Sharia+Law


 *  SHARIA LAW **

Citation: Robinson, B.A. " Sharia Law: A Brief Introduction." Religous Tolerance.com. 2007. Ontario Consultants on Religous Tolerance. 26 Apr. 2009. . [] Article by the Council on Foriegn Relations that nicely summarizes Sharia Law.
 * From the Qu'ran and Sunna (or recorded practices from the life of Muhammad).
 * Sharia is Islamic law and in many Middle Eastern countries provides the core for the legal system
 * In a broader sense, it is also a way of life
 * //Constitutional Rights Foundation's Perspective://
 * "In the 19th century, many Muslim countries came under the control or influence of Western colonial powers. As a result, Western-style laws, courts, and punishments began to appear within the Sharia. Some countries like Turkey totally abandoned the Sharia and adopted new law codes based on European systems...Modern legislation along with Muslim legal scholars who are attempting to relate the will of Allah to the 20th century have reopened the door to interpreting the Sharia. This has happened even in highly traditional Saudi Arabia, where Islam began....Since 1980, some countries with fundamentalist Islamic regimes like Iran have attempted to reverse the trend of westernization and return to the classic Sharia" (qtd. in "Sharia Law: A Brief Introduction")
 * Contains a system of offenses and their punishments. Examples include adultery, consumption of alcohol, robbery, and pre-marital sex paired with stoning or flogging.
 * different countries enforce varying levels of Sharia law
 * supposed to only apply to Muslims. This is not always the case.
 * There are four main schools of Sharia law: What applies within one school of Sharia law does not necessarily apply in the other schools.
 * Hanbali: This is the most conservative schoolof Shari'a. It is used in Saudi Arabia and some states in Northern Nigeria.
 * Hanifi: This is the most liberal school, and is relatively open to modern ideas
 * Maliki: This is based on the practices of the people of Medina during Muhammad's lifetime.
 * Shafi'i: This conservative school emphasizes the opinions of the companions of the Prophet Muhammad.
 * EXTERNAL LINKS **

[] An Editorial that talks about President Barack Obama bowing to the monarch of Saudi Arabia and what means in reference to Sharia Law.

[] An article about the rise of Sharia law in Somalia.

[|Video about Sharia Law and its place in America]

[|Eye witness to public stoning: Caution: This article is very descriptive.]