Islam's Shariah Law: Is its practice recommended by all Muslims? Is it clear or difficult to understand?

Question

Shariah Law is the legal philosophy & standards that are based on the Quran. Shariah runs counter to (and appears harsher than) most Western laws. However, many things commonly cited as elements of Shariah Law come out of areas of the world where tribal societies rule, education is poor and poverty is extreme, so I don't know whether the seeming atrocities attributed to Shariah Law are common among Western Muslims. Some examples of Sharia proscriptions:

-Stoning and/or whipping adulterers & homosexuals.
-Amputating the hands of thieves.
-Preventing women from seeking a divorce (while allowing men to divorce their wives simply by telling her three times).
-Outlawing marriage between Muslims and non-Muslims.
-Execution of anyone who leaves the Muslim faith.
-Execution of anyone who speaks ill of Allah, Muhammad, or Islam.

Are such inequities embraced by Western Muslims, or are they primarily cultural relics held only by extreme conservatives and tribal societies?

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Wikipedia article on Shariah:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharia.

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Guys, I have asked this question in a legitimate, non-threatening way. Defensiveness on your part simply ends dialogue.

I recognize that Western Christian Extremists have harsh views. (I have a bumper sticker on my car that says "I refuse to believe in any God that endorses war, murder, or Pat Robertson.") And I believe the US must prevent extremist laws of any sort.

However, the question that I ask is, WHAT ARE WESTERN MUSLIMS VIEWS ON THE SHARIAH LAW? ARE THE PUNISHMENTS CITED AGREED TO OR ARE THEY DISMISSED AS CRUEL & UNUSUAL?

I misspoke when I said women are not allowed to have a divorce. In fact they are allowed to do so. However, they must go before a judge, while it appears that a man may divorce his wife without answering to anyone.

Answer 1

Good question...I would like to read the answers if you get any real ones.

Answer 2

In the Arab world, Shariah Law is only practiced in Saudi Arabia. Personally, I agree with it. I have some concerns not on the Shariah Law itself, rather on the way it's practiced. It's very clear to understand, it's God's law, same law that Moses applied.

But let me correct you on some of those you mentioned:

- You mentioned: "Preventing women from seeking a divorce (while allowing men to divorce their wives simply by telling her three times)". This is not true at all. Both Men and Women have the right to seek divorce.

- You mentioned: "Outlawing marriage between Muslims and non-Muslims", this is not accurate. Men are allowed to marry from people of the book (Christians and Jews), the women are not allowed. However, some scholars say both men and women are allowed. But what's actually in practice now is that only men allowed.

- You mentioned: "Execution of anyone who leaves the Muslim faith", this is true in Saudi Arabia. However, other scholars from some other parts of the Islamic world say no.

I hope my answer clarified something.

Answer 3

I'm a Muslim brother, I don't think you get Shariah well, because for example: not all thieves' hand must be amputated. And women can divorce theme selves in another way which is called (Khula). Let me remind you brother that Christianity didn't had the idea of divorce it self!!! And that Pops used to say that women are evil!! didn't you read European history?
And who said that a Muslim cannot marry a non-Muslim?!!! never heard of such a thing!!
Plz my brothers and sister before you comment on any thing 'especially religions' you must know what exactly you are talking about.
Your sister from Adam.
MissLeo

Answer 4

Once again it amazes me that you ask a good question, you quote from a resource book and the Muslims jump on you.

They said you misquote, you don't understand and then they bash Christianity for which the original question had nothing to do with anything Christian.

I thought you might get some really good answers but as usual the Muslims can't answer in a civilized manner, they have to slide off to the side and bash and criticize. I guess it just figures, I was interested in the answers until it became more of the same from the Muslims. Too bad!

Answer 5

You cited a few rulings from Sharia:

1. Stoning and/or whipping adulterers & homosexuals.

This punishment depends. First of all, Islam enjoins kind, just and humane attitude even towards enemies. Islam emphatically forbids crimes and misdeeds in the first place. Islamic laws don't mean that, "go do it, and we punish you."

The punishment of adultery is death. There is no debate over it. And, it may mean inhuman and cruel to those who encourage such unscrupulous acts. Showing mercy to criminals is nothing great, rather it is encouragement.

And for homosexuality, it is probably the worst sexual perversion ever by humans. BUT, Islam says the homosexual first has to be prevented from his/her deeds, and should come back from the behaviors.

2. Amputating the hands of thieves: This punishment depends. Stealing a $5 bill and stealing huge property is not the same. For more info, look up in good Islamic websites.

3. Preventing women from seeking a divorce (while allowing men to divorce their wives simply by telling her three times): This is false. The law is, a wife can and should seek divorce if there is clear evidence of harm inflicted on the wife.
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1131347551968

4. Outlawing marriage between Muslims and non-Muslims: This is false. Islam doesn't not outlaw marriage between Muslim and pious Jewish or Christian woman. As for why a Muslim woman is prohibited to marry a non-Muslim man, please look up in this link:
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1119503543380

5. Execution of anyone who leaves the Muslim faith: This is also not totally true. Islam says, "there is no compulsion in religion", also it is mentioned in Qur'an: "To you your religion, to me mine". For details: http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-AAbout_Islam/AskAboutIslamE/AskAboutIslamE&cid=1141277486779

6. Execution of anyone who speaks ill of Allah, Muhammad, or Islam: This is a major sin, it throws a Muslim beyond the pale of Islam. That type of people needs proper guidance, because he insults either out of ignorance or because he is misguided. If, still, he continues to do it deliberately, he should be punished. Because by that he is doing double offence, 1, he is doing blasphemy, 2, he is either encouraging it among people, or he is disturbing people.

Answer 6

Well, its really not that bad. Shariah Law lays down a set of rules for society to be governed by the laws of God. It is meant to create a better society. Now obviously, if in YOUR society you think strip clubs and bars are perfectly okay then you will find Shariah law to be harsh. However, remember to give other people their rights, as many would prefer Shariah. ITS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER that what the Taliban practiced wasn't a good representation of Shariah. It was an insult to Islam. Their oppression of women and other irratoinalities has no rule in Islam. In Shariah law, the poor are taken care of, a set standard of morals is kept and it is meant to create a better life.

You're completely wrong in your examples, let me go 1 by 1.

-Stoning and/or whipping adulterers & homosexuals.
Theres nothing for homosexuals, but yes there is punishment for adulterers. Whipping is for non-married adulterers and some debate on stoning. A very important thing to understand -- the law is designed as such in a way that VERY FEW people would actually get the punishment -- why? because you need 4 witnesses to prosecute someone. 4 people witnessing sex you're wondering?? Its like that on purpose. The person is encouraged to repent for their sins in private. During the Prophet's time, there were people who confessed their adultery, each time the Prophet would send them back telling them to repent, but these people would always come back, so at the 3rd time he would give them the punishment. Basically, the logic is that if you receive your punishment on this earth then the punishment in the next life will not be as harsh (or wont be there at all).

-Amputating the hands of thieves.
Yes, this is not for minor robberies - its for major ones. And I believe you get 3 chances, at the 3rd your hand is cut. Its a good deterrent.

-Preventing women from seeking a divorce (while allowing men to divorce their wives simply by telling her three times).
NOT TRUE. Women can seek divorce. "Simply by telling her 3 times" - WRONG. Its not that simple. Both sides must have good reason.

-Outlawing marriage between Muslims and non-Muslims.
NOT TRUE.

-Execution of anyone who leaves the Muslim faith.
NOT TRUE. the apostasy execution is for traitors - people who forsake their religion AND their community (just like in America a spy who betrays his country gets death) since its betrayal.

-Execution of anyone who speaks ill of Allah, Muhammad, or Islam.
NOT TRUE.


GENERALLY SPEAKING, most Muslims realize it is not possible to implement Shariah law in a society today, simply because there is no righteous leader to guide us and no society in place where it could be JUSTLY practiced. The Taliban were an insult to Islam with their laws on women and other irrationality. And now there are so many scholarly differences on laws that someone really needs to come together and think hard to develop a good Shariah law for this time period.

Is it a relic? No. As Muslims, we believe 100% in God and what he revealed to us. A big part of belief is to put your own desires and prejudices beneath God's.

Most important for a Muslim is to practice his/her religion. If there is no Shariah, its not a big deal and one doesn't have to start a revolution or anything.

Answer 7

To all of us else that's a pretend doctrine and no one else needs to stay by your stone age rules. they have no place contained in the west. Islam incredibly “honours” women human beings. indexed right here are some examples of misogynist sharia rules: a muslim lady who commits adultery is to be stoned to death; single females who've intercourse might desire to be flogged; women human beings’s testimony in court is 0.5 the fee of a guy; women human beings get 0.5 the inheritance of a guy; there is not any community belongings between husband and spouse; if a girl is killed, her indemnity money is 0.5 the indemnity money of a guy; if her family members follows Shafi’I regulation, the her clitoris might desire to be bumped off at a youthful age – that's lady castration to ensure that the guy to ascertain her sexual urge for nutrition is suppressed; she desires her mum or dad’s permission for marriage in the different case that's void; she desires her husband’s or male family members contributors permission for holiday; she might desire to cover all her physique different than her hands and face). different, greater radical Hanbali-Wahabi perspectives require that each and every inch of a omen be coated inclusive of her face and hands, and she or he will basically have a hollow in front of her eyes in which she will see). No thank you. feels like a living hell. the place are each and every of the feminists with this nevertheless occurring in 2009!

Answer 8

"Just go and see the divorce rate and crimes in the "Western Land" then come and ask again"

what a terrible answer. it implies that stoning and whipping adulterers and homosexuals, amputating the hands of thieves, etc are not crimes against humanity in their own right, even though they are not documented as crimes in the countries where they are practiced because they are considered "legally justified". it also implies that excessive punishment for a tiny crime is a reasonable, noncriminal method for crime reduction in society instead of the monstrosity it is.

when violent crime becomes legalized, then such a country is obviously going to have a significantly lower "crime" rate because most crimes perpetrated in that country are not documented as crimes. the moment judges sentencing adulterous women to death, or thieves to amputation, or homosexuals to hanging, or converts out of islam to death by firing squad - the moment all these things are condemned and documented as the crimes they are instead of legal justice, then it becomes clear that nations under such laws are not the models of morality they claim to be.

Answer 9

criminal Laws in shari'ah Law could be harsher but the civil Laws are a lot better.
-"Preventing women from seeking a divorce (while allowing men to divorce their wives simply by telling her three times)."

that's such a LIE. women can divorce their Husbands any moment.

-"Outlawing marriage between Muslims and non-Muslims."
also missing a part (marrying Mushrik [polytheist] is forbidden. while a jew and a christian is allowed for men).

-"Execution of anyone who leaves the Muslim faith."
i believe that that's un Islamic and i can prove it with the Quran and sunnah, e-mail me if you wanna discuss it.

"Execution of anyone who speaks ill of Allah, Muhammad, or Islam."
Blasphemy as well as Adultery and soddomy is punishable by death in the old Testament. in Islam the Law has been improved.

Shariah cleansed the land of Arabia in a time where corruption and ignorance were the norm. in Muslim countries crime rates are much much less than the western countries.
if you wanna change some thing you gotta do it the cold turkey way.

Answer 10

Well I do accept such Q from you and I feel the way you think, and the background and you uprising in liberal world.
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I'll try to respond to you in questions and try to give explanations to it.
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Islam has a preventive measures long way before reaching these steps i.e to be a theif then you have to step down from many things prior to that , like for example a well raised and educated person has many reasons not to steel before he commit the action, in Islam there are several precautions and teachings to keep the Muslim away from these actions but once he break all these barrirs and commit the forbidden then the law will be in charge and if e.g not in real need then the law apply.
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1) Islam is the religion of ALLAH who created us and ALLAH knows what we can tollerate and what we can't.

2) You are not ( I'm not pointing to you but to the reader), forced to embrace Islam, and once you embrace Islam you have to take with satisfaction and understanding and if it isfor something to gain then forget it. In general if you look at the people embracing Islam hardly you find those leaving Islam very very rare to that they leave Islam, and those who did they embraced Islam for gaining something .
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If you come to the criminal law you are not suppose to steel or kill innocents, let me ask you if somebody steps into your house and kills your son or daughter or your wife, what is your feeling if you see him after 10 years walking around your house two scnarios either you will chicken and leave him or you will kill or do harm to him and so, it will be a visious cycle.OR steeling your money by force and not because he is hungry or to feed his kids e.g to have fun , drink or any otherreason what are going to do?? two years and he is going to steel, rape ....etc and at the end he is a billionare! is that justice??
Do you like to be a son of adultery ?? and the people call you so,??? or to have sexually transmitted diseases and you didn't participate in any sin but your mother, did from a drug addict or a drunk guy. Do you like for your son or your mother or wife to be every now and then with anther guy????
If accept it for the others then you should accept it for your self.

Homosexuals......only pigs do so, from ankmals and not any other animal !!!!!!!!!!
Are we human to follow our Intelligence or to be like animals just follow our desires ????
I think this life has been created and established on law so, we shouldn't break such law.

Do like to get married or live with prostitutes???
Do you like your wife or daughter to be so???
Examples:
Compare criminal rates between Muslims and say American's??
Sexually transmitted diseases??
Drugs??
Alcohol abuse???
rape
prostitutes
Family and social problems and lack of unity???
I think if you just sit and think ignoring your emotions and desires think like a wise man you would choose Shraia law.

Answer 11

You have quoted a misrepresentation of the understanding of Sharia law and as for us Muslims living in the west,We embrace the law of the countries we live in.