What is sharia law?

[shaver]

Hi all,
I read an interesting article about the dispute in Nigeria. The northern states want to establish Sharia (Islamic law) as the law of the land but the southern states say it is against the constitution, hence dispute. (over-simplified so read up yourself for more)

Anyhow, one of the Northern State spokesmen said that "Islam is Sharia and Sharia is Islam". Implication being that if Nigeria as a whole rejected the Sharia law they were discriminating against Islam. Would people here agree with this?

Does this mean that a muslim must always strive for Sharia law to be installed where they live?

The northern states were saying the muslims could live under Sharia and non-muslims under constitutional law. Would that be a compromise that would settle issue?

These, to me, are interesting questions because they have implications for all muslims living in a non-muslim country.

Yours,
Shaver

Edited- just realised. This should really be in the "Islam" forum rather than the "General" forum. If the admin can move it that would be cool but if you want to leave it here then that's fine to.

[jamila]

I back Shaver. I think this should go in the Islam or comparative religion sections because it is more likely to get lost in general if people take their time to research their answers properly.

Shaver,
A quick comment: To strive for introduction of Shariah is obligatory on the Muslims of a majority Muslim State with Muslim Leadership, I think. However, this is not actually put into full practice anywhere.

Southern Nigeria is Majority Christian. Northern Nigeria is majority Muslim. The northern states have been adopting the Shariah, one by one, for two years now - in the face of fierce resistance and international disapproval. Even in the face of local massacres.

Compromises have already been reached. In most of the northern states, Christians are treated like they have Dhimmi status (which they don't), and have their own courts run on constitutional secular lines. Where there is a dispute between Muslims and non-Muslims, they have some other compromise scheme set up. But I don't know the details. Hence the need to do some research.

[shaver]

Just a note to say thank you to the admin.
Good job and I will think about the suitable forum next time....

Yours,
Shaver

[expat]

Sharia Law

Article taken from todays edition of The Daily Telegraph.

Adulterous mother will face death by stoning
By Anton La Guardia, Diplomatic Editor
(Filed: 20/08/2002)


An Islamic court in Nigeria yesterday confirmed a sentence of death by stoning handed down to a divorced woman for having a child out of wedlock.

To cries of "God is great" from the public gallery, the court ruled that the execution for adultery would be carried out after Amina Lawal, 30, weans her eight-month-old daughter, Wasila, probably in two years' time.

As she wept, her team of Abuja-based lawyers said they would lodge an appeal with a higher court.

The ruling, upholding a death sentence imposed earlier this year, caused outrage among foreign human rights groups and is likely to reopen the bitter debate over Islamic sharia law in Nigeria.

Amnesty International said yesterday that the sharia codes, passed in a dozen mainly-Muslim northern states since 2000, contradict international human rights conventions signed by Nigeria.

The London-based group said the codes, based on centuries-old Islamic law, discriminate in the treatment of male and female witnesses, and between Muslims and non-Muslims.

Lawal had no lawyer when she was sentenced to death in March by a sharia court in Bakori, in the state of Katsina.

She gave birth in January and, when charged with adultery, told the authorities the father was Yahaya Mahmud, her boyfriend of 11 months. She said he seduced her with an offer of marriage.

The man admitted being Lawal's boyfriend but was acquitted when he swore on the Koran that he was not the father. Nevertheless, Lawal was tried and convicted based on her "confession".

Under sharia's rules of proof, four witnesses are required to convict a man of adultery while an unmarried woman may be condemned simply for becoming pregnant.

Lawal's lawyers argued that her conviction was unfair. They said she had retracted her confession and had never understood the case against her. Federal government officials also expressed dismay.

"This is a young woman with a child. A woman cannot be pregnant without a man, so where is that man? He deserves similar punishment. It's not fair," said Clara Obazele, a spokesman for the women's affairs minister in the federal government.

However, the court was unimpressed by such arguments. "Based on proofs derived through our investigations and through Islamic books I, Aliyu Abdullahi, and my three assistants hereby uphold the judgment passed by Bakori sharia court," said the chief judge in the upper sharia court.

"We uphold your conviction of death by stoning as prescribed by the sharia. This judgment will be carried out as soon as your baby is weaned."

A cry of "God is great" went up in the packed courtroom.

Earlier this year, a sharia court quashed a similar sentence of death by stoning passed against another woman accused of adultery, 35-year-old Safiya Husseini, who was cleared on a series of technicalities.

Olusegun Obasanjo, Nigeria's president, warned that the country risked international isolation if public stonings were carried out. But his ability to impose his will on the fragmented nation appears to be limited.

The new sharia codes impose a mandatory death penalty for adultery, which had previously been punishable at most by flogging. Other sexual offences also carry a possible death sentence.

[Bilal]

Expat,


Koran only ask that human should be killed only in two cases:

1) Murders of innocent people
2) Corrupted people who spreading violence and corruption in the society.

In early Islam, Muslims used to follow the Mioswi laws (ancient Jews laws) if they have no laws yet. Jews were living under their religious laws and Muslims were applying the Islamic laws (which not complete at that time). Couple of married Jews had adultery relations, so they stoning them. After that, Muslims used to do the same tell The Qur'an has clearly stated the punishment of adulatory to be one hundred lashes.

[expat]

Thank you Bilal,

So why on another thread are people revelling in the fact that this woman has been condemned to death in such a manner if it is not true Sharia Law?

Confused???

[Bilal]

Originally posted by expat
Thank you Bilal,

So why on another thread are people revelling in the fact that this woman has been condemned to death in such a manner if it is not true Sharia Law?

Confused???

[expat]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Bilal
[B]

[Bilal]

No doubt such laws will give negative idea about Islam.
If I know nothing about Islam I will think in such way:

((Muslims nations are suffering and their leaders are busy in cutting hands and stoning people!))
This could give dark image of Muslims and Islam.

I still believe that it is problem of Muslims not problem of Islam ........ who declared several times that forgiveness and justice is the origin.

Islam against to punish poor people and to forgive the 'rich' or powerful people, because this against Justice. But I think it is possible to forgive all people, so we could perform Justice and forgiveness together.

This is interesting story:

(( A women from powerful tribe stole something. Several Muslims leaders asked the prophet to forgive her because she is from powerful tribe. The prophet replied: In the past they were punishing the weak people and they were forgiving the powerful ones, but in Islam if my daughter (Fatima) stole anything, I will not hesitate to cut her hand))

In fact the prophet became angry because those people want to give forgiveness only for powerful people. In other story, Omar, the Muslims Khalifa, did not cut the hands of thieves when the country faced serious economical problems. He gave forgiveness to all people.


[QUOTE]Originally posted by expat
[B]

Originally posted by Bilal

[AbuMubarak]

Originally posted by Bilal
Expat,


Koran only ask that human should be killed only in two cases:

1) Murders of innocent people
2) Corrupted people who spreading violence and corruption in the society.

In early Islam, Muslims used to follow the Mioswi laws (ancient Jews laws) if they have no laws yet. Jews were living under their religious laws and Muslims were applying the Islamic laws (which not complete at that time). Couple of married Jews had adultery relations, so they stoning them. After that, Muslims used to do the same tell The Qur'an has clearly stated the punishment of adulatory to be one hundred lashes.

bilal, what about apostacy, rape, homosexuality?

where do you learn your version of islam?

[sheik]

ASA,

Nothing needs to be reviewed, Bilal. Stoning is a Sunnah of the Prophet (SAW). It doesn't have to be explicility or otherwise mentioned in the Quran to be an integral part of Sharia Law.

Stoning is one of laws which Muslims need to review again Bilal

[Bilal]

Rape is kind of Fasad, which should punished by execution as Koran said, but there are different opinions about apostasy, and homosexuality.

Originally posted by Raafi


bilal, what about apostacy, rape, homosexuality?

where do you learn your version of islam?

[mtsmallick]

Allah Help those who help themselves

bismiallah Ir-rahman Ir-rahim

Expat! Its not law which fails us, its people who fails.
Sharia laws are to compulsory for muslims, and if someone lacks in implemnting it or misuses, it that person not systems is responsible.

As For Bilal, There is growing trend where a certain group pf people in muslims ranks are explaining islam on the basis of Quran ignoring completely the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). These people are reading quran, explaining its meaning and yet singing rock, beardless and doing every unislamic things beacuse thay say it is not written in Quran.

I see Bilal case as the same.

[Daniel]

Sharia(h)

Can someone tell me what Sharia(h) is or about?

[Consider]

To put it briefly, shariah = islamic law

ruling not by fallible man-made laws, but by the divine laws of Allah.

Rules that are laid down in the Quran and sunnah (example of the Prophet(pbuh))

So like alochol is prohibited in islam. Thus, part of the shariah would mean that likwise, no-one is allowed to drink alcohol.