Given the heightened concern over Islam surrounding the pre-election 2010 Republican political mobilization around the 'Ground Zero' mosque (here), Peter King's Muslim Radicalization Congressional hearings (here), and a recent wave of anti-Shari'a measures by a number of US State Legislatures (here), I was interested in finding out how Muslims view the centrality of shari'a, i.e. Islamic law, for their lives. Well, many Americans would probably be surprised to know that while they were bbq-ing on this 4th of July tens of thousands of Muslims were gathering at Chicago's Rosemont Convention Center with a strong message: shari'a enhances their commitment to living peacefully and prosperously in America as American Muslims.
While politicians and pundits equate shari'a with criminal punishments such as beheadings and stonings, American Muslim spokespersons and audiences were in complete agreement that they have no interest in applying any form of punishments in the US and only seek to observe the ethical shari'a guidelines on how to properly practice their religious rituals and holidays, as well as inform their day-to-day lives with such moral precepts. Some Jews are also worried about this since Islamic shari'a is very similar to Jewish Halakha, or Jewish law (here), and also because there are already Jewish Halakha courts openly operating in the US (here). Ultimately, either Shari'a arbitration will be allowed to operate like Halakha courts do or both will be denied legal status.
The other issue worth noting is that most Muslims I came across or heard speak cited one important source for how they interpret shari'a as Muslims living in the US as a minority. This source was also the most widely available shari'a guidance via cd and dvd sales at the ISNA Convention, which shows that people are buying, listening to, and watching this material in droves. So, who is this source??? No, not the fundamentalist faves: Ibn Taymiyya, Sayyid Qutb or Mawdudi.
Rather, his name is Shaykh Abdullah bin Bayyah. He is a Mauritanian Muslim Shari'a Authority who currently resides and teaches in Saudia Arabia. I know, you probably think that makes him a Wahhabi militant...not exactly. He sought refuge there after a military coup in his own country. He has arguably been the most influential shari'a authority for Muslims in Europe and North America on how to live as good Muslims in secular non-Muslim countries. He has a popular cd set: Sacred Law, Secular Land. A short excerpt from this talk can be found here as 'Muslims Living in non-Muslim Lands' (you only need to read the first half, till the Moderation section). Reading this should alleviate any fears that the largest Muslim organization in North America (ISNA) is doing anything other than cultivating law-abiding citizens who are well-informed about their religious duties to be good Americans.
In case that is not enough ISNA was prepared to provide more solid stats to support their pro-America / pro-Islam stance. According to the Muslim Political Affairs Council (MPAC), 7 out of the last 10 domestic terror plots by Muslims have actually been thwarted by Muslim individuals, mosques, and organizations working with local police and intelligence authorities. MPAC has published a Terrorism Database Report (here) to demonstrate that Muslims have only accounted for approximately one-third of total domestic terror plots since 9/11, pointing out that while 48 plots have been by Muslims 105 have been by non-Muslims. Their aim is to statistically dissociate American Muslims from terrorism in the US.
While Peter King's recent Congressional hearing on Muslim radicalization attempted to emphasize the threat, LA County Sheriff Leroy Baca provided numerous examples of how Muslim individuals and organizations in California as well as nationwide have been pivotal to Homeland Security. To express this commitment further ISNA invited LA County Sheriff Leroy Baca to their convention to express gratitude for his Congressional testimony and to give him the opportunity to address the American Muslim community directly.
I could continue and get into the details of my observations of Shari'a Q&A sessions and such, but that is better suited for an analytical essay than a blog post. On a lighter note, enjoy the tongue-in-cheek Muslim hipster humor of the American Muslim band the Kominas' song: Shari'a Law in the USA
While politicians and pundits equate shari'a with criminal punishments such as beheadings and stonings, American Muslim spokespersons and audiences were in complete agreement that they have no interest in applying any form of punishments in the US and only seek to observe the ethical shari'a guidelines on how to properly practice their religious rituals and holidays, as well as inform their day-to-day lives with such moral precepts. Some Jews are also worried about this since Islamic shari'a is very similar to Jewish Halakha, or Jewish law (here), and also because there are already Jewish Halakha courts openly operating in the US (here). Ultimately, either Shari'a arbitration will be allowed to operate like Halakha courts do or both will be denied legal status.
The other issue worth noting is that most Muslims I came across or heard speak cited one important source for how they interpret shari'a as Muslims living in the US as a minority. This source was also the most widely available shari'a guidance via cd and dvd sales at the ISNA Convention, which shows that people are buying, listening to, and watching this material in droves. So, who is this source??? No, not the fundamentalist faves: Ibn Taymiyya, Sayyid Qutb or Mawdudi.
Rather, his name is Shaykh Abdullah bin Bayyah. He is a Mauritanian Muslim Shari'a Authority who currently resides and teaches in Saudia Arabia. I know, you probably think that makes him a Wahhabi militant...not exactly. He sought refuge there after a military coup in his own country. He has arguably been the most influential shari'a authority for Muslims in Europe and North America on how to live as good Muslims in secular non-Muslim countries. He has a popular cd set: Sacred Law, Secular Land. A short excerpt from this talk can be found here as 'Muslims Living in non-Muslim Lands' (you only need to read the first half, till the Moderation section). Reading this should alleviate any fears that the largest Muslim organization in North America (ISNA) is doing anything other than cultivating law-abiding citizens who are well-informed about their religious duties to be good Americans.
In case that is not enough ISNA was prepared to provide more solid stats to support their pro-America / pro-Islam stance. According to the Muslim Political Affairs Council (MPAC), 7 out of the last 10 domestic terror plots by Muslims have actually been thwarted by Muslim individuals, mosques, and organizations working with local police and intelligence authorities. MPAC has published a Terrorism Database Report (here) to demonstrate that Muslims have only accounted for approximately one-third of total domestic terror plots since 9/11, pointing out that while 48 plots have been by Muslims 105 have been by non-Muslims. Their aim is to statistically dissociate American Muslims from terrorism in the US.
While Peter King's recent Congressional hearing on Muslim radicalization attempted to emphasize the threat, LA County Sheriff Leroy Baca provided numerous examples of how Muslim individuals and organizations in California as well as nationwide have been pivotal to Homeland Security. To express this commitment further ISNA invited LA County Sheriff Leroy Baca to their convention to express gratitude for his Congressional testimony and to give him the opportunity to address the American Muslim community directly.
I could continue and get into the details of my observations of Shari'a Q&A sessions and such, but that is better suited for an analytical essay than a blog post. On a lighter note, enjoy the tongue-in-cheek Muslim hipster humor of the American Muslim band the Kominas' song: Shari'a Law in the USA
