Sharia Law In The Uk Seems "unavoidable"

[supasinghsghost]

Archbishop sparks Sharia law row Dr Williams made his comments in a BBC Radio interview

Dr Williams interview Leading politicians have distanced themselves from the Archbishop of Canterbury's belief that some Sharia law in the UK seems "unavoidable".

Gordon Brown's spokesman said the prime minister "believes that British laws should be based on British values".

The Tories called the archbishop's remarks "unhelpful" and the Lib Dems said all must abide by the rule of law.

Dr Rowan Williams said the UK had to "face up to the fact" some citizens do not relate to the British legal system.

He said adopting parts of Islamic Sharia law could help social cohesion.

For example, Muslims could choose to have marital disputes or financial matters dealt with in a Sharia court.

'Changes'

But the prime minister's official spokesman said Sharia law could never be used as a justification for committing a breach of English law, nor could the principle of Sharia law be applied in a civil case.

He added that Mr Brown had a good relationship with the archbishop, who was perfectly entitled to express his views.

The spokesman also said: "There are instances where government has made changes - for example on stamp duty - but the general position is that Sharia cannot be used as justification for committing breaches of English law nor can its principles be used in civil courts."

All British citizens must be subject to British laws developed through Parliament and the courts

Baroness Warsi

Conservatives

Sharia law in the UKReligious courts already used

Home Office Minister Tony McNulty said: "To ask us to fundamentally change the rule of law and to adopt Sharia law, I think, is fundamentally wrong."

For the Conservatives, shadow community cohesion minister Baroness Warsi said the archbishop's comments were "unhelpful".

"Dr Williams seems to be suggesting that there should be two systems of law, running alongside each other, almost parallel, and for people to be offered the choice of opting into one or the other," she told BBC News 24.

"That is unacceptable. There has to be one system of law and there could not be an opt-out out of it."

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said: "Whilst having an enormous amount of respect for Rowan Williams, I cannot agree with his conclusions on this issue.

"Equality before the law is part of the glue that binds our society together. We cannot have a situation where there is one law for one person and different laws for another.

"There is a huge difference between respecting people's right to follow their own beliefs and allowing them to excuse themselves from the rule of law."

'Sensational'

Dr Williams said Muslims should not have to choose between "the stark alternatives of cultural loyalty or state loyalty".

In an interview with BBC correspondent Christopher Landau, he argued this relied on Sharia law being better understood. At the moment, he said "sensational reporting of opinion polls" clouded the issue.

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He stressed that "nobody in their right mind would want to see in this country the kind of inhumanity that's sometimes been associated with the practice of the law in some Islamic states; the extreme punishments, the attitudes to women as well".

But Dr Williams said an approach to law which simply said "there's one law for everybody and that's all there is to be said, and anything else that commands your loyalty or allegiance is completely irrelevant in the processes of the courts - I think that's a bit of a danger".

"There's a place for finding what would be a constructive accommodation with some aspects of Muslim law, as we already do with some other aspects of religious law."

Dr Williams added: "What we don't want either, is I think, a stand-off, where the law squares up to people's religious consciences."

"We don't either want a situation where, because there's no way of legally monitoring what communities do... people do what they like in private in such a way that that becomes another way of intensifying oppression inside a community."

Multiculturalism 'divisive'

Under English law, people may devise their own way to settle a dispute in front of an agreed third party as long as both sides agree to the process.

Muslim Sharia courts and the Orthodox Jewish courts which already exist in the UK come into this category.

HAVE YOUR SAY

There is, and should only be, one law which covers all people and to suggest it can be otherwise is to seriously damage our rights

Patricia London, UKSend us your comments

Mohammed Shafiq, director of the Ramadhan Foundation, welcomed Dr Williams's comments, saying they "further underline the attempts by both our great faiths to build respect and tolerance".

He added: "Sharia law for civil matters is something which has been introduced in some western countries with much success. I believe that Muslims would take huge comfort from the government allowing civil matters being resolved according to their faith."

Ibrahim Mogra, of the Muslim Council of Britain, said: "We're looking at a very small aspect of Sharia for Muslim families when they choose to be governed with regards to their marriage, divorce, inheritance, custody of children and so forth."

He added: "Let's debate this issue. It is very complex. It is not as straight forward as saying that we will have a system here."

But Mark Pritchard, Tory MP for the Wrekin, in Shropshire, said the archbishop's comments were "naive and shocking" and he accused him of "pseudo-theological appeasement".

He said: "The archbishop should be standing up for our Judeo-Christian principles that underpin British criminal law that have been hard fought for. "He should be concentrating on winning souls into the Church of England rather than getting involved in politics."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7233335.stm

[singh_comradz]

..... Full Quotation of the post deleted by mod.

just how chamberlain appeased the nazis

Mod Note : Please do not quote full posts especially if they are just above your reply, next time posts will simply be deleted.

[Heera Singh]

by the way, he said that sharia law, if imposed, would only be for muslims; so everybody else would jus be still under 'British Law'

(not that i'm agreeing with this whole thing; jus a thought)

[Tejvir]

but then surely the british government will have to adapt the hakumnameh from akal thakat for sikhs, and im sure the jewish and the buddhists have there own laws. where will it stop ?

and if we want to get away with something people will be able to change religion... which any criminal mind would do to be let off the hook, so to speak

[Singhson]

by the way, he said that sharia law, if imposed, would only be for muslims; so everybody else would jus be still under 'British Law'

(not that i'm agreeing with this whole thing; jus a thought)

I don't want Sikh rules in this country, Islam, Buddhist, whatever. You live in this country (whichever western country), you live by the country's rules. Integrate. Why should Muslims impose their own rules just to suit themselves. It's a poor world we live in today.

[The_Perfect_Student]

There should be one and only law and that should be divine law.

The world will be at peace then, everyone will love each other, earth will become heaven.

[proactive]

The thing is that if you allow a little bit of Sharia law then the Muslims will demand more and more until they have a separate personal law like they have in India. The only thing the Indian govt keeps is the criminal law so that's why you don't get limbs being amputated there. The Muslims are looking for that type of accommodation and knowing how if they don't get their way they will throw a hissy fit or worse bomb a transport network, chances are in the end the govt will cave in. The concept of a separate law for a minority is problematic enough without the idiocy of a non-Muslim government enforcing outdated Muslim rules. Did any of you know that if a Muslim man divorces his wife by saying 'talak' three times then they cannot be reconciled and are only allowed to marry again if the woman marries another man, then divorces him and only after a set period can she then remarry her first husband! Can you imagine the British government enforcing a stupid law like that?

[rupinder singh]

And how does this all effect the price of milk?

[supasinghsghost]

I would rather go to a secular court than a sharia court

[Heera Singh]

It won't happen...

also remember, not ALL muslims want Sharia Rule.... in fact, i would say that many don't... many of them also left their homes back in the middle east or asia to get away from this type of gov't..

i's nah gonna happen..