Sharia courts operating in Britain

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I understand your view. I respect it. Please allow me to demonstrate my view.

Why are they upset when they don't need to abide by it? It's purely for the Muslims, including the British converts, who make up a large minority.

As for treatment of women in Islam, read this: http://www.islamfortoday.com/women.htm

There's a good reason why we have differences in Sharia, in regard to inheritance and such. The reason is simple, it's a woman's duty to raise her children, which is considered a very noble task. It's a man's duty to work hard, and provide for his family. In case he is unable to do so, or is unable to attain enough money, the wife may work. Of course, you may regard this as unequal to women in your culture, men regard this as unequal to them in ours. Of course, just imagine what would be the situation if the men would take care of the family, and the women would work. Currently, three tribes in North-East India, in the state of Meghalaya, have a matriachal society. 90% of them are Roman catholics, with the rest being animists, and a few thousand Muslims. One of my friends, belongs to one of these tribes, the Garo tribe. In his family, all the women work, his father is the only man who works. Alcoholism rates are extreme. Approximately 80% of the male population consumes alcohol in heavy amounts everyday, with one-third getting sloshed all the time. And, of course, their poor women bear the brunt of the work everyday. My political science lecturer, who was born and raised in the neighbouring state, mentioned that my friend's immediate family is the only exception as they were raised in a different state. Although it's a matriachal society, and that the women control their families, cases of domestic violence, rape, and other forms of violence against women are extreme.

I'm sure you've heard of dowry. Dowry is rampant in third-world countries, including Christian Africa. A woman's family is usually the victim of this situation. But in Islam, it's the man who must give his wife a dowry upon marriage, for many reasons, such as a kind of insurance. This equals the inheritance situation.

As for the unequality in the KSA, I've already mentioned that most Muslims consider it as going against Islam's basic principles of equality and liberty.



I laughed at the protests, because Muslims themselves, in medieval Persia (prior to the Salafid dynasty's rise and the resulting conversion from Hanafi Sunni madhab to Twelver Shi'a madhab), depicted Muhammed (pbuh). The Quran doesn't forbid images of the prophet (pbuh), he just pleaded with his followers to not depict him, as he didn't want to become deified, such as Jesus Christ. It's is not a sin to represent him in images. It's just...discouraged violently. A bit too violently, IMO.

The following work of art was done by Rashid-al-Din, a Persian of Jewish origin, who converted to Islam. It depicts Allah's Apostle (pbuh) lifting the black stone into the Kaaba.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... a_1315.jpg

Fredom of speech, freedom of religion, and equality of men and women. This is exactly what what is written in the Quran. Please feel free to read it, if you wish to clear any doubt. I personally would recommend Abdullah Yusuf Ali's unbiased interpretation in english. He wrote very nice commentaries, and was a very learned scholar.



Yes, I agree. The courts in Britain relate only to domestic issues, within the Muslim community. For non-domestic issues, the secular laws apply. This same situation exists in India, and to a greater extent in Malaysia. Nigeria, for example, has secular and sharia courts with equal powers, resulting in a gravely unjust and inhumane situation. Plus, their judges don't even follow Sharia properly, there's too much culture in their laws. Way too much. Islam's against mingling culture with the religion. There are many good things about culture, like good food, beautiful artwork, and so much more. However, there are bad things with culture, like honor killings, FGM, etc. These things don't agree with Islam. Unfortunately, many, if not most Muslims, combine their religion and culture, and label it as Islam.

I am certain that we can expect a Sharia court to work in Great Britain with all of the benign grace that it does in Nigeria.

My friend, I'm highly critical of Nigeria's sharia system for many reasons. I'm sure you can recall the woman who was stoned to death for pre-marital sex. The situation came to the attention of the authorities when the man who impregnated her decided to confess his crime to the police, rather than pay the child support that her father asked of him. There are many glaring errors in the case, from a classical, "Orthodox" fiqh point of view. These errors (which would aid the woman) are not coming from a "reformist reinterpretation" of Shari'a, these errors are so great that any of the qadis of the past would have thrown the case against her out. During a similar case in Nigeria a while back, a Muslim lawyer, Asifa Quereshi, documented the legal errors committed by the Shari'a court in the name of Islam. She didn't use modern, secular legal sources, but instead based her arguments on the rulings of the scholars of the four Sunni madhabs. Sadly, her analysis got little, if any attention, from the Shari'a courts of Nigeria, and from the Muslim community as a whole.

And what does the Quran prescribe as the only punishment for extra-marital affairs?

Less barbaric than stoning, but barbaric nonetheless. If this is indeed the way Britain is going, then I'm glad I'll be leaving.

I consider it perfectly fine. Physical punishment is the best way to prevent a crime. Of course, the victim (in this case, the wife/husband of the adulterous one) can always grant a pardon for the crime. There are also requirements... 4 witnesses! How can four people witness a crime of adultery?

I personally consider imprisonment as barbaric. Confining a person for years in a tiny room... that's crazy! Not only are they losing precious years during which they can make up for their crime, they also end up mingling with much worse people, thus entering a path from which it is hard to leave. Ever read Jefferey Archer's prison diary?

The UK is not going to impose any physical sharia punishment. The sharia courts deal only with domestic issues, such as inheritance, marriage, divorce, etc. We've had this system in India for a very long time, with no disputes whatsoever. Similarly, there are separate laws for Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, etc, regarding marriage. This order has been created to preserve India's secular nature: by respecting all religions and not enforcing one doctrine over another.