Posted on 09/20/2008 6:17:01 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
It’s been described by one commentator as an example of Great Britain ‘surrendering’ itself and the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams was criticised for saying it will happen, but whatever the reaction, Islamic law now officially operates in the UK.
Whereas before rulings by sharia courts in Britain could only be enforced if all parties in a Muslim civil case agreed to abide by them, now what the courts say will be legally binding, backed by county courts or the High Court.
The five sharia courts are Birmingham, Bradford, London and Manchester with others planned for Glasgow and Edinburgh. They will be run by the Muslim Arbitration Tribunal whose Sheikh Faiz-ul-Aqtab Siddiqi said: "We realised that under the Arbitration Act [1996] we can make rulings which can be enforced by county and high courts. The act allows disputes to be resolved using alternatives like tribunals."
Muslim tribunal courts have been running since August 2007, hearing cases of divorce, domestic violence and much more. Jewish Beth Din courts have been in the UK for over 100 years.
However, Siddiqi admitted that the courts can favour men, with several cases of domestic violence ending with husbands receiving little punishment other than being made to take an anger management course. In every case, the women later withdrew their claims.
Tory shadow Home Secretary Dominic Grieve was amazed that sharia law had been made legally binding. "If it is true that these tribunals are passing binding decisions in the areas of family and criminal law, I would like to know which courts are enforcing them because I would consider such action unlawful. British law is absolute and must remain so."
And Douglas Murray, the director of the Centre for Social Cohesion, said: "I think it’s appalling. I don’t think arbitration that is done by sharia should ever be endorsed or enforced by the British state."
PING!
good bye Britain.
WT.................?
Yup, we knew her well. Too bad.
And oue Supreme Court justices admit the use the law in other countries to make their decisions.
Wow! Is this Vienna, 1683 all over again, just without the siege warfare?
JoMa
I thought this was being challenged when it conflicts with rights under UK law. Still, even so, this is the camel’s nose, so to speak.
From the Magna Carta to barbarism........sickening turn of events.
I will never set foot in England again until Christ is back and that friggin country is straightened out.
United Kingdom of Islam (UKI)
Britanislam
The Islamic Isles
Great Islam
I’m sure the Brits will be happy with those very patriotic names.
Constitution overrides religion.
Give them an inch and they’ll take England....
Coming soon to a nation near you. :D
I can only console myself as an expatriate. This is easily done when there is no recourse. Herewith:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwoGtHAG8IQ
"Muslims in London"
With attending werewolf howls- what a gem. Free speech for ever.
Good-Bye anti-radical Europe, hello anti-America Europe.
Warning to islam. Stay out of Ireland.
I would hope that the nothing contrary to British law, including Common Law, would be enforceable, even if both parties had consented to the Shariah court. Second, I would be concerned about pressure being brought to bear, e.g., on women, to consent to the Shariah court involuntarily.
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