On Sharia Law

 

by Shoaib Choudhury

Editor & Publisher, Weekly Blitz

June 23, 2009 5:30 AM

 

 

In the West, in countries that have a sizable Muslim population, there have been calls for Sharia Law to be adopted for the Muslim community. Sharia conflicts with many basic human values, such as equality before the law, that punishment should be commensurate to the crime, and that the law must be based on the will of the people. Sharia, as it was developed in the first few centuries of Islam, incorporated many pre-Islamic Middle-Eastern misogynistic and tribal customs and traditions. Sharia was developed not only from the Holy Qur’an; it incorporates as well legal principles from other sects. Sharia reflects the social and economic conditions at the time of the Abbasids and has become further and further out of touch with later social, economic, technological, cultural and moral developments. The principles of the Sharia are inimical to moral progress, humanity and civilized values. Calls for them should be vigorously opposed.

 

Now let us try to know what Sharia law is. Sharia law is the instrument by which Political Islam seeks to control the Muslim world. While the Sharia may have been inspired by the Holy Qur’an, it has developed and evolved through time and through the efforts of men. The Sharia should be countered for its imposition of theocracy over democracy, its abuse of human rights, its institutionalized discrimination, its denial of human dignity and individual autonomy, its punishment of alternative lifestyle choices, and for the severity of its punishments.

 

When Political Islam advocates jihad to achieve world domination, anyone deeply concerned with humanity and human rights should be critical. Of all the existing ideologies, Political Islam remains the greatest danger to humanity. Political Islam has been neither tamed nor moderated by progressive forces. It has the power to inspire the terrorist mind, and, through its ties to oil-rich states, the funds to pursue its plans.

 

Why do the Bangladeshi clergy make the Torah and Jews a serious taboo to the innocent and mostly uneducated people?

 

When I had the opportunity to read the Torah, I immediately got the answer. Anyone who has the opportunity to read the Torah, will immediately have the window of intellect opened to make judgments over various divine and worldly issues, including many criminal interpretations of the Qur’an, as well as false propaganda by the Muslim clergy.

 

In today’s world, when terrorist attacks and suicide bombing are threats to global peace, a question circulats in the minds of the people about the influence of Sharia Law on Muslim minds, towards Jihad, and killing Jews and Christians to attain heaven and 72 virgins.

Any religion promising 72 virgins in exchange of murder or genocide, is for a start, a religion of bad taste. Why should a man become insane for 72 virgins? Moreover, when the Qur’an promises virgins and all comforts for men in heaven, it completely ignores the rewards for women. Why? Any special reason? Does Islam consider women as mere things or something even worse?

 

Clergies in Muslim countries not only speak of the comforts of heaven, with tunnels of wine and 72 virgins who will get back their virginity after each act of sexual intercourse; they also promise Gilman [young boys] for those men who love homosexuality. Isn’t it too much?

 

God cannot be that selfish or neglectful to give virgins, young boys and every other comfort only for men in heaven while completely ignoring women.

 

In Muslim nations, especially during Friday prayers, the clergy describes thousands and millions of years in hell for those who oppose Sharia Law. They also narrate imaginary stories of repression of the Prophet of Islam by Christians and Jews.

 

In recent years, several Islamist and ultra Islamist groups are continuing to demand the establishment of Sharia rule in Muslim nations. More than 84 per cent of the Muslims in Bangladesh, in our population of 150 million, regularly witness such groups, mostly demanding Sharia law to replace the existing rule of law as well as democracy. There are many Islamist groups, for example Hizb Ut Tahrir, who openly denounce democracy and electoral systems, saying they are the “law of satan”. Some major political parties in Bangladesh, such as Jamaat-e-Islami, and the Jatiyo Party, are also demanding Sharia law. Even before the postponed general election in 2007, the present ruling party in Dhaka signed a secret treaty with an Islamist party named Khelafat Majlish, with the promise to establish Sharia law in Bangladesh.

 

In recent times, political Islam is backed by the demand to establish Sharia law. Crooked Islamist leaders believe that it is the easiest way for them to capture power, by promising 72 virgins to innocent and mostly ignorant people. In accepting this rule, most of those people are not aware at all of how basic human rights are greatly violated in many of the nations practicing Sharia law.

 

If we look, for example, at Iran, where Sharia law is practiced, sexual perversion is increasing, but now under veils and turbans. In Saudi Arabia, homes of normal Arabs or even the palaces of Kings are centers of various forms of perversions. Arab Muslims mostly do not bear any respect for women. The only reason they pretend to respect females in public is because of the fear of stern punishment, not for any other reason.

 

In Western society, if men try to take advantage of their female co-workers, and if the co-workers do not respond, they will not be in any legal battle. But in Saudi Arabia, any woman denying to comfort any influential man -- not to talk about the King and Prince -- the woman will surely be brought into Sharia Court on charges of adultery. And finally she is killed by throwing stones on her.

My newspaper, The Weekly Blitz. published a story about an airhostess with Saudia Airlines, who lost her job because she refused to give sexual company to her Arab male colleague.  Later, she was fired from the job and sought justice from the king.  She was invited to visit Saudi Arabia for a “private meeting.”  When she went, she understood what that meant.

 

We all know the cases of sexual genital mutilation of women in several Muslim countries in Africa and elsewhere. Before any women reaches the age of 10, her clitoris is mutilated so that she loses the sense of any sexual comfort for her entire life. By doing this, the male-dominated society turns women into mere sexual tools of comfort for them. Nothing more.

 

Genital mutilation of women is also conducted under the garb of Sharia law. In fact, Muslim men use this law for the total repression of women, and for seizing basic fundamental rights as well treating women as almost sub-human beings.

 

During my childhood, I heard many times how the graveyards of Muslims were destroyed by Israel, and luxurious hotels constructed on them. Each time, when I asked my father about this, he used to say, “Do not trust these words, look into realities”.

 

My father had great influence on my mind. Because of his personal interest in literature and global issues, I had the opportunity to read the Holy Bible during my childhood. But I had to wait to touch the Holy Torah for almost 40 years because in Bangladesh the Torah is taboo. No one dares to utter the very word Torah, although according to the Qur’an, if anyone ignores the Torah and the Prophet Moses, he or she will no more be a Muslim.

 

 

 

 

http://www.hudsonny.org/2009/06/on-sharia-law.php