Islamic Law Ban In State Courts Petitioned By Muslims

By Omar Sacirbey
Religion News Service

(RNS) As a federal appeals court in Denver considers whether Oklahoma voters had the right to ban Islamic law in state courts, a coalition of Muslim groups say they don't want to live under Shariah law in Michigan or anywhere else.

An umbrella group called the American Islamic Leadership Conference recently announced its support for a proposed Michigan law that would forbid state judges from enforcing foreign laws, including Shariah, when they violate the U.S. Constitution.

The statement said the group recognized that people of faith had the right to religious arbiters so long as their decisions didn't conflict with American law.

At the same time, the groups said the Michigan bill would protect "Muslims and non-Muslims alike from extremist attempts" to use Shariah to institute a "highly politicized and dangerous understanding of Islam" in the West.

Said Manda Ervin, one of the nine signatories and head of the Maryland-based Alliance of Iranian Women: "Many of us fled the Muslim world to escape Shariah law. ... We do not wish these laws to follow us here."

While many Muslim organizations have called the anti-Shariah laws discriminatory and unnecessary, the statement said such bills "protect and integrate our communities into the fabric of this great nation, by strengthening our accountability to the laws of the land, and the constitutions of the various states in which we live."

Many mainstream Muslim leaders and Shariah scholars warn that such bills dangerously create the impression that Muslim Americans are demanding that judges give Shariah precedence over the Constitution, when they are not.

"It's fearmongering and it's reckless," said Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na'im, an Islamic law professor at Emory University in Atlanta. "It's ridiculous that state legislatures are wasting time on a law that tells judges to do what they are already constitutionally bound to do anyway."

Michigan and Oklahoma are among more than 20 states that are considering laws to ban Shariah in courtrooms. Zuhdi Jasser, executive director of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy and one of the statement's signatories, said the group supported the Michigan law because it only mentioned foreign laws. The group did not support similar bills in states like Arizona and Oklahoma that singled out Shariah over other religious laws.

"Once you identify one religion, it becomes a quagmire because you have to identify all the religions," said Jasser, a leading Muslim conservative.

Jasser said he did not oppose Shariah per se -- his own marriage contract and will were drafted after he consulted several imams, he said -- but opposed the institutionalization of Shariah in U.S. courts.

"We believe the majority of the imams in America who would be issuing decisions under this system are not ready for modernity," said Jasser.

Comments

[jose54]

01:19 PM on 10/03/2011

Islam is never to be trusted:

"Islam isn't in America to be equal to any other faith, but to become dominant. The Koran, the Muslim book of scripture, should be the highest authority in America, and Islam the only accepted religion on Earth."
- Omar M. Ahmad, founder of Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) July 4th, 1998
http://www.danielpipes.org/rr/394.pdf

"Ultimately, we (Muslims) can never be full citizens of this country...because there is no way we can be fully committed to the institutions and ideologies of this country"
- Ihsan Bagby, CAIR

"The 9/11 hijackers should be honored as martyrs."
- Warith Deen Umar, Former Muslim Chaplain, New York Prisons

"I am a traitor to America because my religion requires me to be. We pledge to wage jihad for the rest of our lives until either we implant Islam all over the world or meet our Lord as bearers of Islam."
- Samir Khan

"I want to see the U.S become an Islamic nation.”
-Ibrahim Hooper, CAIR Spokesperson

"No we don’t want to democratize Islam, we want to Islamize democracy" "We love you, America – and we want your children for Islam"
- Islam on Capitol Hill.com

"Greater integration between Islam and the West depends on incorporation of Sharia law into the legal systems of Europe and the U.S."
- Ground Zero Mosque Imam, Faisal Abdul Rauf

[HaleemK]

06:56 AM on 10/05/2011

Thanks very good to remember.

[CriticalDragon1177]

12:03 AM on 10/26/2011

Jose54,

Being able to prove that some Muslims, and some Muslim organizations are untrustworthy is no reason to think that all Muslims, are untrustworthy, and are involved in some grand conspiracy. Even if some Muslims want to overthrow secular liberal governments and replace them with Islamic theocracies, that doesn't mean that all Muslims shouldn't be trusted, especially Muslims who openly tell us, repeatedly that they don't want to live under sharia law, or at the very least, don't want sharia to be a part of our legal system.

[caseyjosh]

10:08 AM on 09/26/2011

Bubba thinks they are all distortions, lies, and deception. Bubba is too simple to read the Infancy Gospel of Thomas or John 16:7-15 about the next prophet.
No matter what/where it says in the Bible, Bubba will not believe it. You got me Bubba, 10 days ago I got into my DeLorean, went back in time, told John the Baptist to write 16:7-15 and told Thomas the Israelite, to write Infancy Gospel of Thomas ...
Meanwhile Bubba cannot sleep, he tosses, turns and plots next move, and cannot accept the fact he is wrong. His world is shattering. He cannot find a way to shut me up or point out a single mistake. He went online, found Infancy Gospel of Thomas and John 16:7-15 but he cannot accept it. So 2 days later he comes back with bunch of hot air ....
... to be continued? ... you bet

[Seriously Now]

02:15 PM on 09/30/2011

I've been following the dialogue between you and Cowboy.
What happened?
But to those of us keeping score.
Cowboy is way ahead.
Especially when he makes a point that one man killed and the other did not.
Makes you look bad Casey.
He is correct. Why deny it?

[caseyjosh]

11:14 AM on 10/03/2011

How long have you been keeping scores ... will you change your username again ... Seriously Now ... c'mon Bubba.

... to be continued? ... you bet

[Seriously Now]

03:09 PM on 09/30/2011

ok I have to give it to you. Now I see cowboy's way.
He is constantly talking about jesus, and you keep denying stuff...then you post something like John 16 7-15
your whole argument that the muslim was to come and supersede jesus is stupid...sorry.
semper fi!
...But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgement: in regard to sin, because MEN DO NOT BELIEVE IN ME; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgement, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.
continued...

[caseyjosh]

11:15 AM on 10/03/2011

" ...and you keep denying stuff "??? What did I deny??

[caseyjosh]

08:53 AM on 09/26/2011

Wow, Bubba (Cowboy2011), I just saw 24 comments from you. I spent the weekend drilling with my bellowed USMC.
Dude, did you just spend the weekend hanging out here just waiting for me? 24 comments, you need some help. Talk about obsession. I must have profound influence on you. Now it is clear how you were able to describe your nightmares in detail and impose them on me.

[Seriously Now]

03:00 PM on 09/30/2011

what is a bellowed USMC?
...semper fidelis
be careful you sound like stupid

[caseyjosh]

08:20 AM on 10/04/2011

Are you serious now ... I make a mistake and write bellowed instead of beloved and you try to be a smartypants by writing this "be careful you sound like stupid".
Ok Kim Kardashian, way to go Paris Hilton ... why don't you open a book and see the proper use of the preposition: like

[caseyjosh]

04:14 PM on 10/06/2011

FACT: You don’t know who wrote Qur’an nor where, why it is written
FACT: You don’t know what type of religion is Islam nor to what GOD they pray
FACT: You believe Muslims follow/pra¬y to Muhammad. Wrong!
FACT: You believe Muhammad founded Islam. Wrong!
FACT: You believe Muhammad is the author of Qur’an. Wrong!
FACT: You apply commandmen¬ts to Islam. Wrong! It would be like applying commandmen¬ts to Hindus.
FACT: You believe Muslims pray to divinity called Allah. Wrong!
FACT: You believe Muslim women must wear burqa because it is in Qur’an. Wrong!
FACT: You believe that Sharia Law is in Qur’an. Wrong!
FACT: There is no reference in Qur’an that Muhammad personally killed anyone
FACT: You lie. You do not talk to Muslims about their religion – not did you ever
FACT: You did not know “a Persian girl Fatima” in college that was “forced to cover”

FACT: You are a bigot

[caseyjosh]

12:29 PM on 09/21/2011

Hey cowboy, Bubba
So when Christians kill in the name of Christ then they are not Christians. You have the power to decide that? When Muslims kill then they do it because their religion told them.
I answered your questions BUT not the way you would like, too bad.
You are an Islamophobe, a bigot, that right Bubba; I got you to admit it. You hate the followers of one religion. You must be a part-time follower of Christ. You are NOT a true follower of Christ because you do not embrace HIM in both NT and OT. Hey, does GOD speak to you. Did he send you to save us?
Hey Bubba, it was Christ who said: Don't hate people (19-17) Value the truth; don't lie. (23-1) Don't gossip. (19-16)
If you love Christ then you must embrace him for what he: The Infancy Gospel of Thomas
III.
2 And when Jesus saw what was done, he was wroth and said unto him: O evil, ungodly, and foolish one, what hurt did the pools and the waters do thee? behold, now also thou shalt be withered like a tree, and shalt not bear leaves, neither root, nor fruit. 3 And straightwa¬¬¬y that lad withered up wholly

IV.
... and a child ran and dashed against his shoulder. And Jesus was provoked and said unto him: Thou shalt not finish thy course (lit. go all thy way). And immediatel¬¬¬y he fell down and died.”

[cowboy2012]

10:18 AM on 09/25/2011

You fear reading the New Testament. For if you did, you would not be so far off the mark.
Your accusations of "hate" of "followers of one religion" are ludicrous.
I don't have to be religious, or a rocket scientist to know the difference between someone that is a killer and one that is not.
My whole point is that Christ never killed anyone....where in the New Testament does it state that? This is what I read:
Christ healed the sick, the lepers, gave sight to the blind, made the cripple walk, gave the deaf ability to hear, brought back people from the dead, cured the insane, was able to quiet a storm, had powerful women in His ministry, forgave people their sins, preached love, peace, righteousness, and truth, was tortured, beaten to a pulp, nailed to a cross, died, pierced by a sword, buried, and resurrected on the third day....
He also walked among the people after He resurrected...proving to all that not only is He human, but that He was, as a Roman soldier stated so simply, " truly the son of God"
He was not a warlord, he didn't live by the sword, he didn't head campaigns and kill the enemy. Christ was totally against killing anyone under any circumstances.

[cowboy2012]

10:18 AM on 09/25/2011

Christ reminded us the importance of knowing that the body is not worth one's soul.
He warns of false prophets, and describes in simple details how to recognize them.
Christ tells us that we will know them by the fruit they bear....for a good tree can never bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.
....and it goes on, and on, and on.
People that witnessed these things at first ran away and hid out of fear, but when they saw Him alive again they wrote about what they witnessed, hence the New Testament.
It's up to all of us to either believe or not for we were not there.
The there is muhammed...You cannot tell me he didn't kill, which of course is a total fabrication, and then you resort to personal attacks.
...muhammed lived by the sword, Christ did not.

[Seriously Now]

02:22 PM on 09/30/2011

Ok...at first I thought you were a wacko from Waco...
Instead of marginalizing you, I did go read some history.
I also did pick up the bible and read as much as possible to see where christ killed anyone.
I cnnot find it.
Never heard of him killing anyone only your rival casey says so.
My score: Casy 0---cowboy 100% correct
does anyone else care to give me some feed back?
Cowby is right. Jesus never killed anyone...and the muslim did.

[DeWain]

12:27 PM on 09/21/2011

Katia

When you perceive someone speaking ill of Islam, you may not hear all that is said, which is, even by your accutely sensitive defensive stance, NOT attacking Islam.

For example: When I said, "There are people who,"
You read that as, "..this idea that people are not,"

In my sentence, I could be refering to 19 people. In yours, people, becomes universal, all people everywhere. I was pointing to specifics, you made it all inclusive. This is not a complicated concept but I may not have expressed it clearly.

There were 19 Muslims, who would not normally slash womens throats and kill thousands, and themselves, but did so for Islam, specifically. They will not be accepted by Allah into Heaven, to their eternal surprise and damantion.

[Seriously Now]

11:59 AM on 10/05/2011

Good luck!
I know how it feels to realize that the leader of your movement was a warlord, killer.
Face it, deal with it.
Denounce terrorism

[caseyjosh]

09:41 PM on 09/20/2011

Oh Bubba, how long will this record play:

...did muhammed ever break the 6th commandment? NO
...did muhammed ever kill? NO
...did muhammed ever make somebody dead? NO
...did muhammed ever cause someone to expire? NO

Was it wrong for God to kill and destroy every person on the face of the earth, with the exception of eight people (Genesis 6-8)? Did God break the sixth commandment?
Is it wrong for a policeman to kill someone in order to protect the innocent and enforce the law? Is it wrong for a soldier to kill someone on the battlefield?

The word "kill" in Exodus 20:13 and Deuteronomy 5:17 means "murder.” Proper translation is THOU SHALT NOT MURDER. It is interesting that in Matthew 19:18 the KJV correctly translates the Sixth Commandment: "Thou shalt do no murder.” The Hebrew word (ratsach) and the Greek Word (phonenō) which are used in the Sixth Commandment both clearly mean "murder.” The Hebrew language has a general word for killing (the verb muwth, meaning, "to cause to die") and the Greek language has a general word for killing (the verb apokteinō), but these general terms for killing are not used in the Sixth Commandment. Instead very specific words are used which forbid MURDER.
Warfare, is sometimes necessary in this sinful world, the greatest battlefield slaughter of all time will take place (Revelation 19:11-19)

[caseyjosh]

05:25 PM on 09/20/2011

Hey Cowboy, I got you, Bubba, no worries, let it all out.

You push your religious viewpoints upon others but reject considering religious or factual viewpoints of others. You think that the only important religion is yours. I thought you were just a simpleton but actually you are a religious nut.

Who the f… are you to tell people to “denounce” their religion? What gives you the right?
What gives you the right to judge other people? What give you the right to insult other religions?
Talk about insulting, you rant here and call a religious figure of a whole other people a “killer.”

[HaleemK]

08:31 AM on 09/21/2011

Let us stick to facts shall we.
The religious figure you are referring to personally killed many people by his own hands. It is also a fact he encourged others to do the same and had women captured in wars as sex slaves.
The god of the Abrahamic religions ... well least to say about him is he tortures soules in hell for eternity.

[caseyjosh]

11:58 AM on 09/21/2011

Really, I have yet to find a credible source that states so. Not some bashing website but a credible source by someone who has studied it properly. When you find one, let me know.

[Damn Damien]

01:52 PM on 09/21/2011

You gotta check this out:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cassie-williams/prophet-muhammad-kindness_b_964016.html

[caseyjosh]

05:12 PM on 09/20/2011

Hey cowboy, here are some things you need to get correct:

FACT: You don’t know who wrote Qur’an nor where, why it is written
FACT: You don’t know what type of religion is Islam nor to what GOD they pray
FACT: You request ½ billion signatures to prove Muslims are not terrorists. If I had ½ billion you’d ask for 1 billion then 1.7 billion. It would still not be enough because 5000 radicals did not sign it.
FACT: You believe Muslims follow/pray to Muhammad. Wrong!
FACT: You believe Muhammad founded Islam. Wrong!
FACT: You apply commandments to Islam. Wrong! It would be like applying commandments to Hindus.
FACT: You believe Muslims pray to divinity called Allah. Wrong!
FACT: You believe Muslim women must wear burqa because it is in Qur’an. Wrong!
FACT: You believe that Sharia Law is in Qur’an. Wrong!
FACT: There is no reference in Qur’an that Muhammad personally killed anyone
FACT: You lie. You do not talk to Muslims about their religion – not did you ever
FACT: You did not know “a Persian girl” in college that was “forced to cover” - what a joke this one is
FACT: You use guilt by association to make points.
FACT: You read history and fought VC. Lie. VC did not stay put once USA left (Cambodia, Laos, Burma)

Source: William Montgomery Watt - Muslim-Christian Encounters: Perceptions and Misperceptions (1991) ISBN 978-041505¬4119

Source: William Montgomery Watt - Muslim-Chr¬istian Encounters¬: Perception¬s and Mispercept¬ions (1991) ISBN 978-041505¬4119

[kokonutgurl]

11:59 PM on 10/03/2011

The Koran is a Counterfit Of The Bible..
allah the moon god is A Counterfit of The True God, The God Of Israel..

[season555]

10:24 PM on 10/11/2011

See now your ignorance is showing, you hate Muslims, we could careless. But if you are going to talk about Islam at least know the basic stuff.

[Katia S Wojcik]

01:11 PM on 09/20/2011

Crusades? If Christians were all supposed to turn the other cheek always - there wouldn't be any Christians left. You have a right to protect yourself. It's common sense. And Islam is a religion for people who have common sense.

[cowboy2012]

11:37 AM on 09/24/2011

Concentrate on CHRIST...historically, New Testament-wise. Lets use a measuring tool as an example. Anyone can guess,, but when it comes to measuring up to it...well, that's another story. What do you want to call that measuring tool?...God, Peace, Love, Righteousness, Life, Truth?, you name it...now, lets move on. CHRIST vs muhammed.
...muhammed is considered a "prophet", but so is Christ.
Take them to task.
Compare ONLY those two.
What do you call your measuring tool?
Start with the 10 Commandments:...OOoops, ...muhammed stumbled on the 6th Commandment: THOU SHALL NOT KILL
THAT is MY observation...
Save all your insults, distortions, criticisms, intolerance, humiliation attempts, name calling, threats to be "wiped out"...etc.
Christ never killed...THAT IS MY POINT
Where as muhammed did live by the sword, and he urges, as you have stated.. that killing is justified in some instances, furthermore, muhammed NEVER repented of breaking of the 6th Commandment....even Moses did repent to the point of writing the 10 Commandments, and so did King David, Cain, and the Apostle Paul...
Instead of denouncing blood shed, muhammed is elevated to the status of "prophet"
Pretty ingenious.
IF he didn't denounce the shedding of blood under any circumstances, what do you think his followers will do????
Do not deviate,...I don't want to lose you.
Truth hits hard.
Christ NEVER killed anyone.
Do not be afraid of the Truth.

[kokonutgurl]

12:06 AM on 10/04/2011

The first Crusade began in 1095… 460 years AFTER the first Christian city was overrun by Muslim armies, 457 years AFTER Jerusalem was conquered by Muslim armies, 453 years AFTER Egypt was taken by Muslim armies, 443 AFTER Muslims first plundered Italy, 427 years AFTER Muslim armies first laid siege to the Christian capital of Constantinople, 380 years AFTER Spain was conquered by Muslim armies, 363 years AFTER France was first attacked by Muslim armies, 249 years AFTER the capital of the Christian world, Rome itself, was sacked by a Muslim army, and only after centuries of church burnings, killings, enslavement and forced conversions of Christians.

By the time the Crusades finally began, Muslim armies had conquered two-thirds of the Christian world.

[caseyjosh]

09:20 PM on 09/20/2011

The Infancy Gospel of Thomas

III. 1 But the son of Annas the scribe was standing there with Joseph; he took a branch of a willow and dispersed the waters which Jesus had gathered together. 2 And when Jesus saw what was done, he was wroth and said unto him: O evil, ungodly, and foolish one, what hurt did the pools and the waters do thee? behold, now also thou shalt be withered like a tree, and shalt not bear leaves, neither root, nor fruit. 3 And straightwa­y that lad withered up wholly, but Jesus departed and went unto Joseph's house. But the parents of him that was withered took him up, bewailing his youth, and brought him to Joseph, and accused him 'for that thou hast such a child which doeth such deeds.'

[iLdoRight]

03:00 PM on 09/19/2011

Caption suggestion; "Abdul, Can You See Anything?"

[Blind WatchMan]

08:25 AM on 09/19/2011

Whoever said we're gonna adopt Sharia Law anyway?

[DeWain]

11:58 AM on 09/18/2011

HaleemK suggested that Muslims leave their countries because Islam does not work. Another perspective is that they leave because Islam does work, and very well. Just not for human beings. Islam works powerfully well for ITSELF, as if it were a multiple strain, often lethal, self replicating bacteria.

We must learn how to stop further lethal infestation without harm to the patient, or its host.

[HaleemK]

04:49 PM on 09/18/2011

Agreed lol

[Katia S Wojcik]

01:15 PM on 09/20/2011

Islam works - corrupt human being mess up the application of Islam in daily life - and that is why Muslim flee those countries. And the ignorant blame Islam.

[DeWain]

01:31 PM on 09/20/2011

Katia
So you yourself believe that you are a benign recipient of a non-lethal strain of Islam?
Great! But for for your personal safety and health, you must be sure; no headaches, no heartaches?

[DeWain]

05:06 PM on 09/22/2011

You can be very valuable to the worldwide acceptance of Islam, by helping to prevent the radicalization of young Muslim men by Imams whom you say distort and lie about Islam. The 9/11 killers were educated, not illiterate. It is time for the women to know exactly what goes on in the OTHER ROOM at the local Mosque.

[Damn Damien]

09:30 AM on 09/18/2011

This just in: France bans all public prayer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ne-pT9XjnE

[iLdoRight]

08:09 AM on 09/18/2011

Caption suggestion; "I wonder if this will really work"

[MikeDu]

01:10 AM on 09/18/2011

This whole 'Shariah law' thing is a total right wing bogeyman. The American right has long been frustrated that American muslims are neither radicalized nor disaffected like many of their European counterparts. It makes it that much harder to whip up the required zenophobic hatred. So what do they concoct? Glenn Beck's 'worldwide caliphate, America falling under Shariah law'. This, may I point out , is delusional to the point of being diagnosably schizophrenic. Its virtually impossibly to logically get from point A to point B in this fantasy. but the right wing base was never particularly big on logical progression. So hysterical right wing communities are passing laws to counter the non-existant 'threat'. Pathetic, really.

[cowboy2011]

08:21 AM on 09/18/2011

It sounds like you are whipping up hysteria...
All those "buzz" words you use.
I do agree with you on your main point though. "it's impossible"...well, there are plenty of "impossible" things to do... like fly, or breath under water, or even the thought of traveling to another planet. My point is that just because it's "impossible", does not mean someone, or some group of people will not try to do it.
...and pleeassse. All that blaming on right wing, Beck, is getting really old.
Just read history...for I used to hate hearing anything that smelled like an insult on muhammed, islam, and muslims...then I read some history.
WOW!...I say WOW!...
The dude was a genious! ...he built a religious, political, military machine that continues to move forth even after 1,400 years. Not a machine that gives life, but takes it.
Why not?...he lived by the sword, why expect his followers to do other wise?

[uansari1]

09:02 PM on 09/18/2011

So because various groups of people waged war on him and his followers for a few of his 62 years on earth, he "lived life by the sword"...? So a guy that enlisted for 4 years after 9/11 in response to his country being attacked also "lives life by the sword"?