Sharia law update

The line being pushed by the proponents of Sharia law in that it will be purely for civil matters. Obviously you will predict that I see this as an example of the usual salami slicing approach by which piece by piece organisations get what they want in an almost imperceptible manner; see the EU for an example. Anyhow, I see in today's Evening Standard that "Sharia law "courts" are already dealing with crime on the streets of London...it was revealed today that a teenage stabbing case among the Somali community in Woolwich had been dealt with by a sharia "trial". Youth worker Aydarus Yusuf, 29, who was involved in setting up the hearing, said a group of Somali youths were arrested by police on suspicion of stabbing another Somali teenager. The victim's family told officers the matter would be settled out of court and the suspects were released on bail. A hearing was convened and elders ordered the assailants to compensate the victim. "All their uncles and their fathers were there," said Mr Yusuf. "So they all put something towards that and apologised for the wrongdoing.""


The other line being pushed is that very few Muslims want Sharia law and that it is just a few extremists. I draw your attention to this poll reported in the Telegraph almost two years ago. "Four out of 10 British Muslims want sharia law introduced into parts of the country, a survey reveals today."
That's more than a few extremists, unless 40% are extremists which would be even more worrying.

"The ICM opinion poll also indicates that a fifth have sympathy with the "feelings and motives" of the suicide bombers who attacked London last July 7, killing 52 people, although 99 per cent thought the bombers were wrong to carry out the atrocity."
Over 20% had sympathy with the suicide bombers, that's not an overly hopeful message.





Sorry folks but I fear that the non-Muslim British population is not going to take much more of this separation on Muslims from the rest of British society. I am not talking about the BNP and other "white rights" organisations; Hindus that I know are very unhappy and distictly worried by the rise of the Muslim "community" and as for my Jewish friends... One more incident of Islamic terrorism in the UK and I fear for the future of this country's reputation for tolerance, I really do.



Update: A good point made by "Judith" on Archbishop Cranmer's blog:

"Could we straighten up one misunderstanding that seems to be creeping into commentaries:

When Jews marry in a synagogue in the Diaspora, they receive a civil certificate and a religious certificate. If they don't marry in synagogue, a civic registrar is present to provide that certificate. Should they subsequently wish to divorce, they must first go to the civil courts. Then, if they wish to marry again in a synagogue, they must obtain a religious divorce.

It appears that many Muslim marriages are performed only as religious ceremonies, not civil ones, although Muslim authorities say they recommend couples to get a civil union.

It would appear that Williams is advocating that the Muslim religious marriage, for example, should be regarded as a civil contract. This is a huge step change."