Islamic+Sharia+Law

Islamic Sharia Law Jordan Springer Sharia is the set of rules that dictate all aspects of life for Muslims, from clothing to the actual laws in some areas of the world. Roughly translated, the word “Sharia” means path. Sharia is the divine rules set by Allah (Islam’s main god) and Muhammad (Allah’s prophet who created Islam), whereas fiqh is the earthly knowledge and use of these laws. In addition to other things, Sharia law cover the five pillars of Islam, religious requirements for followers of Islam.

The first of these is the profession of faith, which requires that a person repeats a phrase, also known as a confession. This phrase acknowledges that the person believes in Allah and Muhammad.

The second of these is the hajj, or pilgrimage. A hajj is a sacred journey to Mecca, the holy city of Islam, where Muslims perform several different types of rituals or ceremonies. At some point in their lives, all Muslims who are financially and physically able to must perform the hajj.

Fasting must be observed from dawn to dusk during the month of Ramadan, which, in 2015, lasts from June 17 to July 17. In addition to the hajj, Muslims must perform five prayers at various times throughout the day.

Finally, Muslims are subject to a zakat, a tax on their produce that goes to other members of the community. Sharia is not only a set of rules for Muslims, it is a lifestyle. Some countries use the Sharia law in their legal systems.

The United Arab Emirates uses a modified form of Sharia and has two types of courts: Sharia courts and secular or federal courts. In these cases, the secular courts are the standard courts and the Sharia courts are optional. When used, Sharia determines the punishments for certain crimes, such as leaving the faith or theft. As previously stated, Sharia covers all parts of life.

A particularly important point is dress. Although it varies with region, women are typically supposed to wear a burqa, a garment that usually covers all or most of the body. Interestingly enough, men are not allowed to make women change their dress. The women can cover as much or as little as they want.

Food is divided into two categories: halal and haram. Halal is allowed, and haram is forbidden. Only meat that has been killed in the name of Allah is acceptable, and some other types of food, such as fruit, are forbidden.

In places where Sharia law is government law, punishments are decided by Sharia law. There, traditional Islamic punishments such as flogging or the amputation of a hand are used for severe crimes, though this doesn’t happen very often.