Define the Following:
Ethnicities - the fact or state of belonging to a social group that has a common national or cultural tradition.
Sects - a body of persons adhering to a particular religious faith; a religious denomination.
Honor killings - in certain cultures, the killing of a relative, esp. a girl or woman, who is perceived to have brought dishonor on the family.
Bride prices - a sum of money or quantity of goods given to a bride's family by that of the groom, esp. in tribal societies.
Propaganda - information, ideas, or rumours deliberately spread widely to help or harm a person, group, movement, institution, nation, etc.
Understanding the Article:
1. Zakia and Mohammed have different ethnicities and sects. Declaring their love for each other and the intention to marry make them outcasts, which is marked for death for dishonouring their families, especially Zakia's.
2. Once afghan girls hit puberty, they must remain covered and usually can go out only in the company of close male relatives.
3. In both stories of Yusuf and Zuleika and Zakia and Mohammed Ali, the love between the two couples is forbidden, but they still cling to love and wait for no matter now long to marry their love of their lives.
4. Mohammed Ali's father offered a part of their fields as a bride price.
5. Mohammed Ali's family send Zakia back to her family because they disgraced refused to let them marry.
6. Zakia's family chased Mohammed Ali and Zakia and rampaged through the building trying to find them.
When order was restored, Zakia’s parents claimed the girl was legally engaged to someone else, an aunt’s son.
7. The judges were all Tajiks, and they said to Zakia that "We are Tajiks, and it dishonors us if you decide to marry a Hazara."
8. Mohammed Ali and Zakia are also willing to kill themselves with the separation from being together with each other, just like Shirin and Farhad.
9. Zakia denied that she was actually already married to her cousin, or so do her parents claim.
Thinking About the Article
1. An example of a forbidden love relationship would be Rose and Jack's from the movie Titanic. Rose was originally from an extremely wealthy family, but after her father passed away, her family became buried in debt. Therefore, Rose's mother is forcing her to marry Cal, a very rich man, in order to return the debts they own. But, during her voyage on the Titanic, Rose met and fell in love with Jack Dawson, a poor man. Jack is from a contrasting social group than Rose and would have nothing to offer her family if they ever get married. As a result, their forbidden relationship is not permitted.
2. a. I think that Zakia and Mohammed Ali should communicate with their families about their choices with the company of the head of Bamian Women’s Ministry. In my opinion, families would always have your back no matter what. I think that Zakia and Mohammed Ali's families' acts of threatening to murder are just outcomes of feeling furious about them betraying their sects and their stubbornness to not change their minds. Maybe the right amount of calm talking can work things out for both sides.
b. I would do the same thing that I suggested for Zakia and Mohammed Ali to do: speak calmly with my family about my thoughts on this situation. Although, if my parents still disagree with my opinion, I would try to run away. In the end, true love is hard to find, and I would much rather live my life happily with my partner that I truly adore. There's only hoping for my family to understand and forgive me.
3. Zakia's parents are not justified. Despite the fact that Tajiks marrying Hazaras is considered a dishonour, I think that Zakia's parents did not have to threaten to kill their OWN daughter. It is Zakia's life, and just as how much Zakia needs to respect her parents, her parents have the necessity to respect her.
4. I pity for Zakia and Mohammed Ali, as well as all the other young Afghans, on how marriage has to be managed by parents and sects and that “The story of true love in Afghanistan, is the story of death.” I am also troubled to see how the ability of religion is making this young couple's lives miserable. Aren't religious beliefs supposed to give hope and inspire to develop proper morals? Why in this situation, sects are splitting families apart to the point of killing? On the other hand, I feel lucky and blessed that I live in a free country and that I have the power to decide who I love and marry.
5. I think that love is stronger than hate. Love can withstand anything. It has the power of healing, protecting, turning strangers into friends or lovers, and support human beings in every possible way. Hate is just built up out of unresolved anger while it is useless and has no foundation.
Ethnicities - the fact or state of belonging to a social group that has a common national or cultural tradition.
Sects - a body of persons adhering to a particular religious faith; a religious denomination.
Honor killings - in certain cultures, the killing of a relative, esp. a girl or woman, who is perceived to have brought dishonor on the family.
Bride prices - a sum of money or quantity of goods given to a bride's family by that of the groom, esp. in tribal societies.
Propaganda - information, ideas, or rumours deliberately spread widely to help or harm a person, group, movement, institution, nation, etc.
Understanding the Article:
1. Zakia and Mohammed have different ethnicities and sects. Declaring their love for each other and the intention to marry make them outcasts, which is marked for death for dishonouring their families, especially Zakia's.
2. Once afghan girls hit puberty, they must remain covered and usually can go out only in the company of close male relatives.
3. In both stories of Yusuf and Zuleika and Zakia and Mohammed Ali, the love between the two couples is forbidden, but they still cling to love and wait for no matter now long to marry their love of their lives.
4. Mohammed Ali's father offered a part of their fields as a bride price.
5. Mohammed Ali's family send Zakia back to her family because they disgraced refused to let them marry.
6. Zakia's family chased Mohammed Ali and Zakia and rampaged through the building trying to find them.
When order was restored, Zakia’s parents claimed the girl was legally engaged to someone else, an aunt’s son.
7. The judges were all Tajiks, and they said to Zakia that "We are Tajiks, and it dishonors us if you decide to marry a Hazara."
8. Mohammed Ali and Zakia are also willing to kill themselves with the separation from being together with each other, just like Shirin and Farhad.
9. Zakia denied that she was actually already married to her cousin, or so do her parents claim.
Thinking About the Article
1. An example of a forbidden love relationship would be Rose and Jack's from the movie Titanic. Rose was originally from an extremely wealthy family, but after her father passed away, her family became buried in debt. Therefore, Rose's mother is forcing her to marry Cal, a very rich man, in order to return the debts they own. But, during her voyage on the Titanic, Rose met and fell in love with Jack Dawson, a poor man. Jack is from a contrasting social group than Rose and would have nothing to offer her family if they ever get married. As a result, their forbidden relationship is not permitted.
2. a. I think that Zakia and Mohammed Ali should communicate with their families about their choices with the company of the head of Bamian Women’s Ministry. In my opinion, families would always have your back no matter what. I think that Zakia and Mohammed Ali's families' acts of threatening to murder are just outcomes of feeling furious about them betraying their sects and their stubbornness to not change their minds. Maybe the right amount of calm talking can work things out for both sides.
b. I would do the same thing that I suggested for Zakia and Mohammed Ali to do: speak calmly with my family about my thoughts on this situation. Although, if my parents still disagree with my opinion, I would try to run away. In the end, true love is hard to find, and I would much rather live my life happily with my partner that I truly adore. There's only hoping for my family to understand and forgive me.
3. Zakia's parents are not justified. Despite the fact that Tajiks marrying Hazaras is considered a dishonour, I think that Zakia's parents did not have to threaten to kill their OWN daughter. It is Zakia's life, and just as how much Zakia needs to respect her parents, her parents have the necessity to respect her.
4. I pity for Zakia and Mohammed Ali, as well as all the other young Afghans, on how marriage has to be managed by parents and sects and that “The story of true love in Afghanistan, is the story of death.” I am also troubled to see how the ability of religion is making this young couple's lives miserable. Aren't religious beliefs supposed to give hope and inspire to develop proper morals? Why in this situation, sects are splitting families apart to the point of killing? On the other hand, I feel lucky and blessed that I live in a free country and that I have the power to decide who I love and marry.
5. I think that love is stronger than hate. Love can withstand anything. It has the power of healing, protecting, turning strangers into friends or lovers, and support human beings in every possible way. Hate is just built up out of unresolved anger while it is useless and has no foundation.