Britian's Top Court: Sharia Law Should be Used

[festeringZit]

The beginning of the end...


Sharia law SHOULD be used in Britain, says UK's top judge


By Steve Doughty
Last updated at 12:05 PM on 04th July 2008

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Explosive: The Lord Chief Justice's endorsement of Sharia law has already created huge controversy

The most senior judge in England yesterday gave his blessing to the use of sharia law to resolve disputes among Muslims.
Lord Chief Justice Lord Phillips said that Islamic legal principles could be employed to deal with family and marital arguments and to regulate finance.
He declared: 'Those entering into a contractual agreement can agree that the agreement shall be governed by a law other than English law.'
In his speech at an East London mosque, Lord Phillips signalled approval of sharia principles as long as punishments - and divorce rulings - complied with the law of the land.
But his remarks, which back the informal sharia courts operated by numerous mosques, provoked a barrage of criticism.
Lawyers warned that family and marital disputes settled by sharia could disadvantage women or the vulnerable.
Tories said that legal equality must be respected and that rulings incompatible with English law should never be enforceable.
Lord Phillips spoke five months after Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams suggested Islamic law could govern marital law, financial transactions and arbitration in disputes.
The Lord Chief Justice said yesterday of the Archbishop's views: 'It was not very radical to advocate embracing sharia law in the context of family disputes'.
He added there is 'widespread misunderstanding as to the nature of sharia law'.

The Sharia Council of Britain: (from right to left) Dr Suhaib Hasan, Maulana Abu Sayeed and Mr Mufti Barabatullah preside over marriage cases at their headquarters earlier this year

Under fire: The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams. His comments on Sharia sparked a political storm

Lord Phillips said: 'Those who are in dispute are free to subject it to mediation or to agree that it shall be resolved by a chosen arbitrator. There is no reason why principles of sharia law or any other religious code should not be the basis for mediation or other forms of dispute resolution.'
Lord Phillips said that any sanctions must be 'drawn from the laws of England and Wales'. Severe physical punishment - he mentioned stoning, flogging or amputating hands - is 'out of the question' in Britain, he added.
Lord Phillips' speech brought protests from lawyers who fear women could be disadvantaged in supposedly voluntary sharia deals.
Barrister and human rights specialist John Cooper said: 'There should be one law by which everyone is held to account.
'Well-crafted laws in this country, drawn up to protect both parties including the weak and vulnerable party in matrimonial break-ups, could be compromised.'
Resolution, the organisation of family law solicitors, said people should govern their lives in accordance with religious principles 'provided that those beliefs and traditions do not contradict the fundamental principle of equality on which Britain's laws are based.'
Spokesman Teresa Richardson said religious law 'must be used to find solutions which are consistent with the basic principles of family law in this country and people must always have redress to the civil courts where they so choose.'
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Robert Whelan, of the Civitas think tank, said: 'Everybody is governed by English law and it is not possible to sign away your legal rights. That is why guarantees on consumer products always have to tell customers their statutory rights are not affected.
'There is not much doubt that in traditional Islamic communities women do not enjoy the freedoms that they have had for 100 years or more in Britain.


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'It is very easy to put pressure on young women in a male-dominated household. The English law stands to protect people from intimidation in such circumstances.'
Shadow Home Secretary Dominic Grieve said: 'Mediation verdicts which are incompatible with our own legal principles should never be enforceable. One of the key aspects of our free society is equality. This should be understood and respected by all.'
The Ministry of Justice said: 'English law takes precedence over any other legal system. The Government has no intention of changing this position. Alongside this, it is possible to resolve civil law dispute by other systems.'
Man in the news: Lord Phillips
When appointed Lord Chief Justice, Nicholas Phillips gave the impression he would steer an uncontroversial course.
He was best known as a Master of the Rolls - the most senior civil law judge - who had condemned the compensation culture.
His first act in office was to declare: 'I intend to keep out of politics'.
However 70-year-old Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers has followed his predecessor Lord Woolf in pushing for fewer prison sentences for criminals and has repeatedly clashed with ministers over criminal and constitutional law.
This week, members of the Government criticised the punishments he has devised for youths caught carrying knives.
In October 2006, newspapers pictured the Law Lord carrying out a community punishment in jeans and high visibility jacket, leaning on a shovel, and declaring government penal policy to be 'madness'.
In September, Lord Phillips is to leave the post to become the chief Law Lord and President of the new Supreme Court when it opens next year.
He has two children with his French wife, Christylle, and two stepchildren.

 

[DarrylParsons]

Did you notice the part about it being voluntary?

I think it's pretty cool to have a choice about which laws you want to be governed by.

 

[festeringZit]

Did you notice the part about it being voluntary?

I think it's pretty cool to have a choice about which laws you want to be governed by.

Yeah, and the abuse women take under Islam around the world is
supposedly voluntary too. ROFL.

 

[bblight]

Hey eek - I don't see anything against smoking or dog poop in Sharia - maybe you should convert.

 

[barman]

EEK wisely is not a resident of Great Britain. He is Scottish.

 

[eek.]

This is for those excitable jewish and fundy christian types who see this as the end of the world as we know it:

The context these guys are referring to is like you and me using sharia law in here to settle a spat.

However, we will always retain the right to kick one anothers ass in a proper court, should either party choose to escalate.

capiche?

 

[festeringZit]

This is for those excitable jewish and fundy christian types who see this as the end of the world as we know it:

The context these guys are referring to is like you and me using sharia law in here to settle a spat.

However, we will always retain the right to kick one anothers ass in a proper court, should either party choose to escalate.

capiche?

Eek,

If it all were so innocent and simple as that huh?

Schoolboys punished with detention for refusing to kneel in class and pray to Allah

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 11:30 AM on 04th July 2008

• Comments (26)
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Two schoolboys were given detention after refusing to kneel down and 'pray to Allah' during a religious education lesson.
Parents were outraged that the two boys from year seven (11 to 12-year-olds) were punished for not wanting to take part in the practical demonstration of how Allah is worshipped.
They said forcing their children to take part in the exercise at Alsager High School, near Stoke-on-Trent - which included wearing Muslim headgear - was a breach of their human rights.

Alsager School, near Stoke, has received furious complaints from parents after two Year 7 boys were punished for refusing to kneel to Allah during a religious studies class

One parent, Sharon Luinen, said: "This isn't right, it's taking things too far.
"I understand that they have to learn about other religions. I can live with that but it is taking it a step too far to be punished because they wouldn't join in Muslim prayer.
"Making them pray to Allah, who isn't who they worship, is wrong and what got me is that they were told they were being disrespectful.
"I don't want this to look as if I have a problem with the school because I am generally very happy with it."
Another parent Karen Williams said: "I am absolutely furious my daughter was made to take part in it and I don't find it acceptable.
"I haven't got a problem with them teaching my child other religions and a small amount of information doesn't do any harm.
"But not only did they have to pray, the teacher had gone into the class and made them watch a short film and then said 'we are now going out to pray to Allah'.
"Then two boys got detention and all the other children missed their refreshment break because of the teacher.
"Not only was it forced upon them, my daughter was told off for not doing it right.
"They'd never done it before and they were supposed to do it in another language."
"My child has been forced to pray to Allah in a school lesson." The grandfather of one of the pupils in the class said: "It's absolutely disgusting, there's no other way of putting it.
"My daughter and a lot of other mothers are furious about their children being made to kneel on the floor and pray to Islam. If they didn't do it they were given detention.
"I am not racist, I've been friendly with an Indian for 30 years. I've also been to a Muslim wedding where it was explained to me that alcohol would not be served and I respected that.
"But if Muslims were asked to go to church on Sunday and take Holy Communion there would be war."

Parents said that their children were made to bend down on their knees on prayer mats which the RE teacher had got out of her cupboard and they were also told to wear Islamic headgear during the lesson on Tuesday afternoon.
Deputy headmaster Keith Plant said: "It's difficult to know at the moment whether this was part of the curriculum or not. I am not an RE teacher, I am an English teacher.
"At the moment it is our enterprise week and many of our members of staff are away.
"The particular member of staff you need to speak to isn't around. I think that it is a shame that so many parents have got in touch with the Press before coming to me.
"I have spoken to the teacher and she has articulately given me her version of events, but that is all I can give you at the moment."
A statement from Cheshire County Council on behalf of the school read: "The headteacher David Black contacted this authority immediately complaints were received.

"Enquiries are being made into the circumstances as a matter of urgency and all parents will be informed accordingly.
"Educating children in the beliefs of different faith is part of the diversity curriculum on the basis that knowledge is essential to understanding.
"We accept that such teaching is to be conducted with some sense of sensitivity."

 

[Dawoofdaddy]

I think a few lashes and stonings are something that is needed in America to clean up some of the crime.

eek, is this type of stuff getting any foothold where you live?

 

[barman]

EEK is in Scotland. They're not near as wacky as the Brits.

 

[eek.]

I'm near the Highlands, a long way away from Londonistan.

Cultural influences are marginal up here.

Chips and curry sauce is popular tho.

 

[Willie99]

EEK wisely is not a resident of Great Britain. He is Scottish.

:think2:

 

[ScottL]

This is for those excitable jewish and fundy christian types who see this as the end of the world as we know it:

The context these guys are referring to is like you and me using sharia law in here to settle a spat.

However, we will always retain the right to kick one anothers ass in a proper court, should either party choose to escalate.

capiche?

Eek I've read this drivel from you for years. Let's end it or explain yourself please. There are 4 types of Jews [5 if you count railbird's whacked out views]:

Reformed/Secular -- basically atheists who were born of Jewish parents. 35 %

Conservative -- Believe in God but don't follow the Torah for the most part. That's about 62 %

Orthodox/Lubavitchers -- Strict adherence to Old Testament Jewish law. These people basically live in small communities and keep to themselves. They are non-political.You can compare them to the Amish. 3%

Fundies??? I don't know what YOU call them eek, but the rest of us don't respect them and they have little influence. Sorry to burst your bubble, but there are a lot more religious fundies amongst Christians and Muslims. And unlike the Jews these groups are a pernicious force. Ask your pal doc.

 

[barman]

:think2:

My bad...Meant to state that EEK is not in England.

And really, at the end of most days in the 21st century, few Scots view themselves as Britons either.

 

[ScottL]

EEk you gonna hit n run again? And then hit again in another thread?

Prove to the forum that it's just Christian and Jewish fundys who should fear Sharia Law. And not everyone, especially people flying out of Heathrow.

 

[JoeContrarian]

 

[Romanowski]

brits are homos

 

[ScottL]

Give ya one more shot eek since I know you're reading this right now.

 

[JoeContrarian]

What a sad, sad spectacle...to live through and witness the cultural, moral and economic decline of one of histories most influential powers.

"Progressive" secularism and multiculturalism blow chunks!

uke1:

 

[barman]

And there we get to the roots of MARK L's pompous cyber finger wagging. He believes America is going to hell in a handbasket.

Meanwhile, the rest of RightThinkingAmericans believe no such thing and are as excited about the upcoming decades as we have been for each of our previous five decades here in the great country called the USA.

 

[ScottL]

Yeah but do you have to in every thread Bar? Come on.