Posted on 02/07/2005 6:39:13 AM PST by presidio9
IRAQ'S Shiite leader, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, and another senior cleric last night set out radical demands that Islam be the sole source of legislation in the country's new constitution.
The shock Shiite move came after Iraq's leading Sunni clerics group yesterday demanded a timetable for the withdrawal of US-led forces as a condition for joining talks on a new constitution. After a leading Shiite cleric issued a statement setting out the position on sharia law, Ayatollah Sistani, the spiritual leader of Iraqi Shiites, made it clear he backed demands for the Koran to be the basis of legislation.
The national assembly set up after last month's US-backed election is to oversee the drawing up of the new constitution. The role of Islam has been at the centre of a dispute between the rival parties and the US-led occupation authority that administered Iraq until last June.
Ayatollah Sistani leads the five most important clerics, known as Marja al-Taqlid, or sources of emulation, who had shown a more moderate face going into the election.
The surprise statement was issued by Sheikh Ibrahim Ibrahimi, a representative of Ayatollah Mohammad Ishaq al-Fayad, a member of the marja. "All the ulema (clergy) and marja, and the majority of the Iraqi people, want the national assembly to make Islam the source of legislation in the constitution and to reject any law that is contrary to Islam," the statement said.
"We warn against a separation of the state and religion, because this is completely rejected by the ulema and marja and we will accept no compromise on this question."
A source close to Ayatollah Sistani said the spiritual leader backed the demand.
The role of Islam was a sticking point when the interim constitution was drawn up under the US-led occupation.
After acrimonious debate and the threat of a veto by US administrator Paul Bremer, the final version completed last March said Islam should be "a source" of legislation.
No law that "contradicts the universally agreed tenets of Islam" would be accepted, the final draft of the "fundamental law" stated.
Following talks with UN special envoy Ashraf Qazi, the Sunni Committee of Muslim Scholars said it would take part in drafting a new constitution only if a date were agreed for US-led troops to leave the country.
"We told him (Mr Qazi) we had conditions and that we would discuss them with the parties that boycotted the polls and would put forward a common stance," said committee spokesman Omar Ragheb.
"These demands focus on reaching a consensus with all political parties on the withdrawal of foreign forces."
The committee, which persuaded the main Sunni religious group, the Islamic Party, to boycott the election, indicated it would press Sunni insurgents to abandon their campaign of resistance if its demands were met.
Meanwhile, Italy tried to secure the release of a woman journalist kidnapped in Baghdad after an ultimatum was posted on an Islamist website giving Rome 72 hours to order a pullout of its 3000 troops.
Uh oh.
cause in 10 years were gonna have to go in and kick their arse
Iraq to US: thanks for nothin,
Not a swell start to the Mountain West morning. Were these guys sandbagging it all along? If so, a lot of Americans are going to be pretty unhappy.
Yep, save a few of those pictures of women voting in Iraq. It may be a while before they get a second chance.
As an old friend of mine is known to say - "A - G - H."
"Ain't Gonna Happen."
Iraqis, and particularly Iraqi women, have lived too long under secular tyranny to trade it for Islamic tyranny.
Didn't take them long for this did it? First and fore most. It is acceptable to lie to an Infidel to get what you want. It is even praised when they are unaware of your deceitfulness.
What makes him think the majority of Iraqis are in agreement with him?
My guess, they ain't.
Why not two systems at the discretion of the accused to choose?
The media is lying again, Sistani never said such thing. 'Iraq The Model' stated in his blog, that there will be no 'Sharia' law established.
We still have time to rig the election :p.
Given that those at the AP and AFP are completely against the war in Iraq and would love to see the peace there fall apart, I wonder if this article is even true.
Sounds like a lot of Iraqis will too!
I agree. The majority vote of an Islamic population doesn't result in freedom. The only reason Turkey hasn't gone dirt is because of the overriding military power to overthrow the Islamic nutcakes.
Who didn't see this coming?
Umm... It is looking like his electoral slate won about 2/3 of the vote.
iraqthemodel.blogspot.com for those who are interested.
IF this is true, these are the most decietful bastards on this planet, I wish they would take their allah, their clerics, and throw them down a well ,in a sack filled with black cats .
He'd fit in well with the Democrat Underground.
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