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| Must Sharia Law become integrated in Western Societies? |
The group organizing the rallies, ACT for America, claims Shariah "is
incompatible with Western democracy and the freedoms it affords."
But most Muslims don't want to replace U.S. law with Islamic law, known
as Shariah, and only "radical extremist groups" would call for that,
said Liyakat Takim, a professor of Islamic studies at McMaster
University in the Canadian city of Hamilton, Ontario.
Shariah, Takim said, refers to guidelines or principles — how Muslims
should live. "Fiqh" refers to jurisprudence, or specific laws. The
values embedded in Shariah do not change and are shared among Muslims,
he said, while fiqh is open to interpretation and change, and in fact
differs among Islamic sects and communities.
"In the public domain, Muslims are not required or expected to impose
their laws on the country in which they live as the minority," Takim
said, adding there has never been an understanding "that the same laws
would be applicable at all times in all places."
"The Quran allows slavery, so does the Old Testament. That doesn't mean
we allow it today, too," he said. "Laws are amenable to change."
The marches come amid a rise in reports of anti-Muslim incidents in the
U.S., including arson attacks and vandalism at mosques, harassment of
women wearing Muslim head coverings and bullying of Muslim
schoolchildren.
But while there is little likelihood that Shariah would ever supplant
U.S. law, some states have already moved to insulate themselves against
the possibility.
Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Louisiana, Kansas, Mississippi, North
Carolina, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Tennessee have enacted laws
prohibiting the use of foreign law in state courts, according to the
National Conference of State Legislatures.
The group organizing the rallies, ACT for America, claims Shariah "is
incompatible with Western democracy and the freedoms it affords."
ACT for America has chapters around the country and says it is focused
on fighting terrorism and promoting national security. It says it
condemns bias against
religious groups and is "proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with
peaceful Western Muslims as well as peaceful Muslims worldwide."
Note EU-Digest: Even though scholars and others say the USA
protesters are stoking unfounded fears and promoting a distorted and
prejudiced view of Islam, it must be said that if it goes unchecked,
like it did in Britain, this discriminatory archiac Muslim law can
become part of national laws, which should not be allowed in democratic
Western Societies respecting human right laws.
Read more: Marches against Islamic law to be held in many US cities
