Muzzammil Hassan, 44, allegedly beheaded his wife, Aasiya Hassan, 37, last week and surrendered to police. Hassan was later charged with the second-degree murder of his wife, whose body was found at the office of Bridges TV, their television station in Orchard Park, near Buffalo, New York.

Muzzammil Hassan and his late wife Aasiya Hassan. PHOTO: Bridges TV

The two founded the first American Muslim cable television network in the country, in a post-9/11 effort to improve the image of Islam and of Muslims to the broader American public.
Reacting to speculation that the crime may have been an “honor killing,” defense attorney James Harrington said “culture, religion doesn’t play a role.”

“It’s not an issue in this case,” said Harrington, who described the burly businessman as almost in shock.

Following multiple episodes of domestic violence, Aasiya Hassan had filed for divorce on Feb. 6 and obtained an order of protection that barred her husband from their home, according to attorney Elizabeth DiPirro, whose law firm, Hogan Willig, represented Aasiya Hassan in the divorce proceeding.

The Islamic Society of North America issued a statement of condolence to Buffalo’s Muslim community and urged leaders to take a strong stand against domestic violence.

“Women who seek divorce from their spouses because of physical abuse should get full support from the community and should not be viewed as someone who has brought shame to herself or her family,” the statement by Imam Mohamed Hagmagid Ali said.

Michigan just got through another heinous domestic violence case wherein Stephen Grant killed and dismembered his wife’s body, subsequently burying parts across the rolling green hills of a large Metropolitan park. The Grants were a typical Caucasian middle class family.

A current case getting lots of media play involves singer Chris Brown, who allegedly beat up his singer girlfriend Rihanna so badly that they both had to cancel Grammy Award appearances for the same evening of the beating. Brown and Rihanna are African American musicians.

The sad fact is that cases of domestic abuse are spiraling in every economic class, in every ethnic community, in every demographic across the country and around the world.

But only when Muslims are involved is the faith of the abuser and the abused called into question. We don’t sit and watch the news every night and say of every rapist “He is Christian and that’s why he did it. “Or” he is Jewish and that’s why he did it.”

But Muslim? Aha! It must be their faith that teaches such behavior.

Islam teaches equality of men and women. It teaches that women have rights comparable to men and it prescribes gentleness between a man and his wife.

Islam was the first faith to give women property rights long before they were similarly treated in Christianity.

The point to remember is this: Muslims commit crimes, just like Christians, Jews and others, not because of their faith, but in spite of it.

We had high hopes for Bridges TV, believing it was necessary and relevant. Obviously, few of us knew of the real situation between the CEO and his wife.

The Bridges brand is dead. It remains to be seen whether rebranding can save the hard work and jobs of the many innocent people caught up in the crime.