The Issue of Shariah

 

Christian Shariah

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful:

“So if they dispute with thee,

Say: ‘I have submitted my whole self to Allah and so have those who follow me.’

And say to the People of the Book and to those who are unlearned:

‘Do you (also) submit yourselves?’

If they do, they are in right guidance, but if they turn back,

Thy duty is to convey the Message;

And in Allah’s sight are (all) His servants.”

(Quran 3: 20)

It is almost laughable when one hears Unbelievers speaking the word “shariah”. They speak the word in venomous tones, scared to death of the vision it conveys to their ignorant minds.  Most of them do not remember that they are speaking an Arabic word with perfectly defined meaning. To the majority of them and their leaders, this word signifies impending doom, were “shariah” ever to be instituted in the land. They know not what it means, but will fight tooth and nail to prevent its establishment in their land. Moreover, the professed “devout” people among them are the staunchest opponents of establishing “shariah” in their societies.

“Shariah” is an Arabic word meaning “the rules and regulations of society ordained by Allah (God)”.  It is contained in His Message to Mankind, detailing what is acceptable and what is unacceptable behavior in human society.  It also defines how to regulate these behaviors.  Its purpose is to ensure that people build a society that consistently operates in their best interest without anyone being above the law.  It originates in the Message of Allah, and is in every Book of Guidance sent to every people on Earth. Despite the fact that these rules are now considered “religious” in nature, there are no “religions” which do not have them.

bygone days of western modesty

In ignorant societies, there are always large groups of “religious” people who claim to be God-fearing and “devout” believers in the laws of God.  They preach to others to follow “God’s laws” and apply His recommended values in their lives. What they are doing in reality (if they only knew), is exhorting their people to adopt “shariah”. But it is these same people who are amongst the worst opposition to the implementation of “shariah law” in the land today.  On the one hand, they decry the degradation of morality in present-day society and call for the adoption of Allah’s moral values as outlined in their books. On the other hand, they are quite content to accept their moral standard as an abnormal, impractical feature of current society and thus subject their moral vision to the inconsistent views of rampant disbelief.  Therefore, they convict themselves as to the strength and reality of their Faith. 

Islam’s call to believers to implement shariah is nothing unusual or sinister. The issue is a simple, straightforward one.  If you accept Islam as your lifestyle and you truly believe in the Message, then these regulations are necessary for the Islamic society to emerge and exist. Without their implementation, the “Islamic” community is nothing but a sham; a pipe dream.  Islam is a practical lifestyle which cannot be relegated to lip-service.  It must become translated into a tangible reality where those who profess worship of Allah (God) can live their commitments. The Quran puts it quite bluntly:

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful:

“O ye who believe!

Enter into Islam wholeheartedly;

And follow not the footsteps of the Evil One;

For he is to you an avowed enemy.”

(Quran 2: 208)