Five Shariah insights for students at UR

1.What does Shariah mean?

"Shariah" is the law of the Qur'an and literally means, "A path to life giving water." In fact, the word "Yarrah" (i.e. the root of the Hebrew word "Torah") means precisely the same thing. Therefore, Shariah is actually ingrained in Abrahamic tradition.

Shariah is composed of five main branches: "adab" (behavior, morals and manners), "ibadah" (ritual worship), "i'tiqadat" (beliefs), "mu'amalat" (transactions and contracts) and "'uqubat" (punishments). These branches combine to create a society based on justice, pluralism and equity for every member of that society.

Furthermore, Shariah forbids that it be imposed on any unwilling person. Islam's Founder, Prophet Muhammad, demonstrated that Shariah may only be applied if people willingly apply it to themselves -- never through forced government implementation.

Additionally, the Qur'an does not promote any specific form, but requires that the form people choose be based on "adl" or "absolute justice." The Qur'an says: "Verily, Allah enjoins justice, and the doing of good to others; and giving like kindred; and forbids indecency and manifest evil and transgression. He admonishes you that you may take heed" (16:91).

Notice, religious preference is never mentioned. For example, in ruling with absolute justice, the righteous Jewish King Solomon ruled as a just monarch based on this fundamental principle of Shariah Law -- justice.

2. Do Muslims want Shariah to rule America?

No. Remember, the Qur'an teaches that religion must not be a matter of the state. Shariah is a personal relationship with God. The Prophet Muhammad, even as the de facto ruler of Arabia, wrote the Charter of Medina in which Muslims were held to Shariah Law and Jews to the Law of the Torah. Not a single non-Muslim was held to Shariah because Shariah itself forbids compulsion. The Qur'an clearly states: "There is no compulsion in religion" (2:257). Furthermore, Shariah obliges Muslims to be loyal to their nation of residence. Therefore, American Muslims must adhere to the U.S. Constitution as the supreme law of the land.

3. If Muslims don't want Shariah to rule America, then so what if it's banned?

First, Shariah is a personal relationship between a Muslim and God. The First Amendment forbids Congress from passing laws that restrict the free exercise of religion -- particularly private exercise. Second, if Shariah were banned, American Muslims could not marry, inherit, write wills or choose to divorce per Islam's guidelines.

If similar restrictions were imposed on other faith groups, then no minister could conduct a marriage ceremony, no Catholic bishop could read the last rites and no rabbi could perform circumcision on an infant male Jewish child -- because these are all Judeo-Christian laws. Even within our legal system, American Jews regularly resolve personal and financial matters through rabbinical courts known as "beit din." American Muslims simply want to enjoy the same constitutionally guaranteed rights.

4. What does Shariah say about other religions?

Shariah law champions absolute freedom of conscience and freedom of religion. For example, the Qur'an goes as far as to oblige Muslims to fight on behalf of Jews, Christians and people of other faiths, and to protect their churches, synagogues and temples from attack (22:41). Furthermore, Shariah holds that to be a Muslim, a person must testify to the truth of all past prophets, including Jesus, Moses, Abraham, Krishna and Buddha -- and must respect their adherents. When Prophet Muhammad peacefully became the ruler of Arabia, his primary condition for non-Muslims (and Muslims) to reside in Arabia was that they allow all people of all faiths -- be they Jews, Christians, Muslims or idol worshipers -- to worship in peace and without oppression.

5. What about countries that oppress people and claim they follow Shariah?

Such countries have ignored the fundamental tenet of justice inherent in Shariah law, and have instead used Shariah as an excuse to gain power and sanction religious extremism. To be sure, not a single example of a "Shariah compliant" country exists.

In fact, the most Muslim country in the world is likely America, because America guarantees freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of expression and freedom of thought -- all hallmarks of Shariah Law. Those nations that oppress in the name of Shariah, are as justified in their claims as the slave owners who claimed their right to slavery was based on the Bible.

As for the Qur'an's "violent" verses extremists and critics alike cite -- honest legal interpretation abhors quoting an excerpt as a means to understand the full law. Unfortunately, both extremists and critics refuse to adhere to this basic principle. In sum, Shariah Law guides a Muslim's personal relationship with God, just as the Old and New Testaments guide Jews and Christians in their personal relationships with God. These paths to life-giving water are nothing to fear.

----------------------------------------------------

Contact Qasim at q.rashid@richmond.edu or on Twitter at @MuslimIQ.