Entries from Islam's Advance tagged with 'United Kingdom'
Saudi-Backed Hate Propaganda, Exposed
Why have many Muslims in the UK resisted full integration into British society?
The British government has been trying to address this issue for the last decade, mostly by using the discourse of "multiculturalism." According to that line of thinking, solutions to alienation among Muslims include community outreach and empowerment programs, funding for youth groups and social networking sites, and large inter-faith conferences.
British Muslim leaders have largely supported these initiatives and helped generate the impression, at least in government circles, that everyone is working together to separate rogue extremists from the religious establishment. But Monday night, the Dispatches documentary series revealed a very different picture of what goes on in some of the UK's flagship Muslim institutions.
A Case For Sharia Law in the West
What role should Sharia have in the UK? That's one of the most controversial debates taking place in Britain today, and Sheikh Suheib Hassan of the UK Sharia Council thinks he has the answer.
Sharia law consists of the teachings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad as recorded in the Koran and hadiths. In the West, Sharia law has been characterized, infamously so, by its penal code, which includes punishments such as floggings and amputations. For Muslims, Sharia is a way of life decreed by God. In the UK, with a population of 2 million Muslims, the issue of Sharia has called into question the liberal, secular consensus of the post-war years, and tapped into deeper fears of the erosion of so-called "British values" in the face of immigration.
For many second- and third-generation British Muslims, their Islamic identity has become an important bridge between the different cultures that they straddle. Many Muslims and non-Muslim Brits have trod cautiously around the issue. But Sheikh Hassan, the secretary of the UK Sharia Council and a religious authority figure, has no qualms about speaking his mind in this video.
He believes Sharia law should be recognized under British law for personal matters like marriage and divorce, issues that make up the bulk of his work at the council.
But the Sheikh also wants to go further.With violent murders and robberies on the rise in the UK, he believes British lawmakers should be make a broader appraisal of Sharia, and consider incorporating its penal code for Muslims and non-Mulsims alike, as you will hear.
For a fuller assesment of the debate, check out my earlier blog.
