Free Republic

An Islamic tribunal, launched in Dallas last year to settle civil disputes among the growing Muslim population, is drawing quarrels over its use of Shariah law. Opponents fear it would open the door to extreme practices and corporal punishment linked to Shariah law in certain Muslim-majority countries. Still others argue it would replace the U.S. Constitution. But organizers say the panel of arbitrators issues nonbinding decisions on matters such as business disputes and religious divorces. They note its parallels with Jewish rabbinical courts and Catholic tribunals. The very word “Shariah” invokes backlash from those who don’t understand it and use...

North Texas is now home to the first official Islamic Tribunal in the U.S. Comprised of four judges, the Islamic Tribunal follows Sharia Law, a Muslim religious moral code that settles disputes in many countries in the Middle East. Located at a mosque in Irving, Texas, such an establishment may come as a shock to many Americans who, as U.S. citizens, first and foremost live and abide by the nation’s state and federal laws. […] Tribunal judge Dr. Taher El-badawi says that the tribunal will not handle cases involving criminal law, child support, custody battles, or transfers of assets. But...