As the United States Supreme Court judges sit in their chamber, to their right, front, and the left sides are friezes depicting the 18 greatest lawgivers of the world. The second frieze to the right features a person holding a copy of the Quran, the Islamic holy book.
Sharia is an Arabic word commonly translated as Islamic law. It is a dynamic body of guidelines for Muslims on issues as diverse as food and diet to business transactions and marriage. Sharia is the Muslim universe of ideals.
Every time I witness Sharia being targeted and abused with such abhorrence, it sends chills down my spine. Not because I am intimidated by such actions. Not because my faith is shaken. It saddens me because the Sharia that I know of and that I live everyday is neither primitive, nor repressive.
Sharia, Jewish Halacha and Catholic Canon Law, are not replacing 'the law of the land.” However for observant Catholics, Muslims and Jews their institutions and traditions are an important part of religious practice and must be respected provided that state and federal laws are observed, and participation is voluntary.
Sharia is not a word Muslims use on a daily basis in their lives. Actually, until the recent Sharia debate, most Muslim Americans may not have used this term more than a couple of times in their lives.
Our neighbors are looking for balanced information on Sharia and they have a hard time finding it. Sound Vision is engaged in developing a web portal on Sharia to fulfill this urgent need.