Revealed: UK’s first official sharia courts

[Trn2allah]

Revealed: UK’s first official sharia courts

Abul Taher

ISLAMIC law has been officially adopted in Britain, with sharia courts given powers to rule on Muslim civil cases.

The government has quietly sanctioned the powers for sharia judges to rule on cases ranging from divorce and financial disputes to those involving domestic violence.

Rulings issued by a network of five sharia courts are enforceable with the full power of the judicial system, through the county courts or High Court.

Previously, the rulings of sharia courts in Britain could not be enforced, and depended on voluntary compliance among Muslims.

It has now emerged that sharia courts with these powers have been set up in London, Birmingham, Bradford and Manchester with the network’s headquarters in Nuneaton, Warwickshire. Two more courts are being planned for Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Sheikh Faiz-ul-Aqtab Siddiqi, whose Muslim Arbitration Tribunal runs the courts, said he had taken advantage of a clause in the Arbitration Act 1996.

Under the act, the sharia courts are classified as arbitration tribunals. The rulings of arbitration tribunals are binding in law, provided that both parties in the dispute agree to give it the power to rule on their case.

Siddiqi said: “We realised that under the Arbitration Act we can make rulings which can be enforced by county and high courts. The act allows disputes to be resolved using alternatives like tribunals. This method is called alternative dispute resolution, which for Muslims is what the sharia courts are.”

The disclosure that Muslim courts have legal powers in Britain comes seven months after Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, was pilloried for suggesting that the establishment of sharia in the future “seems unavoidable” in Britain.

In July, the head of the judiciary, the lord chief justice, Lord Phillips, further stoked controversy when he said that sharia could be used to settle marital and financial disputes.

In fact, Muslim tribunal courts started passing sharia judgments in August 2007. They have dealt with more than 100 cases that range from Muslim divorce and inheritance to nuisance neighbours.

It has also emerged that tribunal courts have settled six cases of domestic violence between married couples, working in tandem with the police investigations.

Siddiqi said he expected the courts to handle a greater number of “smaller” criminal cases in coming years as more Muslim clients approach them. “All we are doing is regulating community affairs in these cases,” said Siddiqi, chairman of the governing council of the tribunal.

Jewish Beth Din courts operate under the same provision in the Arbitration Act and resolve civil cases, ranging from divorce to business disputes. They have existed in Britain for more than 100 years, and previously operated under a precursor to the act.

Politicians and church leaders expressed concerns that this could mark the beginnings of a “parallel legal system” based on sharia for some British Muslims.

Dominic Grieve, the shadow home secretary, said: “If it is true that these tribunals are passing binding decisions in the areas of family and criminal law, I would like to know which courts are enforcing them because I would consider such action unlawful. British law is absolute and must remain so.”

Douglas Murray, the director of the Centre for Social Cohesion, said: “I think it’s appalling. I don’t think arbitration that is done by sharia should ever be endorsed or enforced by the British state.”

There are concerns that women who agree to go to tribunal courts are getting worse deals because Islamic law favours men.

Siddiqi said that in a recent inheritance dispute handled by the court in Nuneaton, the estate of a Midlands man was divided between three daughters and two sons.

The judges on the panel gave the sons twice as much as the daughters, in accordance with sharia. Had the family gone to a normal British court, the daughters would have got equal amounts.

In the six cases of domestic violence, Siddiqi said the judges ordered the husbands to take anger management classes and mentoring from community elders. There was no further punishment.

In each case, the women subsequently withdrew the complaints they had lodged with the police and the police stopped their investigations.

Siddiqi said that in the domestic violence cases, the advantage was that marriages were saved and couples given a second chance.

Inayat Bunglawala, assistant secretary-general of the Muslim Council of Britain, said: “The MCB supports these tribunals. If the Jewish courts are allowed to flourish, so must the sharia ones.”

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle4749183.ece

[جوري]

It is amazing, they are enforcing shari3a law in England and not in countries like Egypt or syria etc etc...
sobhan Allah..
bada'a Al'Islam gharyban ws say3ood gharyban kama kan..

[Trn2allah]

Lol i wudnt exactly say they enforcing the Law of Quraan and Sunnah...

This dont mean its halal to settle here either

[جوري]

I don't particularly care for the UK, however, small the step toward establishing shari3a law, I find it impressive and at least in comparison to so-called Muslim countries...

as for where or where not it is halal to settle, I believe that is a personal judgment..
and Allah knows best

Thanks for the article
:w:

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[doorster]

proper link >> http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle4749183.ece to read article and reactions to it

• Read all 370 comments

[جوري]

eh I hate reading comments, whenever I post my opinion, I get. 'thank you, we can't gurantee it will be published' but of course anti-Islamic rhetoric does...

[Amadeus85]

It amazes me how left supports radical right.

[Chuck]

it amazes me how left supports radical right.

lulz

[Amadeus85]

lulz

I meant that socialists who have mouths full of words about equality of sexes and feminism and emancipation of sexual minorities have supported law which sees men and women as not equal.
I have read that lately there was example that after muslim father death in UK his sons got bigger share of money after him than the daughters, which was sanctioned by UK shariah council in that town. IN other example a man beating his wife was advised by religious court to "calm his temper" and he was set free.
Of course I know that it is not whle shariah law,it is just for marriage and family cases. Just like jews and sikhs have their religious courts for these affairs. Which means that muslims in UK cant kill apostates or adulterers in their cominity (at least not officialy).

[doorster]

I meant that socialists who have mouths full of words about equality of sexes and feminism and emancipation of sexual minorities have supported law which sees men and women as not equal.
I have read that lately there was example that after muslim father death in UK his sons got bigger share of money after him than the daughters, which was sanctioned by UK shariah council in that town. IN other example a man beating his wife was advised by religious court to "calm his temper" and he was set free.
Of course I know that it is not whle shariah law,it is just for marriage and family cases. Just like jews and sikhs have their religious courts for these affairs. Which means that muslims in UK cant kill apostates or adulterers in their cominity (at least not officialy).

you never stop, do you?its amazing how your type is allowed to post distortions time after time, yet I once got banned from here for life for trying to stop you

[Danah]

this might might be a good sign, even if its not full enforcing of the Law of Quraan and Sunnah...its gonna be the beginning toward that stage
I think that UK do really need such courts if we consider the number of muslims in the UK.

[Questfortruth]

It is amazing, they are enforcing shari3a law in England and not in countries like Egypt or syria etc etc...
sobhan Allah..
bada'a Al'Islam gharyban ws say3ood gharyban kama kan..

:sl:

Last time I posted my comment about this issue it was deleted. The reason muslims cannot speak out agiasnt "Muslim" Countries for shariah is because muslims scholars have said the following.

Democracy = Shirk
Military coup = Bidah
Protest = Imitating the Kuffar
Speaking out agiasnt the ruler = Dogs of hell fire

Is there any other way?

[barney]

Well, pretty much as I predicted.

It wont stagger people to learn, my opinion is Britian is a secular country with secular laws and that should be the case. No if's no buts.
No Jewish courts, no Islamic courts, no Mormon courts.

Its the start of the slope.

[جوري]

I meant that socialists who have mouths full of words about equality of sexes and feminism and emancipation of sexual minorities have supported law which sees men and women as not equal.
I have read that lately there was example that after muslim father death in UK his sons got bigger share of money after him than the daughters, which was sanctioned by UK shariah council in that town. IN other example a man beating his wife was advised by religious court to "calm his temper" and he was set free.
Of course I know that it is not whle shariah law,it is just for marriage and family cases. Just like jews and sikhs have their religious courts for these affairs. Which means that muslims in UK cant kill apostates or adulterers in their cominity (at least not officialy).

inheritance laws are set so that a woman gets to keep her share, but a man has to use his share for the both of them. In other words, let's take a secular example.. someone like Britney spears according to secular laws, has to pay alimony for her husband because she makes the bigger income and he has custody, in according with Sharia law, she is to keep her fortune and the man is obligated to pay alimony even if he makes 1/8 of what she is making.. In other words, according to shari3a a woman isn't treated equal to you, she is supposed to be treated 'better than you'

It infuriates me actually reading all the ignorant comment made, on the webpage, itself, but it is no matter, in due time people will see the right way, isn't a moronic system of 12 ignorant jurors or some haphazard laws made by another moron who can't understand the physical/psychological and social differences between men and woman...

I can also offer you this as an answer, the only other religion that has a complete political system is Judaism, not sikhs, not jans, and I dare even say not christians...so I don't see one way or the other why it would be a bother to be subject to the whimsy of men's laws, rather than proper divine jurisprudence.

The law against apostates, is implemented only where there is an Islamic state.. for the same exact reasons, the death penalty is implemented in the united states against treason (I call your attention for instance to Ethyl and Julius Rosenberg) treason is treason, where I personally think it a greater offense to be committed against God, rather than the state!

cheers

[aboveinfluence]

I was reading the comments on the web page, what is there to say about it! It just shows how ignorant people are about Islam and the need for us to get up and educate them. People are starting to associate non-islamic things with Islam just because it is repeated so often to them without any evidence from the religion until they belief it to be true.
Also some people were saying that they feel sorry for muslim women and that they have no choice in whether they want to go to a shariah court. I wish they knew that we don't need their sympathy or their sorry. Alhamdulilah we are happy with our religion and if they can't accept that it is their problem not mine.
Also, people keep thinking that shairah has something to do with arabs, Islam is not an arab religion but a religion for all of mankind. I can't belief how people can say that they need to leave our country when Islam is a religion which anyone can practice and it is not restricted to one land or country.

We muslims need to do more and try to enlighten non-muslims on the true teachings of Islam.

:sl:

[جوري]

good luck trying to get your opinion in there, I honestly believe there is no such thing as freedom of expression, unless of course you are free to express their ignorant rhetoric..

:w:

[north_malaysian]

So United Kingdom is the second European country having Shariah Court for Family matters after Greece...

[Malaikah]

I have read that lately there was example that after muslim father death in UK his sons got bigger share of money after him than the daughters, which was sanctioned by UK shariah council in that town.

And what you fail to mention is that the women get to keep their money from them selves and can't be forced to spend it on anything they don't want to, but that the men are OBLIGED to spend their money on their families.

[Amadeus85]

Well, pretty much as I predicted.

It wont stagger people to learn, my opinion is Britian is a secular country with secular laws and that should be the case. No if's no buts.
No Jewish courts, no Islamic courts, no Mormon courts.

Its the start of the slope.

Barney, you are an Englishman, what your friends and family says about this subject? They are somehow dissapointed on Labour about that? Do you think that the reason is the brittish way of dealing with immigrants which is based on multiculturalism, while for example France chose assimilation?
Question to muslims, what kind of things would these courts rule? Family and marriage issues has very wide meaning. Can someone name it more specific?

[barney]

Barney, you are an Englishman, what your friends and family says about this subject? They are somehow dissapointed on Labour about that? Do you think that the reason is the brittish way of dealing with immigrants which is based on multiculturalism, while for example France chose assimilation?
Question to muslims, what kind of things would these courts rule? Family and marriage issues has very wide meaning. Can someone name it more specific?

My freinds and family havnt said anything about it. Issues like the UK becoming a theocracy dont interest them. They are interested in Big Brother and Football and politics for them is bashing America, because everyone does.

In a general sense, I think most non-muslim English will furrow their brow and say "hmmph! thats the start of the slippery slope...were all going to be ruled by muslims and they'll chop off our heads with big swords for wearing strappy sandles" Then they'll go and eat some fish and chips and forget about it.

The English in my opinion, like multiculturalism as a concept. They will be disgusted at racism or white supremacy, but they have a nagging feeling that its not actually working like it should. We were told that all people are equal and we would all live together happily and repectfully, smiling at each other , talking freely and sharing each others cultures.

What we got was Halton Moor in Leeds, Dewsbury and Bradford. The adopted people gathered in estates where nowadays less than 3% of the residents are white and if your driving through or walking through a sea of faces will stare at you. You are clearly encroaching on their land. I asked over seven people for directions one day last year. i know that you shouldnt mix unnessecerily with Kaffir, but i was asking directions. It's only polite to answer. The self isolation that "not imitating" and "not taking freinds amongst" causes has built a fractured parody of what multiculturalism was supposed to be.

It's not all muslim centered. The current Polish influx in my town has opened up Polish delicatessens, Polish sweetshops selling polish foods to polish people and carved a square mile of the town into a Polish area.

I am in favour of multiculturalism. But that means mixing, it means talking, it means sharing culture not building a walled city of your own "race", being freindly, being approachable and it certainly DOSNT mean wheedeling your own law system into someone elses country under the guise of political correctness.:enough!::enough!::enough!:

Rants over now.:D

[جوري]

England has imposed its stupid political system on half the world, I can't think of a place I had visited including where I currently reside that wasn't under their imperial rule at some point or another.. and yes that includes their stupid license to own TV. It is a conundrum to me, why so upset over a law that doesn't affect you one way or the other?

Other than that, I can't imagine why you are complaining, you are practically a permenant resident on the forum, isn't that enough mixing with Muslims? every time you take a hike, you roll back in like a bad penny!

cheers

[barney]

Your in America yep? We ruled that yep? You changed it to a system you liked, yep?
Go figure.

My point is that our law is our law, we will change it democratically. We have democratically decided to allow islamic courts. I say this is wrong because there should be one secular law for all people else The 7th day adventists will be demanding that they are exempt from paying car tax because of the particular mass beleifs they hold.

The licence fee is to pay for an independent media channel free of bias.

I see our licence fee and raise you your health care system. If your poor...you die.
I like mixing with Muslims. I generally like Muslims as much as the next person.
I agree with the poster in the previous page that Muslims need to educate unbeleivers on the real Islam. Kaffirs need to educate Muslims on the real West.

I mean, the current teaching is ridiculous. You are taught that we are unclean because we dont wash after the Toilet. Well sorry but we do. We are taught that you dont use toilet paper! Again untrue. theres so much misinformation from both sides. How can multiculturalism work like this?

[Malaikah]

In a general sense, I think most non-muslim English will furrow their brow and say "hmmph! thats the start of the slippery slope...were all going to be ruled by muslims and they'll chop off our heads with big swords for wearing strappy sandles" Then they'll go and eat some fish and chips and forget about it.

The typical non-Muslim English person must be pretty lacking in intelligence then. Why would the non-Muslim English majority vote in a Muslim government?? Or have they forgotten how elections work?

[جوري]

Your in America yep? We ruled that yep? You changed it to a system you liked, yep?
Go figure.

ha? they threw out your crappy system in lieu of another crappy system.. one that elects 12 jurors oafs from the street to decide your fate, ones who rule against the city when someone falls, and charge tax payers millions because they are dumb enough not to recognize that when they empathesize with a dead beat the money is actually going to come out of their wallet!

My point is that our law is our law, we will change it democratically. We have democratically decided to allow islamic courts. I say this is wrong because there should be one secular law for all people else The 7th day adventists will be demanding that they are exempt from paying car tax because of the particular mass beleifs they hold.

if a 7th century adventist wishes to evade car tax, he will do so whether or not the 'democratic secular' has a say. further, democracy is about majority rule, you see that is how the U.S ended up with that poodle for president though a little less than half the country despises him--tough..'democracy' isn't about pleasing everyone.. it is about what the majority desire to have done.. given that you've invaded china and forced them to adopt an open door policy, divided up the middle east and Africa, stolen and shot at peace marchers in India, stolen the wealth of other nations while bragging of not losing a single British soldier in a battle, given all those expendible minions the world over, put themselves in the line of fire so your wig toting, beer drinking, pickled pork feet eating lords can sit in their lovely homes doing what they do best...
I think it is about time you gave a little, if one can actually consider this giving!

The licence fee is to pay for an independent media channel free of bias.

I think you should also obtain a license to have children, that is how stupid that law is.

I see our licence fee and raise you your health care system. If your poor...you die.

Actually if you are poor and on medcaid you get better health care than an actual health care professional, since the govt. pays for you our of my tax money!

I like mixing with Muslims. I generally like Muslims as much as the next person.
I agree with the poster in the previous page that Muslims need to educate unbeleivers on the real Islam. Kaffirs need to educate Muslims on the real West.

I watched enough captain Dan Reid to know what the real west is all about :D

I mean, the current teaching is ridiculous. You are taught that we are unclean because we dont wash after the Toilet. Well sorry but we do. We are taught that you dont use toilet paper! Again untrue. theres so much misinformation from both sides. How can multiculturalism work like this?

well it is bizarre not to have a built in bidet don't you think? I have to shell out $250 in any place I take short term residence to have maintanence professionaly instal one.. better to be well sudsed and dewy, than chafed and questionably clean at best?

cheers

[barney]

The typical non-Muslim English person must be pretty lacking in intelligence then. Why would the non-Muslim English majority vote in a Muslim government?? Or have they forgotten how elections work?

First bit is correct. English are a bit thick.

Why would they vote in a Muslim Govenment? well if an islamic party formed in the UK promising to bring in "equal rights" for muslims, it would get currently if every muslim voted about 1/8th the votes of the opposition party.

As the demographic changes, and turnout amongst voters falls, the possibility of Muslims M.P's holding dozens of seats on an "Islamic Party" ticket is realistic.
These MP's to a disallusioned and weak government would weild power far outweighing their numbers.

If we are allowing Islamic law courts in the UK with not even a single Islamic party in parliment, how much more will change if one was formed?

[north_malaysian]

Within this week I've seen a Malaysian-made documentary about Muslims in Greece.

The Muslims have their own Sharia courts since 1920s and the Greek people have no problems with that...in fact they are proudly saying Greece is more Islamic than Turkey when it comes to Islamic Family Laws... In fact Greece allows hijab at schools and universities.

If Sharia Courts can exist in a country where 98% + population who are non Muslims since 1920s with no problems...why not UK?

[Amadeus85]

Within this week I've seen a Malaysian-made documentary about Muslims in Greece.

The Muslims have their own Sharia courts since 1920s and the Greek people have no problems with that...in fact they are proudly saying Greece is more Islamic than Turkey when it comes to Islamic Family Laws... In fact Greece allows hijab at schools and universities.

If Sharia Courts can exist in a country where 98% + population who are non Muslims since 1920s with no problems...why not UK?

North Malaysian I think that the question is how wide is this sharia law in UK. How many and what kind of issues will it rule. Is it just family and marriage issues or something more that we dont know.

[Amadeus85]

First bit is correct. English are a bit thick.

Why would they vote in a Muslim Govenment? well if an islamic party formed in the UK promising to bring in "equal rights" for muslims, it would get currently if every muslim voted about 1/8th the votes of the opposition party.

As the demographic changes, and turnout amongst voters falls, the possibility of Muslims M.P's holding dozens of seats on an "Islamic Party" ticket is realistic.
These MP's to a disallusioned and weak government would weild power far outweighing their numbers.

If we are allowing Islamic law courts in the UK with not even a single Islamic party in parliment, how much more will change if one was formed?

Barney, You are suggesting a creation of muslim party in UK or I have misunderstood You?
To the multicultural issues, You think that letting in millions of immigrants to UK was unavoidable? Because we all know that since the 70's there was serious lack of workers in whole Western Europe. So maybe the mass immigration was necessary and something that we cant avoid, my country either. Maybe the globalization of economic is the main reason. Companies will always lobby on goverment to allow immigrants in. Or maybe there is a way to stop it.
As for the Poles, I must tell You that great majority of them will come back sooner or later, as they havent come to UK to live there forever, especially when the UK pound looses value.
You think that there could appear a political power which could gain many votes by insisting to stop immigration, like it happens in many countries of continental Europe.