Muslim Group Faults US Comments On Shari’ah, Northern Governors

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has faulted the United States of America (USA) comments on Shari’ah and northern governors, describing it as unguarded, undemocratic and demagogic.

In the midst of the tension between Nigeria and the United States, some US legislators have demanded the abrogation of Shari’ah law; additionally, 12 northern governors have been threatened with sanctions.

Reacting, MURIC’s executive director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, said, “We reject attempts by US legislators to impose the American value system on Muslims around the world, including Nigerian Muslims.

“The negative comments about the Islamic legal system coming from the US are, at best, unguarded, undemocratic and demagogic.

“Our position is based on the core principles of democracy, which the US claims to be championing, viz, majority rule, participatory citizenry and the rule of law, but which US current behaviour and pronouncements on Nigeria feverishly castigate.

“In the first place, the states practising Shari’ah in Nigeria followed due process before introducing it. Shari’ah is being used in those states as Islam is the religion of the overwhelming majority.

“Secondly, that overwhelming majority is actively participating in the application of Shari’ah in the states, and there has never been any complaint from them.

“Thirdly, as a bastion of the rule of law, democracy accepts any set of rules agreed upon by the majority of its representatives. Incidentally,

“Shari’ah was introduced via the Houses of Assembly following global standards of legislative proceedings in all the states where it was passed into law.’’

“At that point, Shari’ah became the rule of law in those states. Any attempt, therefore, by a foreign legislature to abrogate it through extra-judicial and alien interpretation will be regarded as undue interference in the affairs of a sovereign country and a breach of international law.

“This will defeat the ideals of democracy, deface the values of the rule of law and bastardise the essence of free speech, liberty and humanity. In particular, this stance of the US constitutes a humongous threat to world peace.’’