British Muslims Want Shari'ah Law

A poll of Muslims in Britain finds that 61% wanted Islamic courts based upon the Shari'ah to make decisions on civil matters: divorce, custody, marriage, inheritance, etc. They do not, however, want the Shari'ah court decisions to contravene British laws. I wonder how that would work.

Indo-Asian News Service reports:

Alongside these signs of a desire for more recognition of their religion, however, the poll suggests that the Muslim community is perhaps more integrated than many might imagine, with 62 percent saying they have "a lot or quite a few" non-Muslim people among their closest friends and 35 percent saying they would consider marrying someone who was not a Muslim. There is also a strong appetite within the Muslim community to become a closer part of British life, with 40percent saying they need to do more to integrate into mainstream British culture.

The greater desire for integration is surely a good sign and exactly what British politicians must want to see. Still, I don't know how well Shari'ah courts could function if they can't do anything that contradicts British laws. Perhaps they can offer "Muslim" solutions that aren't listed in British laws without violating those laws — but how many of those exist?

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