Mention the word sharia in any conversation in virtually any Muslim country (especially Pakistan) and there are generally two fairly typical reactions. One reaction is that this is an excellent step and should be implemented immediately. What is the delay? The other reaction is that this would be an unmitigated disaster that will take us back centuries and cause ruin and havoc not to mention that all the "fun" would be taken out of life. Reactions in a non-muslim (typically Western) country are generally even more violent to the very thought of Sharia. Why do people have reactions like this?
There is a lot of confusion over exactly what is Sharia. The average Muslim living in a Muslim country is generally unaware of what Sharia is. At this point, let me add a disclosure note. I am not a religious scholar and will not attempt even the beginnings of an answer to the question of what Sharia is. The point of this post in any case is not to try and define Sharia but to try and explore why people have such polarized views to this subject. This confusion has not stopped people - both Muslim and non-Muslim from weighing in on the subject. Interestingly enough, a Google search on what is sharia returns sites that seem to be written primarily by non-Muslims. The main aspect of Sharia that seems to arouse ire one camp and draw explanations from the other is the alleged treatment of women under the law.
The biggest confusion regarding Sharia in the minds of Muslims concerns its status. Is it sacred and therefore fixed for all eternity or can it be adapted to circumstances while staying within certain parameters. There is a good article by Dr. Riffat Hussain which seeks to address this issue. Personally I feel that religious scholars, who are the best authorities on Sharia, have shirked a major responsibility in disseminating information regarding Sharia in a readily understandable format. This has resulted in major misunderstandings and confusion amongst the general population in Muslim countries. These misunderstandings are then seized upon by many in non-Muslim countries who use them for essentially propaganda purposes.
There is a lot of confusion over exactly what is Sharia. The average Muslim living in a Muslim country is generally unaware of what Sharia is. At this point, let me add a disclosure note. I am not a religious scholar and will not attempt even the beginnings of an answer to the question of what Sharia is. The point of this post in any case is not to try and define Sharia but to try and explore why people have such polarized views to this subject. This confusion has not stopped people - both Muslim and non-Muslim from weighing in on the subject. Interestingly enough, a Google search on what is sharia returns sites that seem to be written primarily by non-Muslims. The main aspect of Sharia that seems to arouse ire one camp and draw explanations from the other is the alleged treatment of women under the law.
The biggest confusion regarding Sharia in the minds of Muslims concerns its status. Is it sacred and therefore fixed for all eternity or can it be adapted to circumstances while staying within certain parameters. There is a good article by Dr. Riffat Hussain which seeks to address this issue. Personally I feel that religious scholars, who are the best authorities on Sharia, have shirked a major responsibility in disseminating information regarding Sharia in a readily understandable format. This has resulted in major misunderstandings and confusion amongst the general population in Muslim countries. These misunderstandings are then seized upon by many in non-Muslim countries who use them for essentially propaganda purposes.
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