Blood Money: The Islamic Practice Turning Businesslike?

The Observers takes a closer look at "Blood Money": paid to spare the lives of those destined for execution, is the traditional practice becoming increasingly businesslike in countries with Islamic law?

The Radical Cleric Building a Militia in the Heart of Islamabad

Cleric Maulana Abdul Aziz shows religious books to the media
during a news conference in Islamabad on Friday.

THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Maulana Abdul Aziz, the cleric of the Red Mosque and one of the most dangerous men in Pakistan, tells the Telegraph if the country does not implement Islamic law, he and his followers “will solve it”.

He is one of the most dangerous men in Pakistan and is supposed to be in police detention.

Instead, as several thousand hardline Muslim worshippers knelt in prayer at the Red Mosque in the heart of Islamabad, the voice of Maulana Abdul Aziz called out over them defiantly.

Seven years ago, the radical cleric led heavily armed al-Qaeda gunmen in a bloody siege at the Red Mosque, or Lal Masjid in Urdu, which left more than a hundred children, soldiers and militants dead.

The brutal denouement, including the killing of his brother and son, set off a wave of Taliban suicide bombings which struck at the heart of Pakistan's military establishment.

Now Pakistan’s intelligence services believe he is building a new militia, grabbing land for more madrassas and preparing for another tilt at forcing the country to adopt strict Islamic law. Eyewitnesses said they had seen 30 to 40 heavily armed men from the militant group Sipah-e-Sahaba inside the mosque.

Once again, he is a reminder that one of the West's most important allies against the forces of terror has a problem dealing with militant voices even in the middle of its own capital. In December, a Pakistani court issued an arrest warrant for Aziz but the police have been unable to enforce it. “We are trying out best to implement it,” a police official said. » | Dean Nelson, Islamabad | Sunday, February 08, 2015

Discrimination Fear: Sharia Law Guidelines Introduced to UK Muslim Wills

Sharia law maybe creeping into the British legal system. UK lawyers are now given guidelines on how to draw up wills compliant with Islam laws. The move could see women and non-Muslims left without their fair share of inheritance, RT's Polly Boiko looked into the implications of the new rules.

Concern as Brunei Brings In System of Islamic Law with Punishments That Include the Dismemberment of Limbs and Stoning to Death

The Sultan of Brunei says he wants to set up a
'firewall' against globalisation

THE INDEPENDENT: The country’s ruler says sharia was created as guidance from Allah

The Sultan of Brunei, one of the world’s wealthiest rulers and a close ally of Britain, will this week oversee his country’s transition to a system of Islamic law with punishments that include flogging, the dismemberment of limbs and stoning to death.

The 67-year-old absolute monarch declared last year that he wanted to introduce a full sharia system in his oil-rich nation and warned critics who took to social media sites to complain that they could be prosecuted using the new laws.

The decision to introduce sharia and reintroduce the death penalty has been condemned by NGOs and legal rights campaigners, who say the new rules will breach international laws. It has also triggered alarm among some of Brunei’s non-Muslim communities, who will also be subject to some of the rulings. » | Andrew Buncombe | Saturday, March 29, 2014

Sharia law Is Well and Truly Operating in the UK – Thanks to the Law Society

NATIONAL SECULAR SOCIETY: Sadikur Rahman, of the Lawyers Secular Society, fears a practice note issued by the Law Society could compromise the Code of Conduct for solicitors and increase the application of Sharia law in the UK.

It was with incredulity that I saw this practice note issued by the Law Society last week.

Lawyers will know that practice notes issued by the Law Society are guidance on best practice for specific topics or areas of law.

This practice note provides guidance to lawyers specialising in areas such as wills, succession and inheritance, and in particular how to accommodate the wishes of clients who want to ensure their assets are distributed according to 'sharia law principles' on their death.

I'm not a wills lawyer, but according to memory in the UK unless you draw up a will, on death your estate will be distributed according to the rules of intestacy. I'm sure most lawyers will also say that clients can do whatever they want with their assets, and it has always been the case that a lawyer must follow the client's instructions on such issues.

But what this guidance does is legitimise discrimination towards women and "illegitimate children" – if that term still has any meaning in English law. In an astonishing few paragraphs the guidance states (at Section 3.6):

"The male heirs in most cases receive double the amount inherited by a female heir of the same class. Non-Muslims may not inherit at all, and only Muslim marriages are recognised. Similarly, a divorced spouse is no longer a Sharia heir, as the entitlement depends on a valid Muslim marriage existing at the date of death.

"This means you should amend or delete some standard will clauses. For example, you should consider excluding the provisions of s33 of the Wills Act 1837 because these operate to pass a gift to the children of a deceased 'descendent'. Under Sharia rules, the children of a deceased heir have no entitlement, although they can benefit from the freely disposable third.

"Similarly, you should amend clauses which define the term 'children' or 'issue' to exclude those who are illegitimate or adopted."

Now, of course a person has always been able to distribute their assets in any way they wish and a Muslim may completely legally have distributed their assets according to sharia principles, without letting the lawyer know the basis of the instructions. The difference now is that a solicitor could offer this service to a Muslim client and the Muslim client can say they want to distribute their assets in a certain way because of their religious requirement. » | Sadikur Rahman | Friday, March 21, 2014

Islamic Law Is Adopted by British Legal Chiefs

Under ground-breaking guidance, produced by The Law Society,
High Street solicitors will be able to write Islamic wills

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Solicitors told how to draw up Sharia-style wills penalising widows and non-believers

Islamic law is to be effectively enshrined in the British legal system for the first time under guidelines for solicitors on drawing up “Sharia[-]compliant” wills.

Under ground-breaking guidance, produced by The Law Society, High Street solicitors will be able to write Islamic wills that deny women an equal share of inheritances and exclude unbelievers altogether.

The documents, which would be recognised by Britain’s courts, will also prevent children born out of wedlock – and even those who have been adopted – from being counted as legitimate heirs.

Anyone married in a church, or in a civil ceremony, could be excluded from succession under Sharia principles, which recognise only Muslim weddings for inheritance purposes.

Nicholas Fluck, president of The Law Society, said the guidance would promote “good practice” in applying Islamic principles in the British legal system.

Some lawyers, however, described the guidance as “astonishing”, while campaigners warned it represented a major step on the road to a “parallel legal system” for Britain’s Muslim communities.

Baroness Cox, a cross-bench peer leading a Parliamentary campaign to protect women from religiously sanctioned discrimination, including from unofficial Sharia courts in Britain, said it was a “deeply disturbing” development and pledged to raise it with ministers.

“This violates everything that we stand for,” she said. “It would make the Suffragettes turn in their graves.” » | John Bingham, Religious Affairs Editor | Saturday, March 22, 2014

Egyptian Cleric Sheik Abd Al-Qader Al-Sibai: Islamic Law Forbids Us to Greet Christians on Easter | Al-Hafez TV (Saudi Arabia/Egypt) - May 6, 2013

Growing Use of Shariah by UK Muslims

London Muslim Patrol: Vigilantes Attempt To Control Londoners By Enforcing Islamic Law
Muslim vigilantes are approaching Brits and demanding they behave in an Islamic way -- in the middle of London.

Related »

Mali's Northern Rebels Impose Hardline Islamic Law
In the town of Gao, in northern Mali, rebels who took over much of the country have imposed a hardline form of Islamic religious law. Schools are now segregated by gender, with Arabic being taught instead of the national language French. Alleged thieves and criminals have even had their hands and feet amputated. The government of Mali is now asking for international help to deal with the rebels who are creating a power base in the north. Al Jazeera's Imran Khan reports.

Egyptian Cleric Muhammad Sallah: Implementing Religious Law Will Make Egypt the Mightiest Country in World, Richer Than Sweden | Al-Hekma TV (Egypt) - May 4, 2012

Kansas Gov. Signs Measure Blocking Islamic Law

FOX NEWS: Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback has signed a law aimed at keeping the state's courts or government agencies from basing decisions on Islamic or other foreign legal codes, and a national Muslim group's spokesman said Friday that a court challenge is likely.

The new law, taking effect July 1, doesn't specifically mention Shariah law, which broadly refers to codes within the Islamic legal system. Instead, it says courts, administrative agencies or state tribunals can't base rulings on any foreign law or legal system that would not grant the parties the same rights guaranteed by state and U.S. constitutions.

"This bill should provide protection for Kansas citizens from the application of foreign laws," said Stephen Gele, spokesman for the American Public Policy Alliance, a Michigan group promoting model legislation similar to the new Kansas law. "The bill does not read, in any way, to be discriminatory against any religion."

But supporters have worried specifically about Shariah law being applied in Kansas court cases, and the alliance says on its website that it wants to protect Americans' freedoms from "infiltration" by foreign laws and legal doctrines, "especially Islamic Shariah Law." » | Associated Press | Saturday, May 26, 2012

Brotherhood Man Promises Islamic Law in Egypt

REUTERS INDIA: When he joined the race for Egypt's presidency just five weeks ago, Mohamed Mursi was mocked as the Muslim Brotherhood's uncharismatic "spare tyre" after its first-choice candidate was disqualified.

But the 60-year-old engineer came first in the opening round, according to a Brotherhood tally after most votes were counted, thanks to a campaign that showed off the unequalled political muscle of Egypt's oldest Islamist movement.

The run-off on June 16 and 17 with second-placed Ahmed Shafiq, who served as deposed leader Hosni Mubarak's last prime minister, gives Egyptians a stark choice between a military man linked to the past and an Islamist whose conservative message appeals to some and alarms others in this nation of 82 million.

A Brotherhood official said that with votes counted from about 12,800 of the roughly 13,100 polling stations, Mursi had 25 percent, Shafiq 23 percent, a rival Islamist Abdel Moneim Abol Fotouh 20 percent and leftist Hamdeen Sabahy 19 percent.

Calling himself the only authentic Islamist in the race, Mursi has targeted devout voters whose support helped the Brotherhood and the ultra-orthodox Salafi Islamist movement to secure 70 percent of parliament seats earlier this year.

He has promised to implement Islamic sharia during rallies peppered with references to the Koran, God and the Prophet Mohammad and occasionally interrupted by pauses for mass prayer.

But he has seldom spelt out what that would mean for Egypt, where piety runs deep and the constitution already defines the principles of Islamic law as the main source of legislation. » | Yom Perry | CAIRO | Friday, May 25, 2012

Kansas Lawmakers Pass Effective Ban on Islamic Law
WSBT.COM: KANSAS CITY, Kansas (Reuters) - Kansas lawmakers have passed legislation intended to prevent the state courts or agencies from using Islamic or other non-U.S. laws in making decisions, a measure critics have blasted as an embarrassment to the state.

The legislation, which passed 33-3 in the state Senate on Friday and 120-0 previously in the House, is widely known in Kansas as the "Sharia bill," because the perceived goal of supporters is to keep Islamic code from being recognized in Kansas.

The bill was sent to Republican Governor Sam Brownback, who has not indicated whether he will sign it.

In interviews on Saturday, a supporter of the bill said it reassured foreigners in Kansas that state laws and the U.S. Constitution will protect them. But an opponent said the bill's real purpose is to hold Islam out for ridicule. » | Kevin Murphy | Reuters | Saturday, May 12, 2012

Indonesian 'Punks' Caned for Pre-marital Sex
AFP: LANGSA, Indonesia — Sharia police in Aceh, the only Indonesian province to practise the Islamic law, caned a homeless "punk" couple nine times Friday after they were caught having pre-marital sex in public.

Around 100 people in the town of Langsa watched and cheered when sharia police in green-and-black hoods caned the 21-year-old woman and her 23-year-old boyfriend, along with 11 others convicted of gambling.

"Those kids are punks. They were caught having sex by the public and were arrested by sharia police," Langsa prosecutor's office head Putra Masduri told AFP.

Masduri said the couple were often seen loitering on the streets dressed as punks, however they dressed in traditional white Islamic clothing for their caning.

Although they were arrested for pre-marital sex, their punishment comes amid a crackdown on punks in the province, in which police have raided cafes and parks to detain youths contributing to what authorities call a "social disease". » | AFP | Friday, April 20, 2012

We Will Insist on Applying Sharia in Egypt, Islamist MP Says

AL ARABIYA NEWS: Egypt’s Construction and Development Party (CDP) “won’t give up the application of the Sharia [Islamic law]” in Egypt, an Egyptian MP representing the party told an Egyptian daily on Monday. CDP is the political party of Egypt’s al-Jamaa al-Islamiya.

Hani Nour Eddin said that his party “will defend the second article of the (1971) constitution,” which stipulates that the principles of Sharia are the main source of legislation in the country, Egypt’s al-Masry al-Youm quoted him as saying.

Nour Eddin said that there is no disagreement among Egyptian political powers over the second article of the constitution, adding that his party is open to suggestions that are in accordance with the principles of Sharia. » | Al Arabiya | Tuesday, March 27, 2012

USA/Islam: The Islamic Circle of North America and the Sharia Campaign
INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC NEWS AGENCY (IINA): WASHINGTON – The Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) announced a national Sharia education campaign to promote “religious freedom and combat Islamophobia.” This campaign will include an education tour to introduce Islamic faith to the American public, as well as billboards, college campus seminars, radio ads, and a national hotline to address questions about Sharia.

Sharia education and interfaith events and town hall forums are scheduled for 25 cities. According to Dr. Zahid H. Bukhari, president of the ICNA, “The First Amendment guarantees religious freedom for every citizen. Muslim Americans are asking for the same fundamental rights to observe Sharia, a component of the Islamic faith, in our personal, familial and religious affairs within the boundaries of the United States Constitution and all local, state and federal laws.”

Presumably these town hall forums are designed “to clarify misconceptions about American Muslims.” But suppose Sharia is incompatible with Constitutional guarantees? Suppose as well that Sharia, if widely instituted, would shatter provisions for free speech, individual rights and equal protection of the law?

It is certainly appropriate to educate the public about Sharia. Is it, however, appropriate to propagandize on behalf of religious attitudes that encourage hostility to women, that argue Jews are the progeny of apes and pigs and that can only accept categorical rights as opposed to individual rights? » | AH/IINA | Tuesday, March 27, 2012 (5 Jumada Al-Awwal)

Tunisia Says Constitution Will Not Cite Islamic Law

THE NEW YORK TIMES: CAIRO — Tunisia’s ruling Islamist party, Ennahda, said on Monday that the country’s post-revolution constitution would not mention Islamic law as a source of legislation, signaling a forceful break with ultraconservatives who have been demanding an Islamic state.

Instead, a drafting committee will preserve language in Tunisia’s current constitution that refers to Islam as the state’s religion and Arabic as its language, according to Said Ferjani, a member of the political bureau of Ennahda, the Islamist party that leads Tunisia’s government.

He and other Ennahda leaders framed the decision as a bid to unify the country’s disparate political factions during a delicate political transition. “There is a huge consensus within Ennahda. We have to show leadership,” Mr. Ferjani said. “We want everyone to get involved.” » | Kareem Fahim | Monday, March 26, 2012

Tunisian Islamists Step Up Demand for Islamic State

REUTERS.COM: Thousands of Tunisian Islamists took to the streets on Sunday to step up their demands for the creation of an Islamic state in one of the most secular Arab nations.

About 8,000 conservative Salafi Islamists filled the capital's Habib Bourguiba Avenue, a focal point of the 2011 revolution that sparked uprisings across the Arab world.

Waving black flags, they shouted slogans demanding that Islamic law, or sharia, be defined as the main source of legislation in Tunisia's new constitution.

"This is not a show of force, but they should know that we can mobilize hundreds of thousands on the streets if they refuse the application of sharia," said a young man who gave his name as Abu Jihad.

"We are in a Muslim country, so the talk about Islam in the constitution should not be feared." » | Tarek Amara | TUNIS | Sunday, March 25, 2012

Muslim Group Seeks to Educate Houstonians on Islamic Law
HOUSTON CHRONICLE: The way supporters of the conservative group Texas Eagle Forum see it, a growing number of U.S. Muslims are practicing "stealthy jihad," secretly trying to impose their religious doctrine on Americans and form a parallel judicial system, one that could force women to wear burkas or even condone honor killings.

Sharia, the legal, moral and religious underpinning of Islam, is "a threat to America," said the Eagle Forum's former president, Pat Carlson, who is running for state representative in Fort Worth.

With the help of a neoconservative Washington, D.C., think tank, which spearheaded similar efforts in more than 20 states across the country, the group last year pushed legislation in Texas banning the recognition of foreign law in state courts, with its proponents decrying Sharia's "creeping influence."

It didn't pass, but some lawmakers consider the issue important enough to take up before the Legislature convenes in January. Last week, South Dakota's governor signed a bill aimed at preventing courts from applying Islamic law. » | Lomi Kriel | Tuesday, March 20, 2012