Islamic Sharia Law

Most non-Muslims and even some Muslims do not know what the Islamic Sharia Law is all about. A Christian colleague of mine thinks that Islamic Sharia Law is only about mutilating people’s limbs for stealing or killing people for committing fornication.

What really is the Islamic Sharia Law?  According to an Islamic Scholar, Salah Al-Sawy, the word ‘Sharia’ refers to all that Allah ordained for His creation concerning religion whether it relates to acts of worship, transactions, or ethical matters.  It also refers to laws concerning actions as opposed to those referring to beliefs.

From another perspective, Sharia is all about Islamic rulings in Islamic jurisprudence as it relates to Muslims ‘actions.  It covers every aspect of human life right from birth dealing with dos and don’ts as ordained by Allah (SWT) and the reward for dos and punishment for don’ts. It simply means all that is expected of a Muslim is to desist from the don’ts and observe the dos.

On the other hand, there are rights prescribed by Allah (SWT) under the Sharia Law for protection of not only Muslims but also of non-Muslims.  The Sharia Law doctrine revolves around protecting and safe-guarding the following:

-          One’s religion;

-          One’s life;

-          One’s mind;

-          One’s honour and;

-          One’s wealth

In preserving one’s religion, Sharia give people the right to choose their religion. In the Qur’an verse 2 chapter 256, Allah (SWT) says:

“There is no compulsion in religion. Verily, the Right Path has become distinct from the wrong path.”

It is therefore a matter of choice what religion one chooses there is no compulsion to be a Muslim however, once you decide on being one, there is no going back.  The Sharia Law protects the right of non-Muslims living within the Islamic community to practice the religion of their choice giving them freedom to practice their faith and to judge according to their rulings concerning personal law.

Secondly, in preserving one’s life, the Sharia Law protects the individual’s life by declaring manslaughter and murder to be unlawful and enforces Islamic legislation with deterrent sentences so as to discourage the act.

Thirdly, in protecting one’s wealth, Sharia urges people to invest rather than hoard their money.  It also prohibits taking other people’s money by dubious means or by force (theft or armed robbery).  It declares that no one has any right over his brother’s money except that which was given to him by consent.

Fourthly, in protecting one’s mind, the Sharia declares alcoholic drinks and all sorts of intoxicants as unlawful.  It is not only the drinking of alcohol or using these intoxicants that is prohibited but also the selling and buying of such prohibited substances.

Finally, the Sharia Law protects one’s honour and posterity by prohibiting fornication and all kinds of perverse vices like sodomy and lesbianism.  It also prevents the act of unlawful sex by urging marriage.

This my dear brothers and sisters is an abridged discourse on Sharia Law to clear the minds of ‘doubting Thomases’ who think the Islamic Sharia Law is abhorrent because of the harshness of deterrent sentences in respect of unlawful sex and theft.

In 1999, the erstwhile Governor of Zamfara, in northern Nigeria now Senator, Ahmed Yerima introduced Sharia Law in that State. The media particularly from Southern Nigeria began a crusade condemning him for persecuting Christians living in Zamfara.  I read an article by a biased journalist who claimed that Christians were denied the right to buy land to build churches in Zamfara.  If that were so then Yerima would have been guilty of violating the Islamic Sharia Law which allows people to practice whatever faith they choose, as I mentioned earlier in this discourse.  As we speak today Christians are living peacefully in Zamfara going about their business without any fear of persecution while the Islamic Sharia Law is still active in the State.