Sharia law in UK is 'unavoidable' The Archbishop of Canterbury says the adoption of certain aspects of Sharia law in the UK "seems unavoidable". Dr Rowan Williams told Radio 4's World at One that the UK has to "face up to the fact" that some of its citizens do not relate to the British legal system.
Dr Williams argues that adopting parts of Islamic Sharia law would help maintain social cohesion. For example, Muslims could choose to have marital disputes or financial matters dealt with in a Sharia court. He says Muslims should not have to choose between "the stark alternatives of cultural loyalty or state loyalty". 'Sensational reporting' In an exclusive interview with BBC correspondent Christopher Landau, ahead of a lecture to lawyers in London on Monday, Dr Williams argues this relies on Sharia law being better understood. At the moment, he says "sensational reporting of opinion polls" clouds the issue. He stresses that "nobody in their right mind would want to see in this country the kind of inhumanity that's sometimes been associated with the practice of the law in some Islamic states; the extreme punishments, the attitudes to women as well". But Dr Williams said an approach to law which simply said "there's one law for everybody and that's all there is to be said, and anything else that commands your loyalty or allegiance is completely irrelevant in the processes of the courts - I think that's a bit of a danger". "There's a place for finding what would be a constructive accommodation with some aspects of Muslim law, as we already do with some other aspects of religious law." 'Other loyalties' Dr Williams added: "What we don't want either, is I think, a stand-off, where the law squares up to people's religious consciences." "We don't either want a situation where, because there's no way of legally monitoring what communities do... people do what they like in private in such a way that that becomes another way of intensifying oppression inside a community." The issue of whether Catholic adoption agencies would be forced to accept gay parents under equality laws showed the potential for legal confusion, he said. "That principle that there is only one law for everybody is an important pillar of our social identity as a western democracy," he said. "But I think it is a misunderstanding to suppose that means people don't have other affiliations, other loyalties which shape and dictate how they behave in society and that the law needs to take some account of that." 'Custom and community' Dr Williams noted that Orthodox Jewish courts already operated, and that the law accommodated the anti-abortion views of some Christians. "The whole idea that there are perfectly proper ways the law of the land pays respect to custom and community, that's already there," he said. People may legally devise their own way to settle a dispute in front of an agreed third party as long as both sides agree to the process. Muslim Sharia courts and the Jewish Beth Din which already exist in the UK come into this category. The country's main Beth Din at Finchley in north London oversees a wide range of cases including divorce settlements, contractual rows between traders and tenancy disputes. Dr Williams' comments are likely to fuel the debate over multiculturalism in the UK. Last month, the Bishop of Rochester, the Right Reverend Dr Michael Nazir-Ali, said some places in the UK were no-go areas for non-Muslims. Dr Williams said it was "not at all the case that we have absolute social exclusion". http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7232661.stm -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Supporting Shariah puts Archbishop in trouble The Archbishop of Canterbury continues to face calls for his resignation despite attempts to defuse the row over his Islamic Sharia law comments. Dr Rowan Williams has been condemned from inside and outside his church for saying the adoption of parts of the law was "unavoidable" in Britain. At least two General Synod members have called for him to quit and he has been heckled as he left a church service. But supporters say his comments have been misinterpreted. The archbishop is said to be shocked and hurt by the hostility his comments have provoked, and on his website he said he "certainly did not call for its introduction as some kind of parallel jurisdiction to the civil law". However the criticism mounted as his predecessor Lord George Carey accused Dr Williams of overstating the case for accommodating Islamic legal codes. 'Brilliant scholar' Writing in the News of the World, Lord Carey warned: "His acceptance of some Muslim laws within British law would be disastrous for the nation." But he said Dr Williams should not be forced to quit over his remarks, adding: "He is a great leader in the Anglican tradition and he has a very important role to play in the Church." Members of the Synod - the Church of England's national assembly - will have the opportunity of tabling a motion to discuss the issue at the body's biannual meeting, starting on Monday. Dr Williams was offered support by the Right Reverend George Cassidy, Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham, who branded the reaction "hysterical" and said the archbishop was simply trying to take forward a serious public debate. Meanwhile, the Very Reverend Colin Slee, Dean of Southwark Cathedral, said the archbishop's advisors were not up to the job. Biblical leadership "I have said to him on many occasions that his staff actually aren't up to the job and he needs a bigger staff and more expert advice," he said. Islamic Sharia law is a legal and social code designed to help Muslims live their daily lives, but it has proved controversial in the West for the extreme nature of some of its punishments. Col Edward Armitstead, a Synod member from the diocese of Bath and Wells, was among those calling for Dr Williams to step down, telling the Daily Telegraph: "I don't think he is the man for the job." He said: "One wants to be charitable, but I sense that he would be far happier in a university where he can kick around these sorts of ideas." Alison Ruoff, a Synod member from London, said: "Many people, huge numbers of people, would be greatly relieved [if he resigned] because he sits on the fence over all sorts of things and we need strong, Christian, biblical leadership right now, as opposed to somebody who huffs and puffs around and vacillates from one thing to another. "He's a very able, a brilliant scholar as a man but in terms of being a leader of the Christian community I think he's actually at the moment a disaster." 'A disaster' Brig William Dobbie, a former Synod member, described the archbishop as "a disaster, a tragic mistake". SHARIA LAW Sharia law is Islam's legal system It is derived from the Koran and the life of the prophet Mohammed Sharia rulings help Muslims understand how they should lead their lives A formal legal ruling is called a fatwa In the West, Sharia courts deal mainly with family and business issues English law recognises religious courts as a means of arbitration The statement on the archbishop's website said Dr Williams had pointed out that "as a matter of fact, certain provisions of Sharia are already recognised in our society and under our law". The statement said he was "exploring ways in which reasonable accommodation might be made within existing arrangements for religious conscience". It also said his principal aim was "to tease out some of the broader issues around the rights of religious groups within a secular state". And he said he did not initiate the idea but simply agreed when that proposition was put to him. Dr Williams made his first public appearance since the controversy erupted at a thanksgiving service on Saturday but made no comment on the row. 'Politically naive' The service, at Great St Mary's in Cambridge, was held to give thanks for the life of the Rev Professor Charles Moule, a New Testament scholar who died last year. As Dr Williams left the church, one person shouted "resign" and a couple of people booed, but there were no signs of any protests. The archbishop has been defended by the most senior woman priest in the Church of England, the Dean of Salisbury the Very Reverend June Osborne, who said he was right to discuss Sharia law. "We can say he may have been politically naive [but] I don't think he was. "Our society needs to be provoked into talking about these things. I would say that all of the law of Britain has got to work within the very high standards of human rights and Christian principles." The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) said it was grateful for the archbishop's "thoughtful intervention" on the discussion of the place of Islam and Muslims in modern Britain. Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/7236849.stm -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A Lesson for the Archbishop of Canterbury In The Story of Heraclius of Rome? Heraclius, The Roman - Head of the Christians of Sham Recently the Archbishop of Canterbury, the head of the Anglican Church, Dr Rowen Williams suggested that parts of Islamic Shar´iah law be recognised and incorporated into British law. Politicians and media alike immediately turned against him and launched a relentless attack upon him calling for his retraction, and even his resignation. It seems that Dr. Williams is not free to think, and not free to say what he feels in this land of free-speech and democracy. If a person like the Archbishop expresses something that goes against the perceived norms, he is harrassed, bullied, humiliated and forced out of office - he is made an example of, and a deterrent to others who maybe thinking of rocking the boat and challenge established doctrines. This is a good time for Chritians who are just-minded to ponder over Islam and its message that calls to the worship of the one and sole creator of the heavens and earth, Almighty God. One of the disciples of the Prophet Muhammad, Abdullah bin Abbaas said: Abu Sufyan bin Harb informed me that Heraclius had sent a messenger to him while he had been accompanying a caravan from Quraish. They were merchants doing business in Sham (Syria, Palestine, Lebanon and Jordan), at the time when Allah´s Apostle had truce with Abu Sufyan and Quraish infidels. So Abu Sufyan and his companions went to Heraclius at Ilya (Jerusalem). Heraclius called them in the court and he had all the senior Roman dignitaries around him. He called for his translator who, translating Heraclius´s question said to them, "Who amongst you is closely related to that man who claims to be a Prophet?" Abu Sufyan replied, "I am the nearest relative to him (amongst the group)." Heraclius said, "Bring him (Abu Sufyan) close to me and make his companions stand behind him." Abu Sufyan added, Heraclius told his translator to tell my companions that he wanted to put some questions to me regarding that man (The Prophet) and that if I told a lie they (my companions) should contradict me." Abu Sufyan added, "By Allah! Had I not been afraid of my companions labeling me a liar, I would not have spoken the truth about the Prophet. The first question he asked me about him was: `What is his family status amongst you?´ I replied, `He belongs to a good (noble) family amongst us.´ Heraclius further asked, `Has anybody amongst you ever claimed the same (i.e. to be a Prophet) before him?´ I replied, `No.´ He said, `Was anybody amongst his ancestors a king?´ I replied, `No.´ Heraclius asked, `Do the nobles or the poor follow him?´ I replied, `It is the poor who follow him.´ He said, `Are his followers increasing decreasing (day by day)?´ I replied, `They are increasing.´ He then asked, `Does anybody amongst those who embrace his religion become displeased and renounce the religion afterwards?´ I replied, `No.´ Heraclius said, `Have you ever accused him of telling lies before his claim (to be a Prophet)?´ I replied, `No. ` Heraclius said, `Does he break his promises?´ I replied, `No. We are at truce with him but we do not know what he will do in it.´ I could not find opportunity to say anything against him except that. Heraclius asked, `Have you ever had a war with him?´ I replied, `Yes.´ Then he said, `What was the outcome of the battles?´ I replied, `Sometimes he was victorious and sometimes we.´ Heraclius said, `What does he order you to do?´ I said, `He tells us to worship Allah and Allah alone and not to worship anything along with Him, and to renounce all that our ancestors had said. He orders us to pray, to speak the truth, to be chaste and to keep good relations with our Kith and kin.´ Heraclius asked the translator to convey to me the following, I asked you about his family and your reply was that he belonged to a very noble family. In fact all the Apostles come from noble families amongst their respective peoples. I questioned you whether anybody else amongst you claimed such a thing, your reply was in the negative. If the answer had been in the affirmative, I would have thought that this man was following the previous man´s statement. Then I asked you whether anyone of his ancestors was a king. Your reply was in the negative, and if it had been in the affirmative, I would have thought that this man wanted to take back his ancestral kingdom. I further asked whether he was ever accused of telling lies before he said what he said, and your reply was in the negative. So I wondered how a person who does not tell a lie about others could ever tell a lie about Allah. I, then asked you whether the rich people followed him or the poor. You replied that it was the poor who followed him. And in fact all the Apostle have been followed by this very class of people. Then I asked you whether his followers were increasing or decreasing. You replied that they were increasing, and in fact this is the way of true faith, till it is complete in all respects. I further asked you whether there was anybody, who, after embracing his religion, became displeased and discarded his religion. Your reply was in the negative, and in fact this is (the sign of) true faith, when its delight enters the hearts and mixes with them completely. I asked you whether he had ever betrayed. You replied in the negative and likewise the Apostles never betray. Then I asked you what he ordered you to do. You replied that he ordered you to worship Allah and Allah alone and not to worship any thing along with Him and forbade you to worship idols and ordered you to pray, to speak the truth and to be chaste. If what you have said is true, he will very soon occupy this place underneath my feet and I knew it (from the scriptures) that he was going to appear but I did not know that he would be from you, and if I could reach him definitely, I would go immediately to meet him and if I were with him, I would certainly wash his feet.´ Heraclius then asked for the letter addressed by Allah´s Apostle which was delivered by Dihya to the Governor of Busra, who forwarded it to Heraclius to read. The contents of the letter were as follows: "In the name of Allah the Beneficent, the Merciful (This letter is) from Muhammad the slave of Allah and His Apostle to Heraclius the ruler of Byzantine. Peace be upon him, who follows the right path. Furthermore I invite you to Islam, and if you become a Muslim you will be safe, and Allah will double your reward, and if you reject this invitation of Islam you will be committing a sin by misguiding your Arisiyin (peasants). (And I recite to you Allah´s Statement:) `O people of the scripture! Come to a word common to you and us that we worship none but Allah and that we associate nothing in worship with Him, and that none of us shall take others as Lords beside Allah. Then, if they turn away, say: Bear witness that we are Muslims (those who have surrendered to Allah).´ (3:64). Abu Sufyan then added, "When Heraclius had finished his speech and had read the letter, there was a great hue and cry in the Royal Court. So we were turned out of the court. I told my companions that the question of Ibn-Abi-Kabsha (refering to the Prophet Muhammad) has become so prominent that even the King of Bani Al-Asfar (Byzantine) is afraid of him. Then I started to become sure that he (the Prophet) would be the conqueror in the near future till I embraced Islam (i.e. Allah guided me to it)." The sub narrator adds, "Ibn An-Natur was the Governor of llya´ (Jerusalem) and Heraclius was the head of the Christians of Sham. Ibn An-Natur narrates that once while Heraclius was visiting ilya´ (Jerusalem), he got up in the morning with a sad mood. Some of his priests asked him why he was in that mood? Heraclius was a foreteller and an astrologer. He replied, `At night when I looked at the stars, I saw that the leader of those who practice circumcision had appeared (become the conqueror). Who are they who practice circumcision?´ The people replied, `Except the Jews nobody practices circumcision, so you should not be afraid of them (Jews). `Just Issue orders to kill every Jew present in the country.´ While they were discussing it, a messenger sent by the king of Ghassan to convey the news of Allah´s Apostle to Heraclius was brought in. Having heard the news, he (Heraclius) ordered the people to go and see whether the messenger of Ghassan was circumcised. The people, after seeing him, told Heraclius that he was circumcised. Heraclius then asked him about the Arabs. The messenger replied, `Arabs also practice circumcision.´ (After hearing that) Heraclius remarked that sovereignty of the `Arabs had appeared. Heraclius then wrote a letter to his friend in rome who was as good as Heraclius in knowledge. Heraclius then left for Homs. (a town in Syrian and stayed there till he received the reply of his letter from his friend who agreed with him in his opinion about the emergence of the Prophet and the fact that he was a Prophet. On that Heraclius invited all the heads of the Byzantines to assemble in his palace at Homs. When they assembled, he ordered that all the doors of his palace be closed. Then he came out and said, `O Byzantines! If success is your desire and if you seek right guidance and want your empire to remain then give a pledge of allegiance to this Prophet (i.e. embrace Islam).´ (On hearing the views of Heraclius) the people ran towards the gates of the palace like onagers but found the doors closed. Heraclius realized their hatred towards Islam and when he lost the hope of their embracing Islam, he ordered that they should be brought back in audience. (When they returned) he said, `What already said was just to test the strength of your conviction and I have seen it.´ The people prostrated before him and became pleased with him, and this was the end of Heraclius´s story (in connection with his faith). Reported by Al-Bukhaaree, Chapter of Revelation.
