Even leaders of some Muslim countries, just like their Western counterparts, rally the faithful to a fear of “radical” Islam. The line that separates the radical from others can vary, depending on whom you ask.
For example, New Tasmanian PUP Senator, Jacqui Lambie, believes that Sharia promotes terrorism, and that those who believe in Sharia law should leave Australia. In 2008, former Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, was lambasted internationally for suggesting that aspects of Sharia could be implemented in the UK.
So much talk, so much hatred. Ask the haters what Sharia is and they grab at Orientalist depictions ingested over the years by cheap Hollywood movies or erroneous sensationalised writings.
Sharia is an Arabic noun. When we look at the meanings of words in Arabic, we usually analyse them to get to the root of the word, which is mostly three letters. Sharia is a five-letter word in Arabic and its three-letter origin is Shar’. Some interpretations take it to refer to a stream of water, others go to Shira’ (four letters) which means sail, like the sail on a sailing ship, which takes the wind and moves the vessel forward and can be used to direct the ship as it captures the wind.
Shari’a (phonetic spelling), is meant to present clear direction in one’s life, to help decipher right from wrong in order to make good decisions, so no important matter is left out.
To a Muslim, Sharia refers to all aspects of our lives as believers in God. It covers all the Islamic teachings. Within Sharia is a provision known as Hudud which means boundaries or borders or limits. The Hudud is such a small section that it is not even one per cent of Sharia. Hudud deal with penalties for things like theft, murder, adultery, high treason and intoxication. However, there have been instances in Islamic history where the Hadd (singular for Hudud) for theft was suspended because there was a famine. Hudud can only be implemented through a court of law and only when this court is given a mandate in a genuine Islamic state, otherwise, they are not Hudud. The reason for that is because only a genuine Islamic state will have the proper deterrents and the alternatives available, so that people do not need to commit an extreme act such as those that fall under Hudud.
Now to Muslims in Australia. I as a Muslim believe in Sharia and observe as much of Sharia as I can – bearing in mind my imperfections. The more conscious I am of God, the better I am as a Muslim. It is not my individual responsibility to seek out Hudud, even in an Islamic state. It is not the responsibility of ordinary citizens to seek out Hudud. In fact, our responsibility is to give private counsel, to advise, to show compassion and to forgive when the wrong is done to us.
What Sharia means to Muslims is: To be a model citizen, to practise honesty and integrity, to be good at your chosen profession, to be a good neighbour, to be a good Samaritan and to show care, love and friendship. It is to be forgiving, forbearing and patient, very patient, to pray and to fast, and to be charitable and to make pilgrimage. Above all, it is to witness to the Oneness of God, thereby not having fear of others nor currying favour with some to the exclusion of others.
