What Is Sharia Law?

Sharia Law (source)

Sharia Law - we've been catching wind of this everywhere recently. It's a tentpole of the Taliban, and it's what ISIS needs for Iraq and Syria. It's likewise utilized as a part of the lawful frameworks of the United Arab Emirates. In any case, clearly, those are altogether different gatherings and circumstances.

So, what is Sharia law? Well, there’s no set list of things that are, or aren’t Sharia Law. In Arabic, Sharia is roughly translated to “path to the watering hole” and it refers to a system meant to control all aspects of its followers’ lives. That incorporates everyday schedules, familial and religious commitments, and budgetary dealings. It prescribes punishments, but those punishments don’t necessarily have to be draconian or harsh. 

If the particular sect of Islam that wrote those Sharia laws is more focused on charity and loose interpretations of the Quran, then they wouldn’t include things like stoning or amputation. In the vast majority of Muslim communities, an “eye for an eye” is seen as an analogy - not as a literal instruction. But extremist groups, like ISIS and the Taliban, have a more literal interpretation of the Quran and other teachings, so their version of Sharia Law includes things like stoning and the oppression of women... and “an eye for an eye.” 

Like with all laws, it comes down to who is making the law and how they’re enforcing it. When we talk about militant Jihadists, it’s important to include their desire for Sharia Law in the conversation - because the goal of establishing Sharia law reveals a lot about these groups. The teachings that these extremists use are from the 7th and 8th centuries - a time when institutionalized slavery, honor killings and the general oppression of women were the norm. 

So if a group is taking these teachings literally, then we can expect to see a lot of human rights violations. Plus, we know the group wants a legal system with absolutely no separation of Church and state. Not only does that give an undue amount of power to the people in charge, but it also creates natural incentives by which they can restrict freedom of religion, freedom of speech and freedom of assembly. 

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