[lit-ideas] Re: Sharia Law in England
- From: "Veronica Caley" <molleo1@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 13 Oct 2010 17:22:47 -0400
My knowledge of Jews having their own courts and laws came from a TV crime
show. The story revolved around a woman who got divorced and needed the
husband's consent to remarry. His price for permission was that she give up
all rights to their children. I had previously read about the real case.
I know quite a bit more about Sharia. But, my near experience has been with a
Muslim woman friend who married a Muslim man but only in the mosque. No state
certificate as required by secular law. When she wanted to divorce him, he was
needed to give consent to the imam. He didn't give it. Until a while later.
When I asked her how much she had to pay, she said nothing, but I don't believe
it. Her family has been here for about 90 years. She and siblings were all
born here. Assimilated apparently only on an economic and linguistics level.
I watched the debates on Sharia on Canadian TV. The people most vehemently in
opposition to the Canadian government allowing it were Muslim women. All of
them spoke fluent English and many were probably born in Canada. Regarding the
settlement of inheritance where the sons get twice as much as the daughters, if
it's OK with the daughters it's OK with me. But I wonder how many Muslim women
involved in Sharia settlement issues know that this is not the way in the
secular countries where they live. Although with estate issues, one can leave
everything to one child regardless of gender.
Re the Jewish law, according to a recent NYTimes article the Orthodox Jews in
Israel are fighting with others elsewhere about who is and is not a Jew. Nice.
It makes me long for the atheistic rabbi that I miss so much.
Re judge Judy, that never even occurred to me. Re arbitration in a secular
court, I am all for it.
When I come across these types of issues I always remember the chapter in the
Brothers Karamazov where the religious authority explains what human beings are
about. Miracle, mystery and authority. And as numerous
persons on this list have pointed out, people stay in these systems by their
own free will. If there is such a thing,
which I am increasingly getting to doubt. By the way, in Ann Arbor MI we have
a bank catering to Muslim ethics.
Veronica
Message -----
From: carol kirschenbaum
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wednesday, October 13, 2010 3:39 AM
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Sharia Law in England
Veronica,
Your surprise surprised me. I never thought about Islamic law that much. But
I sort of assumed that there's an Islamic equivalent of Jewish law (a Bet Din,
or Halachic law) in both the US and UK--and France, too. I grew up in a
tradition where one observes rulings by both civil and Jewish courts. Official
wedding ceremonies, in my extended French and American family, consisted of
all-day schelps from City Hall to the synagogue. What's new, I gather, is the
edge of hysteria now associated in these parts with anything Muslim. Sharia
law...yikes! They'll make us wear veils! (Frankly, at my age I'd welcome one.)
Carol K.,
PDX
On Tue, Oct 12, 2010 at 6:24 PM, Veronica Caley <molleo1@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Did anyone on this list know that Sharia Law is in Britain? I just read it
in Sunday "Times" Sept. 14th, 2008.
Tried to copy the link but couldn't. You can find several articles by
Googling: England/Sharia Law. I wonder how many people using this legal system
can even read or write English.
I was surprised because Canadians tried it but their Supreme Court ruled
against it.
Veronica Caley
Milford, MI
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