Southport, Australia - A MUSLIM leader has condemned the death of a woman in a Gold Coast family's domestic dispute, believed to have been sparked by a daughter's wish to convert from Islam to Christianity.
The 41-year-old woman died from stab wounds inflicted inside the family unit at Southport on Monday night while her 49-year-old husband was rushed to hospital, also suffering stab wounds.
Neighbours told News Ltd, the parent company of the publisher of NEWS.com.au the the couple's 17-year-old daughter ran from the unit, wearing only her underwear and suffering severe scratches, screaming for help.
Resident Caitlin Dalton said the girl said she had told her father she wanted to convert to Christianity before he attacked her.
It's believed the girl's mother stepped in to protect her and was fatally stabbed with a kitchen knife.
Queensland Islamic Council spokesman Sultan Deen said it was unacceptable to kill someone because they chose to leave their religion.
He said families should use other methods to convince a relative not to abandon their religion, but said killing was never appropriate.
“There are other ways to deal with it, you talk to them and try to work it out but you don't kill them, if they're going to go they are going to go,” he said.
“In no circumstances in Islam are you allowed to take another person's life, no-one can say the Koran tells you to do that.”
Islam expert Kathryn Robinson, from the Australian National University, said most Muslims would be horrified by the death.
“Clearly there is something going on about the type of control that father wanted to have over his family, but you can't blame the religion.”
“For most Muslims, Islam is about peace... conversion would be a very distressing thing but not to the extent of murder.”
A police spokeswoman said the 49-year-old man was still in a critical condition in Gold Coast Hospital yesterday and no charges had been laid over the incident.