Imam Syed Soharwardy (closest to camera), from Calgary, was surrounded by a dozen other Islamic Supreme Council of Canada members at the Jamia Riyadhul Jannah mosque Saturday as he delivered the official religious edict (CHRIS DOUCETTE/QMI Agency).

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. – In a rare move, 34 Imams and Islamic leaders from across North America have issued a fatwa to Muslims condemning honour killings, domestic violence and misogyny.

Imam Syed Soharwardy, from Calgary, was surrounded by a dozen other Islamic Supreme Council of Canada members at the Jamia Riyadhul Jannah mosque in Mississauga on Saturday as he delivered the official religious edict — a bold step meant to prevent another tragedy like the Shafia family killings.

"Those who think honour killing is OK are dead wrong," Soharwardy said. "There is no place for violence in Islam."

"A very small minority" of Muslims think this way and they "need to be corrected," he added.

The "united statement," which can be seen in full at www.iscc.ca, clarifies to members of the faith that they are not to take the law into their own hands.

"Violence is not the way to resolve conflict in the home," Soharwardy said.

In its statement, the ISCC also translates passages from the Qur'an that are often wrongly quoted to justify honour killings, domestic violence and misogyny.

Soharwardy explained a fatwa is "not legally binding" but it is "morally binding."

It's only the third time in a decade the ISCC has issued a fatwa. Most recently, in January 2010, the council warned Muslims not to commit acts of terrorism against Canada or the U.S.

The ISCC's latest fatwa was issued on the eve of Eid Milad-un-Nabi, the Prophet Muhammad's birthday.

It also comes a week after Mohammad Shafia, 59, his second wife Tooba Mohammad Yahya, 42, and their son Hamed, 21, were convicted of first-degree murder for the 2009 killings of the Shafia sisters — Zainab, 19, Sahar, 17, Geeti, 13 — and Mohammad's other wife, Rona Amir Mohammad, 52.

"It was very disturbing to the Muslim community," Soharwardy said.

But he said the Shafia case should be upsetting to all Canadians.

Imam H.Q. Mufti agreed. "This is a Canadian problem," he said, pointing out there have been about a dozen honour killings in the country over the last decade.

Council members said they hoped the fatwa would also make it clear to non-Muslims that most Muslims are opposed to honour killings.

"No religion preaches killing," Farina Siddiqui said. "It's the person who commits these crimes, not the religion."

chris.doucette@sunmedia.ca