It’s Sharia not English Law that’s Unfair, Says Columnist
ICC Note
Human rights activists and others are expressing increasing concern about the growing role of Sharia law in the UK. Sharia law is discriminatory towards women and non-Muslims. 
07/31/2012 UK (The Christian Institute)-Allowing Muslims to regulate their communities using Sharia law would “systematically disadvantage Muslim women”, a commentator has warned.
Last week it emerged that the Court of Appeal had ordered a Muslim leader to support his ex-wife financially.
After the ruling Dr Zaid Al-Saffar, who believes maintenance payments are illegitimate or illegal according to Islamic culture, said that “family law in this country is biased against Muslim people”.
Vociferous
But Alasdair Palmer, a Sunday Telegraph columnist, said: “Dr Al-Saffar’s complaint against the English legal system is echoed in the increasingly vociferous chorus arguing that Muslims should be allowed to regulate their communities by their own laws: that they should, for example, be allowed to follow the requirements of Islamic religious law or Sharia.
“This, it is said, is necessary if Britain is to treat Muslims ‘fairly’. Unfortunately, the result would also be to systematically disadvantage Muslim women.
“It is essential, if Britain is to remain a society based on equality before the law, that we do not start allowing communities to discriminate against women.
Supress
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The ruling comes amid increasing concern about the creeping influence of Sharia in Britain, and the emergence of a parallel legal system.
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Crime
A Bill, tabled by Lady Cox, aimed at tackling the problem of Sharia courts in England and Wales was introduced to the House of Lords earlier this year.
Under the Bill, it will become a crime punishable by up to five years in prison to falsely claim legal jurisdiction over criminal or family law.
The Bill also makes clear that laws against sex discrimination apply to arbitration tribunals, firmly outlawing the Sharia practice of treating a woman’s testimony as worth half that of a man’s..
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