and force him to do press-ups.
In the months after Yaseen’s death, Mrs Ege told a doctor she been told to kill him by Shaitan — an Islamic name for the devil, the court was told.
When I was a child, I was beaten up in the morning by my Arabic teacher and in the evening by my mother for failing to learn the verses of the Quran. I did not die but I was traumatized. It took me many years to overcome my traumatic experiences. Not all boys and girls can do it. Many live all their lives in fear. They are forced to memorise the verses of the Quran when they are just children. They are forced to believe in those nonsense verses when they are adults.
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samirasadeque
November 4, 2012 at 12:03 pm (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
Couldn’t agree with you more. I was born in a very religious family, and have questioned the pillars and rules of Islam for years now. It only makes me the ‘outcast’ in the family. But the measures taken by the parents in this article are a bit too extreme. But it makes me wonder, to what extent is it religion’s fault. I think a lot of it has to do with how much a person (in this case, the mother) lets religion take over them. A lot of it was how far the mother wanted to go in this case to ‘please God’. There are families and parents who practice their religion without making it the sole reason behind their existence. I think, as much as religion and its values can be at times contested and questioned, often, the focus should really be on the people following and practicing them, and the kind of mental state they are in that would allow them to be this violent. The focus should really be on what makes the followers so desperate for an identity, a confirmation that they belong to a greater being.
steve oberski
November 6, 2012 at 3:31 am (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
“a bit” ?
As in not criminally insane, disgustingly barbaric or sociopathic ?
Bill Openthalt
November 8, 2012 at 5:44 pm (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
Islam doesn’t say you should beat your child to death for not memorising the Koran quickly enough, but it puts devotion to a non-existing deity and a long-dead prophet before the well-being of one’s own children. Without islam, no-one would dream of forcing their children to memorise a book in a foreign language. Islam is to blame because it perverts the love and motivations of humans away from their fellows to an imaginary god.
Humans are partly hive animals (like bees), with common culture playing the role of the common genes. This allows humans to create huge cultures by putting the needs of the group before their own needs. Humans will die for the benefit of the group, and they will kill their children for the perceived benefit of the group. Any culture (this includes religion) that emphasises the “inhumanity” of out-group humans is very much responsible indeed for the excesses committed by its members.
jesse
November 8, 2012 at 10:17 pm (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
“Without islam, no-one would dream of forcing their children to memorise a book in a foreign language.”
You don’t know any religious Jews, do you ?
I think the issue is whether you say Islam itself is the root of these kinds of problems, or religion generally. After all, both Christian and Islamic societies have had their share of repressive periods, and for Christian societies, let’s remember that our grandparents fought in a war with the Germans, who took as read that Christians of a certain background were just obviously so superior they had the right to kill everyone else. And the war of Catholics and Orthodox Christians against everyone else in Yugoslavia was only 20 years ago.
I haven’t seen any evidence that Islam in particular is any worse or better. The above story could have been written with the people in some spots who still do exorcisms and horrible stories of fundamentalist Christians. So I think when you say “Only in Islam…” or “Only in Christianity…” you’re setting yourself up for a failure to analyze completely.
Bill Openthalt
November 9, 2012 at 4:02 am (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
Islam isn’t less of a problem, or less to blame because other religions are similar.
Huma siddiqui
November 4, 2012 at 12:19 pm (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
Clearly the people responsible for the child are ‘disturbed in the head’. Voilence is never the answer to anything. Failing to memorise verses is no excuse to hit and nearly kill a innocent child.
MarkNS
November 4, 2012 at 3:12 pm (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
Forcing a child to memorize useless nonsense is abuse in and of itself. The violence just makes it worse.
asifa
January 8, 2013 at 10:13 pm (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
Why are u calling the quran useless juss because u don’t believe in it doesn’t mean your going to insult it u dare mention something about the quran again maybe the lady was mentallly ill because no one would force their children to read the quran they wouldn’t batter them up so u need to think before u speak
steve84
November 4, 2012 at 5:02 pm (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
I don’t get why Muslims have this weird obsession with memorizing the book. People are expected to know the words without even understanding them. Just repeating it like a robot makes you a good Muslim, but you aren’t required to understand it. I guess that’s because people aren’t supposed to think and interpret it themselves. That’s up to the imams and mullahs.
davidhart
November 6, 2012 at 7:51 pm (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
It’s probably something to do with the fact that, according to their own mythology, the angel commanded Mohammed to memorize and recite, rather than than write down, the verses of the Quran (and, again according to their own mythology, the task of storing the various verses in memory was given to a number of individuals, and it was only after some of them had died in battle that it became apparent that if they didn’t want to lose chunks of it, they’d better write it down), and, given the preoccupation with emulating every last minor detail of Mohammed’s behaviour and habits, this is just one example of that in practice.
sumdum
November 4, 2012 at 5:53 pm (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
Since the invention of the printing press, memorizing any book makes no sense.
Blueaussi
November 5, 2012 at 8:42 pm (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
This!
When I was that age, I was expected to memorize a few bible verses and poems here and there; but no one beat me if I didn’t get them right.
Pierce R. Butler
November 4, 2012 at 6:44 pm (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
Why did Shaitan want little Yaseen to memorize the Quran?
steve84
November 4, 2012 at 7:46 pm (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
It’s a very common thing. A lot of what passes for religious education – at least among children – is really just memorizing the Quran. Not actually understanding it.
Historically that makes sense as people were illiterate and even writing required costly materials (there was no paper). Oral tradition was the best way of preserving the knowledge. Today it’s just silly.
grumpyoldfart
November 4, 2012 at 6:57 pm (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
At least the bitch mother doesn’t have to waste any of her money buying a bicycle – so it all turned out for the best.
sabz
January 8, 2013 at 7:12 pm (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
that women needs bludy hanging .. prison wud be too kind !! i dont even think this was about religion !! she was a bludy mental sicopath !! that poor lil angel .. god knows how long he put up with that torture !! the father ??? were the hell was he ???
sc_770d159609e0f8deaa72849e3731a29d
November 4, 2012 at 8:03 pm (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
But what would she have done if she hadn’t had the advantage of religious morality to guide her?
Crunchy Renee
November 14, 2012 at 1:54 am (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
She probably would have killed him, just for a different reason.
sabz
January 8, 2013 at 7:18 pm (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
once a nuta always a nuter .. so ! this is probably not at all anything to do with her religion. The women is a head case with serious malfuctions to say the least !! and the father !!! grrr dont tel me he went blind while she tortured his child !! rest in peace to the sweet innocent child ..
Didaktylos
November 4, 2012 at 11:45 pm (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
The root of this is that some parents consider a child’s worth to be in direct proportion to the degree that they bring them honour in the eyes of their neighbours. It doesn’t arise from religion – but when it gets combined with religion, the results, as we see here, can be very ugly.
bene.taylor
November 5, 2012 at 12:22 am (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
At least the story demonstrates that not all muslims are the product of intelligent design.
Winterwind
November 5, 2012 at 3:23 am (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
A sickening story. I’m sure religion played a role, but it sounds like the mother was abusive and would have found some excuse to hurt her son even if they weren’t religious. I wonder if she was physically abused herself by her parents or husband, because this kind of extreme violence is unusual.
Regarding the beating of children for not memorising Qur’an, a lot of it is cultural. In South Asian culture it’s common for parents to physically punish their children. That’s slowly changing. My very gentle Mum sometimes used to smack me with a wooden spoon when I was a kid. It was a last resort, if threatening to remove my Foxtel and gaming privileges didn’t work. I’m too big now, obviously.
At some point in my early teens I made it pretty clear to my parents that if they laid a hand me I would hit them back. They were shocked at first, because for children to disrespect their parents is apparently a grave sin. Our culture is full of double standards like this, like your parents and older siblings can tell you to shut up but you have to be polite to your elders. I think such traditions are stupid. I don’t care if it makes me a bad son, if someone hits me I’m going to hit them back. I think more children should stand up to their parents. If it came to it though, I’m not sure I could actually bring myself to hit my parents. I think shoving them roughly is all I could manage. Fortuately they haven’t put me in that situation.
StevoR
November 11, 2012 at 12:23 pm (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
So if an old person or a small child hit you you’d knock ‘em down?
Is physical violence an acceptable way of solving your problems?
Now okay, you may need to defend yourself physically if you;re being mugged or in certain situations where its a last resort to prevent yourself or other people being harmed.
But those unnuanced lines there are a bit much and a bit of a worry. Maybe think about them some more.
teh_faust
November 16, 2012 at 1:19 am (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
Self-defense doesn’t stop being legit self-defense just because your culture sees your attacker/ abuser as an authority figure and somehow entitled to your body.
No One
November 5, 2012 at 4:26 am (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
Fuck.
phatone
November 5, 2012 at 11:12 pm (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
The parents should be jailed for life. It’s even more important to arrest the family imam and throw his rabid a$$ in jail too.
BTW, thanks for joining FTB, Taslima-di.
- KP
alanbagain
November 7, 2012 at 1:39 am (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
For those who have wondered why memorising the Quran is so important, as an introduction, read the Wiki* article on Hafiz (Quran). One of the benefits is family pride and one upmanship. Another is the guarantee of acceptance on the Day of Judgment combined with being able to get 10 relatives accepted, even if they were not going to be accepted based on their own lives. Note, of course, that the memorisation is the entire Quran word perfect and with the ability to continue directly on when a short piece is read to you. Also, thq Quran is not the Quran if it is in anything other than Arabic so this young lad had to memorise thousands of verses in order and in a foreign language. The requirement is to act on it as well.
*I know. I know. But some parts of Wiki are pretty good – especially when they cover non-contentious subjects. If it was seriously incorrect great pressure would be put on the Wiki people. “Nice building you’ve got there. Pity if it burnt down …”
taha ommer
November 7, 2012 at 12:01 pm (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
This killing cant be condoned but the comments that followed this wierd piece are though unworthy but condemnable. How can u ppl judge about a religion by looking at an isolated act and then generalising it for entire community.
Memeorising this divine scripture has a unique importance both here as well as in hereafter. So better for non muslims not to discuss that. Moreover if printing has substituted for memorising then y dont we scrap our system of academic examinations were entire passages are to b recollected for mere passing. Referal to the printed word at times of need should work for everyone.but alas u will say that only when it comes to religion particularly islam.
Also by memorising our scriptures we ensure that they r safe from creative imagination of human, as has happened with other scriptures. That is they got adultered. Our memorising of scriptures resists this.
taha ommer
November 7, 2012 at 12:16 pm (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
This killing cant be condoned but the comments that followed this wierd piece are though unworthy but condemnable. How can u ppl judge about a religion by looking at an isolated act and then generalising it for entire community.
Memeorising this divine scripture has a unique importance both here as well as in hereafter. So better for non muslims not to discuss that. Moreover if printing has substituted for memorising then y dont we scrap our system of academic examinations were entire passages are to b recollected for mere passing. Referal to the printed word at times of need should work for everyone.but alas u will say that only when it comes to religion particularly islam.
Also by memorising our scriptures we ensure that they r safe from creative imagination of human, as has happened with other scriptures. That is they got adultered. Our memorising of scriptures resists this.
billyeager
November 15, 2012 at 7:24 pm (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
Probably best if you didn’t expose yourself too much to the rational and reasoned debates that go on around here religibot. Your knee-jerk reaction that our criticisms are unfair and/or should be prohibited outright, is just the kind of the example of indoctrinated idiocy we expect from theists, of all flavours, not just Islam, so you are not special.
But, then, perhaps that’s the whole problem with theism, you are so caught up in the notion that you are ‘special’, to a God no less, that you cannot possibly contend with reality.
You are brainwashed Taha, it’s up to you whether you want to keep your mental shackles on for the rest of your life and commit yourself in totality to the mass delusion you ascribe to, or, perhaps, you might possibly be intellectual enough to actually be willing to simply *consider* that all your faith and belief, all the labels ascribing ‘holiness’ and ‘divinity’ to your totems and stories, the ‘special’ genuflections and muttered prayers to an invisible entity, are, in fact, meaningless.
mmghosh
November 7, 2012 at 3:22 pm (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
Utterly disgusting. Keep up the good work Taslima. Hope to see you return to Kolkata!
SallyStrange: Elite Femi-Fascist Genius
November 9, 2012 at 12:50 pm (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
I don’t think getting rid of religion would rid the world of child abuse, but I do think it would remove many of the excuses offered by abusive parents. It would also reduce the amount of credibility offered when parents offer such excuses.
latsot
November 10, 2012 at 1:33 pm (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
And let’s not forget that by far the biggest child abuse scandal of our generation concerns the Catholic church deliberately and systematically covering up child abuse and protecting child abusers for (at least) decades.
Religion was entirely responsible for at least three things: creating an environment within which such abuse could more easily happen; lying about many, many, many cases of abuse, covering them up; and protecting abusers by moving them to other places, where they could continue their abuse.
Tell me that religion had nothing to do with these three things.
Safia
January 18, 2013 at 12:13 am (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
Yes I agree but I don’t think removing religon would remove an excuse, in most cases religon makes a person better than they would be without religon if it is for the right reason, the mum clearly said she wanted the child to memorise it to impress his teacher therefore her intention wasn’t about God, a person who is religous for other than God is not truelly religous. but false.
Giliell, Approved Straight Chorus
November 9, 2012 at 1:50 pm (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
Can we please stop pretending that religion has nothing to do with this or that it’s a problem of Islam only?
The major religions provide a reinforcing background for child abuse. They demand unquestioned respect and authority at their very basis.
They often have corporal punishment written into their very own rules. They keep us from shifting the overton window towards a more equal, reason and respect based society and yes, they give cover for some really mentally disturbed people (often creating them in the first place).
Say you talk to Elvis and people realize quickly that there’s something odd about you and that probably some professional should take a look. Say you talk to angels and in the right circles you’ll be lauded and encouraged.
No, even if religion disappeared tomorrow (wouldn’t it be funny if religion disappeared by a supernatural event?), child abuse wouldn’t stop. Child abuse will stop when we create a society in which children are people and not property, in which humans are respected and treated as equals, in which people get adequate mental healthcare. Religion is on of our main enemies in this struggle.
teh_faust
November 16, 2012 at 6:55 am (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
Wow.
This.
Exactly this.
latsot
November 9, 2012 at 8:20 pm (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
Gru. I suspect it’s not the memorization that’s important to these people, it’s the obeisance. Making people do arbitrary things because you can is quite clearly what religion is all about, isn’t it?
latsot
November 9, 2012 at 8:35 pm (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
Oh Winterwind. Do you really think we haven’t heard all this before?
First, religion quite obviously played a role. There’s no doubt about that.
Second, you have absolutely no idea at all about whether she would have abused her child anyway if she weren’t religious. Neither do I, but I wonder what motivation she would have had.
Third, calling it ‘cultural’ rather than ‘religious’ changes nothing. Children are still being beaten to death because of bad ideas. Do you think atheists oppose religion because it is religion? You’re wrong. We oppose it because it is a bad idea that results in horrible behaviour. We oppose religion for a different reason, which is that it tends to make bad ideas seem like good ones.
Forth, I don’t pretend to understand your personal circumstances, but hitting someone is not necessarily a reasonable response to being hit. I think it can be the right response sometimes but it is not automatically so. If we’re going to be literal, the first thing I’d do if someone hit me is to make sure they didn’t hit me again, not to hit them back.
OK, I’m sounding preachy aren’t I? Sorry.
StevoR
November 11, 2012 at 12:17 pm (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
Horrendous.
Cannot imagine such cruelty from such an unexpected source
Only religion could foul someone up so bad and lead to such an atrocity.
latsot
November 11, 2012 at 1:19 pm (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
I suspect you’re right. Has anyone killed their child because of poor grades, for example? Oh they probably have, but if so they will have been called mad. By some people.
What we do, unfortunately, is justify the intense and stupid shit we actually want to do.
teh_faust
November 16, 2012 at 7:01 am (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
Well, poor grades certainly used to be a welcome excuse for violent assault on one’s children.
Safia
January 18, 2013 at 12:11 am (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
No your wrong, only anger could do that. the problem is anger and control.
Religon never told anyone to do that and religon is actually the thing that said do not kill and that the person who kills will burn in hell.
asifa
January 8, 2013 at 10:07 pm (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
Islam is not to blame. For this how dare u accuse the islamic religion the lady might have mental problems or she might be ill that’s why she killed her son because a mom would never kill her own child becuase they can’t read the quran so juss shut up islam is the best realigion and more people have converted into islam than the other religions
Safia
January 18, 2013 at 12:09 am (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
This is crazy, an adult muslim should memorise the quran and force themselves to memorise it before forcing their children, yes every muslim hopes and prays that their child will memorise the quran but making them memorise 32 pages in three months is crazy! 20 pages in three years is what the target should be for children unless they are very smart, there is no rush to memorise it, most people will have theri while life, as long as the parent tries but shouldn’t use force, make it something nice that the child enjoys….
The strategy should be to remove distractive items fromt eh house like tv and such so that the child can enjoy reading books and becoming smart, god have mercy on the child who was murdered.
Kamy
January 20, 2013 at 10:41 pm (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
You little idiot the verses are not nonsense delete that rubbish u have wrote. *