Sharia to be intruduced into English law?

I remember that it was you, Steve, who wanted a special investigation about a deadly accident in Paris. By a British coroner. About an accident in France. Closed by the French authorities after all was done according to French law (which is the law in France).

Stephen Hockman QC, a former chairman of the Bar Council, said: "It is vital and inevitable that sharia will become part of British law in some shape or form.

"Given the world situation and our own substantial Muslim population it is vital that we now look at ways to integrate Muslim culture into our own traditions.

"Otherwise we will find that there is a significant section of our society which is increasingly alienated, with very dangerous results.

"There should be a standing committee comprising of parliamentarians, lawyers and religious leaders to consider how this could be achieved and what specific legal changes might be framed."

Quote:

Stephen Hockman QC, a former chairman of the Bar Council, said: "It is vital and inevitable that sharia will become part of British law in some shape or form.

"Given the world situation and our own substantial Muslim population it is vital that we now look at ways to integrate Muslim culture into our own traditions.

"Otherwise we will find that there is a significant section of our society which is increasingly alienated, with very dangerous results.

Does the same apply in Germany France and the USA?

Appearing Wednesday on the "Nevada Newsmakers" television show, Las Vegas mayor Oscar Goodman suggested that those who deface freeways with graffiti should have their thumbs cut off.

"I'm saying maybe you put them on TV and cut off a thumb," Goodman recommended. "That may be the right thing to do."

Wait, there's more.

"I also believe in a little bit of corporal punishment going back to the days of yore, where examples have to be shown," Goodman said. "I'm dead serious," said Goodman, adding, "Some of these (children) don't learn. You have got to teach them a lesson, and this is coming from a criminal defense lawyer."

Any legal system rules for itself which foreign norms and up to what degree are accepted.
On the level of courts there's no 'legal multiculturalism'.
What we have here in Germany, however, is that in special cases there might be a need to aplly a different than German law.

Any (strictly spoken) religious rules from the sharia are guaranteed by our Basic Law (constitution).
Definitely sharia can't be used within the public law (included criminal law).


There's a rather small part of civil law, where sharia can be and is used: for instance, if there's a promise to give the future wife a 'mahr' or in any trade agreements which want to avoid paying interest ...

Then you find it regarding widow's pension ... with up to four widows. (The legal reason for that is quite simple: emancipation of the wives. Though polygamy is totally unlaw - the widows are under the protection of the Basic Law - and their legal claims.

(Source for above: Mathias Rohe, chair of civil law, private international law and comparative law, Tübingen university; Rohe in Juristenzeitung [German Law Journal], JZ 17/2007, 62th year, pages 801-806; and a summarised script by Rohe from his new book "Islamic Law - today and in the past" ['Das islamische Recht - Geschichte und Gegenwart', which will be published next year.])