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Sharia Law alive and well in the UK
The UK is now host to the first official Sharia law court at a midlands based Islamic college, Hijaz College Islamic University in Nuneaton. Under the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) the Sharia court operates under the reforms of the civil justice system and deals with commercial, civil, and matrimonial matters including cases of domestic violence.
Continued..... The UK is now host to the first official Sharia law court at a midlands based Islamic college, Hijaz College Islamic University in Nun... more -
L' Iran annuncia sospensione delle lapidazioni
Amnesty International ha accolto positivamente l'annuncio, da parte di un portavoce del potere giudiziario, che la pena della lapidazione è stata sospesa e, conseguentemente, diverse donne hanno ottenuto la commutazione della condanna a morte.
"La lapidazione è una pratica orribile, volta ad accrescere la sofferenza di chi viene messo a morte, e che non può avere alcuno spazio nel mondo moderno. Auspichiamo che le autorità iraniane garantiscano che questa pena terrificante non verrà mai più usata" - ha dichiarato Amnesty International. Amnesty International ha accolto positivamente l'annuncio, da parte di un portavoce del potere giudiziario, che la pena della lap... more -
Nigerian faces death for 86 wives
Nigeria's Islamic authority has told the man who has 86 wives to choose only four and repent within three days or else he will be sentenced to death.
The Jamatu Nasril Islam (JNI) passed their verdict on Mohammed Bello Abubakar, 84, according to Sharia law.
This comes two weeks after the Nigerian press and the BBC reported on the case.
Talking to the media then, Mr Abubakar challenged Muslim scholars, saying there is no punishment stated in the Koran for having more than four wives.
However, Mr Abubakar advised other men not to follow his example and marry 86 women.
No limit
The former teacher and Muslim preacher lives in Niger State with his wives and at least 170 children, and says he is able to cope only with the help of God.
"A man with 10 wives would collapse and die, but my own power is given by Allah. That is why I have been able to control 86 of them," he told the BBC.
Most Muslim scholars agree that a man is allowed to have four wives, as long as he can treat them equally.
But Mr Bello Abubakar told the BBC: "To my understanding the Koran does not place a limit and it is up to what your own power, your own endowment and ability allows.
"God did not say what the punishment should be for a man who has more than four wives, but he was specific about the punishment for fornication and adultery."
Niger is one of the Muslim majority states to have reintroduced Sharia punishments since 2000.
Several people have been sentenced to death for adultery by Sharia courts but none of these sentences have been carried out. Nigeria's Islamic authority has told the man who has 86 wives to choose only four and repent within three days or else he will be... more -
UN bans criticism of Islam in the name of human rights?
The Human Rights Council at the United Nations has now banned any criticism regarding Sharia Law and human rights in the Islamic World
According to President Doru Romulus Costea - and following the efforts of delegates from Egypt, Pakistan and Iran - the Council will no longer tolerate criticism of either Sharia or specific fatwas in the name of human rights.
In many parts of the Islamic world, it is becomingly increasing clear not only that the Koran (the written record of the original oral transmissions of Mohammad’s life teachings) and the Hadith (the later delineations of those teachings) are considered sacrosanct in their perfection, but also the various implementations of these teachings, known as Sharia Law.
No evolution or refinements are required. No matter that nearly every multitudinous Muslim sect or group has a differing interpretation of this God-given Sharia Law. Nor that the stoning to death of women, beheading of men, and all the 6th century niceties of feudal Arabia are still part and parcel of the immovable Islamic tradition. Never mind that Sunni will decimate Shia - and vice versa - over differences of interpretations far more modest than those between (modern) Catholics and Protestants, between Hindus and Buddhists. Islamic sect can war on Islamic sect, Arab can criticize Arab.
Because Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism and all other religions are imperfect, they are fair game for any and all attacks. Since Israel, Zionism, America and the Western World were created and developed outside the Islamic World and its divine perfection, they are likewise subject to criticism.
Now, not only has the Islamic God forbidden outside criticism of the Sharia Law, but the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) is its enjoined messenger on earth.
Of course, observers of the HRC should not be surprised. The ostensibly prestigious body has become a revolving door for countries with an ambivalent (or even well nigh invisible) relationship with freedom and democracy. In the two years following its replacement of the equally dictatorship-friendly Human Rights Commission, Algeria, Angola, Azerbaijan, Cameroon, China, Cuba, Egypt, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Tunisia have all been elected to the Council. As a majority of the Council’s resolutions are concerned with Israel, it would effectively cease functioning were it not for its compulsive focus on the Jewish state.
Due to this resolution the Council - and thus, perversely, the UN - is endorsing a worldview in which human interpretation and understanding has been placed beyond the pale of critical thinking and investigation as long as it’s part of Sharia Law or the Islamic tradition. Perhaps we should rename the United Nations and call it the “Nations of Islam - United in Unique and Ineffable Perfection.” Sounds appropriate. The Human Rights Council at the United Nations has now banned any criticism regarding Sharia Law and human rights in the Islamic World... more -
Saudi accused of having six wives: 2 more than is allowed
A member of the Saudi religious police has been accused of having six wives at the same time - two more than is allowed under religious laws, reports say.
The 56-year-old was detained in south-western Jizan province, according to the Saudi newspaper al-Watan and the BBC.
Three of the women involved were Saudis and the other three were from Yemen, just over the border, it reported.
The accused denies the women are all currently his wives and says he has divorced two of them.
Muslim men can keep up to four wives at a time under sharia, or Islamic law, which is applied in Saudi Arabia.
Members of the Saudi Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice are expected to enforce the kingdom's strict interpretation of Islam, particularly regarding relations between the sexes.
Last month, the Saudi authorities were reportedly considering introducing compulsory pre-marriage courses for engaged couples in order to cut the kingdom's growing divorce rate.
What do you reckon? Is four wives just enough, but six too many? How should this man be punished? He is a representative of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice after all... A member of the Saudi religious police has been accused of having six wives at the same time - two more than is allowed under religiou... more -
Sharia law could have UK role
The Lord Cheif Justice has suggested that Islamic Sharia Law could have a role to play in the British legal system.
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Mogadishu Madness
After 15 years of anarchy, Current's Kaj Larsen and Christof Putzel venture into Mogadishu, Somalia to explore how the city is adjusting to the new self-proclaimed government, the Islamic Court Union. After 15 years of anarchy, Current's Kaj Larsen and Christof Putzel venture into Mogadishu, Somalia to explore how the city is ad... more
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The archbishop of Canterbury's dangerous embrace of sharia
Other faiths already have their own legal authorities, so why not the Muslims, too? What could be more tolerant and diverse?
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Archbishop calls for elements of Islamic law to be adopted in the U.K
The Archbishop of Canterbury is embroiled in a fierce political and religious row after he called for aspects of Islamic sharia law to be adopted in Britain.
Dr Rowan Williams said that it "seems inevitable" that elements of the Muslim law, such as divorce proceedings, would be incorporated into British legislation. The Archbishop of Canterbury is embroiled in a fierce political and religious row after he called for aspects of Islamic sharia law to... more -
Archbishop of Canterbury backs Sharia law for British Muslims
In a controversial move today, the Archbishop has reportedly claimed that the introduction of sharia law for British Muslims was "unavoidable".
According to the Guardian, a spokesperson for Gordon Brown has also "insisted British law must remain pre-eminent" but said went on to say that "concessions to sharia law could be made on a case-by-case basis."
Are the Archbishop's views unrealistic and what will these changes actually mean? In a controversial move today, the Archbishop has reportedly claimed that the introduction of sharia law for British Muslims was "... more -
Sentenced to Stoning
Death by stoning is still a legal punishment in Nigeria. Two young women sentenced to this fate tell their story.
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Husbands with multiple wives to get extra benefits from the government
British husbands living in a "harem" with multiple wives have been cleared to claim state benefits for all their different partners. A Muslim man with four spouses - which is permitted under Islamic law - could receive £10,000 a year in income support alone. He could also be entitled to more generous housing and council tax benefit, to reflect the fact his household needs a bigger property.
Ministers have decided that, even though bigamy is a crime in Britain, polygamous marriages can be recognised formally by the state - provided they took place overseas, in countries where they are legal. The outcome will chiefly benefit Muslim men with more than one wife.
Ministers estimate that up to a thousand polygamous partnerships exist in Britain, although they admit there is no exact record.
Potentially, the benefits bill for income support could reach £10m. British husbands living in a "harem" with multiple wives have been cleared to claim state benefits for all their different p... more -
Iranian Official Confirms Gay Executions
There appears to be some logic behind Ahmadinejad's ridiculously outlandish statement last month while guest lecturing at Columbia University that "there are no homosexuals in Iran."
They are simply executed.
The state of Iran operates under Sharia law, which is law based upon the Muslim tenets of the Koran, which condemns sex between people of the same sex. It is not legal to be homosexual and you are executed.
Incidentally, since the Koran says nothing about having gender reassignment surgery, it is completely legal under Sharia law in Iran to have a sex change. Tehran has become a capital in the Muslim world for transsexuals to have sex change operations due to this particular loophole in religious thought. There is a compelling documentary called "The Birthday" that explores this issue.
The contradictions inherent in this particular issue bring to light extremely compelling issues of sexuality, religion, law, and how they interpret and define human rights. There appears to be some logic behind Ahmadinejad's ridiculously outlandish statement last month while guest lecturing at Columbi... more -
The new Islamic hedge funds
Oh man, this is SO 21st century: a new Kuwaiti hedge fund aims to take some of those Persian Gulf millions and invest them in a way that complies with Sharia -- Islamic law. Barclays is starting one soon, too.
So what makes a hedge fund Sharia-compliant? Well, for starters, Islam forbids gambling, and some kinds of short-selling -- that is, selling an asset because you think its price will fall -- come pretty close.
I don't know about all this. I invest a bit in one of those socially-responsible mutual funds and, you know what? It doesn't make me feel any better about anything. Oh man, this is SO 21st century: a new Kuwaiti hedge fund aims to take some of those Persian Gulf millions and invest them in a way th... more -
This is Islamic Law
Indonesia's Aceh region implements Islamic law.
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