Minouche van der Gijp receives a heavy slap on the fingers after some statements critical of Islam. “Before I step on anyone’s toes: excuse-moibut I find this so intense,” said René’s wife.
The substantive case against the father and two brothers of Ryan Al Najjar, an 18-year-old woman from Joure, has started. She was found in the water in Lelystad on May 28, 2024 and the Public Prosecution Service suspects that the brutal murder stems from an honor killing, because Ryan had a boyfriend who is not Muslim and she had a Western lifestyle.
Excuse-moi
Opinion maker Lale Gül commented on this matter last night at Nieuws van de Dag, and Minouche van der Gijp, René van der Gijp’s wife, shared that fragment on her social media.
Minouche, who changed her name to Minouch last week, writes down Instagram: “For those who have seen the previous story… This is something I still don’t understand… Honor killing… I have quite a few people with an Islamic culture among my followers, so before I step on anyone’s toes: Excuse-moibut I find this so intense.”
Headscarf
Minouche has no understanding whatsoever for honor killings. “Why? Why can’t you just support your children in their choices? Who says that if you wear makeup or don’t wear a headscarf, you are a bad person? Or if you fall in love with someone from a different culture?”
She continues: “Why can’t you, as a parent, brother or sister, just say: ‘Hey, it wouldn’t be my choice, but I still love you just as much. I love you even if you choose a different way of life.’”
Way of life
Minouche finds this disappointing about Islam. “I see having a religion as something in which people seek support, comfort and peace. Or a way of life. And everyone can decide that for themselves. You must also respect that from each other.”
“But as soon as it is imposed or even life-defining, then you lose me in the discussion. Respect for a person always comes before respect for a religion.”
Small correction
A few hours later Minouche backs down. “Just a small correction. I also learn every day. I just received all kinds of nice messages from people who know more about it than I do. So honor killing has nothing to do with Islam. It is something cultural.”
She shares countless messages from followers. For example, someone says: “I am a Muslim and in the Koran Allah says: there is no compulsion in faith. I have two sisters: one with a headscarf and one without. This has nothing to do with faith but is more of a cultural thing.”
Egypt and India
Yet another points out to Minouche that this does not happen in all Islamic countries. “Dear Nous, as a Muslim woman who knows her faith very well, I can tell you that there is NOTHING Islamic about this. Honor killings do not exist in Islam. This is purely a sick culture that occurs in certain places in the world.”
Where then? “For example, India. Or Egypt. Just a few examples. There is no coercion in Islam. You cannot impose anything on anyone. Parents can be strict and may indeed not be happy with something, but that is the limit.”